Amped Wireless TAP-EX Range Extender Review: Your WiFi Wants This

My smartphone and laptop are fantastics devices.  But without WiFi they’re a few hairs away from being glorified paper weights.  So when the WiFi signal runs dry in my home, I grit my teeth and white knuckle my fists in frustration.  But not any more thanks to Amped Wireless’ TAP-EX Range Extender.

I know, I know.  That endorsement sounds about as “paid for by the makers of…” as it gets.  But honestly, the TAP-EX has been a blessing to my home’s wireless network.  But before I get into why, let me tell you a bit about this ranger extender.

Front and center is a small screen.  But not just a screen, a touchscreen.  Unfortunately, it’s a bit on the low rez side, but that’s fairly moot and largely a product of my smartphone trained brain whose expectations are HD inflated.  Moreover, it’s no where as accurate as a smartphone’s screen, but in the case of setup and modification it serves its purpose just fine.  Just expect to use the delete button, as I did, when you’re entering your router’s password.  But you see, there in lies the beauty of the TAP-EX; you don’t need a computer or smartphone to get it setup and running.

To set it up, you just need to plug it in, tap “setup wizard”, let it scan for your router, select it and then enter your router’s WiFi password.  If you so choose the TAP-EX can mirror your router’s existing WiFi key, or you can add your own.  I opted for the mirror, which is ideal for my fish like brain and makes adding additional devices much easier.

In terms of range, Amped Wireless says that it can extend your home’s WiFi signal by as much as 10,000  sq. ft.  Now, it’s hard to validate their claims (I don’t have 10,000 square feet).  But, fortunate for you, my home, which is four levels, always boasts a spotty signal (on my smartphone) when I’m not on the same floor as my Netgear router.  However, after adding the TAP-EX, blamo, no more wireless issues.  Seriously.  The roof, which is two floors away, and one from the TAP-EX, now offers a unblemished signal.  And what is more remarkable, is that my living room Chromecast, which is in the same room as my router, works much better connected to the TAP-EX, which is one floor up.  Sure, maybe my router is flawed.  But I’ve now been through three different brands, along with a variety of configurations, and Amped Wireless’ TAP-EX has been the only resolve.  If there is such a thing as WiFi nirvana, this is it.

If I had to take issue with the TAP-EX, it would be just a few minor things.  One, I already mentioned, which is the fairly low rez and some what inaccurate screen.  The other is how the TAP-EX feels in the hands.  Which is down right cheap.  The plastic that houses the internals feels thin and second rate.  The entire things just lacks that solid feeling I’ve come to expect of routers that cost north of $80 – the TAP-EX is $120.  But, and that’s a big BUT, that’s really no reason to turn a cheek to the TAP-EX.

It’s worked flawlessly and as promised.  Moreover, I’d have no regrets or hesitations recommending it to someone who is in a comparable predicament to mine.

You can buy the Amped Wireless TAP-EX Range Extender from Amazon for $119.99.