Most homes and offices today have a WiFi network but not all wireless networks can provide full coverage, especially if your house or office is huge and you have a third floor.
I have a wireless network at home and the WiFi cable modem router is located in the living room. While I can still access the Internet via WiFi in my bedroom on the second floor, the connection is very poor. So when D-Link lent me the DMG-112A Wireless N300 USB Range Extender for review, I was more than excited to try it out.
The device is a portable USB plug-in range extender that extends the range of an existing wireless network, with wireless speeds of up to 300 Mbps. You can place it anywhere in your home, as long as there is a power outlet or you can use a power bank with high milliampere-hour. In my case I placed the device in my room and plugged it into a power outlet using a USB adapter. The compact device has a USB plug which allows you to plug it into any USB powered outlet, hence, no need for a power cord.
There are two ways to set up the device. The first option, which I used, is to download the D-Link One-Touch app from Google Play or App Store. The app will automatically link your WiFi to the extender which will boost the wireless connection to your device. The other option is to use the one-touch configuration by pushing the WPS push-button on the DMG-112A and on the router or AP you want to extend, and the DMG-112A will automatically configure itself for you without needing a PC.
The device’s Wi-Fi hand-off technology communicates with your router and other repeaters in your home network to ensure your wireless devices have a seamless connection when you move throughout your home. The DMG-112A also provides backward compatibility with older wireless devices in your network, allowing you to enjoy a fast and reliable wireless connection.
As for security, the device supports WPA2/WPA wireless encryption.
So, did the extender do what it is designed to do? Yes, the connection in my room was strong and fast. However, I kept getting disconnected which got me puzzled for a couple of days. I was actually about to give up on the device and give it a thumbs down when I realized that the extender could be in a state of confusion. The WiFi cable modem router provided by our service provider is connected to a third-party Wi-Fi router which we connect with to wirelessly access the Internet. We bought a third-party Wi-Fi router since the wireless coverage of the service provider’s unit wasn’t strong enough. So I figured that maybe the extender was confused about which router to connect with. So what I did was remove the third-party router and have the extender directly communicate with the WiFi cable modem router. And voila! We got a constant and seamless wireless connection. The connection was strong and I no longer got disconnected.
My good connection was short-lived though as I only had the unit for a couple of weeks. But I am seriously considering buying one since it’s not expensive as it only costs Php1,400. Unfortunately, the product is still not available in the Philippine Market but can be ordered anytime by D-Link authorized distributors in the Philippines.
Photos by Melba Bernad
