Linksys has a new tri-band range extender to eliminate WiFi dead spots
If you’re not shopping for a new router but still need something to cover far-flung areas of your home (have you tried aluminum foil yet? Seriously.) check out the latest hardware from Linksys. This “Max-Stream Tri-Band AC3000 Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE9000)” brings all the bells and whistles needed to keep things running smoothly, even with multiple devices.
Update: This post has been updated to clarify the Spot Finder tech at work here belongs to Linksys, not Netgear.
Its “tri-band” MU-MIMO technology can help avoid interference if you have a lot of devices (it connects to your router using one band, while any devices communicate with it on either another 5GHz network or 2.4GHz), while Spot Finder tech can help you find the optimal place to put it. The best thing, however, may be its support for automatic firmware updates, so that the next time there’s a KRACK in security it can get a patch without needing any intervention from you (it does support manual updating for those who prefer direct control).
Of course, that ease of use comes at a price — the RE9000 goes on sale November 23rd for $170 at the usual electronic outlets (Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, Micro Center, Newegg, and Walmart.com) but The Wirecutter has some cheaper suggestions that may also work.
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