Mesh Wi-Fi vs extenders: which fixes dead zones?

Wi-Fi extenders (repeaters)

• Cheap and simple. Fine for one weak spot near the router.
• Often halve your speed, because they talk to the router and your device on the same radio.
• Often create a second network name you have to switch between.

Mesh Wi-Fi

• Two or three units work as one network, with one name and password. Devices hop between them automatically.
• Much better speeds across the whole house, especially with a tri-band system.
• Easy setup with a phone app.

Best of all: wired

If your home has network cables in the walls, connect the mesh units to each other with cables for full speed everywhere.

Where to put mesh units

About halfway between the main router and the dead zone, not in the dead zone. They need a good signal to pass one on.