This New Range Extender Plugs Directly Into Electrical Outlet
This wireless range extender plugs directly into an electrical outlet.
Amped Wireless has introduced the REC15A High Power Compact 802.11ac Wi-Fi Range Extender. As the name implies, this device will grab the wireless signal of a home or office router and re-transmit that signal to places where the router just can't reach.
Standard Wi-Fi devices have an output power of a mere 50 milliwatts (mW). However, the REC15A provides up to 500 milliwatts (mW) of Wi-Fi output power while keeping its slim 3 x 5 inch form factor figure. The device also packs four amplifiers (one 2.4 GHz, one 5.0 GHz, two low noise) and a high gain, dual band antenna, which help provide up to 5,000 square feet of extended coverage.
This little extender plugs directly into any electrical outlet and provides an Ethernet port for connecting wired devices to the local network including PCs, TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles and other devices. However, for the initial setup, users can connect with a wireless device like a smartphone or tablet; a wired connection is not necessary.
The specs show that the REC15A will provide up to 150 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and up to 433 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. The extender also provides parental controls such as restricting access to specific users and time of day schedules for limiting access. Users can even "reel in" the signal strength just in case the network is invading the neighbor's space.
"As more devices like tablets, smartphones, laptops and routers supporting the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard become available the need for faster, longer range Wi-Fi continues to grow," stated Jason Owen, CEO of Amped Wireless. "With the introduction of the REC15A, Amped remains at the forefront of Wi-Fi extending solutions by offering another high performance more affordable option for extending AC Wi-Fi coverage."
The new REC15A is available now through Amped Wireless for $99.99, and will be made available at major brick and mortar retailers any day now.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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mouse24 100 bucks for a range extender? You could get another router for that much that has a range extender feature on it(not to mention being a boatload more useful). Seems silly to me.Reply -
bdizzle11 Literally every single range extender plugs "directly into electrical outlet". How much did Amped Wireless pay for this article to be written and make it seem like a unique product?Reply -
Someone Somewhere This would be like, say, one of these? Or this.This article is like being amazed that a fridge door has a built-in handle.Reply -
jasonelmore Reply100 bucks for a range extender? You could get another router for that much that has a range extender feature on it(not to mention being a boatload more useful). Seems silly to me.
Find me a Wireless AC router for under $100 -
Someone Somewhere This is only a 1x1MIMO device. The TP-Link one I linked above is 2x2, so should be faster for 2.4GHz clients.Reply -
realibrad Reply
Here are 3, but there are more on newegg alone so...100 bucks for a range extender? You could get another router for that much that has a range extender feature on it(not to mention being a boatload more useful). Seems silly to me.
Find me a Wireless AC router for under $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833162071
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156454
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320179
Separated lines - SS -
Haravikk ReplyLiterally every single range extender plugs "directly into electrical outlet". How much did Amped Wireless pay for this article to be written and make it seem like a unique product?
I was thinking exactly the same thing; this isn't new at all, in fact there are a bunch of wireless hubs and extenders that plug directly into wall sockets already. Also, as far as features go it's a pretty pathetic one; wall sockets are almost universally the worst place to put wireless devices; as a general rule IMO higher and more central is better, and that's usually where your electrical outlets are NOT. -
danwat1234 The range extender plug for a Chevy Volt can be plugged through a handshaking box, directly to a 120v power outlet..Reply -
unknown_ haha tom's...your readers are supposed to be relatively smart...you are undoing all good will toward you...Reply -
jbl775 I hate that these range extender products always create a NEW network name(s).....is there no way to extend the range of a (consumer grade / home) network without adding additional network names? To have it operate seamlessly as one large network, as opposed to 2 separate (but connected) networks (i.e. original 2.4Ghz + extended 2.4Ghz)? And to boost throughput, it would be great if you could connect the extender via Cat6 back to the main router. I've already done this with a 2nd router, but it still creates the 2nd set of network names....I keep waiting for the product which will solve this...but it never seems to arrive.Reply