Linksys announced two new range extenders, the AC750 Boost Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE6300) and the AC1200 Boost EX Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE6400). Linksys' new products offer expanded wireless coverage in a compact and easy to use package.
Walls and furniture disrupt your wireless coverage, creating dead spots within your wireless network. A wireless range extender's job is to cover said dead spots by extending an access point's wireless signal, making data-intensive activities such as streaming video and gaming possible in even the furthest or most interference-ridden areas in your home possible, and perhaps even outdoors (if you're into that). The Linksys RE6300 and RE6400 can cover up to 6,500 square feet and 7,500 square feet, respectively.
The RE6300 is an AC750 range extender, and it will extend signals for routers and access points of up to 300 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 433 Mbps at 5 GHz, while the RE6400 supports up to 300 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 867 Mbps at 5 GHz.
The RE6300 and RE6400 are physically nearly identical, with the main differentiating factor being the product names on the front of the device. Both range extenders include two antennas on the sides, a gigabit Ethernet port on the bottom, and a WPS button.
The RE6300 and RE6400 both provide simple plug-and-play functionality and can be set up with either the WPS button or with Linksys' Spot Finder app (both pictured below).
Other features include beamforming and Linksys' Cross-Band, a speed and signal enhancing function in the company's range extenders that maximizes simultaneous use between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands by allowing the range extender to receive on one band and transmit off of another.
The RE6300 and RE6400 have MSRPs of $89.99 and $99.99, respectively. These are reasonable prices compared to the rest of Linksys' range extender line; the lower-end RE4100W is offered at $79.99, but it provides no wireless AC capability. The RE6500 is the same price as the RE6400, offers 10,000 square feet of coverage and four gigabit Ethernet ports, but it is a desktop range extender, meaning it will not be as space-friendly as the RE6400.
The Linksys RE6300 AC750 Boost Wi-Fi Range Extender is available for preorder and starts shipping this Friday, October 30. The Linksys RE6400 AC1200 Boost EX Wi-Fi Range Extender is available at Best Buy on November 8 and other retailers later in November.
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