Articles about Netgear

The two biggest technologies for wireless home networking right now are mesh and Wi-Fi 6 (also known as 802.11ax). Mesh has been around for a while now, but Wi-Fi 6 is still relatively new -- there simply aren't many 802.11ax clients out there. Over the next year or so, however, you will start to see the new wireless standard show up in more and more consumer devices, such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, and more. Yes, Wi-Fi 6 is the future.

Sadly, Wi-Fi 6 routers are still quite costly, making them unachievable for many consumers. Today, NETGEAR unveils a new 802.11ax product that doesn't buck that trend at all. In fact, the new Orbi Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System (model: RBK852) amplifies pricing even more. How much will it cost to have both Wi-Fi 6 and mesh from NETGEAR? This attractive two-access-point system will run you $700!

Continue reading →

We are on the verge of the next big thing in home networking, which is 802.11ax -- also known as Wi-Fi 6. The truth, however, is it will be a very long time before a majority of households have 802.11ax routers or devices. Hell, I know many people still using 802.11G and N routers that are perfectly happy. Those that invest in Wi-Fi 6 today are most likely enthusiasts that don't really need it. They probably don't even have any 802.11ax clients!

With all of that said, it is still totally reasonable to buy an 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) router in late 2019. Today, NETGEAR launches a "new" 802.11ac mesh Wi-Fi system aimed at hardcore gamers. Called "XRM570 Nighthawk Pro Gaming," it really isn't a new product at all. Actually, it features two of the company's existing devices -- the XR500 router which comes factory-paired with the Mesh Range Extender EX7700. It runs the DumaOS, which is a specialized router operating system designed to prioritize gaming.

Continue reading →

Wireless networking is something we've come to take for granted in recent years. ISPs often give away a wireless router when you sign up for an internet connection with the consequence that Wi-Fi is now in most homes.

Networking specialist Netgear has produced an infographic looking at the origins of Wi-Fi, how it's developed and where it’s going in future.

Continue reading →

Back in November 2018, we shared with you that NETGEAR was planning to sell some premium Wi-Fi 6 routers. This was very exciting, as the addition of this bleeding-edge technology signaled that 802.11ax had truly arrived. Many die-hard NETGEAR fans were waiting for the Nighthawk line in particular to become equipped with this new standard.

Now, NETGEAR announces yet another Wi-Fi 6 router, and this one looks incredible too. Called "Nighthawk RAX200," it retains the same stingray design of the previously announced RAX120, which I find to be quite attractive. It even has one of my favorite security features for a router -- automatic firmware updates. In other words, NETGEAR will keep the RAX200 router up to date without any effort from the owner.

Continue reading →

Gaming products are everywhere these days. Even if you aren't a gamer, these offerings are usually quite premium, making them a solid choice for anyone. For instance, a mechanical gaming keyboard can be excellent for typists, while a gaming mouse might provides accuracy, comfort, and durability. The problem? Many gaming products can be considered ugly, looking like alien spaceships or mutant spiders.

Today, NETGEAR launches its newest gaming router, and its appearance is surprisingly conservative. Called "Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR300," its design is wonderfully boring -- in a good way. In other words, it doesn't outwardly appear to be a gaming router, but make no mistake, the underlying DumaOS operating system (which is based on OpenWRT) is tuned for gamers and has useful features like QoS and geo-filtering. The dual-band 802.11ac router has a 1GHz dual-core processor, three antennas, and beamforming. Strangely, its USB 3.1 gen 1 Type-A port is on the front -- an odd placement for those that prefer to leave something connected to it.

Continue reading →

If you absolutely need a new router today, there are plenty of great options on the market. If your current device is good enough and functioning, however, I would advise to hold off on an upgrade. Why? There is a big change coming to wireless internet -- 802.11ax, also knows as "Wi-Fi 6." Not only will these new routers potentially offer more speed and bandwidth, but some will eventually offer WPA3 too -- the latest and greatest security standard.

Today, NETGEAR announces two upcoming Wi-Fi 6 routers -- the Nighthawk AX8 and AX12. Not only is each model chock full of great specs, but they have quite the wild design too. They almost look like they have shark fins protruding from both the right and left side. Are they overkill for most homes? Absolutely. Still, if you like new and shiny things, and you are willing to spend top dollar to be an early adopter, you will want to take a look.

Continue reading →

Nowadays, to get a quality wireless router, you do not need to spend a lot of money. There are several models from brands such as TP-Link which offer great specs and features for under $100. If money isn't an issue, however, there are certainly superior routers on the market for much higher prices. NETGEAR, for instance, sells some drool-worthy models under its Nighthawk branding that can be expensive.

Speaking of NETGEAR, that company has a new gaming-focused router which is sure to excite some consumers. The "XR700 Nighthawk Pro," as it is called, is tuned for gaming and features some top specs such as 802.11ad and a 10G Ethernet port. Overkill for most consumers? Totally, but gamers utilizing a wireless connection may be willing to pay the higher price for a potential edge.

Continue reading →

Mesh networking is all the rage nowadays. This is a technology where several access points work together to provide enhanced coverage and range. This concept works great, as I learned when testing the wonderful Ubiquiti Networks AmpliFi HD Mesh Wi-Fi System.

Of course, not everyone wants to buy into an entirely new Wi-Fi system. If you are happy with your current router, but you need to extend range and coverage, you can always go with a range extender. These products act as a middleman between your device and router. Today, NETGEAR announces a new such product and it is chock-full of really impressive specifications and features, such as smart roaming. Quite frankly, its technology is superior to many home routers, and it has a price tag to show that.

Continue reading →

Having two items in one isn't always the best idea. When I was a kid, it was fairly popular to buy a television with an integrated VCR. The problem? When the VCR broke, you had a TV with a non-working video player in it forever. Hilariously, it wasn't uncommon to see people plug standalone VCR units into the televisions when that happened. It looked silly. The trend continued later with TVs that had built-in DVD players.

Today, NETGEAR unveils an all-new two-in-one product that is actually very cool. The Nighthawk X4S (C7800), as it is called, is an AC3200 WiFi Cable Modem Router. In other words, it is a modem and router in one. In fact, NETGEAR claims this is the first-ever combo unit to feature DOCSIS 3.1, offering ultra-fast speeds if available in your area. Of course, the dilemma becomes -- if either the router or modem portion stops working, you pretty much need to replace the entire thing. The router won't work with a standard modem, as there is no Ethernet WAN port -- just coaxial.

Continue reading →

I can't say this enough -- never go cheap on a wireless router. Whether for your home or business, a flaky connection can be absolutely maddening. Not to mention, if you opt for a model from a lesser-known company, you could get left with poor update support. In other words, there could be unpatched vulnerabilities. What you want to do is target a reputable brand that has historically offered plenty of updates. Then, select a model that meets your needs.

Despite some fairly overblown concerns about data collection, one such reputable company is NETGEAR. The company not only offers routers with great features and reliability, but excellent support too. Today, the company refreshes its aging Nighthawk X6 (R8000). The new "S" model -- which replaces its predecessor -- is called "X6S (R8000P)." This new router still has six antennas, but moves from AC3200 to AC4000 (750+1625+1625 Mbps). The new model gets multi-user MIMO and has a better processor, going from a dual-core 1GHz to a dual-core 64-bit 1.8GHz CPU. Like the prior model, the X6S also has Amazon Alexa support.

Continue reading →

A recent firmware update to its Nighthawk AC1900 R7000 router saw Netgear start to collect analytics data from its users. This had many people upset because of concerns about privacy, but the company is at pains to stress that no personal data is being collected.

In addition to this, the company points out that the program is voluntary, and users are free to opt out at any time. Rather than anything sinister or underhand, Netgear says that the data collection is purely to isolate problems and improve the router.

Continue reading →

A firmware update to the Netgear R7000 router adds a new feature that will concern privacy advocates. The update allows Netgear to start "collecting analytics data" and the release notes warn that: "NOTE: It is strongly recommended that after the firmware is updated to this version, you log back in to the router's web GUI and configure the settings for this feature."

Netgear says that the data collection is to help it "isolate and debug technical issues" and does not -- according to the company -- include details such as the websites that are visited, but it will still be a cause of concern for many people. It's hard not to draw parallels with Windows 10 which has managed to upset many users with its telemetry settings.

Continue reading →

Having quality Wi-Fi in your home or office is one of the best investments you can make. Nowadays, having access to the internet and the web are essential for success -- a problematic router that constantly crashes or needs rebooting can be absolutely maddening. Luckily, you do not need to break the bank to get a solid router. In fact, there are even some affordable mesh systems on the market nowadays.

Today, NETGEAR announces new two-unit Orbi Wi-Fi systems (RBK30 and RBK40) that are more affordable than the original (RBK50). The RBK40 comes with two Orbi AC2200 Tri-band 802.11ac routers. The RBK30 comes with just one of the routers, plus a satellite extender. Not only are they affordable and easy to set up, but they are very pretty too -- reminiscent of an Apple design.

Continue reading →

New vulnerabilities discovered in 31 models of NETGEAR router are reckoned to leave at least 10,000 devices at risk and could affect many more.

Cyber security company Trustwave has released details of the vulnerabilities which allow an attacker to discover or completely bypass any password on a NETGEAR router, giving them complete control of the router, including the ability to change configuration, turn infected routers into botnets or even upload entirely new firmware.

Continue reading →

The NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200 802.11ad Smart WiFi router (R9000) costs $500. Let's get that out of the way. Some people think this is way too much to spend on a wireless router. Depending on your budget and needs, yeah, this could be too much for you. If you have a big home and spend a lot of time on the internet, however, money may be no object for a fast and reliable connection.

This particular router is NETGEAR's top-of-the-line home offering, meaning it is chock-full of features and technology. In fact, it even has 802.11ad -- something that is not worth getting excited about -- yet. This is not found on many routers nowadays, and for good reason -- it is very short-range and there are virtually no devices that can leverage it.

Continue reading →