NETGEAR EX6120 WiFi Extender Review: Would Owners Buy It Again?
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this review was made: We did not test this extender in person. The verdict rests on three independent test write-ups listed at the end. Two of those tests date from 2018, and the Consumer Reports finding reaches us through a news summary because the original is behind a paywall. We say so where it matters. Our method.
Easy to set up, but independent tests found it slow
The EX6120 is tiny and quick to install, and it is inexpensive. The problem is speed. Tom's Guide measured about 25 Mbps in its mock home and called throughput poor. Top Ten Reviews found it kept only about 7 to 13 percent of the original network speed and ranked it near the bottom of ten extenders. A BGR summary of Consumer Reports ratings lists it among two extenders to avoid. Better options exist for little extra, so we say skip.
Check current price on Amazon → Prices and availability change often, so we don't list them here.Buy it again if you…
- only need to fill one small dead spot for basic browsing
- care most about a tiny plug-in size
- want the simplest possible setup
Skip it if you…
- want fast speeds for 4K streaming or gaming in the far room
- need to cover a large dead zone
- want modern features such as beamforming or gigabit Ethernet
The NETGEAR EX6120 is a compact plug-in dual-band WiFi extender (AC1200 class). It repeats an existing router signal into a weak area and has a single Fast Ethernet port.
It is the model in the Amazon listing we checked. Most of the independent tests we found are several years old, so we note where evidence is dated, and we found no evidence that the hardware has since improved.
What owners say, at a glance
Bars show our editorial summary of how consistently owners praise or complain about each area across all sources — not a lab measurement.
The key specs
| Type | Plug-in dual-band extender, AC1200 class |
|---|---|
| Ethernet | One 100 Mbps port (not gigabit) |
| Beamforming / MU-MIMO | Not supported, per Tom's Guide |
| Measured range | About 90 feet (Tom's Guide) |
| Support | One-year warranty, 90 days of 24/7 support |
What reviewers liked
What the tests found
Caveats
The two hands-on tests were published in 2018, so they reflect the router and device landscape of that time. They still describe the same model number sold today. We found no newer lab test that contradicts them. We also did not read the original Consumer Reports page, which is paywalled.
Tips if you already own one
- Place it about halfway between the router and the dead spot, where the router signal is still strong.
- Use it for basic browsing and video calls, not for demanding gaming.
- For a whole-home fix, consider a mesh system instead of an extender.
Pros and cons
What owners love
- Very small plug-in design
- Quick setup (about nine minutes in one test)
- Dual-band operation
- Adequate for filling one small dead spot
What owners complain about
- Weak throughput in three independent sources
- Keeps only a fraction of the original speed in one test
- No beamforming or MU-MIMO
- Only a 100 Mbps Ethernet port
Other options to consider
Reviewers pointed to stronger extenders from TP-Link and NETGEAR for larger gaps.
| Model | Style | Consider it if… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NETGEAR EX6120 (this review) | Plug-in, AC1200 | You only need to patch one tiny dead spot | See on Amazon |
| TP-Link RE550 | Plug-in, AC1900 | You want a faster plug-in extender with a stronger signal | See on Amazon |
| TP-Link Deco X55 mesh Read our review | Mesh system | You want whole-home coverage rather than a spot fix | See on Amazon |
Still want to look at the EX6120?
Compare it with the alternatives above, then check the current listing and reviews on Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NETGEAR EX6120 any good?
It is easy to install and small, but Tom's Guide, Top Ten Reviews and a summary of Consumer Reports ratings all found its speeds weak.
Will it work for streaming?
In Tom's Guide's porch test it handled 4K video at 43 Mbps, but throughput dropped to about 25 Mbps in its mock home.
Is a mesh system better?
Consumer Reports notes that extenders roughly halve throughput on the extended network while mesh systems lose far less.
Are these tests current?
Two of the hands-on tests are from 2018. We found no newer test of this model that contradicts them.
Save this review for later
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Sources we analyzed
- BGR: 3 Wi-Fi extenders worth buying (and 2 to avoid), according to Consumer Reports — Consumer Reports ratings summary naming the EX6120 as an extender to avoid
- Tom's Guide: NETGEAR EX6120 AC1200 review — measured throughput, range, pros and cons
- Top Ten Reviews: NETGEAR EX6120 review — speed retention across ten extenders
- Consumer Reports: should you buy a WiFi range extender — extender throughput versus mesh
Figures reflect each source as of October 21, 2026 and may change. We summarize owner feedback in our own words and do not reproduce retailer reviews.