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Boosting and maintaining high-speed internet quality has become a staple in the homes of many in recent years. With the number of wireless devices that we use daily steadily increasing and the immense popularity of streaming HD media, it’s become more important than ever that we can experience a lag-free internet connection.
When it comes to your Ring home security camera, maintaining a steady and high-speed internet connection may prove to be a challenge due to its location in the household. So, what’s the solution? Enter the WiFi extender!
In this article, we take a look at the best WiFi extenders for the Ring camera in 2021, so you can make an informed decision on which product will best suit your home internet needs.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Wifi Extenders For Ring Camera
- OUR TOP PICK: AMAKE Super Boost WiFi
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Rockspace WiFi Range Extender
- EDITOR'S PICK: TP-Link AC1750 RE450
Comparison of the Best WiFi Extenders For Ring Cameras
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What Makes a WiFi Extender Great for a Ring Camera?
You might be wondering why you should use a WiFi extender for a Ring camera in the first place? Isn’t your WiFi router powerful enough to cover this outdoor camera? Unfortunately, not always. Let’s take a look at what makes a WiFi extender great for a Ring camera.
A Ring Camera Requires a Good Internet Connection
To stream and record the best possible video quality, a good internet connection is an absolute must for your Ring camera. A WiFi extender improves your Ring camera’s ability to directly connect to your high-speed internet by strengthening the signal, making sure that your camera is working optimally.
NETGEAR EX6150
A Ring Camera Requires Great Coverage
For a high-speed WiFI connection to reach your Ring camera, your internet signal must have great coverage. There’s a good chance that your WiFi signal is either not able to extend outside of your house or that the signal is much weaker in this area. A great WiFi extender will provide the best possible internet connection not only inside every nook and cranny of your house but immediately outside your house as well.
A WiFi Extender Provides an Affordable Alternative
Although the price of a Ring camera is not outrageous, they are, of course, not cheap products. Ring cameras provide a high-quality solution to your home security needs, whose price reflects their quality.
So, the last thing you want is to set up your Ring camera, only to find you either need to upgrade your internet or purchase an entirely new router to effectively connect to your Ring camera. While not all WiFi extenders are budget-friendly, you can certainly find options that fit within any price range that will be able to solve your connectivity issues without breaking the bank.
Review of the Best WiFi Extenders For Ring Camera
We have researched and compared the top WiFi extenders on the market to bring you our list of the best WiFi extenders for Ring cameras.
Best Overall:
AMAKE Super Boost WiFi
PROS
CONS
Specs
Speed: Up to 300Mbps
Transmission: 2.4 GHz
Voltage: 110V-240V
Compatibility: Compatible with 802.11n/g/b devices and works with any wireless network, router and Wi-Fi enabled devices
Review
Our pick for the best overall WiFi extenders for a ring camera is the AMAKE Super Boost WiFi. This easy to install repeater offers maximum security encryption methods to prevent unauthorized access and monitoring. While the AMAKE Super Boost WiFi-only boasts a data transfer rate of 300 Mbps, this is more than enough speed for a Ring camera to work optimally. This product includes an Ethernet port that allows the extender to function as a wireless adapter to connect to both wired and wireless devices. Compatible with 802.11n/g/b devices, AMAKE Super Boost WiFi will work with any wireless network, router, and WiFi-enabled devices.
Bottom Line
Overall, the AMAKE Super Boost WiFi WiFi repeater is a fantastic budget-friendly option that will allow your Ring camera to perform optimally no matter where it is positioned. This product includes a WPS Button Repeater Mode and an AP Mode, allowing for both extending WiFi coverage of an existing wireless network and covering a wired network to a wireless network with its built-in Ethernet port. Overall, this a fantastic and convenient product that is ideal for those who are constantly moving or on the road.
Best for the Money:
Rockspace WiFi Range Extender
PROS
CONS
Specs
Speed: Up to 1167Mbps
Transmission: 2.4-5 GHz
Voltage: 110V-240V
Compatibility: This product has been tested, and it is compatible with 99% routers on the market
Review
The Rockspace WiFi Range Extender is our pick for the best budget-friendly option for your Ring camera. This dual band WiFi extender packs some serious speed for a budget-friendly option, with a data transfer rate of up to 1167 Mbps on its 5 GHz frequency. With 360 degree coverage of up to 1,292 sq/ft., this product provides broad coverage to eliminate those inconvenient dead spots.
The Rockspace WiFi Range Extender is easy to set up and has been proven to be compatible with 99% of routers on the market. With its smart signal indicator, you’ll be able to quickly and easily find the best location to set up your WiFi extender.
Bottom Line
It’s hard to find fault with the budget-friendly Rock Space WiFi Range Extender. This dual-band product can automatically choose the high-quality band frequency that will result in better performance and optimum speeds, reaching a data transfer rate of up to 1167Mbps on its 5 GHz frequency. It should be noted that if you do not wish for your entire dual outlet to be covered, this may not be the WiFi extender for you, as this product features quite a bulky design.
Editor's Pick:
TP-Link AC1750 RE450
PROS
CONS
Specs
Speed: Up to 1300 Mbps
Transmission: 2.4-5 GHz
Voltage: 110V-240V
Compatibility: Compatible with any Router, Gateway, Access Point
Review
Our editor’s pick for the best WiFi extender for your ring camera is the TP-Link AC1750 RE450. This dual-band router offers up to 1300 Mbps super-speeds on a 5 GHz frequency, boosting WiFi coverage to 2,000 sq/feet. With its ability to connect up to 32 devices, this product is most ideal for those who already possess great internet speed and are looking to extend their coverage as much as possible.
This product includes three adjustable external antennas to maximize signal coverage, as well as a smart indicator light that lets you know when you’ve hit the most optimal location to install your WiFi extender. It should be noted that this product is more expensive than the average WiFi extender but that the quality is truly reflected in the price.
Bottom Line
The TP-Link AC1750 RE450 is a truly fantastic option for those who wish to extend their high-quality internet to every nook and cranny of their living space. With the extender range spanning a maximum of 2,000 sq/ft to eliminate dead zones and three external antennas for superior coverage throughout your home, the TP-Link AC1750 RE450 is a great choice for backing up your ring camera. As this WiFi extender is less budget-friendly than most, it’s important to make sure that it meets your current home setup needs.
Honorable Mention:
NETGEAR EX6150
PROS
CONS
Specs
Speed: Up to 1200 Mbps
Transmission: 2.4-5 GHz
Voltage: 110V-240V
Compatibility: Works with any wireless router, gateway, or cable modem with WiFi
Review
Next, we have the NETGEAR AC1200 EX6150. This WiFi extender is one of the best solutions on the market for providing high-speed internet to your ring camera, as well as any other wireless setup you may have. Connecting up to 20 devices at a time, this dual-band WiFi extender supports both the new 802.11ac protocol working in the 5 GHz range and the old 2.4 GHz one, suiting virtually any wireless setup.
It’s important to note that to use this WiFi extender to its full capability, your home must be optimally set up for this type and product and should not include blockages such as heavy cement walls and other bulky blockages.
Bottom Line
The high-speed NETGEAR AC1200 EX6150 is our choice for honorable mention in our list for the best WiFi extenders for a ring camera. This dual-band WiFi extender provides high speeds of up to 1200 Mbps at its 5 GHz frequency and covers up to 1,200 sq/ft., making it an ideal choice for most homes.
It’s important to note that the NETGEAR AC1200 EX6150 is on the pricier side of the spectrum for WiFi extenders, so it’s important to do your research and make sure that this product fits your speed for both range and adequate speed.
5. Sikeli AC1200
PROS
CONS
Specs
Speed: Up to 1200Mbps
Transmission: 2.4-5 GHz
Voltage: 110V-240V
Compatibility: Can be used with any standard router or gateway
Review
The next spot goes to the Sikeli AC1200. This WiFi range extender contains dual-band technology, providing high speeds of up to 867 Mbps on its more powerful option of 5 GHz transmission. The Sikeli AC1200 contains four external antennas to powerfully extend the network signal to cover any dead spots.
One of the best features of this product are its smart signal indicators, which aid in helping you find the best location for setup for optimal WiFi coverage, as well as the fact that it's compatible with any standard router or gateway. The downside of this product? Some users have found it difficult to set up and have difficulties maintaining a signal if using multiple devices.
Bottom Line
The Sikeli AC1200 WiFi extender is a great dual-band option for delivering super-fast speeds to your ring camera. This WiFi extender boasts various features, including a Gigabit Ethernet port for both wired and wireless coverage, universal compatibility with any router on the market, and four external antennas for ultimate signal strength. However, there have been some known issues with connectivity with this product depending on the user and their particular router.
How Wi-Fi Extenders Work and Where You Should Place Them
It’s important to note that WiFi extenders do not improve your internet’s general quality or boost your speed. Once a connection is made between your wireless device and your router, the WiFi extender can grab the existing signal and rebroadcast it on a different channel. Doing this gives you a wider range of wireless signals throughout your household and increases the range of the signal for a more direct connection.
Knowing where to place your WiFi extender can prove difficult, as you must ensure that the signal will reach those irritating dead zones while still not being too far away from the router. Many WiFi extenders offer a smart indicator light feature to assist with placement, which lets you know when you’ve hit the most optimal location to install your WiFi extender.
Most WiFi extenders also include antennas that help broaden your coverage even further, so you have more freedom in where you place your extender.
TP-Link AC1750 RE450
Ring Chime Pro vs WiFi Extender - Comparison Overview
While we’ve covered what a WiFi extender is, you may not have heard of the Ring Chime Pro. The Ring Chime Pro works similarly to a WiFi extender in the way that it extends your Wi-Fi signal while amplifying your Ring alerts. The Ring Chime Pro can also be plugged into any standard power outlet. So, what are the differences between the two?
Compatibility
While the Ring Chime Pro is specifically designed to be the most optimal product to improve your Ring camera’s signal, this, unfortunately, means that it only works with your Ring product. So, if you’re looking for a WiFi extender that can also assist your other wireless products, you’re out of luck. The Ring Chime Pro also only works for 802.11 b/g/n wireless protocol.
Limit on Connected Devices
While standard WiFi extenders will limit the number of devices that you can connect to it, the Ring Chime Pro does not limit the number of products you can connect to it - as long as these are Ring products, that is.
Affordability
Depending on the model you choose, both the Ring Chime Pro and standard WiFi extenders have the potential to be pricey. However, you will be able to find a quality WiFi extender for less than $50, whereas you will not be able to find a budget-friendly option with the Ring Chime Pro.
Additional Features
Photo credit: internet-access-guide.com
By purchasing the Ring Chime Pro, you can enjoy additional features beneficial for Ring products, such as a built-in nightlight and the ability to hear Ring notifications through its speaker. A standard WiFi extender will likely not offer either of these features.
How to Increase the WiFi Signal to a Ring Camera
If you’re looking for ways to increase your WiFi signal to a Ring camera, there are a few things you can do to improve your connection. It’s important to first check your signal strength by standing directly next to your Ring camera and running a speed test. This can easily be achieved by downloading an app on your mobile device. If you’re not receiving at least an internet speed of 3 Mpbs, then you should consider the following:
Rockspace WiFi Range Extender
- Move your wireless router closer to the location of your Ring camera
- Switch to your router’s 2.4 GHz band, as it has an easier time traveling through walls and increasing your network speed outside of your home
- Install a WiFi extender to drastically improve your signal’s range
- Consider upgrading your internet’s service plan, as competing with other devices may be slowing down your speed even further
Conclusion
That concludes our list of the best WiFi extenders for your Ring camera in 2021. It’s important to note that a WiFi extender is not a one size fits all product, so it’s important to take into account your specific internet speed, as well as the size of your household. Your Ring camera requires both a high-speed internet connection and extensive signal coverage to work optimally.
People Also Ask
Looking for more information on WiFi extenders for Ring cameras? Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions that people ask.
How Far Can a Ring Camera Be from a Router?
This depends on your WiFi signal specifically and whether your Ring camera is positioned indoors or outdoors. In the case of an indoor Ring camera, a typical 2.4 GHz band WiFi signal can penetrate two interior walls or floors. However, if you have placed your Ring camera outdoors, your router will often not be able to penetrate exterior walls without a WiFi extender.
What WiFi Speed Does the Ring Need?
Most Ring devices can operate best using upload/download speeds of 2 Mbps or greater. While Ring cameras can still operate on less than this, they will not perform optimally, even with a WiFi extender. If you do decide to purchase a Ring camera, you may wish to discuss purchasing faster internet speeds with your service provider. A WiFi extender cannot improve your internet speed if you’re already starting with a slow internet speed.
AMAKE Super Boost WiFi
Why Won't My Ring Camera Connect to My WiFi?
There are several reasons why your Ring camera may not connect to your WiFi. This includes your WiFi network being offline, your doorbell not having enough power, and your WiFi signal not being strong enough to reach your Ring camera.
How Much Wi-Fi Bandwidth Will My Ring Alarm Require?
To receive the best possible audio and video experience, Ring devices require at least 2Mbps of upload bandwidth.
Should a Ring Camera and Doorbell Be on Different Networks?
While not necessary, it may be beneficial to your connection speed and signal strength to have your Ring camera and doorbell connected to different networks. Your Ring app can help connect these products to different home networks or your WiFi extender.