Pretty much everything at Test Pit Towers is done with WiFi
these days; from watching TV, switching on our living room lights, and, well...
writing this review. Trouble is, no matter how powerful our WiFi router is,
there's always a spot in the house where the signal is less than amazing. That
is why Range Extenders are a must, and we got to grips with Netgear's latest
model, the N300.
Compact and subtle, the Netgear N300 WiFi Range Extender has a thin profile where others might protrude from the wall. It plugs directly into your socket and features two positionable WiFi antennae, a power switch, a WPS switch ... and not much else.
Unlike other similar devices that we've reviewed (such as
the TP-Link N Mini Pocket Router) the Netgear WiFi Range Extender is just that,
a range extender. There is no USB port or different operation mode; it simply
picks up the WiFi signal and strengthens it.
And this it does with aplomb. After a setup process that literally
took just a couple of minutes, the Netgear WiFi Range Extender was pumping out
the house's WiFi signal to areas of the property previously deemed dead spots -
including the back garden. We were pleasantly surprised at the radius of signal
projection, with the plucky little thing creating a range that was larger again
than the router acting alone - and we've got a beast of a wireless router.
There is also a single Ethernet port in the N300, allowing
you to create a wireless 'bridge' to gadgets that need a super fast connection,
such as smart TVs and game consoles. This makes it ideal for streaming Netflix
and other TV services, as well as online gaming directly via the extender. It's
one of those home gadgets that you don't notice, but is integral to making your
wireless life work smoothly.
£14.99
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