So you’ve got a crappy WiFi connection, and it seems like an easy way to fix the problem is to buy an inexpensive WiFi range extender. This seems to make sense, right? I mean, the words range extender are in the name, so it seems like the perfect solution for watching YouTube videos while sitting on the toilet in the basement.

But wait. There are much better solutions for strengthening your WiFi signal than range extenders, which generally kind of suck.

So the way a WiFi extender works is fairly straightforward. All it does is catch the signal from your existing router and then retransmit it to faraway devices. Right away you can probably see the first issue. Since it is picking up a signal that’s already a little bit weak.

Depending on where exactly you place the range extender, it likely isn’t going to increase your speeds too much. But even if you have a relatively high-quality extender and place it in an area where it’ll catch a reasonably strong signal from your router, there are some other serious downsides.

Some extenders will broadcast on a separate SSID (network name). If this is the case, you have to manually switch your phone or laptop back and forth between the two networks as you move around your house.

Your device won’t latch onto the stronger signal automatically unless you more or less completely lose the other signal. You can configure it if you’re really a nerd and you have a really good router, but if that’s the case, you’re probably not buying a range extender.

Other extenders allow you to change the SSID to be the exact same as your main network. In this case, you might think your devices would just figure out if the signal from one router or the other is stronger and connect accordingly.

However, there is a pretty major shortcoming in the WiFi standard in general. Once the device connects to a specific access point, it often, very stubbornly will try to stay connected to that AP even if there’s a stronger one available.

So if you’re connected to your router at first and then walk away and get closer to your range extender. There’s a good chance your device will just stay connected to the weaker router signal, defeating the whole purpose of the extender in the first place.

Not to mention that pairing your WiFi range extender with a router that uses a different generation of WiFi or has different number of antennas just makes the problem worse. Which is a shame, because it’s an easy mistake to make if you’re not closely comparing the product specs.

Okay, okay, I get it. Range extenders are bad and I shouldn’t buy them. But what you should you do about your terrible signal? One straightforward way to fix your signal woes is to simply get a more powerful router.

More antennas and spatial streams are typically a good sign, but you’ll also want to read reviews and see just how far other folks have had their signals reach while still being usable with the devices.

Another good idea is to stop using the built-in wireless on your off-the-shelf router and instead get a separate wireless access point. This is basically little more than an antenna with a small amount of internal logic that connects to your main router via an Ethernet cable.

Although they take a little bit more technical know-how to set up, there are many prosumer models that have a much better range than the typical consumer-grade wireless router. And you can even set up several of them around your house. Though be aware that your devices may still not quite roam as intended. But if you don’t want to mess around with access points, a more consumer-friendly option is to get a mesh router. These are expandable kits that you use by placing nodes around your house wherever you might need the most signal.

Unlike repeaters, these nodes are specifically designed to work together by providing better roaming for your devices so they’ll switch more intelligently and nicer. Mesh kits will even place the backhaul or the traffic that flows between the nodes on an entirely different frequency, freeing up bandwidth for your phone and computers. So, like with many things in life, you’ll have to pay a little more to get the quality you want. Like that two-dollar upcharge for Guacamole. Worth it.