If you can't surf the Web from your favorite easy chair because of a weak Wi-Fi signal, it's time to consider installing a range extender such as the TP-Link AC750 Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender RE210 ($69.99). The RE210($20.99 at Amazon) is a dual-band extender that you plug into a wall outlet to bring Wi-Fi connectivity to those dead spots that are out of reach of your primary wireless router. It's affordable, easy to install, and offers good 5GHz throughput, but in testing, its 2.4GHz performance suffered as you move further away from it, and it lacks USB and pass-through capabilities. If your budget allows, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000)($163.54 at Amazon), our Editors' Choice, delivers better all-around performance and is loaded with features, but it'll cost you $100 more.
Design and Features
At 3 by 3.7 by 2.1 inches (HWD), the RE210 is smaller than the Linksys RE6700($99.99 at Dell) (4.6 by 2.6 by 1.5 inches) and the Amped Wireless REC33A($45.57 at Walmart) (4 by 5.2 by 1.5 inches). It has a two-prong plug and won't block the second socket in a two-socket outlet. The extender supports dual-band networking (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and is compatible with 802.11b/g/n/ac routers.
There are two foldable, high-gain antennas (one on each side) and a gigabit LAN port on the bottom. There are four small LED indicators (Power, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and Wi-Fi Protected Setup or WPS) on the front of the extender and a Power and a WPS button on the left side. A button that turns the LED indicators on and off and a reset button are located on the right.
The RE210 offers a Web-based management console with plenty of router-like settings. The Network menu lets you change LAN settings, such as IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway, and you can let the extender act as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to wireless clients. Here, you can also change DNS addresses and DHCP lease times, and view your DHCP client list.
Similar Products
Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000)
Linksys RE6700 AC1200 Amplify Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender
Amped Wireless High Power AC1750 Plug-In Wi-Fi Range Extender REC33A
D-Link Wi-Fi Dual Band Range Extender DAP-1650
In the Wireless settings menu, you can change the SSID for each band, assign a security protocol (WPA, WPA2, or WEP), and control user access in the MAC Address Filtering submenu. Advanced wireless settings include Beacon Interval, RTS Threshold, and Fragmentation Threshold adjustments. The System Tools menu offers Firmware Upgrade and Backup and Restore options, as well as a System Log and a Reboot option.
Installation and Performance
Like the Linksys RE6700 and the Amped Wireless REC33A, the RE210 is a snap to install. Start by plugging the device into a wall outlet and typing http://tplinkrepeater.net in your browser's address bar on your PC. This will launch a wizard that will scan for available networks and will display the SSID, signal strength, MAC address, channel, and security protocol for each network. Next, choose your network and enter a name for the extended network, or use your router's name and settings. Here you can also select a security protocol and password. If you're connecting to a dual-band router you will do this for each band. To complete the setup, review your settings and click finish.
For the most part in our testing, the RE210 delivered decent throughput while operating on the 2.4GHz band, but had trouble with long-distance transmissions. Its score of 32.5Mbps on the close-proximity (same room) test was similar to that of the D-Link DAP-1650($25.99 at Walmart) (39Mbps), but trailed the Amped Wireless (89.1.2Mbps) and the Linksys RE6700 (93.9Mbps). The Netgear EX7000 managed 50.2Mbps. At 25 feet and 50 feet the RE210 delivered 23Mbps and 21.2Mbps, respectively, while the Amped REC33A delivered 32.9Mbps and 7.8Mbps. The Linksys RE6700 scored 38.2Mbps (25 feet) and 14.4Mbps (50 feet), while the Netgear Ex7000 turned in scores of 38.8Mbps (25 feet) and 28.6Mbps (50 feet). The RE210 stumbled at 75 feet, scoring a measly 7.4Mbps. The Amped REC33A didn't do much better (11.3Mbps), but the Netgear EX7000 held steady at 26.9Mbps.
The RE210 delivered middling throughput on the 5GHz close-proximity test (74.5Mbps), compared with the Linksys RE6700 (177Mbps) and the Amped REC33A (210Mbps). At 25 feet, the RE210's score of 65Mbps was similar to the Linksys RE6700's score of 67.8Mbps, while the Amped REC33A scored 107Mbps, and the Netgear EX7000 scored 137Mbps. The RE210 rebounded at 50 feet (29.2Mbps) and 75 feet (27.9Mbps), beating both the Linksys RE6700 (18.3Mbps and 3.1Mbps, respectively) and the Amped REC33A (8.8Mbps at 50 feet and no signal at 75 feet). The Netgear EX7000 remains our fastest extender with scores of 105Mbps and 31.1Mbps, respectively.
Conclusion
The TP-Link AC750 Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender RE210 is a good choice if you're a budget-minded users who need to extend your Wi-Fi coverage. It installs in minutes and offers good 5GHz throughput and a nice assortment of management settings. Although its 2.4GHz performance is decent, it deteriorates with distance. As with the Linksys RE6700 and Amped Wireless REC33A, the RE210 offers a single wired LAN port for connecting to things like Smart HDTVs and gaming consoles, but lacks USB connectivity and additional LAN ports. If you need to connect to more than one device and want to share the contents of a USB drive across your network, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000) is your best bet and our top pick for range extenders. It offers superior performance, five LAN ports, and a USB port, but at a list price of $169.99, it's $100 more than the RE210, and it's not as compact.
The TP-Link AC750 Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender RE210 is a reasonably priced device that offers solid 5GHz throughput performance and a good amount of management options.
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