So I started my search for an affordable wifi range extender & decided to go with TP-link as I have had a good experience with the brand before. I found TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE which is almost $19.99 or 1,500 INR. It was cheap, affordable, & the best part was plug & play.
My experience with the product was kind of a mixed bag. I personally found the router to be not reliable which is the reason why I decided to write a TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Wifi Repeater review. In this blog, I have discussed the performance, setup process, in-box content, & more. Let’s start with the
Quickly Navigate To The Various Topics
- TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Wifi Repeater review
- Unboxing Of TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE
- TP-Link Tether App
- TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Build Quality
- TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Real-Life Performance Review
- Should You Buy TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Range Booster For Yourself?
- How To Set Up & Configure TP-link N300 TL-WA850RE Wifi Range Extender?
- F.A.Qs
TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Wifi Repeater review
Unboxing Of TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE
Packaging of the TP-Link is pretty simple. It comes in a blue rectangle box that contains
- Quick installation guide- Pretty straightforward & simple to use.
- Wifi extender- The device that you have paid for.
- Ethernet cable- You can use it to connect the router to a TV, computer, laptop, console, or any other device
TP-Link Tether App
My experience with the TP-Link N300 companion app was pretty good. Its user interface is pretty straightforward & simple to use. By the way, you can also use http://tplinkrepeater.net site to set up your range extender using your computer or laptop.
Using the app you can check the wifi signal strength to your extender without having to check your extender in person. It really helped me in finding the best position for the range extender.
The app also allows you to turn off or schedule LED bulbs on extender so you don’t get distracted by them at night. The app also offers LAN settings to obtain IP addresses automatically or you can tinker with it manually. There is also an option to use the extender as an access point to change a wired network to a wireless one.
With the app, you can check all the devices connected to the device, reboot it, or factory reset to the default settings.
TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Build Quality
The build quality of the TP-Link range extender is pretty decent. It features a polycarbonate body with 9 LED indicators at the front. LEDs on right show the signal strength of your extender to the main wifi router. LEDs on the left side of the circle show power, ethernet, router connection to your extender, & Wifi function status.
At the back, you will find 3 pin plug. Overall, for the price the build of the wifi booster is phenomenal.
TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Real-Life Performance Review
My unboxing & setup experience was great with the router & that’s also where my great experience ended. When I started using the router for my daily usage I found that the range extender kept dropping connection very often from the main router.
I opened the TP-Link Tether app to check whether or not the distance between my router & TP-Link range extender was too much. Turned out the location was just perfect. However, still, for some reason, the connection with the main wifi kept dropping.
I would haven’t minded the issue that much if it weren’t for the fact I do casual multiplayer gaming (Pokemon Unite) & take work VOIP calls using skype. Multiplayer gaming is not recommended using wifi extender but I didn’t have much choice given the wifi dead zone.
To fix the WiFi network drop issue, I experimented a lot with the router & found out that the issue was with the TP-Link extender partially. It just couldn’t compete with the 2.4g router frequency of the main router. The only workable solution that I found was to install the TP-Link N300 on the above floor. It fixed the connection-dropping issue to a certain extent.
After changing a couple of more locations, I realized that issue is with the size of my house. This wifi extender will only be useful if you have a big house, & instead of wifi dead zones, you are looking to cure weak wifi signals.
Pros Of The TP-Link N300 Range Extender
- Reasonably priced
- Quick & Easy process of setting up & installation
- Good for extending Wifi Range
- TP-Link Tether companion apps make the router easy to manage
Cons Of The TP-Link N300 Range Extender
- Not useful for killing Wifi dead zones as it drops connection with the main router if it’s in close proximity to the main Wifi router.
- Doesn’t support 5Ghz frequency.
- Struggles to maintain steady connection if there is more than one wall between router & extender.
How To Set Up & Configure TP-link N300 TL-WA850RE Wifi Extender?
Setting up the TP-Link N300 router is pretty simple all you need to do is install the TP-Link Tether app on your Android or iOS device.
- Open the app and you will be asked to log in to your TP-Link account, create one if you don’t have an account already. Once you have logged in you will get an add a device option on the screen.
- Tap on it & select the range extender option on the next screen. Now the app will ask whether or not the power LED is on in the range extender. To continue click on the “Power Led Is On” option, and grant all the permission, this should open the wifi page on your phone. Here connect to the “TP link_Extender” Wifi & go back.
- Now the app will ask you to create a local password for managing the TP-Link N300 router. Create one & make sure to note it down as you will use this password to manage the router settings.
- After setting up the password you will need to connect your router to your wifi network. Select the wifi network you want to expand & connect to it. Now the app will show your wifi name & password for your new extender. By default, the password set is the same one that you have kept for your original wifi router. Tap on apply & this will start setting up your router
- Now you can use your TP-Link n300 wifi extender.
This is how you set up & use the TP-link N300 TL-WA850RE wifi extender for the first time.
Should You Buy TP-Link N300 TL-WA850RE Range Booster For Yourself?
There are a few factors that you need to consider before deciding whether or not you should buy this TP-Link range extender for yourself.
Do You Have Wifi Dead Zone Or A Weak Wifi signal?
If you have a weak wifi signal then you can go with the router. However, if you have wifi dead zone then don’t go with this range extender as it drops the connections when it is in a challenging location.
Do You Want To Do Competitive Multiplayer Gaming?
If yes then you would need to connect the router directly to the access point and use it as a wifi router. And, I don’t think that’s what you are looking for.
You should go with it if you are looking to do casual browsing, stream videos, take VOIP calls & other similar use case scenarios.
F.A.Qs
Is TP-Link 300Mbps Wi-Fi extender good?
The performance of the TP-Link extender is pretty good for casual browsing, watching Netflix, video calls, & other similar use cases. Unless you have more speed or some other low latency requirement in the mind this should get the job done.
Are Wi-Fi Extenders Any Good?
Yes, wifi extenders are useful as they allow you to extend the wifi network to a larger area or home.
Can We Use TL-WA850RE As Router?
Yes, you can use it as a router by changing it from the extender to router mode using the TP-Link Tether app.
Is It Better To Connect To 5 GHz Or 2.4 GHz?
2.4 GHz is better than 5 GHz frequency if you want the wifi range to be longer. However, the 5 GHz frequency is less congested than 2.4 GHz & faster for short distances.
What Is The Downside Of The Wi-Fi Extender?
They are not that useful for low-latency requirements like gaming. Also, their performance can be hampered based on the layout of your home.
