If you’re asking Google this question, you’re probably thinking about buying a WiFi extender for gaming. The answer isn’t as white and black as many think it is. WiFi boosters can be good for some games, while for others not. Other factors can also affect its performance, such as the number of people using WiFi simultaneously.
Without further ado, let’s explore how WiFi extenders work, what type of gaming they are good for or not so good, and how to use one to reap its benefits.
What Is a WiFi Booster?
A WiFi booster is a device that extends the reach of your WiFi signal or coverage. Extending your WiFi coverage eliminates dead spots in your home and improves your internet. They work best when placed near your router, but you can also position them between the router and the hard-to-reach area.
How Do WiFi Boosters Work?
WiFi extenders are a solution to weak WiFi coverage. They are designed to improve your WiFi network and work by re-broadcasting your router’s signal. The booster receives the signal and extends its reach. However, it won’t strengthen the signal.
Things to Consider when Using a WiFi Extender for Gaming
- WiFi boosters work best when you install them in a direct line of sight of the router.
- WiFi extender setup is simple - plug it in and pair it with your router in a few easy steps.
- They work best where there are little to no barriers in the way.
- The further you are from the router and WiFi extender and the more walls in the way, the more unreliable their signal will be.
Is a WiFi Extender Good for Gaming?
WiFi boosters are good for gaming but not ideal. Generally, playing games via WiFi isn’t as effective as via wired connection because a wired solution offers less latency.
In some cases, WiFi extenders can make latency higher than a WiFi router. That can affect the performance of fast-paced online games, especially when more devices are connected to your network. Lag is more common when using a WiFi extender for gaming, especially if it’s low-quality and cheap.
However, depending on the network setup, a WiFi booster is sometimes the only way to play online games. And, they can be very effective when playing slow-paced games that aren’t affected by lag problems.
How to Get the Best out of Your WiFi Extender for Gaming?
Cheap and less powerful WiFi extenders may cause issues for fast-paced games, negatively affecting your timing and reactions when playing such games. So, first, ensure you get a high-quality device.
Next, try to place your WiFi booster as near to the router as possible. That sounds counterintuitive because the device's purpose is to extend the WiFi range. However, the signal strength won’t be optimal if the extender is several rooms away from the router. Positioning a WiFi extender in a line of sight to a router will help get the best out of it for gaming.
Another way to boost its performance is to ensure the network isn’t too busy with downloads or congested by other users. That will help reduce lag.
When Is a WiFi Extender Good For Gaming?
We mentioned WiFi extenders might deliver what you need for a quality gaming experience in some cases. Explore the details below.
Slow-Paced Gaming
If you play slow-paced, turn-based games, such as chess, golf, and strategy-based games, then the occasional drop in connection and lag spike typically won’t affect your gaming experience much. In cases like these, using a WiFi booster to improve your signal range can be a good solution and provide you with the connection you need.
Closeness to Router
You know by now the distance of the extender to the router affects the signal strength. So, if you’re playing close to the router and need the WiFi extender to give you the best signal possible, it can work pretty well for gaming.
Uncongested Home Network
If your home network is relatively uncongested without many heavy bandwidth use devices, WiFi extenders can be an excellent way of boosting your signal. However, that’s true only if your game console isn’t competing with many other devices on the network for bandwidth.
When Is a WiFi Extender Not so Good For Gaming?
For some gamers, WiFi extenders may not be the ideal solution. While extenders boost the WiFi signal from the router, they keep you on WiFi, which has intrinsic shortcomings compared to wired connections for gaming.
That said, using WiFi over a wired connection, even boosted with an extender, can cause issues with signal strength and network congestion. That’s why they may not be the best alternative for particular types of games. Let’s explore further.
Fast-Paced Gaming
If you play fast-paced multiplayer online games, such as first-person shooters and some high-speed sports games, where even slight lagging can turn your experience into a nightmare, WiFi boosters likely won’t provide you with a solid enough connection to play. Naturally, that will worsen on congested home networks.
Distance to Router
The further you are from the router, the weaker the signal will be. That said, if you’re playing several rooms or floors from the router, a WiFi extender will unlikely provide you with the adequate signal for trouble-free gaming.
Busy Home Network
A WiFi extender won't solve your connection issues if your home network is congested with many devices competing for bandwidth simultaneously. For example, if your sister is trying to stream a video, your mum is watching Netflix, and your dad is working online, you won’t be able to play your game without trouble.
Get the Best WiFi Extender for Gaming
By now, you know when a WiFi booster can work for gaming and when it can’t. To ensure a smooth gaming experience, you’ll need a high-quality WiFi extender placed near your router and an uncongested home network. That will significantly help you enjoy your games when there’s no other way.
