Dead spots will happen in your wireless network, but how do you deal with them? The easiest solution is to buy a Wi-Fi extender. There are a ton of options out there, some that can set you back nearly as much as a router itself. That’s not the case with the TP-Link N300 WiFi Range Extender. At just $30 retail, it offers a cheap way to plug holes in your wireless coverage.
With two current promotions on Amazon, you can get this for just $15. An ongoing sale brings the price down to $20, but Amazon also has a $5 coupon you can apply to the order for a limited time. Our experience with Amazon coupons is they don’t last long, so don’t wait to take advantage of the extra savings.
Now, we’ll be completely honest with you here. This is not an extender you want to use in areas where you’ll need lots of bandwidth (it only supports speeds up to 300 Mbps, and uses the 802.11n standard). While 802.11n has a longer range, it is much slower than modern technologies. After all, 802.11n routers first started appearing a decade ago!
A single high-definition stream would take up a considerable amount of bandwidth, enough to noticeably slow other connections. For situations where you’ll need a bit more throughput, say for streaming, downloads, or gaming, step up to either one of these two alternatives also from TP-Link.
Better: TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender
You don’t have to spend all that much more to get a much better Wi-Fi range extender. In fact, Amazon also has the TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender on sale right now too, and it also has a coupon for a limited time. Normally $35, Amazon’s current sale brings the price down to $30. But with a $7 coupon, the price is now just $23. With this range extender, you get more than twice the bandwidth and dual-band support, and faster 802.11ac support — which all modern devices use.
The latter is essential for smart households — many of your smart objects use the 2.4GHz band to communicate with the internet. But our phones and computers prefer to connect to the faster and higher bandwidth 5GHz band. You’ll see a dramatic difference in performance, and you’ll also be able to manage this access point via the TP-Link app. There’s even an Ethernet port on the bottom for older devices. All around, it’s a better device and worth the extra $8.
But if you want to make a difference in those dead spots, there’s a much better option available and is among our top picks for range extenders.
Best: TP-Link AC1750 Wifi Range Extender
The TP-Link AC1750 WiFi Range Extender is a beast. It provides more than twice the bandwidth of our previous option and performs well enough for us to recommend it for just about any application, including gaming. Buyers praise its easy setup and performance, and with three adjustable antennas, you’ll be able to easily get Wi-Fi into those hard to reach areas throughout your house.
Like our other TP-Link recommendations, this model is on sale, too. Normally $100, Amazon’s selling this for just $60. And we think of all the recommendations here, the AC1750 is probably the best bet for most people. Yes, you can spend $15 to fix that dead spot, but in the end, you’ll be more satisfied with the performance of this particular extender.
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