If you’ve ever played baseball, you know about hitting the cutoff man on long throws from the outfield. As soon as the batter hits a fly ball deep in the outfield, an infielder trots in the direction of the outfielder tracking the baseball. By the time the baseball hits the outfielder’s glove, the infielder stands between the outfielder and the infield. After the outfielder’s catch and throw to the cutoff man, that infielder then relays the ball to its next destination: one of the bases for a potential tag out or the pitcher.

So what does this have to do with your home wifi? Well, baseball’s use of the cutoff man is a perfect analogy for how a wifi extender can work for your man cave. But more on that a little later.

You need an internet connection to partake in many of the activities common to man caves. Streaming movies, online gaming, and watching live sports through a smart TV all require a stable internet feed. If your man cave is out of your home wifi’s range, a wifi extender is a relatively inexpensive piece of technology that will almost certainly resolve your weak wifi signal.

What Does a Wifi Extender Do?

A wifi extender bridges the gap between where you have internet connectivity and where you need it. In a one-story house, this means the modem is on one end of the house, and the man cave is at the other. In a two-story house, a wifi extender comes in handy when the modem is on one floor, and the man cave is on a different floor.

Continuing our baseball metaphor, the baseball is your wifi signal. The outfielder — your modem — can’t reach the pitcher’s mound — your man cave. So to facilitate a smooth transition of the baseball from the deep outfield to the pitcher’s mound, the cutoff man catches and relays the baseball. A wifi extender receives your modem’s wifi signal and propels it further than the modem can transmit it on its own. Therefore, the wifi extender’s purpose is to lengthen your home internet signal’s reach.

Where Is the Best Place to Put a Wifi Extender?

When transitioning to the cutoff man role, an infielder doesn’t stay put at second base or short stop. Rather, he moves in relation to the outfielder. Even though your modem and man cave don’t move, the relationship among these two and the wifi extender is critical. You should place the wifi extender roughly equal distances from the modem and man cave while ensuring the wifi extender remains within the modem’s signal range.

The wifi extender is one of the few man cave purchases you don’t actually put in the man cave. If you do not get your home’s wifi signal in your man cave, it does no good to place the extender there. You need the extender to be within the modem’s range to then move the signal further.

Are Wifi Extenders Easy to Set Up?

Wifi extenders are easy to set up. They’re not quite plug-and-play, but they’re close. Most people should have no problem setting up a wifi extender in 15 to 30 minutes using the manufacturer’s instructions. Some even have mobile apps to make the installation process even smoother.

How Much Do Wifi Extenders Cost?

Wifi extenders almost always cost less than $100, and the vast majority are priced less than $50. Two primary factors influence a wifi extender’s price. First, familiar name brands cost a little more than unknown brands for comparable features. Second, wifi extenders with longer range cost more than models with short ranges. So if your man cave is barely outside your modem’s signal range, there’s no need to pay for a 7,000-square-foot model when a 1,500 square-foot model will do. If you need your range to stretch an extra 20 linear feet, go with the 1,500 square-foot model. If you need closer to 45 more linear feet, opt for the 7,000 square-foot wifi extender.

Best Wifi Extenders for Your Man Cave

You can find a wide variety of wifi extenders online. However, here are some of the best rated models.

TP-Link AX1500

The TP-Link AX1500 has a relatively short range of 1,500 square feet. But if that’s all the distance you need, this wifi extender packs a punch. It can handle connections with up to 25 devices and delivers speeds up to 1.5Gbps. You can set it up in minutes using the TP-Link Tether app.

Netgear EX6120

The compact and wallet-friendly Netgear EX6120 delivers 1,500 square feet of range and allows 25 devices to connect. However, its speed is a bit slower than the TP-Link AX1500. At 1,200 Mbps, this device offers a 20% lower maximum speed. However, you should check your home’s internet speed to see if that difference even matters. A wifi extender does not increase your signal speed. It only puts through what it receives. So if your home internet speed is 1,200 Mbps or lower, this Netgear device is just as good as the TP-Link model and usually comes at a lower price.

Linksys RE6350

With a whopping 1.9 Gbps top speed, the Linksys RE6350 will make the most of your home internet service. And with 6,500 square-feet of range, you can push stable wifi out to backyard man cave structures. If you’re someone who likes to have the biggest and baddest tech, this wifi extender is for you.

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