TP-Link RE450

amazon TP-Link RE450 reviews

If your Router lacks the signal strength needed to bring Wi-Fi to the far corners of your home, boost your wireless network with the TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender ($119.99). This dual-band extender plugs into any wall outlet and delivers stable transfer rates and good signal range. In contrast, it’s bulky and lacks a through-through socket, its performance in our tests, especially at long distances.

Design and Features

The RE450 is an 802.11ac range extender with a maximum data rate of 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band. With two foldable antennas on the sides and one that pulls off the top of the device, the glossy white and gray device looks like something out of a Star Trek episode. At 6.4 x 3 x 1.2 inches (HWD), it’s the size and shape of a 6-inch smartphone and is at least twice as thick. Its bulky frame-blocks access to the second socket in a two-socket, and it lacks a pass-through socket like the one on the Linksys RE6700 AC1200 Dual-Band Wi-Fi Range Extender.

The front of the RE450 has a large Range Extender (RE) / Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button with an LED ring around its outer edge. The ring is blue when the extender has a good connection to the Router and red when too far away. It flashes blue when a WPS connection is in progress and turns off when there is no connection. Below the button is the 2.4GHz and 5GHz band status indicators and the Power indicator. The left edge contains the Power and restarts buttons and the LED off button. A single gigabit LAN port is on the right side, and there’s a bidirectional plug at the back. For comparison, the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX7000) offers five gigabit Ethernet ports, but it doesn’t plug directly into a wall outlet.

The RE450’s Web-based management console allows you to view your network status and generate SSIDs for both bands. You can also choose a security protocol (WEP, WPA, or WPA2) and assign a password to each band. Other settings include access control with whitelisting and blacklisting modes that limit which devices can use the extended network, DHCP options with DHCP client list, Syslog, and options firmware upgrade.

Settings and Performance

Installing the RE450 is very quick, especially if your Router supports WPS. Start by plugging the device into an outlet near your Router and wait for the Power light to turn blue. Press the WPS button on your Router and immediately press the WPS button on the extender. When the LED ring turns from blinking blue to a solid blue, you’re done. I used this method, and it took less than three minutes. You can now move the extender to a position ideally halfway between the Router and the dead spot in your home. If the LED ring turns red, you must move the extender closer to your Router.

If your Router doesn’t support WPS, plug the extender in, connect to its SSID using a wireless laptop or mobile device, and type http://tplinkrepeater.net into your browser’s address bar. That will take you to the Quick Settings page to scan available networks for extensions and apply security settings.

The RE450 delivered very good scores in my range performance and transfer speed tests. Its score of 47.6 Mbps on my 2.4GHz proximity test (same room) puts it right behind the Netgear Nighthawk EX7000 (50.2 Mbps) and ahead of the TP-Link AC750 Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender RE210 ($89.60 at Amazon) (32.5 Mbps). Still, it can’t keep up with Linksys RE6700 (93.9 Mbps) and Amped Wireless High Power Plug-In AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender REC33A ($124.95 at Amazon) (89.1 Mbps). However, it beat all tablets in the 25-foot and 50-foot test with 44.5Mbps and 42.5Mbps, respectively. The Netgear EX7000 scored 38.8Mbps (25 feet) and 28.6Mbps (50 feet), and the Linksys RE6700 scored 38.2Mbps (25 feet) and 14.4Mbps (50 feet). The RE450’s score of 32.1Mbps at 75 feet is the fastest we’ve seen from any range extender.

In the 5GHz tests, the RE450 also delivered stable transfer rates. Its score of 192Mbps on the close-range test beat the Netgear EX7000 (179Mbps) and Linksys RE6700 (177Mbps) but couldn’t keep up with the Amped REC33A (210Mbps). It delivered a league-leading 152Mbps speed in the 25-foot test and a score of 86.9Mbps in the 50-foot test, second only to the Netgear EX7000 (105Mbps). Once again, the RE450 took the lead with a score of 85Mbps on the 75-foot test. The next closest competitor is the D-Link Wi-Fi Dual Band Range Extender DAP-1650 ($56.31 at Amazon) (39.5Mbps).

Solid Plug-In Extension

The TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE450) is a great choice if you’re looking to extend the reach of your wireless network. It offers solid asymptotic transfer rates and performed great in our range tests. Moreover, it is a cinch to install. True, it has two sockets and no relay, and it doesn’t offer as many LAN ports as the Netgear EX7000, another top pick. That said, it’s a better all-around performer and costs about $50 less.

where can you get a TP-Link RE450 online

TP-Link – Access point TP-LINK RE450 WiFi Dual AC1750 LAN Gbit: Buy it now

tp-link AC1750 WiFi Range Extender with High Speed Mode and Intelligent Signal Indicator (RE450) (Renewed): Buy it now

TP-LINK AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE450): Buy it now