Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
We liked
The BT Dual-Band Wi-Fi Extender 1200 is generally quite easy to set up, with the instructions clearly explained.
It's a low profile device that won't get in the way when plugged into a wall socket, and the LEDs at the front are very useful when it comes to determining the best position to place it.
We disliked
The performance wasn't particularly impressive. It certainly won't offer an all-round improvement to wireless speeds wherever you are in your house. Also, despite the clear explanation in the manual, I still managed to run into minor hiccups during the setup process.
You might get better results by upgrading your router, or even moving it to a different room in your home, if that's possible.
Final verdict
These results are disappointing, but perhaps I was expecting too much. The BT Dual-Band Wi-Fi Extender 1200 is best used for improved wireless performance in a room where you really have no coverage at all. In that case, it's fairly middling wireless signal is better than nothing.
But don't expect to see great results from it if all you're experiencing are speeds that are just verging on the slow side. It might not be any faster.
You'll probably get better results in a larger house. It works reasonably well at a very long distance and it seems this is exactly how it is intended to be used. In smaller houses, or where you're just looking for better speeds rather than improved coverage, you're better off using a more powerful router or powerline Ethernet adaptors, such as the BT Mini Wi-Fi Home Hotspot 500 kit.
