don't let the size fool you! this router is really powerful even without the extenders! I bought this unit to replace the cheap orbi I got just because the signal on it was poor and the speed was slow when connected to the satellite! This one is basically the same cost as the set but the range is further than the 2 combined!! If you have a bigger house you can buy the extenders as needed and since it is a mesh network you get all the benefits of seamless transition and auto switching between the 5ghz and 2.4ghz network without any user input!