TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender, 2023 Engadget Best Budget Pick, 1.2Gbps Signal Booster for Home, Dual Band 5GHz/2.4GHz, Covers Up to 1500 Sq.ft and 30 Devices,Support Onemesh, One Ethernet Port (RE315)

Cheap and useful!
The TP-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender RE315 is a solid, budget-friendly fix that actually works. Setup is a breeze and only takes about five minutes using the Tether app. What I love most is the OneMesh support, which creates a single, seamless network so your phone doesn’t drop the signal while you’re walking around the house. It even has a smart signal light on the front that turns white when you’ve found the perfect spot and red if it’s too far from the router, taking all the guesswork out of placement. While it’s not the absolute fastest tech on the market, it provides plenty of speed for 4K streaming and video calls, and there’s even an Ethernet port if you want to hardwire a device for extra stability. It’s a great middle ground solution if you want to kill dead spots without spending hundreds on a full system.

Great Extender or Repeater if you live in an apartment or old building
Works Like A Charm. It took minutes if that to setup and the ethernet port was an added bonus. It stays cool unlike other extenders and is pretty fast for what I do. Security was a breeze to set up with their app and instructions. Well worth it.

Decent budget fix, but don’t expect miracles (or full speed)
picked this up because it was highly rated by Engadget as a top budget pick for 2023, and for the price, it’s a solid “good enough” solution. However, there are some trade-offs you should know about before buying.The GoodSimple Setup: The Tether App is actually great. I had it synced with my router in about 5 minutes.Design: It’s compact and doesn’t block the second outlet, which is a huge plus in a hallway.Fills the Dead Zone: It successfully got a signal into my back bedroom where the Wi-Fi used to drop completely. My smart speaker and laptop now stay connected without issues.The Not-So-GoodMajor Speed Drop: While the box says 1.2Gbps, keep in mind that’s a theoretical combined speed. In reality, my download speeds dropped by about 50-60% when connected through the extender compared to being near the main router. It’s fine for 1080p streaming, but 4K or heavy gaming might struggle.Range is Optimistic: The “1500 sq. ft.” claim feels like it applies to an open field. Through two standard walls, the signal strength drops significantly.Occasional Drops: About once a week, I have to unplug it and plug it back in because the 5GHz band just disappears.Final VerdictIf you just need to get basic internet to a “dead” corner of your house for scrolling or emails, this is an absolute bargain. But if you’re looking for high-performance gaming or have a very large home with thick walls, you’re better off investing in a true Mesh system.

Setting up the extender is a breeze, and the reception has improved notably. I really like the one-mesh technology, eliminating the need to change networks at home.

This works really well and was very easy to setup. I needed to use mine as an access point vs a repeated/extender which wasn’t covered in the Quick Start manual but the online full user guide explained it well enough. All of the changes for anything can be done via the Tether app.Plugged it in to a power socket, let it boot up, installed the Tether app which detected it and joined me to it’s initial wifi network so I could continue the setup of the device. You get walked through every step nicely!In my case after configuring it I went into the “More” menu bottom right of the app, and changed the “Operational Mode” to an access point, and then setup the wifi networks I wanted from there. I did not need to extend or mesh my current SSID so I’m happy enough to use a unique network name here, it all works nicely routing wise.I then plugged this in at my remote spot of the house, and using a long ethernet cable (unique for the access point mode) I plugged that in, and now I have a super solid strong wifi signal for my security cameras and other doodads that previously struggled with signal.It’s been reliable, no drops or issues, it’s in a cold garage atm we’ll see how it handles the heat of summer though! Speeds are not mind blowing, getting about 100MB/s throughput over it’s wifi networks, but all I need for sure. One downside was the side of the thing prevents using on a wide splitter, like the antenna on the side block the next socket over if you’re got a 3×2 socket plug/extender or anything going on. Works great on a long power bar though!Very happy with this for the price point, and the clarity of the instructions/app.

Value for money, easy setup and installation