TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender RE220

amazon TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender RE220 reviews

If your WiFi Router is having trouble reaching the far corners of your home, the TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender RE220 ($29.99) can help. Designed to blend in with your home furnishings, this plug-in range extender is affordable and very easy to set up and manage. It extends the 2.4GHz radio band well, but its 5GHz performance and overall feature set can’t match Netgear Nighthawk EX7300.

Sophisticated design

The RE220 is a dual-band plug-in extender measuring 4.3 x 3.0 x 2.6 inches (HWD) and featuring a white finish that will match almost any home decor. The front panel of the extender has LEDs indicating both the radio band, the signal strength to the Router (green is suitable, red is weak), power, WPS, and Ethernet activity (LAN port). Around the back is a bi-directional plug that is used to plug the device into a wall outlet. The plug position allows access to the second socket in a two-socket. At the bottom of the extender are a Reset button and a LAN port for wired connectivity. Still, it’s a Fast Ethernet port (1/100), despite its name being significantly slower than a Gigabit Ethernet port (10/100/1000). You’ll find on the Amped Wireless REC44M and the Netgear Nighthawk EX7300 extender.

The RE220 is an AC750 WiFi extender that can achieve data rates of up to 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz radio band, 433Mbps on the 5GHz radio band. It has three internal antennas and can serve up to 32 client devices, but it lacks MU-MIMO simultaneous data transmission and direct-to-client beamforming support. However, it provides a High-Speed ​​mode where one of the bands can be dedicated to the backhaul connection between the extender and the Router. In contrast, the other band provides the WiFi connection from the client to the router expansion set.

The RE220 can be accessed using the web console or the Tether mobile app for iOS and Android devices. The web console opens to the status with a map of the network, the extender’s status, including the name of each extension band, the channel is operating, and the MAC address. On the left is a menu bar with tabs for Status, Wireless, Network, Advanced Settings, System Tools, OneMesh, and TP-LinkCloud.

Wireless settings allow you to choose a security method (WPA, WPA2, WPA/WPA2, WEP) for each SSID and change the extended WiFi name and password. Use the Network settings to automatically get an IP address or enter your default IP address, subnet mask, and gateway information. In the Advanced Settings section, you can create a Power Schedule to turn the extender on and off at specific times of the day, choose coverage settings to help save power if needed, configure Access Control Access to Black List and White List. As well as configure High-Speed ​​Features mode. Here you can reserve the 2.4GHz or 5GHz band for backhaul communication or set it to Auto so that the extender decides which band provides the best transfer rate performance based on its connection to Routers.

In the System Tools menu, you can configure timing settings, turn LEDs on and off, update firmware, back up extender settings, and view system logs. The OneMesh option allows you to use the RE220 with a compatible TP-Link OneMesh Router to create a network using a single SSID. It allows you to roam from room to room without having to log into the extended network. The TP-Link Cloud feature allows you to access extender settings from anywhere via the internet remotely.

Mixed performance

Whether you use the web control panel, the WPS button, or the TP-Link Tether mobile app, setting up the RE220 is quick and easy. I used the web control panel and started by plugging the extender into an outlet near my Router, then connected my laptop to the extender’s wireless SSID and launched a web browser. I typed http://tplinkrepeater.net into my browser’s address bar, which launched the extender setup page, and was prompted to create a new password.

Next, I selected the 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs for my home network from the list, entered their passwords, and gave the extended SSIDs new names. I waited about 30 seconds for the extender to reboot and followed the on-screen instructions to move the device between the Router and the dead zone room. The RE220’s signal LED turns green within a minute, indicating a good connection to the Router, and the setup is complete.

The RE220 gave mixed results in our transfer rate performance tests. It scored 77Mbps on our 2.4GHz proximity test (in the same room), taking the top honors against the Netgear Nighthawk EX7300, Amped Wireless REC22P, and Zyxel WRE6606. The RE220’s score of 35Mbps at 25 feet is the same as the Zyxel WRE6606 and slightly faster than the Amped Wireless REC22P, but not as fast as the Netgear EX7300. In the 50-foot test, the RE220 clocked 27Mbps, outperforming all three competitors, if only by a hair. At 75 feet, the RE220 and the Netgear EX7300 delivered 12Mbps, beating the Amped Wireless REC22P and the Zyxel WRE6606.

The RE220 did not perform well in our 5GHz transfer rate tests. Its score was 115Mbps on the proximity test, slower than the Amped Wireless REC22P at 75Mbps and the Zyxel WRE6606 at 58Mbps. The Netgear EX7300 passed the finish with a score of 338Mbps. Similar results on the 25-foot test: The RE220’s 70Mbps score was the lowest of the bunch, while the Netgear EX7300 led the way with a 170Mbps score. In the 50 foot and 75-foot tests, the RE220 once again passed the pack with scores of 48Mbps and 12Mbps, respectively.

Features vs. price

With the TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender RE220, you can eliminate WiFi dead zones for under $30. This stylish plug-in extender installs very quickly and does a good job of extending 2.4GHz WiFi. However, its 5GHz performance is less than excellent, and it lacks the latest 802.11ac features, including MU-MIMO data transfer, beamforming, and wired Gigabit Ethernet. For a more powerful extender, consider the Netgear Nighthawk X4 AC2200 WiFi Range Extender (EX7300). It is much more expensive than the RE220, but it offers outstanding 5GHz performance, supports MU-MIMO and burst format data transmission, and is equipped with a Gigabit LAN port.

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TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender (RE220), Covers Up to 1200 Sq.ft and 20 Devices, Up to 750Mbps Dual Band WiFi Range Extender, WiFi Booster to Extend Range of WiFi Internet Connection: Buy it now

TP-Link AC750 WiFi Range Extender – Dual Band Cloud App Control Up to 750Mbps, One Button Setup Repeater, Internet Booster, Access Point Smart Home & Alexa Devices (RE220) (Renewed): Buy it now