We all know the struggle of outdoor Wi-Fi connections. It can be frustrating to invite a large group of guests outside to make s’mores or participate in a book club meeting, and have poor connectivity. Maybe you’re a parent trying to keep connected to work or social media outside while relaxing with your children who are playing in the pool.
Wi-Fi seems to be an elusive, complex, invisible necessity we all have to deal with setting up or extending at some point. We understand that the technical jargon and mixed-up terms can be confusing, which is why we break down the wireless routers, portable disc players and other tech for you quickly and efficiently.
If you’re searching for the best wireless extenders to get better Wi-Fi connection outside, we’ve made a list of the best options out there, as well as their features and some general need-to-knows.
Contents
- Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Extender 2021
- 1. NETGEAR Orbi Ultra-Performance Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System – Best-Reviewed Outdoor Wi-Fi Extender
- 2. Wi-Fi Range Extender – 1200Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater – Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Repeater
- 3. TP-LINK CPE210 2.4GHz – Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Antenna/Long Range
- 4. Simple Wi-Fi Ultra Long Range Wi-Fi Extender G2424
- 5. COMFAST N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender 300Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater
- 6. D-Link AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender
- 7. Ubiquiti NanoStation locoM2
- Buying Guide
- Types of Extenders
- Where to Plug in a Wi-Fi Extender
- Conclusion
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Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Extender 2021
1. NETGEAR Orbi Ultra-Performance Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System
2. Wi-Fi Range Extender – 1200Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater
3. TP-LINK CPE210 2.4GHz
4. Simple Wi-Fi Ultra Long Range Wi-Fi Extender G2424
5. COMFAST N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender 300Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater
6. D-Link AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender
7. Ubiquiti NanoStation locoM2
1. NETGEAR Orbi Ultra-Performance Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System – Best-Reviewed Outdoor Wi-Fi Extender
If you’re on the hunt for overall home Wi-Fi connection paired with some outdoor accessibility, a whole home or mesh Wi-Fi system is going to be what you’re looking for. While they’re generally a bit more expensive, these ingenious systems allow a sort of “mirroring” of the main router, which means the connection can be extended more easily to other parts of a home or outdoors.
Another bonus for mesh systems is that they use the same SSID and password, so you don’t have to constantly sign out of one system and into the other to stay connected with decent speeds. This whole-home Wi-Fi system is great for those looking to reconnect their entire home and their outdoors to one system.
Here are the need-to-knows:
- Type: Mesh/Whole Home
- Speed: 3 Gbps
- Coverage: Up to 5,000 ft
- Weight: 3.92 lb
- Expandible: Orbi products can be expanded conveniently and easily while maintaining high connectivity speeds
This system really covers all the bases and ensures excellent Wi-Fi connection. Not only is it a highly-reviewed brand with many mentions in magazines and tech websites, but it also has many fantastic features built-in. This is perfect for extending Wi-Fi outside the home, as you can connect all your Orbi products to one another easily and use a weatherproof Orbi satellite outside.
Features:
- Whole home/mesh system
- 3 Gbps speed
- 5,000 sq ft coverage
- Expandable
- 2 satellites included (for whole home coverage)
- Award-winning brand/system
- Tri-band technology and ethernet ports built-in
- Easy setup
- Parental controls, guest network, and app included
- Built-in antivirus and theft protection
- Great reviews
- Fast and reliable
Thousands of previous customers have positively rated this mesh Wi-Fi system, and with so many reviewers it’s been easy to compile the pros and cons listed about these devices:
- Easy setup
- Better than competing extenders
- Covers whole house without sacrificing performance
- Huge difference in bandwidth speed
- Incredible speed
- Wi-Fi problems solved thanks to Orbi
- Great coverage
- Great company
- Extended wait times for tech support
- “Premium” support costs extra
- Firmware issues have been reported
- Connection can be unstable if not installed properly
2. Wi-Fi Range Extender – 1200Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater – Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Repeater
This Wi-Fi range extender works as a repeater and it comes highly recommended. It offers easy setup and a fantastic price. It is also built to be compatible with 99% of the routers out there, so you don’t need to worry about returning it once you try to set it up and find it’s not friends with the router you have at home.
This has reliable expansion options and works for both indoors and outdoors. However, it’s not weatherproof and you may need to find a protected place to install this outside or close to it. Furthermore, connection isn’t hampered by walls, which is great for those who prefer to keep it on an outside wall so it can offer Wi-Fi expansion both inside and out.
Here are some of the features:
- Type: Repeater
- Speed: 2.4G
- Coverage: Up to 1,290 sq ft
- Weight: 6.1 oz
- Expandible: While the speed and bandwidth might change a little bit when the repeater is being repeated, you can add another Wi-Fi range repeater to this one to allow for broader coverage in your home and outside for convenience.
This one comes at a fantastic price compared to many other extenders, and it also is well-rated for a Wi-Fi repeater. As it’s not weatherproof, it’s best to use this to strengthen/extend Wi-Fi outside from a protected spot.
Features:
- Great price
- Easy setup
- 1200 Mbps speed
- Good reviews
- Dual-band technology
- Nearly 1,300 sq ft coverage
- Compatible with 99% of routers on the market today
- Signal indicator for optimum setup location
- 360-degree coverage from repeater
- One-button easy operation
Here are pros and cons as mentioned by past buyers:
- Easy-to-follow instructions and setup
- Reliable Wi-Fi expansion
- Works as advertised
- Good value for price
- Fills holes in Wi-Fi
- Helps extend Wi-Fi coverage
- Easy setup
- Works for a repeater (slower connections are normal for these)
- May have lower speeds
- Can have network sign in issues that can be resolved by support
3. TP-LINK CPE210 2.4GHz – Best Outdoor Wi-Fi Antenna/Long Range
This is a CPE/access point specifically built for outdoors and perfect for those who already love TP-Link technology or use it right now. It’s great for covering vast stretches of area. Since it’s built for the outdoors, it comes in a secure weatherproof box, which ensures your connection will stay strong and safe.
This antenna CPE is great for long-range connection. It comes with different “modes” to work as an AP router/repeater/AP/etc. It can also be reset remotely if the circumstances require it, which means no hiking outside to turn on and off this convenient, sleek access point.
Here’s a breakdown for you:
- Type: Access Point/CPE
- Speed: 300 Mbps
- Coverage: Up to 200 ft (60 meters) long-distance
- Weight: 1.65 lb
- Expandible: This product works as an access point with an antennae, which can be used to extend Wi-Fi and connection outside, and it is not pairable except with a Wi-Fi router or by itself.
Features:
- Weatherproof design
- Antennae
- Adjustable transmission power
- Long-range reach
- Multiple operation modes
- Can be reset remotely
- Great reviews
- Great price
- Operates in -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 158 degrees Fahrenheit
- Excellent company
This great product can be used to provide great connection over distances outside. It’s a great quality for the price, and many other customers agree:
- Rock solid connection
- Extended Wi-Fi 200 ft to my office
- Covers long distances
- Great quality
- Fantastic price
- Excellent features; can control power output
- Amazing coverage throughout whole property
- Can pull Wi-Fi into metal building
- Excellent product-works with “cheapie” Wi-Fi
- Inexpensive solid performance
- Requires computer with ethernet port for setup
4. Simple Wi-Fi Ultra Long Range Wi-Fi Extender G2424
This outdoor satellite-style Wi-Fi booster is perfect for installing it outside near a home, RV, office, or on any property. It comes at an affordable price for long-distance extension. It is also highly reviewed and each antenna is tested before getting sent to the buyer.
It comes in a grid design meant to be mounted on a pole, and it is a wired Wi-Fi booster (a cable is required to maintain high connection). Often, wired Wi-Fi connectors has a bit more hassles to set up at first but they have fewer crashes or technical difficulties than wireless Wi-Fi extenders or repeaters.
Here are some general details about this long-range Wi-Fi extender option:
- Type: Wired Wi-Fi Booster/Antenna
- Speed: Up to 150 Mbps
- Coverage: About five miles long-distance
- Weight: 6 lb
- Expandible: This product works as a long-distance, cone-line Wi-Fi booster and is meant to be paired with a router. It is not necessarily expandible
Features:
- Long-range Wi-Fi booster (up to 8 miles)
- Outdoor antenna
- Coaxial cables required for setup
- Pole-mounted
- Each antenna tested before being shipped
- Easy set-up
- Great price for quality
- Directional
While the installation of this Wi-Fi booster is a little more heavy-duty than the others and involves mounting it to a pole and connected a coaxial cable, it is also very durable and provides long-distance Wi-Fi boosting and extension for those who need it. Here are some highlights and lowlights past customers have brought up:
- Increases Wi-Fi power
- Works through heavily insulated metal walls
- Great quality
- Heavy duty for such a great price
- Long range Wi-Fi works
- Works as promised
- Well-made
- Fantastic campground connection
- Improves signal for modems
- More effort required for assembly
- Larger than other wifi extenders
If you’re trying to bridge the Wi-Fi between your house and another building farther away, this excellent option can work through heavy insulation and gets the job done.
5. COMFAST N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender 300Mbps Wi-Fi Repeater
What if there was a very affordable, highly-rated Wi-Fi range extender with the capability of boosting and improving signal? Better yet, what if it could work outside to help with overall Wi-Fi coverage while you are out there for any reason?
Comfast has created a cost-effective option for those looking to boost their Wi-Fi signals simply and quickly, without added bells or whistles or confusion. With this easy-to-use Wi-Fi repeater, your connection can be broadened and even boosted.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Type: Repeater
- Speed: 300 Mbps
- Coverage: Around 100-150 feet
- Weight: 7.2 oz
- Expandible: This can be used with another Comcast extender easily, but they do suggest making sure the SSIDs are not the same.
Features:
- Great price
- Simple booster
- 2.4Ghz
- Stable connection
- Dual high-gain 5 dBi antennas for 360-degree coverage
- Has three modes: Repeater/AP/Router
- Compatible with many routers
- Installation video
This could be plugged in outside and connected to your Wi-Fi for a good boost and for stable connectivity as you lounge at the pool, take your dog outside to play, or videotape your children practicing cartwheels. It has a great price and several good reviews. Here they are:
- Easy install
- Simple and effective
- Great cost
- Works as it says
- Fantastic tech support
- Great to try out
- Nothing to lose/works well
- No power button (unplug to turn off)
- Antenna not removable or replaceable
6. D-Link AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender
This option can handle high bandwidths and multiple users at the same time, and it offers easy use and quick connection speeds. It’s perfect for HD streaming or gaming, and it also comes with AC smartbeam technology that can track where your connected devices are and send the signal in that specific area.
Interested in learning more about this quality range extender and everything it entails?
Here’s an overview of its main characteristics as well as its several features:
- Type: Range Extender
- Speed: Up to 1,732 Mbps
- Coverage: Around 150 ft
- Weight: 14.2 oz
- Expandible: This Wi-Fi booster and range extender can be connected with other devices and Wi-Fi can be further expanded with similar products.
Features:
- Great reviews
- AC Smartbeam for better device coverage
- Ultra fast wireless speeds
- Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi
- Connects multiple devices at once with high speeds
- Smart connect to easily find best band
- Ethernet cable port
- Smart Signal indicator to help place the Wi-Fi extender in the optimal location
- One-push setup
- Built-in setup wizard and app
- Quick and easy-to-use instructions
Here’s what customers have been mentioning as pros and cons:
- Great as a wired access point
- Great bandwidth
- Design is great
- Full Wi-Fi coverage everywhere
- Fast/100 Mbps
- Easiest setup ever
- It really works
- Stable
- AP mode may have some issues
Overall, if you’re looking for a powerful Wi-Fi access point/extender, this is an excellent option, both for indoors and outdoors. For outdoor use, it could be recommended to keep this inside the back door as it has less protection for the antenna than you might want. However, this provides high-speed, quality Wi-Fi extension at a great price.
7. Ubiquiti NanoStation locoM2
This wireless access point has great reviews. It also has a design perfect for being out-of-doors, and it comes at a very reasonable price for its quality. It’s built for point-to-point connectivity, which is perfect for video surveillance and other Wi-Fi-needing technologies you may be installing to secure your beloved home.
If this sounds like the Wi-Fi extender you’ve been looking for, here’s some more info to take in:
- Type: CPE/Access Point
- Speed: Up to 150 Mbps
- Coverage: About 1 mile
- Weight: 14.1 oz
- Expandible: This product works as an access point and CPE unit for boosting Wi-Fi and extending it out to where the CPE is. It can be connected with other devices.
Features:
- 8 dBi
- Wireless Access Point/CPE
- Dual-polarity with a panel antenna
- Perfect for point-to-point applications (like security cameras)
- Great design
- Outdoor use protection
- Software-enabled PoE output
- Great reviews
- Great price
- Great coverage
Here’s what customers have been saying in their reviews:
- Beams Wi-Fi to outside buildings
- Quality is awesome
- Can beam internet over a mile long
- Easy to use
- Enterprise-level product
- Good support team
- Great for RV and parks
- No wires
- No interruptions
- Newbies may need more support to install
Buying Guide
There are some things to consider before deciding on which Wi-Fi extender will suit your needs. Mainly, you need to be aware of the following:
Price
You get what you pay for. However, you can also pay great prices for great products that won’t break your bank. While most of the options on our top 7 best Wi-Fi extenders are well-priced for the tech-savvy buyer, this is something you may want to take into account based on your Wi-Fi service provider.
If you’re running a small business in your home or the quality of your connection is vital to your lifestyle, choosing high-quality, slightly costlier options like Option #1 or Option #6 is probably what you want to look at. If you simply need some Wi-Fi extension outside and you’re not in the market for anything too fancy (or fast), Option #2 or Option #7 is great.
Manufacturer
Brand names might not matter to you, but if you’re in the midst of business purposes or regular moves, the more well-known Wi-Fi products (and extenders) will make things a little easier in your regular work. For example, if you’re running a business and you move from one state to another, you may want to go with a well-known Wi-Fi extender which other companies will recognize when they’re trying to help you with service changes and switches.
Purpose
Is this for you and your husband so you don’t have to sit in the living room for the best streamed videos? Maybe you’re trying to get Wi-Fi outside mainly so you can listen to Spotify while gardening. If you’re building an office outside, you might be hunting for the best Wi-Fi extenders so you don’t have to get an entirely new system (Orbi is great for these mesh needs).
Take into account what you’re needing the extended Wi-Fi for, and pick an option whose speeds and distance will have you covered.
Distance
If your outdoor office is located twenty feet from your home router, you probably need a smaller extender (if one at all). However, if you’re trying to get a Wi-Fi-connected security system installed in your detached garage, which is located a bit further away on your property, it’s probably a good idea to go for one of the farther-distance extenders so you can rest easy knowing your security system has complete coverage.
Types of Extenders
If you have little interest in delving into the world of decoding technical jargon and analyzing each number and what they mean when setting up Wi-Fi extenders, we’ve got you covered.
While most of the options on our best Wi-Fi extenders list are perfect for an outdoor Wi-Fi connection and expanding this needed signal to your yard or office, here are some general things to understand about each type and what they’re good for:
Repeaters
Repeaters can get a bad rep. For some brands, the more repeaters used, the more the Wi-Fi connection is spread out until it becomes weak and nearly useless. Some choose to pay for cheaper repeaters and more expensive Wi-Fi so they can ensure broad coverage being reflected over their entire home and property.
Repeaters don’t usually strengthen the Wi-Fi or internet connection, but they’re not made to dilute your precious Wi-Fi, either. They’re made for simply expanding the Wi-Fi coverage a bit here or there. You could think of repeaters as pulling the Wi-Fi in a certain direction to a spot where you actually need it.
Antenna
Antenna extenders are reliable for Wi-Fi and can be large or small. Some of them are built into boxes, have antennas sticking out of the boxes, or come in large satellite-looking systems that need a little bit more work to install at the get-go. These can be wireless or wired, and they usually offer a more steady connection and a little more needed tech-savviness.
Wired
Some Wi-Fi extenders work well when they are wired to an Ethernet port or directly to your Wi-Fi router. This may be a viable option, or it may not be. If you’re trying to extend Wi-Fi coverage outside and your router and all available ethernet cables are on your second floor, it’s probably better to go for a wireless extender. Wired ones are less susceptible to crashing.
Boosters
These are typically a little pricier and offer the great advantage of building up your overall Wi-Fi strength and length, usually with a type of access point or antenna. The boosters are more of a way to push Wi-Fi connection to better areas and some are better or worse at actually improving Wi-Fi quality, but they are also usually stronger than repeaters.
CPEs/Access Points
“CPEs” stand for Customer Premises Equipments, and these are used to provide service as well. Your internet service provider might suggest that you install a CPE or access point directly on your property, or they might leave it up to you. Some people have both regular modems/routers and also CPEs installed and connected. There is no benefit to having one installed in this day and age. It’s all up to you and the company you choose to do business with.
General Extenders
Wi-Fi extenders come in a myriad of shapes, sizes, connections, colors, price ranges, and usabilities. For some of us, keeping things simple is key, and for others, making sure our small business practices run smoothly in our small office outside the house is imperative.
There is a Wi-Fi extender out there for everyone. Outdoor Wi-Fi extenders typically need to be more weather-resistant and kept away from animals, bugs, kids, and dirt, and they also need checked on more regularly than those left in the protection of our homes.
Where to Plug in a Wi-Fi Extender
Some places to leave your new best Wi-Fi extender so that it can reach the outdoors include the following:
- In the garage
- By the backdoor
- On the roof (for certain antenna types)
- Connected to the router/modem
- In the kitchen
- In areas of the house where Wi-Fi lags
- Outside in a secure location (for weather-resistant options)
- In a weatherproof box for outside electronics
- In your outdoor office
- Upstairs/downstairs, as close to the outside area where you will be
Before plugging in or installing your Wi-Fi extender (for in-home or outdoor use), be sure to read all instructions carefully and make sure it is fully assembled. Some extenders do better once they have been reset, and this may be the first step you need to take before getting it set up. If you are having issues setting up the Wi-Fi extender, refer to the instructions, reset the extender, and possibly restart your modem/router/CPE.
Conclusion
Wi-Fi is the unseen tool we all need in our homes and home offices. It offers connection to the outside world, and sometimes that connection is required outside. Whether you’re planning on hosting an event outdoors and you need a strong Wi-Fi connection available, or whether you’ve just built a new office outside and you’re trying to extend your already-great Wi-Fi there, these best outdoor Wi-Fi extenders can help you.
These products have been well-reviewed and tested by many users to determine their quality and features. Choosing to use one of these excellent Wi-Fi extenders outside your home can improve your Wi-Fi quality and broaden it to meet your needs and expectations.
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Last update on 2021-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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