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Engadget giveaway: Win an Athena router and range extender courtesy of Amped Wireless!
Even if you're in a tiny studio apartment that keeps you in arm's reach of your router at all times, you could probably do with a high-powered upgrade. Amped Wireless' Athena AC2600 dual-band gigabit router packs 16 amplifiers and four antennas, delivering 800mW of output power, enough to cover your whole home. It also includes multi-user MIMO support so you can cross the streams all you want using multiple devices concurrently. Amped Wireless has handed off a pair of these routers for two lucky Engadget readers this week, as well as some AC1750 range extenders that include a built-in touchscreen interface for ease of use. When used together, you should be able to blanket up to an additional 12,000SF in WiFi, making it ideal for buildings or adding connectivity to outdoor areas. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this powerful, long-range WiFi package.
Amped Wireless outs WiFi extender that boosts wireless coverage up to 5,000 square feet
Amped Wireless continues to expand its wireless repertoire with a brand new 802.11 ac Wi-Fi range extender that's both powerful and compact. Dubbed the REC15A, the device offers a whopping 500 milliwatts of power, four amplifiers and a high-gain dual-band antenna in a relatively small 3-inch by 5-inch package -- it even fits neatly into a wall socket thanks to the built-in plug. The company claims that all of that power should result in up to 5,000 square feet of additional wireless coverage, which should be great for those of you with palatial estates or large backyards. The REC15A repeats both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz WiFi signals and there's an extra wired port that you can use to attach a networked device like a PC, TV or game console. On the software side of things, it also has parental controls, adjustable settings and free Android and Windows apps that tweak the coverage even more. The REC15A is available for $99.99 and you can pre-order it from Amped Wireless starting today. It starts shipping in the first quarter of 2014. Dana Wollman contributed to this report.
Amped Wireless gets into the streaming audio market with BTSA1 Bluetooth adapter (video)
What do you do when you've conquered the nuclear-powered WiFi market? Well, if you're Amped Wireless, you stray across into the world of audio. The company is releasing the BTSA1, a chunkily-named Bluetooth audio adapter that packs in the same range-extending tech that you'll find in Amped's other products. Looking like an RTA15 that's been shrunk in the wash, you'll find a connect button on the front and both 3.5mm and RCA ports on the rear. You can use either to hook up to your speaker setup, and the company promises that it'll offer double the range of existing Bluetooth audio adapters. In a test, side-by-side with Logitech's $40 Wireless Speaker Adapter, at least, that claim is true, and we found that we were able to stream music from the other end of a three-story house before the signal dropped. You can pre-order the BTSA1 for $70 ready for its launch on November 13th, and if you do, you'll also get two months' free subscription to Rhapsody to keep your ears entertained.
Amped Wireless announces APA-20 long-range access point
Ready for another Amped Wireless announcement? The company's 802.11ac revolution continues with the APA-20 long-range access point. The unit brings Amped's trademark high-power WiFi know-how to your existing setup, promising to configure itself as soon as it's plugged in. Available for pre-order starting today, the APA-20 will set you back $190 and will ship to customers on October 29th.
Amped Wireless' REA20 range extender shipping on August 21st for $199 (video)
If your property stretches out more than 10,000 square feet, then you've probably already invested in one or more of Amped Wireless' long-range WiFi gear. If you haven't, however, then the company is hoping to lure you in with its latest unit, the REA20 range extender. The new hardware comes with Amped's trademark dual-band 802.11ac tech and promises to add another 10,000 square feet of your sprawling compound with reliable wireless internet. It's available to pre-order for $199 from the company's website and will begin shipping on August 21st before making its way out to traditional retail stores by the end of the month.
Amped Wireless' ACA1 802.11ac WiFi adapter launches July 22nd for $89.99 (video)
"It's not me, it's you," scolds the distant WiFi hotspot as your connection drops for the ninth time in an hour. As much as you may dream of buying a 20 meter Ethernet cable, Amped Wireless is determined to curtail that flirtation with its latest piece of 802.11ac hardware, the ACA1. The USB 3.0-powered unit clips to Windows and OS X machines, utilizing the company's long-range mojo to ensure that you'll be the envy of frustrated tweeters on the periphery of a public router. The gear arrives on July 22nd, but pre-orders begin today with $89.99 securing you a piece of the action -- and if the idea of that big Ethernet lead still appeals, we've got a video to convince you otherwise after the break.
Amped Wireless' flagship RTA15 802.11ac router arrives July 16th for $190 (video)
It's rare that people email to ask us when a certain product is launching, but plenty of you have been jonesing for Amped Wireless' new 802.11ac WiFi router. Six months after the company teased the flagship hardware at CES, the unit's finally ready to step into the spotlight. Marrying the latest WiFi standard with Amped's trademark high-power wireless gear, the RTA15 comes with the usual four gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB 2.0 slot for file sharing. The unit's available to pre-order, at a cost of $190, from Amped's website from today, with orders shipping from July 16th and if you'd like to learn some more, there's a commercial nestled down after the break.
Amped Wireless' TAN 1 WiFi adapter for Windows 8 arriving for $60
Amped Wireless' long-gestating TAN 1 may look like a chocolate bar, but you'd probably regret dunking it in your coffee. The high-powered WiFi adapter connects over USB to Windows 8 laptops and tablets, promising to triple the range of your device's built-in wireless gear. After what seems like an age, the hardware is finally making its way to stores, and will set you back $59.99 when it goes on sale today!.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two Amped Wireless router bundles!
Chances are avid readers of our site will recognize the Amped Wireless name, because the company pushes out products like routers and range extenders as if they're candy. We're always big fans of new stuff, and Amped is ready to throw some your way. We have two bundles of prizes to hand out, each one containing a R20000G dual-band WiFi router ($140 value), SR20000G Range Extender ($150 value) and Amped's brand new REC10 Compact Range Extender ($80 value) announced just a week ago. The whole set will likely hook you up with WiFi coverage not only throughout your home but your backyard as well -- heck, you may even be able to enjoy a signal at your neighbor's place. It's definitely worth heading below to submit your entry, and we wish you the best of luck! Note: Please enter using the widget below, as comments are no longer valid methods of entry. The widget only requires your name and email address so we know how to get in touch with you if you win (your information is not given out to third parties), but you will have an option to receive an additional entry by following us on Twitter if you so desire. Winners: Congratulations to Deric J. of Harrisonburg, VA and Scott A. of Lincoln, NE for being this week's winners!
Review: Amped Wireless REC10 600mW Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender
Everybody has them -- those pesky dead zones in the house or office where the Wi-Fi signal is weak or nonexistent. Apple designed the AirPort Express as a handy little plug-n-play network extender, but a good number of people find it to be problematic both in setup and in operation. TUAW recently received a compact Wi-Fi Range Extender from Amped Wireless -- the REC10 (US$79.99) -- and ran it through some tests to see how easy it was to set up and also how well it worked. Design One of the nice things about Apple's AirPort Express is how small it is; the old version that plugged directly into a wall socket was particularly useful, and I'm not exactly sure why Apple chose to go with the current white "Apple TV clone" form factor. The REC10 plugs right into a wall socket and takes up very little space. It's about 4 x 2.5 x 1.25 inches is size, and weighs just 3.7 ounces. The way the REC10 works is to expand the range of your 802.11 b/g/n network by repeating the signal from your primary router. The device has two 600 mW amplifiers inside connected to a high gain 2 dBi antenna to extend your Wi-Fi signal up to 6,500 square feet. Setup of the REC10 is incredibly easy; it's just plugged into a wall socket and accessed on its own initial "Amped_REC10" Wi-Fi network. Switch your iOS device or Mac to that network and then point a browser to a special setup page address, and you're led through the process of renaming the network and adding a security key. What's nice is that the setup clones your existing SSID and security key if you wish, making setup even faster. The new SSID is given an "_RE" suffix to contrast it from your primary network. Functionality The primary criteria I used to judge the functionality of the Amped Wireless REC10 were range and speed of the network. The perfect range extender would provide vastly more coverage and bring those dead areas to life, while retaining the speed of the primary network. What I found in my tests was that range was increased a bit, but that speed was reduced somewhat as well. To test the network range, I first walked in different directions in the front and rear of my house with my iPad mini until I lost the signal from the primary network. I then repeated the test while connected to the extended network. In both cases, the distances were measured with a tape measure to give me an approximate range figure. Now there are a lot of variables that are going to determine the range of a Wi-Fi router or extender, like the materials that the signal has to pass through and where the extender is set physically in reference to the primary router. Amped Wireless suggests placing the extender in a location where it has a signal strength -- displayed by the setup web page -- greater than 70 percent. The test unit was placed where it had a constant signal strength of 79 percent. Looking at the Wi-Fi signal strength indicator on my iPad mini, it was apparent that the extender was doing its job as the strength went from two bars to full bars in my office when I moved the device to the extended network. My outside measurements showed that I could walk about 10 feet further in any direction around my house and still have a Wi-Fi connection on the extended network in comparison with the primary network. That 10 feet doesn't sound like much, but it means that every piece of my little suburban lot is now covered with a Wi-Fi signal strong enough to provide me with the ability to surf the Web from anywhere on the property. Previously, there were zones that were completely dead. My next tests dealt with speed. I used a known location -- my desk in my office -- and ran the SpeedTest.net speed test while connected to both networks. Initially, my test results were a bit of a shock. For the primary network, I was getting an average 34.3 Mbps download speed and about 6.2 Mbps upload speed. On the extended network generated by the REC10, that download speed dropped by about half down to 15.9 Mbps and uploads remained identical at 6.2 Mbps. I contacted Amped Wireless tech support to see if there was any way to tweak the device to get those speeds back to a more normal range. The quick response was that I should change the channel width on the extender from 20 MHz to 40 MHz and then reboot the device. When I did that, I was unable to connect to the network at all. Fortunately, when I changed the control sideband setting to Lower from Upper, the device once again accepted my connection. After making this change, the download speed was much better, averaging about 25.8 Mbps. Upload speed, however, took a turn for the worse with speeds only averaging about 4.0 Mbps. So, given that the range was only extended by about 10 feet and speeds were somewhat less than what was available on the primary network, would the REC10 be a good investment for the average Mac user? As with so many things in the computing world, it depends. If you have a room or area inside or outside your home that is one of those inexplicable dead spots, and you'be been dying to have Wi-Fi service in that spot, then you'll probably be happy with the REC10 provided that you're willing to spend some time looking for the perfect spot to plug it in. After all, having Wi-Fi in that location -- even slower Wi-Fi -- is better than not having Wi-Fi or having to use cellular data minutes to work or play in your own home. It all comes down to setting your expectations ahead of time. Don't expect that by purchasing an Amped Wireless REC10 that you'll be able to stay connected to your Wi-Fi network a mile away -- it's not going to happen. And even if your expectations are more conservative, like just being able to cover all of the dead spots in your home, be aware that your download and upload speeds might not be as fast as you like. One more negative point about the REC10; it comes with Windows and Android Wi-Fi analytics tools for finding good spots to install the device or test signal strength. It does not come with the equivalent software for Mac OS X and iOS. Finally, the words "Amped Wireless" light up on the front of the device to indicate that the device is in operation. While I didn't find the white light to be annoying, some people might -- and there's no setting for turning it off. Amped Wireless does make other models of Wi-Fi range extenders that offer additional coverage and power, so if the compact REC10 doesn't do the job for you, the company has other equipment that might. Conclusion If you're looking for a range extender that is relatively expensive, easy to set up, and that works with just about any existing Wi-Fi network, then the Amped Wireless REC10 is probably for you as long as you're aware that it's not going to perform miracles. Pros Small profile allows installation just about anywhere Easy and fast setup Provides coverage for areas that may have weak or nonexistent Wi-Fi coverage with a single primary Wi-Fi router Web-based setup and configuration tool is fast and well-designed Amped Wireless provides a 30 day return policy Cons No Mac OS X or iOS Wi-Fi analytics tool Although signal strength is increased in formerly weak signal areas, you may not see full speed in those areas Depending on placement of the REC10 and the design and construction of your home, you may not see a markedly large increase in the Wi-Fi coverage footprint No way to turn off glowing white status light Who is it for? Any person with reasonable expectations who just needs better coverage in his or her home or office
Amped Wireless REC10 WiFi range extender is available from today for $80
The second of Amped's early 2013 lineup is making its way into stores, snapping at the heels of the recently released PLA2. The REC10 is a wall socket-mounted WiFi range extender that'll add a further 6,500 square feet of coverage onto your home's wireless network. You can snag the hardware now from the company's website for $80, but if you're the type who wants to sample the goods in the plastic flesh, then you can nab 'em from stores within the next few days.
Amped Wireless 2013-era super-range WiFi gear unveiled at CES
Amped Wireless is famous for its super-strength WiFi gear, which can stretch internet over huge distances and through houses where no other internet signal dares to tread. We've spent the last few minutes taking a look at the hardware it'll be putting out over the next few months and if you come with us after the break, we'll talk you through the new range -- including a few sneak peeks into what it's going to be putting out in the future as well as pricing information. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Amped Wireless announces a new range of 802.11ac high-powered WiFi routers
For those not in the know, the forthcoming 802.11ac standard is so fast that it makes Speedy Gonzales look like, well, Regular Gonzales. Amped Wireless is launching a flotilla of new WiFi units capable of taking advantage of that additional power that'll cover your house in the company's trademark 10,000 square feet of wireless internet. The RTA 15 is the company's latest flagship dual-band router, the REA 20 range extender will double your wireless footprint and the ACA 1 connects to your laptop's USB 3.0 port, helping you stay connected in areas of weak signal. The trio will be available at the start of 2013, so we'll probably get our first peek at the new gear at CES.
Amped Wireless announces TAN 1 WiFi adapter for Windows 8 for CES 2013
Amped Wireless' range of WiFi gear that's had a good dose of spinach has swelled to include a WiFi adapter for your Windows 8 tablet or laptop. Clipping onto your device and connecting over USB, it promises to give you three times the distance of your built-in wireless module, letting you slurp down those cat videos from the furthest regions of your home. It'll make its first public appearance at CES, with the company promising an arrival in stores shortly afterward -- but rest assured, given our credentials at the show, we'll be giving it the Engadget treatment come January. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Amped Wireless adds a dual-band access point to its range of super-strength networking gear
Amped Wireless has a single-minded purpose of eliminating blackspots in your WiFi coverage with a range of routers, adapters and repeaters to pump out 600mW of internet where you need it most. Now that it's done adding dual-band technology to its lineup of products, it's busting out a similarly-equipped access point that promises to add a further 7,500 square feet of coverage to your home. Capable of automatically setting itself up on your home (or office) network, it's packing the same USB port for storage that its recently revamped brothers have seen. It'll be available at the end of September for $170, and you can find a high-powered collection of words and punctuation arranged in the form of a press release included after the break.
Amped Wireless caps off its new range with a dual-band repeater
Anyone keeping track of Amped Wireless' new range of dual-band products might have spotted that repeater-shaped hole in the team. It should come as no surprise that the company is now unveiling its SR20000G repeater, capable of extending your wireless network by a further 10,000 square feet. Built with the same five Ethernet jacks and USB 2.0 port for file sharing that we saw on its brother, it'll set you back $180 when it arrives later this month.
Amped Wireless launches dual-band 10,000 square feet router, now no wall is safe
High-power wireless maven Amped Wireless has finally filled that conspicuous dual-band gap in its lineup with the R20000G router. Promising to cover the same 10,000 square feet that its predecessor, it'll flit between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to ensure you can catch unbroken video around your house on the go. Beside the five ethernet jacks you'll find a USB 2.0 port for adding some network storage and the company's usual raft of features. It's available for $180 on Amped's website from today, and should be arriving on store shelves shortly.
Amped Wireless releases two new USB adapters to cure internet blackspots (video)
Is your computer positioned just that little bit too far away from your home router to get consistent internet access? Amped Wireless is here for you with a pair of USB adapters that promise you'll never have to tilt your machine to maintain signal again. The UA1000 pushes out 500mW of power over the 2.4GHz band, will clip to your laptop screen and, if you connect it to two USB ports instead of one it'll be even more powerful. Meanwhile, the UA2000 can switch between its high-range 2.4GHz and low-interference 5.0GHz radios to ensure the best reception in the darkest corners of your home or office. The former will set you back $80 while its dual-band cousin retails at $100 and you can pre-order both from today.
Amped Wireless High Power R10000G Router and Smart Repeater hands-on
Until now, Amped Wireless has been best known for its industrial networking gear, capable of maintaining a signal up to 1.5 miles away from the base station. Now, though, the outfit's also selling some equipment for folks with a more modest setup: the R10000G Home Router and SR10000 Smart Repeater, which promise to coat 10,000 square feet of your abode / office in robust, high-quality WiFi. Of course, we just had to test these claims out for ourselves, and see if these units really were formidable enough to leave our own router crying in the corner. We devised three simple experiments to see how they hold up in the real world -- head on past the break to find out how they fared.
Amped Wireless' new super-range WiFi gear unveiled at CES
Amped Wireless is a bit of a cult favorite here at Engadget, we love its super-high distance outdoor WiFi gear that has a range of up to 1.5 miles. It's unveiling four new devices for early 2012 that provide the same level of extreme coverage for the inside of your home. The High-Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router (R1000G) will cover 10,000 square feet in gigabit internet, costing $140. The High-Power Wireless-N Dual Band 600mW Gigabit Router (R2000G) does the same, only it'll switch between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, ensuring that Hulu stream never dies -- and will retail for $180. The Dual-Band Wireless-N Smart Repeater (SR2000G) will push your wireless connection a further 10,000 square feet and will also retail for $180. The High Power Wireless-N Dual Band USB Adapter (UA2000) has twice the range of a regular USB dongle, packing a 600mW amplifier and 5dBi antenna for a speed of up to 300Mbps and will set you back just $80.The top device (Single Channel Gigabit Router) will arrive at the end of this month and the other three will appear in the homes of land-barons nationwide in April.Dana Murph contributed to this report.
