By Tony Celeste

Netgear's RangeMax NEXT Wireless-N Router, Gigabit Edition, combines the fastest available wired home networking speed at one gigabit per second (1,000 Mbits/sec), with the fastest available wireless networking speed of 300 Mbits/sec (as set forth in the upcoming "Wireless N" draft specification).

Behind the bland exterior of this Wireless-N Router lurks formidable capability.

The result is one of the fastest home networking products available, for in-home computer to computer file sharing, and Internet access for multiple home computers at the same time. Gigabit Wireless N Routers can handle file sharing, video conferencing, online gaming, MP3 downloads, Internet telephone calls, and high definition video streaming - simultaneously!

Netgear's RangeMax NEXT features a wizard-based installation that's designed to automatically detect your Internet service provider's settings, and sets up the router to work with them. The Netgear RangeMax also features Network Address Translation (NAT), a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall, plus denial of service attack prevention, to keep your network safe from intruders.

WEP, WPA-PSK, and WPA2-PSK encryption are also available, to keep your wireless signals and their contents safe from the prying eyes. And in case there are some curious eyes at home, the Netgear RangeMax includes parental controls, with URL content filtering and time-based usage controls (which turn access on or off at a schedule you determine).

The Netgear RangeMax's unique design also includes preset internal antennas, to eliminate accidental antenna damage, with no antenna adjustments required, either.