NETGEAR Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX6100)
Over the years the WiFi standard has become very powerful, robust, and far reaching. These days most of my home computers and other networked devices access the Internet via WiFi connection, and I have permanently put on hold all of my plans to extend the Ethernet connections throughout the house. My Netgear Nighthawk 1900AC router is powerful enough to send fast signal to all the reaches of my house, and even cover all of the back yard. However, when it comes to larger buildings or areas, an extra signal boost can really come in handy. This is where a range extender, such as this Netgear EX6100, can come in handy.
This is one of the easiest networking devices to set up. You just plug it into a wall, and then follow the intuitive instructions that it comes with. The extender supports a dual bend feature, so if your WiFi router sends out both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals, you will be able to extend the range for both of them.
As this is a range extender, this EX6100 works ideally for the static devices on your network – desktops, TVs, smart refrigerators (hey, don’t judge), etc. It is much less useful for mobile devices, such as laptops and tablets, because you will be having to jump from one network to another as you get in and out of range of this extender. This is not a problem for me as I primarily use it with the networked gear in the workshop next to my house, but this is one important consideration to keep in mind when deciding on the best way to get the Internet connectivity to the remote corners of your domestic realm/small business.
In terms of signal quality and data speed I have been really impressed so far. Both bends are pretty fast, but the 5 GHz one is particularly good for downloading large files or streaming HD video content. I was able to watch HD Netflix movies in my workshop without a glitch. So far the extender has been very reliable and I have not experience any dropped signal. I fully expect this to continue to be the case in the years ahead.
This extender’s price is on the high end, eclipsing several really good WiFi routers in their own right. If you need more versatile networking options, and don’t mind all the hardware and installation hassle that getting a second router entails, than that might be a more appealing route to take. However, if you just need something that is easy to setup and reliable right out of the box, then EX6100 is the right product for you.
***** Product provided for review purposes. *****
Thanks for the helpful post, it solved my network related issues… I know well this EX6100 extender, as I read reviews here http://wirelessroutersreviews.com/netgear-dual-band-wi-fi-range-extender/