Netgear Wi-Fi Extender Review: Ease, Simplicity & Transparency

There has been a certain level of complexity associated with wireless-enabled products, which has not only frustrated me both as an engineer and end-user, but equally has undoubtedly frustrated the wider community of consumers who have embraced the technology. As a previous software engineer, developing wireless products first hand, I consistently requested that my team bear in mind that “we’re all not technology geeks.” I asked that they take a softer perspective when creating new products, one based upon the importance of ease, simplicity and transparency. With this in mind, when I picked up Netgear’s Universal Wi-Fi Range Extender (WN2000RPT) to extend my wi-fi range out to my pool.

I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the ‘quick start’ guide within. And it didn’t stop there; set-up too was an absolute breeze, with no CD or any software necessary for installation. Crikey, I have waited for this level of simplicity and transparency to enter mainstream wireless computing for years, and now finally it’s here! Finding the right place for your extender to be placed is the only possibly taxing part of the set-up that you’ll encounter. I found it to be best situated at an equal distance from my router, and the area where I was receiving a weak signal.

Once you’ve located your ‘sweet-spot’ simply plug in the extender, turn it on and wait for the LED light to turn green. Now open up your browser from a PC attached to your primary wi-fi network, and you’ll be automatically redirected to the Netgear Smart Wizard Configuration Assistant. This will walk you through basics of selecting the wireless network you want to extend, and it will also help you configure security.

Once these settings are applied, you’ll see the extender appear in your list of available wireless networks. There are also four very useful LAN ports on the extender which allow you to connect additional devices such as gaming consoles, printers, or even additional computers to the network. All in all, the Netgear WN2000RPT is a first class extender that not only delivers what it promises on the box, but does so with the kind of simplicity and ease of use that will put a smile on your face.