Netgear EX7300 vs EX7500 – Which one should you get?
Finding the best Wi-Fi router extender for your residence or office space is a really crucial task. Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500 are two quality options- with Netgear EX standing out for its affordability and wide coverage.
Choosing the suitable Wi-Fi needs you to look at certain elements like the chipset and coverage you get. Another factor that plays a big role in determining the kind of performance you get from your Wi-Fi router is the download and uploading speeds you get with the router. The theoretical and throughput speeds highly matter.
For pros and amateurs alike, it can be quite hard to understand all these aspects to help you make the right choice for you. That is why this guide has been designed to be an easy one-stop read on all you need to know about the best Wi-Fi router extenders. It has narrowed down to Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500 that stand out because of its premium quality features. The Netgear series is widely known for its reasonably priced routers that are exquisite nonetheless. To further help you pick between the two, this review is an in depth overview on the differences that exist between these two router extenders.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500?
Model |
Netgear EX7300 |
Netgear EX7500 (Winner) |
Chipset |
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558, 128MB RAM, 16MB flash memory |
Quad-core processor, Qualcomm IPQ4019, 256MB RAM, 256MB flash memory |
MU-MIMO &Beamforming |
Yes |
Yes |
Speed (Long range) |
Combined up to 2,200Mbps (450Mbps+1733Mbps) |
Combined up to 2,200Mbps (400Mbps+866Mbps+866Mbps) |
Antenna |
1 internal antenna with high-powered amplifiers |
4 internal antennas |
Netgear EX7300 vs. Netgear EX7500 – How do they compare?
Range and Capacity
For Netgear EX7300, it adds the coverage up to 2,000 square feet. It also has the capacity to connect up to 35 devices. This works well if you have a large household with many Wi-Fi enabled devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets and speakers among others. To add, Netgear EX7300 is widely compatible with many devices. It works well with right about any modem, wireless router and gateway.
On the flipside, Netgear EX7500 also supports up to 40 devices connected to the AC2200 tri band router. This router extender can also offer added coverage of up to 2,000 square feet. This encompasses the 40 devices it can simultaneously handle on its network.
App
For both Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500, they support the use of the Netgear Wi-Fi Analytics App. If you want to check on the status of your network like the Wi-Fi signal strength you are getting, you can use the app. To add, you can also check on channels that are clogging your connection as well as get other analytic data through the Netgear Wi-Fi Analytics App available to both router extenders.
Setting up both routers has also been made pain-free and easy through the Netgear app. Once you download it to your smartphone or tablet, you can easily follow the prompts given to have your entire set up running within minutes.
Structure and Design
Netgear EX7300 also fits in with all kinds of spaces. It weighs 10.6oz and measures 6.3 x 3.2 x 1.7 inches. This coupled with the white color it comes in makes the EX7300 a good blend with any area. It also fits in with all kinds of spaces because of its rather compact sized meaning it can be easily hidden away.
Netgear EX7500 also has a similar design to the Netgear EX7300 given they are from the same manufacture. It weighs 10.72oz and measures 3.3 x 3.0 x 6.34 inches making it only slightly larger than the EX7300. Both router extenders can be kept hidden away, or placed in noticeable areas as they still blend in with right about any room.
They also primarily come in white or black adding to their sleek and modern looks.
Speeds
Using its dual band technology, the Netgear EX7300 is able to provide speeds of up to 2,200mbps. This is even more enhanced with the Fast Lane technology. This comes in to handle resource intense tasks like online gaming and HD streaming. You are therefore assured of fast speeds on all devices even with some surfing and others playing online games like Fortnite.
For the Netgear EX7500, it also delivers combined speeds of up to 2,200Mbps (866Mbps+866Mbps+400Mbps). Both Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500 are really built for resource intensive tasks like HD streaming and online gaming.
Performance in speed tests
When put to the test, Netgear EX7300 can deliver 170Mbps when at 25 feet and 115Mbps when within 50 feet of the router. When tested at long range (75 feet) it has a rather decent throughput speed of 66.7Mbps.
On the flipside, Netgear EX7500 delivers up to 480.1Mbps when with close range (10 feet) and 121.6 when 50 feet away from the router.
Also keep in mind that these Wi-Fi routers work best with different internet speeds. For Netgear EX7300, it works best with internet speeds up to 100Mbps. The EX7500, on the other hand needs 250Mbps to work at its optimal level.
Security
To protect you from cyber threats, Netgear EX7300 supports WPA/WPA2 as well as WEP security protocols. Netgear EX7500 is also ramped up with security features. It has Wi-Fi protect access that entails WEP, WPA/WPA2-PSK. You can therefore be assured of protection from the many cyber threats that exist like malware and viruses.
Netgear EX7300 vs. Netgear EX7500 – A Comparison Overview
Netgear EX7300 overview
- Extends WiFi range coverage up to 2300 square feet, and connects up to 40 devices such as laptops,...
- Uses your existing network SSID name so you never get disconnected as you move around your home or office
Netgear EX7300 is a quality router extender that is designed with the Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 chipset. It also has 128MB RAM and 16MB flash memory that form part of the chipset of this router.
Beyond these specs, the Netgear EX7300 has a lot going for it. For instance, it is equipped to deliver up to 2,200Mbps on both bands (450Mbps+1733Mbps). According to the Netgear website, these speeds are available for more than 2,000 square feet up to 10,000 square feet. This router can then cover your whole home no matter its design from ranch houses to L-shaped ones.
Yet another pro feature of Netgear EX7300 is that it offers seamless roaming. It does this by using your already existing SSID name so that you do not get disconnected as you move around your home or office space.
Netgear EX7300 also offers fast wired connections. It has 1 Gigabit Ethernet port that you can easily plug into for game consoles and other devices. Once plugged in, you get to enjoy the fast maximum speeds like on wireless connections.
To add, the setting-up process is easy. All you need to do is connect it your router to have it up and running.
Through the Netgear app, you can also use the parental control features available. For example, you can easily set schedules for your children’s devices to monitor the amount of time they get to spend online. The Netgear app also allows you to control the devices that get to access your network. This comes in handy as a security feature as well.
Yet another powerful feature of the Netgear EX7300 is that it has Smart Connect and MU-MIMO technology. With both, you get to enjoy fast download and upload speeds even with many devices connected to the network. For example, MU-MIMO (multiple-user, multiple-input, multiple-output) technology ensures that all devices get the fastest connection available. This slows down lagging and buffering for all.
Netgear EX7300 still has its faults though. For instance, it does not support the tri-band features of most routers like AC2200. It only extends the range of the 2.4 GHz and first 5GHz band. This can be a downer because there are other tri-band router extenders in the market.
Also keep in mind that you need to do a factory reset and make sure your firmware is upgraded in order to access its mesh Wi-Fi options.
Pros
- Offers fast speeds of up to 2,200Mbps
- Can be easily plugged into your wall
- Widely compatible with all gateways and Wi-Fi routers
- Comes with a 1 year hardware warranty
Cons
- Large footprint
Netgear EX7500
- EXTENDED WIRELESS COVERAGE: Adds WiFi range coverage up to 2300 square feet, and connects up to 45...
- SEAMLESS SMART ROAMING: Uses your existing network SSID name so you never get disconnected as you move...
Netgear EX7500 Wi-Fi mesh range extender stands out for a number of reasons. First, as is expected from an extender, it offers boosted coverage of up to 2,000 square feet with 40 devices connected to its network. This capacity is rather impressive compared to similar priced extenders. If you have a large household or you want to use this extender in your office, it is able to handle smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices connected to it at once.
Secondly, Netgear EX7500 ensures you enjoy seamless roaming by using the SSID network name that was already in place. This ensures that as you move from room to room you do not have constantly sign in to the network.
You also get fast speeds with Netgear EX7500 as it is with Netgear EX7300 as they both make use of the AC2200 router which can deliver up to 2,200Mbps. This makes both Wi-Fi extenders good fits for gaming especially.The AC2200 is well suited for these fast speeds because of its tri band technology and Fast Lane features. Even if multiple users are streaming 4K videos and playing heavy duty HD games, you get to experience fast speeds throughout.
Another pro feature of Netgear EX7500 is its universal compatibility. It works with any ISP gateway and wireless router. It is also safe and secure as it supports the WPA/WPA2 and WEP protocols.
Just like the Netgear EX7300, the Netgear EX7500 is easy to set-up using the Netgear app. All you need to do is press the WPS button on the app and have the entire network set-up. You can also control which devices get access to your network through the Netgear app.
Keep in mind that you can also use the Netgear Wi-Fi Analytics app to monitor the running of your extender. For example, you can check on the strength of the signals your connected devices are receiving.
Finally, Netgear EX7500 stands out because of its tri-band technology that enhances your overall experience. The additional band boosts the speeds you get by ensuring the router is in constant communication with all connected devices.
Netgear EX7500 is not without fault. Like the Netgear EX7300, the customer support from Netgear is a bit wanting and disappointing for some. If you require technical support, you might have to pay for it even if it is within the warranty period. Another drawback is that this extender tends to need a reset every once in a while. Over long periods of time it can start lagging. You can fix this by unplugging it for a reset. Also keep in mind that this extender requires 1 Lithium ion battery.
Despite these imperfections, Netgear EX7500 is still well-loved by router extender users. They come with quality features to match.
Pros
- Easy to set-up and install
- Wide coverage with no compromise to speeds
- Comes with a 1 year hardware warranty
Cons
- Daily reboots to reconnect to backhaul Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
This article has reviewed Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500 which are both quality options for router extenders. For online gaming and other resource intensive tasks like HD streaming, you will not go wrong with either of these options. They are also largely compatible with all modems and internet service providers.
Pointer: Your home design and construction materials also weigh in determining the kind of performance you will get with these router extenders.
Verdict: So, which is better between Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500?
When it comes down to it, Netgear EX7500 stands out for a number of reasons. It has fast impressive speeds of up to 480.1 Mbps when you are within close range. It also has wide enough coverage for all kinds of house designs.
Frequently asked questions
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Do these router extenders work with your already existing router?
Netgear EX7300 and Netgear EX7500 are highly compatible extenders with all kinds of routers and internet service plans.
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Where should you place these extenders?
You should ideally place it between your connected device and the router. Nonetheless, you should still get wider coverage no matter where you place it.
