10 Best Outdoor Access Points 2023 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

Sometimes your Wi-Fi signal is just not strong enough. Normal routers are not designed to reach the exterior of the building and exterior areas.

This is why some families and businesses need additional energy. In this article, we take a look at outdoor access points.

These products are designed to create a wireless local area network (WLAN). This means that they can send a Wi-Fi signal to a much larger area.

For example, they can be used to send Wi-Fi to a large yard outside the main building.

There are also outdoor access points that send a wireless signal from router to router, which is very useful if you have a guesthouse where you want Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi needs.

10 Best Outdoor Access Points 2023 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

Hawking Technology Outdoor Access Point – Best Overall

The Hawking Technology Outdoor Access Point is the father of wireless access points. 

We could have pitched it as our Premium product, but felt it deserved a spot as our Best Choice product instead. 

If you are running a business and need outdoor Wi-Fi, this is the product for you. 

The first thing we really like is the heavy duty industrial metal case. 

It’s more than just weather protection, it’s proof of everything. 

It will withstand just about anything you throw at it, making it perfect for construction sites and other harsh outdoor environments.

It’s also capable of extremely impressive wireless speeds – up to 1750Mbps. 

Basically it can handle any connection you can throw at it. And to make sure that you get the maximum speed from your router, it has a Gigabit Ethernet port. 

The only repeated complaint about this product is that there are some configuration issues. 

It’s not the most user-friendly product, so we only buy it if you have experience with this type of technology or have an IT technician on site. 

If you’re having trouble with the signal in your home, check out our guide to the best wifi extenders and choose the one that’s right for you.

EnGenius Technologies Long Range Wireless Outdoor Access Point – Mounting Kit

This EnGenius Technologies outdoor access point is significantly cheaper than the latest product. 

It is really designed for small areas and home use. There are two main reasons it’s a lot cheaper. 

First, the maximum speed is 300Mbps over 2.4GHz. This is great for small businesses, like restaurants, that don’t depend on a very strong network. 

It has been reported to reach around 300 feet, but this is not specified in the product information.

The other reason it is cheaper is that it has an IP-55 rating. This means that it is dust and water proof, but it will not withstand serious knocks. 

If you want to put it outside, we recommend that you shelter it as much as possible.

It’s relatively easy to set up if you don’t want to change anything. But it gets quite complicated if you want to change the network name or other settings. 

One of the advantages of this product is that it has two 5-dBi omnidirectional antennas. 

What this basically means is that it will provide 360º of signal, so if you can put it in the middle of the area you want to be connected to, you are on a winner. 

Our guide to the best network storage devices has more high-quality products like this.

TP-LINK N300 Long Range 11n 2.4G 2.4G Wireless Outdoor Access Point – Best Coverage

Another economical outdoor access point is the TP-LINK N300. This one is specially designed for outdoor spaces like swimming pools and gardens. 

It could probably be used for small businesses like restaurants and cafes, but we recommend that you purchase an outdoor access point that has been designed for this purpose. 

What makes this outdoor access point suitable for outdoor areas is the fact that it has a long range coverage area. 

It has 300Mbps Wi-Fi and two high gain omnidirectional antennas. This means that it can provide stable Wi-Fi coverage up to a distance of 200 meters.

Another reason why it is so well suited for outdoor environments is the IP-65 rating. 

It might not be the highest rating, but it will certainly stand up to harsh weather conditions. 

It has 6KV lightning protection, 15KV electrostatic protection and weatherproof housing. 

It’s dust and water proof, and even the antennas are designed to withstand knocks.

The other main thing we like is the fact that it comes with passive Power over Ethernet (PoE) support. 

Essentially, this means that you can provide power and connectivity using a single twisted Ethernet cable. 

Of course, an Ethernet switch is also needed. This is the most efficient way to wire this type of device and make it much less messy. 

However, it is not yet the easiest product to install or configure. 

If you’re not a Wi-Fi wizard, we definitely recommend that you bring someone in to help you out.

EnGenius Technologies ENS500-AC Outdoor 11ac Wave 2 Wireless – Wireless Bridge

The 5 GHz ENS500-AC is the second outdoor access point in the EnGenius list, and it is not the last. It’s one of the big names in the industry and they make some of the best products. This outdoor wireless access point is the cheapest option on this list, which is why we selected it as our Best Value product. Because of its price, you can’t expect it to deliver the same performance as outdoor access points that cost hundreds of dollars, but it’s still pretty impressive.

It offers impressive wave 2 wireless speeds up to 867Mbps over 5GHz. So it’s not the fastest access point on this list, but it’s not a slowdown either. 

The best thing about this little product is that it has 23dB high transmit power which expands Wi-Fi in a yard, or even in a completely separate building. 

Again, it’s probably suitable for small businesses, but it won’t be enough if you’re trying to send the Wi-Fi signal to an entire office building.

It also comes with ezMaster network management software. This gives the user the power to monitor and manage the network, as well as receive alerts. 

This is especially useful if you have someone on hand to keep an eye on the network as they will likely be able to improve performance. 

The only problem with this access point is that it only has an IP-55 weatherproof certificate. 

It can work outdoors, but you wouldn’t leave it out of the rain. 

Be sure to also check out our guide to the best gaming routers for more amazing devices like this.

Ubiquiti UniFI 5 GHz 300Mbps Outdoor Access Point – High-Density

The UniFI Ubiquiti Access Point is one of our favorite high-end outdoor access points. 

You could use it for businesses of all sizes, but it’s really designed for people who need to send their Wi-Fi signal over a long distance. 

The impressive range of 183 meters (600 feet) makes it possible to achieve this. 

This gives you a lot of leeway to send a signal over a large yard, across multiple buildings, or over an entire office building. 

It can only handle speeds of 300Mbps, but it can link multiple units.

The other aspect of this hotspot that customers love is the graphical user interface, or as they call it ‘virtual management software’. 

This allows you to monitor different clients and traffic on separate units. 

You can really dig deep into the details of how your network is being used, or just check out in the ‘quick look’ section which clients are used the most. 

We definitely recommend this product for hotels and restaurants with multiple buildings and outdoor spaces. 

Our guide to the best mini PCs has some awesome portable options, so be sure to check them out.

EnGenius Technologies Wireless Outdoor AP / Outdoor Wireless Client Bridge – Long Range

The EnStationAC is an outdoor access point specifically designed for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint deployments. This means that it can send wireless signals over impressive distances of up to 5 miles. It is ideal for businesses that need a long distance connection where Ethernet or fiber optic cabling is not possible. 

It has a maximum performance of 867Mbps, but the signal weakens as the distance increases. 

That said, it still has a reported performance of 50Mbps at a distance of 3 miles. 

It can achieve this because it has built-in high gain directional antennas that emit a narrow signal beam. 

This means that you get a stable connection over great distances.

It is also ideal for use with long range surveillance networks. 

In fact, EnGenius manufactures its own security cameras and surveillance equipment called EnGenius IP surveillance cameras. 

This product is specially designed to work with this surveillance equipment and send back video via wireless network. 

It is one of the most effective ways to keep tabs on your property.

Another feature we love about this outdoor Wi-Fi hotspot is the swivel arm. 

It is a 3-axis arm that allows the device to rotate 360 ​​°. This means that you can achieve precise alignment with the corresponding EnStation5 unit. 

It also comes with a mounting kit that allows you to mount it just about anywhere. 

There is one problem that pops up in Amazon reviews and that is the difficulty of setting these things up. 

There are no pre-configuration settings, so you’ll likely need professional help to get it working.

Ubiquiti UniFi HD 802.11ac Wave 2 Enterprise Wi-Fi Access Point – Antenna System

If you’re looking for the perfect home hotspot, we think you’ve found it. 

Ubiquiti’s UniFi HD Access Point is actually capable of more than just home use, but is therefore very powerful to power a connected home. 

If your house is full of smartphones, smart TVs, smart watches, gaming laptops, tablets, and any other product that uses Wi-Fi, this product will change your life.

If you are using 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, it can support speeds up to 800Mbps, but if you are using 5GHz, it can go up to 1733Mbps. 

But there are two features that make this access point amazing for use in a business or at home with many devices. 

First of all, it can handle over 500 client connections, so you are very unlikely to need additional access points. 

Second, it has MU-MIMO technology. For the uninitiated, it is Multiple-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output and it basically means that the access point can communicate with multiple devices at the same time. 

This improves everyone’s experience and means your signal won’t be weakened just because your kids are streaming games upstairs. 

We believe it is the best outdoor access point for a modern connected home.

MikroTik RBSXTG-5HPnD-SAr2 Wireless Mains Access Point for Outdoor – High Interference

The MikroTik RBSXTG-5HPnD-Sar2 is probably the cheapest way to get a solid point-to-point wireless connection. 

It’s not very efficient at giving the signal to an outside area, but if you need to create a connection between two routers, it will do just fine. 

They don’t say how far this access point can go, but theoretically it could go up to 10 miles if there was nothing in the way.

It comes with a 14dBi 90-degree antenna, which provides a much wider coverage area than previous models from this company. 

And, it comes with a pretty comprehensive mounting kit, so you can mount it in the perfect position to get a solid connection.

It should be noted that this outdoor access point is not suitable for small businesses that want to send a signal to an outdoor area. 

Instead, it is aimed at people who want to create a connection between two routers. 

For example, if you had a Wi-Fi signal in your main house and wanted to send a signal to a guest house, using the same Wi-Fi, this product will work. 

Our guide to the best VPN routers features more great products like this.

EnGenius Wireless AC1750 Dual-Band Wireless AC1750 Outdoor Access Point – Long Range

Our latest product is another from EnGenius. The AC1750 is their most expensive outdoor access point, aimed at people who want greater range and higher speeds. 

It offers the best wireless performance of any EnGenius product – it can handle wireless speeds of up to 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 450 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band. 

It has also extended long-range connectivity, although it doesn’t say exactly how long the range is.

It is supposed to be easy to install, although most customers seem to have an issue with the EnGenius configuration system, so we would be wary of that. 

However, once you set it up, it can be controlled with their wireless network management system – the EnGenius EZ Controller.

Buying Guide

This means that the price is an important consideration because they might not have a lot of unused income. 

We have included a range of outdoor access points, with the aim of offering something for everyone. 

There are cheaper and less powerful access points that are great for home use. 

In addition, there are high-end access points that can handle more than 60 simultaneous connections.

Brand – Before including any product in this buying guide, we’ve checked the brand behind it. 

Because outdoor access points are relatively new technology, there aren’t many well-established brands. 

But don’t worry, we’ve included ten outdoor hotspots from the industry’s most trusted brands.

Reviews – With this kind of product, you are always going to get bad reviews. 

But, it is normally because the access point has not been configured correctly or something like that. 

We sift through reviews and find genuine, trustworthy product opinions.

Features to look for in an outdoor access point

Location – When you get your hotspot, you have to think very carefully about where you place it. Otherwise, you will end up with a weak connection. 

They can normally provide a connection through walls, doors, and windows, but it’s best if they don’t have to. 

Also think about where you are going to place it and check that the mounting options are appropriate. 

For example, if you want to hang it on the wall, make sure there is a wall bracket.

Weather Resistance Capabilities – If you haven’t guessed the name, outdoor access points are normally used outdoors. This means that they must be weatherproof. 

Some, like our Best Choice product, have an industrial metal casing to make sure they can withstand anything, while others are just waterproof.

High Speed – There is nothing more irritating than slow Wi-Fi. So, make sure that the outdoor access point you choose can handle high speed internet. 

Check how fast your internet is currently capable and buy an access point that roughly matches that speed.

Antenna Signal Gain – Simply put, a high gain antenna provides a narrow beam, which means it can provide a longer range connection. 

It is therefore an important characteristic of an outdoor access point.

Range of services – The range of services is basically the range of the Wi-Fi signal.

You need to measure the area you want to cover and make sure that the range of services will cover it.

Ease of Use and Installation – Unless you have an IT technician on-site, you need something that will be easy to set up. 

Wi-Fi networks are usually easy to set up until something goes wrong. 

This is one of the main problems with outdoor access points – they are normally quite complicated to set up.

Device type – Most outdoor access points cover all devices – laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc. – but worth checking before you buy.

The WDT (Watchdog Hardware Timer) – A watchdog timer is something that helps the device detect and recover from a computer malfunction.