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Introduction
| At a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Product | NETGEAR Universal WiFi Range Extender (WN2000RPT) |
| Summary | Easy-to-use dual-stream 802.11n wireless repeater / bridge with built-in four-port switch |
| Pros | • Supports 300 Mbps maximum link rate • Good setup wizard • Can be used as repeater or bridge • Doesn't require WDS |
| Cons | • 2.4 GHz only • Can't be used as access point • Might not help much |
Many products designed to stretch your wireless network's range have passed across the SNB test bench. Most don't deliver anywhere near what they promise, or require a router supporting WDS, or are near impossible to set up, or all the above.
So I cast a skeptical eye upon NETGEAR's WN2000RPT (not to be confused with its WNR2000 Wireless-N Router) as I unboxed it and prepared to be unimpressed. Little did I know that I'd be pleasantly surprised instead.
Inside
Figure 1 shows the inside of the WN2000RPT. Most of the good stuff is covered by RF shielding and heatsinks. But the FCC ID photos include a detail showing an Atheros AR9103 2.4 GHz 3X3 MIMO 802.11n radio, which is typically paired with an Atheros AR9132 3X3 Wireless Network Processor.
Figure 1: WN2000PT board
Note that this is a full dual-stream N extender, not single stream like the Innoband HomePlug AV Wireless N Kit. So you have more bandwidth to work with (or throw away due to repeating).
The design includes a four-port 10/100 switch, which I think is supported via an Atheros AR8236. So the WN2000RPT can also be used as a wireless bridge to wired clients, which will not suffer the 50% throughput reduction that wireless clients associated with it receive. 32 MB of RAM and 4 MB of flash finish up the design.
User reviews
View all user reviewsAverage user rating from: 29 user(s)
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Questions, review comments and opinions about products not based on actual use will not be published.
this is jhust bad
1. connection drops out way much
2. ive tried connecting an ethernet cable to the netgear, doesnt make any difference
3. Reduces download speed by almost approx like 10x +
4. This is so bad, in general, overall.. I wouldnt midn the speed, however number 1.. pisses me OFF WAY TO MUCH
overall. do not buy
WASTE OF MONEY!
This product can not do what it is supposed to deliver. The connection itself on the extender drops out a lot, has to constantly be reset and it enjoys flicking the orange light on a lot. Netgear has a complete lack of customer service. This device would be better used as an object to use a baseball with for the ultimate stress relief. Waste of money. Do not buy. There are other extenders out there which do a much better job.
Works fine
I wanted to extend the signal from a WNDR3700 router and found setup easy to the extreme. I was done in minutes.
I think the use of another SSID (like FOO_EXT when extending network FOO) is necessary but I haven't encountered difficulties when roaming.
In practice I've found the device truly useful. Router upstairs, extender downstairs, home with wooden floors but thick walls: the wifi signal can pierce through the wood easy, can pass one wall, but never 2. Adequately placed the extender has now brought full coverage downstairs.
Also, it was pretty cheap now that 5GHz repeaters are the new black.
This works very well
I think this is perfect for what I needed. im in a new unit, or floor above a shop. the property is very long, at around 35-40 meters, lots of walls in the way. With my router modem I was able to get reception either from the middle of the house, to each side just. (one side being rather weak) OR my other choice was to move it to the other end of the place, but this meant no reception at the OTHER end.
Enter in this product, bam, reception eerywhere and its very good, can stream NBA and my GF watches all her shows so thumbs up!
Great product once you get it to work! Heres the FIX
This is a perfectly fine product once you know how to set it up! I was about ready to return it for the money spent, there was no way I would pay for them to help me fix the problem! It is really simple once I came across the right resources, so I'll share to those who may come across this tip. If you're able to get enough of a signal from where you are with your computer, connect an ethernet cable directly from you're extender to your computer which you are doing the setup on. Make sure your computer is not connected to wifi. Hold the reset button on the extender, and then start the setup the way you have already tried. Before it would complete but there would be no internet access, now you should be able to connect just fine and remove the ethernet cable if you want. Hope this helps to you all that are having problems!
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