NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750): Specifications
Wi-Fi Specifications: AC1750
Number of Antennas / Removable: 4/ no
Ports: 2 Gigabit LAN Gigabits per second
Peak 802.11ax performance: 143.2 Mbps
ranges: 110 ft
measuring: 7.4 by 5.9 by 2.3 inches
Estimated annual cost of electricity: $8.70
Unlike other Wi-Fi extenders, the NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge works like a wireless cable to connect Ethernet devices to a router. Quick and easy to set up, it falls short when it comes to throughput and is less flexible than a true Wi-Fi extender. However, it was reliable and comes with a two-year warranty.
This NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge review will help you decide if this is exactly what your gaming setup needs or if you’re better off with one. The best Wi-Fi extenders instead of.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Pricing and availability
An oddity in the bunch, the NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (aka WB-1750-Kit) is a wireless bridge that can connect a router to clients on the other side of the house. Kit includes transmitter and receiver modules for $120; Additional receivers $90 each.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Design
Although it’s not the largest extender on the market, the NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge is close. This is because it has the unique advantage of extending a network into a new area. Instead of getting a weak Wi-Fi signal, boosting it and retransmitting it to fill in the dead spots, it’s a Wi-Fi bridge that connects via Ethernet cables at each end. If you think of it as the wireless equivalent of an Ethernet cable, you’ll get an idea of the WB-1750’s capabilities.
The two black-and-white WB-1750s each measure 7.4 x 5.9 x 2.3 inches, about a third the size of Netgear’s gigantic Nighthawk EAX80. Like the EAX80, the EB-1750 units use an external power supply. Inside, each has four antennas that cannot be directed. The WB-1750 only uses the 5GHz band for its data transmission.
Both WB-1750 units have a control panel with seven LEDs that show connection status, power, Wi-Fi connectivity, and active Ethernet ports. There’s also a WPS LED for when you’re using the instant connection routine. The lights also appear if the unit is set to AP (to transmit data) or station (to receive data).
The back has a switch for the AP / Station, a button for starting the WPS protocol, an on / off switch, and a reset button that is off. There are a pair of Gbps Ethernet ports. In addition to serving as a bridge, like a wireless Ethernet cable, the WB-1750 can also act as an access point, but its transmissions are limited to the 5GHz band. Finally, the WB-1750 can stream data directly to a VR headset.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Performance
Because the WB-1750 uses Wi-Fi as the link between two wired terminals, it needs an Ethernet device at each end. With the transmit access point connected to Asus AX-11000 router The receiving station is set up 40 feet apart with a 10 foot Cat 6 cable connecting it to Samsung Google Book Pro receiving system, it recorded a transfer rate of 143.2 Mbps. That’s slightly more bandwidth than the D-Link RE705X’s 125.4 Mbps but far behind the Nighthawk EAX80’s 358.0 Mbps or the TP-Link RE705X’s 528.0 Mbps.
The WB-1750 pair has a range of 110 feet from the router to where the connection was lost. The range of the extenders was measured from where they were connected, up to 40 feet from the router.
It worked fine for sending and receiving emails as well as playing 4K videos and music on my iPad Pro. With each unit using 3.3 watts while in use, a pair can cost an estimated $8.70 to use if left on and paying the national average of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity. That’s just under Nighthawk’s $11 a year. The devices never got hotter than 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Features
While the WB-1750 uses Wi-Fi to connect the two boxes, it does not broadcast a new Wi-Fi signal. Requires Ethernet devices at both ends. Although other devices are up to date with the 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) format, the WB-1750 is a throwback to the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) era. It uses MUMIMO and is rated to be able to handle data streams of up to 1,750 Gbps. Data moves in 4×4 streams.
The back of each unit has a pair of Gbps LAN connectors, though one is taken up by its connection to the router or receiver. There’s no USB port for connecting a storage drive, but the WB-1750 does have an on/off button and a locked reset switch.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Setup and software
There are two ways to connect two WB-1750s: manually or using WPS. The former took just under five minutes to complete while the latter was done in less than a minute. After connecting both units, I set the transmitting unit to AP and the receiving unit to station.
I hit the WPS button on each unit and the rest was automatic. In about 30 seconds the two were connected and the WiFi lights on both were green showing a strong connection.
At first glance, there isn’t much to configure or customize, but the modules do have a browser interface attached. If you’re having trouble connecting, the interface can scan for active WB-1750 units or reboot or update the firmware.
It allows more data flow tuning than conventional extenders with the ability to adjust the DTIM period, transmission rate, and signal interval.
One of the more interesting customization options is to set the bandwidth (really the width of the data channel) to 80MHz; However, it does not reach 160MHz.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: Warranty and Support
NexusLink backs the WB-1750 with a two-year warranty and unlimited support. That’s between Netgear and D-Link’s one-year warranty and limited support policy and Tenda’s three-year warranty coverage and lifetime support on the A27.
The NexusLink support pages don’t contain much to help with troubleshooting, setting up hardware, or getting new software. They recommend calling them instead, but the help desk is only open from 5am-5pm (Pacific Time) on weekdays and 8am-5pm on weekends.
NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) review: The verdict
While eschewing the traditional Wi-Fi extender format, the NexusLink Wireless Gaming Bridge (WB-1750) can send data wirelessly to previously unconnected parts of the home but requires an Ethernet device at each end to operate. Its transmission rate was underwhelming, but its 110-foot range could make it a winner in a large home or one with dead zones in the attic or basement.
If you are working with less range to cover Linksys RE7310 It might be a better option if you have the money to spend, though D-Link Eagle E15 It makes more sense if you are on a tight budget.
[ad_2]
