Netgear filed counterclaims against TP-Link in federal court in Delaware on June 11, accusing its larger rival of false advertising under the Lanham Act and arguing that TP-Link's 2024 reincorporation as a California company is a deception that conceals ongoing R&D and manufacturing in China. The filing fires back at a lawsuit TP-Link itself brought against Netgear last November, and it came just one day after the U.S. DoD added TP-Link Technologies to its list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States. Netgear is seeking damages and an injunction barring TP-Link from repeating the contested claims, with the case running against the backdrop of an FCC import ban on routers not built in the U.S. that took effect earlier this year.

TP-Link sued first back in November, accusing Netgear of orchestrating a smear campaign and alleging that comments by Netgear's CEO on earnings calls falsely tied TP-Link to cyberattacks attributed to the Typhoon threat groups, and that the statements breached a 2024 settlement under which TP-Link paid Netgear $135 million to end years of patent litigation. The court has since dismissed parts of TP-Link's case that rested on third-party statements.

Netgear's counterclaim denies the smear allegation and goes on the offensive, bringing four of them under the Lanham Act and California and Delaware trade-practice laws, alleging that TP-Link’s claim that it split entirely from China-based TP-Link Technologies and now operates as an independent American company is a false statement that misleads buyers.

According to the counterclaim, TP-Link Technologies “did not fundamentally reorganize its global operations,” instead simply changing its name to Lianzhou and continuing to perform much of TP-Link’s R&D and manufacturing in China under the same cofounder. Netgear states that TP-Link employed more than 13,000 people in China through 2024, including roughly 9,000 in Chinese manufacturing centers, against about 350 employees in the United States. The filing also alleges that TP-Link's "Made in Vietnam" labeling is misleading because the Vietnamese plant serves as a final assembly point, with 99.5% of the components in U.S.-bound products imported from China.

Netgear counterclaim naturally leans heavily on the DoD’s designation describing TP-Link Technologies as “directly affiliated with the PLA” and a contributor to China’s defense industrial base. “TP-Link remains, at its core, a Chinese company selling Chinese-made products,” Netgear states in the filing.

TP-Link rejects the underlying premise, maintaining that it’s a U.S.-headquartered company subject to no foreign government control and that its products are made in Vietnam. The two firms also disagree on what is at stake commercially. Netgear's filing puts TP-Link's share of the U.S. retail router market at roughly 65%, while TP-Link has said its share of the North American residential Wi-Fi router segment sits under 10%. The dispute now runs alongside federal scrutiny from Commerce, the FCC, the FTC, and state attorneys general in Texas and Florida.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it will not certify every new consumer router not made domestically in late March, essentially banning the import of every new commercial and residential router model into the U.S. The agency made this move in response to the increasing threat of supply chain attacks, which “pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.” However, it also said that affected brands can apply for a “Conditional Approval” from the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security, with Netgear being the first manufacturer to receive this coveted exemption.

According to the FCC’s covered list, the following Netgear models can be imported in the U.S. until October 1, 2027:

• Nighthawk consumer mesh, mobile, and standalone routers (R, RAX, RAXE, RS, MK, MR, M, and MH series)
• Orbi consumer mesh, mobile, and standalone routers (RBK, RBE, RBR, RBRE, LBR, LBK, and CBK series)
• Cable gateways (CAX series)
• Cable modems (CM series)

Some of these are included in our list of the best Wi-Fi routers and best budget routers. Another company, Adtran Inc., also received conditional approval for its Service Delivery Gateway class router.

It’s unclear how Netgear secured this exemption, especially as the DoW or DHS requires “a detailed, time-bound plan to establish or expand manufacturing in the United States for the router for which the applicant is seeking Conditional Approval in order for that device to qualify for FCC authorization” and “a description of committed and planned capital expenditures, financing, or other investments dedicated to U.S.-based manufacturing and assembly over the next 1-5 years, including expected timelines and milestones.”

The Verge notes that when a publicly traded company like Netgear plans a major investment, like constructing a new production line and supply chain, it’s usually required to disclose these plans to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, the San Jose, California-based company, which produces routers in China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Mexico, among other countries, did not mention anything about onshoring its manufacturing operations in its filings, raising questions about what its plans are and how it secured the exemption. Furthermore, the company said in its SEC disclosure that “So long as the conditional approval is maintained, NETGEAR can launch new consumer routers and update the software on existing consumer routers indefinitely.” The FCC cited a "specific determination" from the Pentagon that Netgear's devices were not a risk to U.S. national security. "“We reviewed the FCC's public guidelines for conditional approval, submitted an application that followed those guidelines, and received approval on our application," a Netgear spokesperson told Tom's Hardware.

This does not mean that consumers should replace their existing routers with Netgear-branded ones immediately, especially as the FCC’s ban will only impact new models. While Netgear just happened to be the first company to obtain a conditional approval from the U.S. government, other manufacturers are confident that they can receive that as well. Asus and TP-Link have both released statements to that effect soon after the FCC released its directive, and it just might be a matter of time before they can continue releasing new models for consumers in the U.S., at least for now.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which certifies every radio-emitting device (including routers) in the U.S., has announced “the addition of routers produced in a foreign country to the Covered List,” which is composed of equipment and services that “pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.” While this is not technically a blanket ban on the sale of imported routers in the U.S., the FCC Public Notice (PDF) effectively has the same impact: The agency says it will not certify a foreign-made consumer router, making it illegal to sell or even import future new models into the country.

The agency said it’s doing this in response to a National Security Determination earlier this month, which says: “Recently, malicious state and non-state sponsored cyber attackers have increasingly leveraged the vulnerabilities in small and home office routers produced abroad to carry out direct attacks against American civilians in their homes. From disrupting network connectivity to enabling local networking espionage and intellectual property theft, foreign-produced routers present unacceptable risks to Americans.”

It also blamed foreign-made routers for the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks that hit critical American infrastructure, adding that “routers in the United States must have trusted supply chains so we are not providing foreign actors with a built-in backdoor to American homes, businesses, critical infrastructure, and emergency services.”

While this might match the context of increasing instability in global geopolitics, it does not specifically address the weakness found in many consumer Wi-Fi routers. Although TP-Link was widely used in recent cyberattacks, cybersecurity experts told CNET that this was because of its ubiquity in the market, and that the exploited vulnerabilities were also present on routers made by American companies. In fact, the U.S. government itself said that the Salt Typhoon attacks often targeted Cisco hardware. Still, this did not deter the Department of Commerce from investigating TP-Link over its close ties to China.

This isn’t the first time that the FCC issued a directive that had a blanket effect on a specific type of device. In late December 2025, the agency made a similar move on foreign-made drones, effectively banning DJI and other imported brands from registering new models in the U.S. Many of the best Wi-Fi routers on sale in 2026 are from foreign companies like TP-Link. The FCC's new measure could, in theory, preclude future new products from these companies from coming to the States.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that foreign router manufacturers will forever be excluded from the U.S. market. The FCC says (PDF) that affected brands can apply for a “Conditional Approval” from the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security to exempt them from the Covered List before they can build “trusted manufacturing capacity in the United States.” The move also does not affect any routers already on sale in the United States, or indeed any routers previously purchased, which will continue to work as normal.

Netgear makes some of the best routers on the market, but clearly, their attorneys needed a bit of an assist last summer when it came to protecting its customers. Scammers pretending to be Netgear employees had been preying on vulnerable clients by selling them extended support packages that never existed. It wasn't until an intern stepped in that the lawyers were actually able to take meaningful action.

Every time the legal experts got close, the scammers would delete their fake websites and move on to the next, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process. Piling customer complaints eventually forced Netgear to take a radical step and bring in Wyatt — a 16-year-old intern who joined the company in the summer of 2025.

Wyatt, full of youthful zest, was able to keep up with the scammers much better than the lawyers since he was internet-savvy. "What I needed here was someone that was a digital native, who could compete with the scammers on that, just digital fluency," said Morgan Nickerson from K&L Gates LLP, the law firm working with Netgear on this case.

Wyatt would go on these phishing websites and pretend to be an unsuspecting customer, luring in scammers to take advantage of him. Initially, the con artists were able to figure out the ploy, as Wyatt wouldn't have crucial details such as router serial numbers when prompted. He'd just say he was having issues with video games, but that wasn't enough to fool these experienced players.

Eventually, however, armed with enough equipment, he was able to reel them in. Once the fake invoices for these fake support packages started rolling in, the bulk of the job was done. The scammer had become the scammed, and the investigative duties transferred to Netgear's lawyers. Since these receipts had account numbers and email addresse, the firm could now trace the information back to its roots.

Netgear's attorneys filed a federal lawsuit and subpoenaed these fake websites, forcing them to give up bank details. They were even able to trace some of the funds back to India. Netgear won its case in Dec. 2025and was rewarded over $860,000 against several of the companies the scammers used for funneling the money. The strategy here wasn't to being the scammers to court and prosecute them, but to go after their profits.

“I made minimum wage. I think I made around $800 from the whole internship, which I was extremely grateful for,” Wyatt said after the whole ordeal. This is just a small story within the grander issue of internet theft where over $16 billion worth of losses were reported just last year to the FBI. By opting for an out-of-the-box approach, Netgear was able to help its customers and offer an unforgettable summer experience to Wyatt.

Some Apple customers have recently been taken by surprise due to the order lead times on several Mac models with upgraded Unified Memory quotas, which could be largely driven by the immense popularity of OpenClaw, the locally-run open-source AI agent that’s taking the internet by storm and sending users scrambling for Macs to run the AI.

While you can still get base model units of the MacBook Air, iMac, M4 Mac mini, and other basic models on the same day, upgrading memory can now increase delivery wait times by up to three weeks.

However, going for the highest possible memory capacity on high-end models greatly increases your waiting time, with the M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 512GB of Unified Memory taking up to five to six weeks to be delivered.

Alex Finn, founder and CEO of Creator Buddy, linked this shortage in his X post to demand driven by “the world’s first true AI agent" in reference to OpenClaw (previously Clawdbot/Moltbot).

While data centers are hungry for AI GPUs and some startups are using multi-gaming GPU setups to train AI models, they’re not ideal for personal agentic AI run locally. This is especially true if you use a huge 70-billion parameter model in FP16 for your agent, which would require around 140GB of memory just for weights, according to AI investor Ben Pouladian. That means that it wouldn’t fit inside a single RTX 5090 with 32GB of VRAM, and even if you manage to connect five graphics cards for a total of 160GB of memory, you’re still bound by the PCIe bottleneck.

Apple’s Unified Memory architecture fixes that problem. Even though HBM is still way faster than the LPDDR used in Macs and MacBooks, the fact that all the processing units — CPU, GPU, and NPU — share the same memory means that they don’t have to deal with PCIe bottlenecks or require technologies similar to NVLink, which is typically only found on data center class graphics cards.

Because of this, more and more people who want to run their own local AI agent are purchasing high-memory Mac models. This isn’t limited to M3 Ultra Mac Studio units with 512GB of memory. Even Mac minis and MacBook Pros with upgraded memory now have a waiting time of two to three weeks.

We cannot definitively say that these delays are caused entirely by huge numbers of people buying these devices to run their own AI models, as Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that it’s chasing memory supply to meet high customer demand. However, additional pressure from the consumer side will definitely not help with the memory chip shortage that, as of the moment, is primarily driven by AI hyperscalers and institutional buyers.

I’ve reviewed traditional consumer-grade desktop-oriented Wi-Fi routers and even mobile Wi-Fi routers that can be powered by a USB battery bank. But a battery-powered cellular data mobile Wi-Fi hotspot? That’s new territory for us.

While most modern smartphones can serve as a mobile hotspot, many phone data plans limit the number of simultaneous connections and can reduce data speeds for tethering connections. In addition, using your smartphone as a hotspot is a quick way to drain its battery and cause it to heat up. That’s where Netgear’s Nighthawk M7 comes into play.

The Nighthawk M7 supports sub-6 GHz 5G and 4G LTE data speeds and provides dual-band Wi-Fi 7 hotspot coverage for up to 32 devices simultaneously. It also features a 3,850 mAh battery that can last up to 10 hours on a single charge.

However, that just scratches the surface of the Nighthawk M7's capabilities as a "world traveler" mobile hotspot.

Design of the Netgear Nighthawk M7

At first glance, the Nighthawk M7 looks like a USB power bank or a portable hard drive. The main body is matte black with a diamond-style pattern that wraps around the perimeter. The top of the device has a glass panel with "Nighthawk 5G" imprinted at the bottom and a 2.4-inch color LCD screen at the top. A single USB Type-C port is at the bottom of the unit, while a nano SIM slot and power button are on the right side. A single, pin-hole style reset button is on the left side of the Nighthawk M7.

The unit measures 5.71 x 3.29 x 0.67 inches and weighs 0.53 pounds (240 grams). It's well built and feels like it could withstand a drop or two, but I didn't have the guts to try that with a review unit on loan.

The Nighthawk M7 features an internal 3,850 mAh battery, which Netgear says delivers up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. That's more than enough to power through a typical work day or provide internet coverage for a family traveling abroad during their daily excursions.

You can also add Ethernet connectivity with an optional Netgear USB-C to Ethernet adapter (although, as you'll see in the performance section, I was able to enable this functionality with a cheap, off-the-shelf WAVLINK USB-C to 2.5 GbE adapter).

The 2.4-inch color screen at the top is only for displaying key status updates and is not a touchscreen. You'll see the current cellular network, signal strength, battery percentage, which SIM you're currently using, the number of connected devices, how much of your selected data plan you've used so far, and the status of the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz radios.

The lack of touch capabilities on the screen isn't a detriment for two reasons: 1) it's too small to be truly useful for touch navigation, and 2) you can control every aspect of the Nighthawk M5 using the Netgear app.

Netgear doesn't include a carrying case for the Nighthawk M7, but it does include a USB-C to USB-C cable.

Netgear Nighthawk M7 Specifications

Netgear Nighthawk M7 Software and eSIM Marketplace

The Nighthawk M7 is controlled entirely via the Netgear app (available on iOS or Android), which I installed on my iPhone Air. After installing the app, I scanned the QR code on the screen to set up the Nighthawk M7. The setup program automatically connected to the mobile hotspot and completed the usual onboarding procedures.

I was next asked to either create a new Netgear account or sign in to an existing one. Since I was a previous Netgear Orbi owner, I already had an account on file, so I signed in with my old, saved credentials. At this point, the home screen appeared, which provides quick access to the battery charge level, the Wi-Fi SSID, the number of connected devices, the option to offload cellular connectivity to a nearby Wi-Fi hotspot, and the ability to obtain an eSIM from the Netgear eSIM Marketplace.

That latter point is what sets the Nighthawk M7 apart from similar devices. Not only can you use a physical SIM, but you can also download eSIMs for use worldwide. Obtaining an eSIM is as simple with the Netgear eSIM Marketplace as it is grabbing one on your smartphone via apps like Airalo.

However, I first had to enable Wi-Fi offload to connect the Nighthawk M7 to my Wi-Fi network and obtain initial internet access. Then, you click the "Get a Netgear eSIM" button from the Netgear app home screen, which takes you to the Netgear eSIM Marketplace. From there, you can choose from specific geographic regions (Asia and Oceania, Canada, Caribbean Islands and Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, or the USA) or select individual countries. Since I planned to test only the Nighthawk M7 in the United States, I selected USA from the region tab.

There were options to purchase 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, or 20GB of data for $10, $14, $23, or $40, respectively. The 3GB option is only valid for 7 days (after installing and activating the eSIM), while the other three options are valid for 30 days. After selecting a data plan, you’re able to check out using Apple Pay (if you’re using an iPhone), or you can manually input your credit card information.

Once you purchase an eSIM, you can install it. The app then downloads the eSIM from the marketplace and saves it to the hotspot. You can either use it immediately or save it for later. If you choose to use it immediately, your 7- or 30-day countdown starts. In my case, the eSIM I installed was for the AT&T 5G/4G cellular network.

The process for setting up an eSIM for Europe (which covers 45 countries) and other regions is the same. I went through the steps of securing a European eSIM and was quoted prices of $11, $18, $33, and $44 for 3GB, 5GB, 10GB, and 20GB, respectively. Those prices are comparable to what’s available on Airalo, which lets you download global eSIMs to your smartphone. However, with Airalo, there may be limits on how many devices you can connect at once, depending on the carrier you select. You’re typically limited to tethering to one or two devices, versus up to 32 with the Nighthawk M7.

Netgear Nighthawk M7 Performance

The Nighthawk M7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX72 chipset supporting sub-6GHz 5G and 4G LTE cellular connectivity. On the hotspot connectivity side, you'll find dual-band Wi-Fi 7 support via the 5 GHz (2,900 Mbps) and 2.4 GHz (700 Mbps) wireless bands.

To test internet connectivity, I connected my MacBook Air to the Nighthawk M7 using the 5 GHz band. Using Speedtest, I saw average download speeds of 182 Mbps and average upload speeds of 45.5 Mbps (ten runs were performed: five at around 9:00 am and five at around 6:30 pm). The Nighthawk M7 was placed in the center of my home office, which is above a two-car garage, and is roughly the same footprint, to achieve those speeds. Size-wise, it would compare to a reasonably large hotel suite.

You can also connect the Nighthawk M7 directly to a device using a USB-C to USB-C cable. Again, using my MacBook Air, I connected the Nighthawk M7 directly via USB-C. Unsurprisingly, I saw even higher speeds using direct connect than Wi-Fi. Average download and upload speeds rose to 242 Mbps and 53.25 Mbps, respectively.

These download and upload speeds were consistent across multiple devices, including an iPhone Air (Wi-Fi 7), Mac Mini (Wi-Fi 6E), an HP OmniBook X (Wi-Fi 7), and multiple Windows desktop PCs with Wi-Fi 7 adapters.

In addition, the Nighthawk M7 supports sharing its cellular internet connection via its USB-C port with a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. Although Netgear would gladly prefer that you purchase one of its branded adapters, I used a WAVLINK USB-C to 2.5 GbE adapter that I always carry in my laptop bag. I plugged the adapter into the Nighthawk M7’s USB-C port and connected a CAT6e cable from the WAVLINK adapter to the WAN port on an Asus ROG Strix BE18000 tri-band Wi-Fi 7 gaming router. Everything worked as expected, and I was even able to use the Nighthawk M7 via the WAVLINK adapter connected to the GbE port on my Mac Mini without issue. I see no reason why a no-name, sub-$10 adapter wouldn’t also work with the mobile hotspot.

The Nighthawk M7 supports up to 32 devices simultaneously, making it a handy travel companion. Just imagine a family of four traveling to Italy for a week or more. Instead of each family member requiring one eSIM per device for data, you could purchase a single eSIM for the Nighthawk M7 and let each mobile device connect to it for internet access.

TheWi-Fi Offload feature can also be used to connect the Nighthawk M7 to a public Wi-Fi hotspot and securely share that connection with multiple devices.

Bottom Line

It’s hard to find fault with the Nighthawk M7. It’s relatively lightweight, configurable via a sleek smartphone app, and offers access to an easy-to-use eSIM marketplace for grabbing buckets of data nearly anywhere in the world. You can also use a physical nano SIM card if eSIM isn’t your thing. Not only does it work as a dual-band Wi-Fi 7 hotspot to share its 4G/5G cellular internet connection, but it can also connect directly to a device using a USB-C to USB-C cable or a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.

The only thing really working against the Nighthawk M7 is its price. The mobile hotspot retails for $499, which is a considerable amount of money. The closest competitor to the Nighthawk M7 is likely the TP-Link M8550, a 5G/4G LTE tri-band Wi-Fi 6E mobile hotspot. It also supports up to 32 devices and carries an MSRP of $499 (currently $429.99 on sale at Amazon). However, the M8550 critically lacks eSIM support and an analog to Netgear's excellent eSIM Marketplace.

For a purpose-built device that’s easy to set up and use, has enough battery capacity to last all day, and can provide connectivity for up to 32 devices, the Nighthawk M7 is money well spent. This is especially true if you travel frequently and need to connect multiple devices, as the cost savings can quickly add up.

With Black Friday right around the corner, many people are likely on the lookout for deals to upgrade their wireless network. Wi-Fi 7 is the current standard for consumer routers, and luckily, there are plenty of discounts available for those who don't want to spend hundreds of dollars. One of them is the TP-Link Archer 3600, which is currently selling for $86.99 at Amazon, with a $5 instant coupon dropping the price to just $81.99.

The Archer BE3600 is one of our top picks for best Wi-Fi routers, and it's even cheaper today. The dual-band Wi-Fi 7 router offers surprisingly strong 2.4 GHz performance and class-competitive 5 GHz performance. Since this is a dual-band router, you don't get the higher-performing 6 GHz band, but that's to be expected at this sub-$90 price point (we saw over 1.1 Gbps on the 5 GHz band).

With that said, the router features one 2.5 GbE WAN port, one 2.5 GbE LAN port, and three 1 GbE LAN ports. There's also a single USB 3.0 port, making the port arrangement quite commendable for such a cheap router.

Amazon is also discounting the dual-band Asus RT-BE58U, which is down 35 percent to just $97.99 for Black Friday. You'll get 4K QAM and MLO support, which are part of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, even if you don't get the third 6 GHz band.

The port lineup is plentiful, with a 2.5 GbE WAN/LAN, 1 GbE WAN/LAN, and three 1 GbE LAN ports. There's also a USB-A port on the back that can be used to tether to a smartphone. With this functionality, you can use your smartphone's cellular connection to provide internet connectivity to your entire home if your home's broadband/fiber connection goes offline.

The final standalone dual-band router on our plate today is the Netgear Nighthawk RS90. The router usually carries an MSRP of $129.99, but just barely squeaks under the $100 mark today at $99.99 from Amazon. Like the other routers, the Nighthawk RS90 features a 2.5 GbE WAN port and four GbE ports for your wired clients.

The Nighthawk RS90 uses internal antennas (unlike the TP-Link and Asus offerings), giving it a more streamlined appearance. That said, Netgear says it provides coverage up to 2,000 square feet.

Although our coverage has so far focused on dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers, since they are the cheapest around, we've also included a tri-band router: the Netgear Nighthawk RS280S. It retails for $249.99, but is currently on sale for $170.97 at Amazon.

While the Nighthawk RS280S looks similar to the RS90, it includes the higher-performing 6 GHz band. With the 6 GHz band, all of your modern laptops, smartphones, and tablets will be able to take advantage of the faster network speeds. Netgear claims the Nighthawk RS280S covers up to 2,500 square feet and has upgraded ports compared to the Nighthawk RS90. You'll find a 2.5 GbE WAN, two 2.5 GbE LAN, and two 1 GbE LAN ports. There's also a single USB-A port for adding network storage.

When you’re traveling on the go and need to connect multiple devices with cellular internet coverage, one of the easiest options is to use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot. Most cell carrier plans allow you to share your connection with multiple devices, but such heavy lifting can take a toll on your battery life. The alternative is to use a mobile hotspot, such as Netgear’s newly announced Nighthawk 5G M7. The Nighthawk 5G M7 is an all-in-one device that provides dual-band Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and support for up to 32 connected devices.

At the heart of the Nighthawk 5G M7 is Qualcomm’s Dragonwing SDX72 chipset, which includes a fifth-generation 5G modem that delivers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps to connected devices. If you prefer a hardwired connection, you can connect the Nighthawk 5G M7 to your laptop directly via USB-C or use an optional USB-C-to-Ethernet adapter.

The hotspot also features a 2.4-inch color display that shows your real-time status, including cellular signal strength, battery level, data usage on your current plan (along with the days left in your current billing cycle), and the number of currently connected devices.

One of the biggest advantages that Netgear’s solution offers over a smartphone is endurance. The Nighthawk 5G M7 can deliver up to 10 hours of battery life per charge, which should be more than enough to power you through an entire workday. It can also double as a 3850 mAh power bank to recharge your devices when you don’t need internet coverage.

The hotspot connectivity is pretty standard fare, but what Netgear really hopes will set the Nighthawk 5G M7 apart from the competition is the integrated eSIM support and accompanying eSIM Marketplace. Using the Netgear app, you can purchase data plans ranging from 3GB to 20GB in over 140 countries (think Airalo for smartphones). Once you buy the plan via the eSIM Marketplace, it’s automatically transferred to the Nighthawk 5G M7, allowing you to share your connection with multiple devices as you travel around the globe. If you prefer the old school way of doing things, there’s also a physical SIM slot onboard.

According to Netgear, the Nighthawk 5G M7 will launch in January 2026 with an expected MSRP of $499.99. The company also revealed that the Netgear eSIM Marketplace will be available at a later date for the older Nighthawk M7 Pro, which also includes eSIM support (though it is not yet enabled).

Netgear has a well-stacked lineup of Wi-Fi mesh routers, including the Orbi 770, 870, and 970. The Orbi 770 and 870 are tri-band products, while the Orbi 970 is the company’s sole quad-band Wi-Fi 7 router. I have long championed the performance that Netgear’s Orbi lineup offers, but have also lamented that there aren’t less-expensive models to cater to a broader audience.

Finally, Netgear has entered the entry-level Wi-Fi 7 mesh market with the Orbi 370, and as you might expect, given its positioning, it’s a dual-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) model. Best of all, the Orbi 370 starts at just $249.99 for a two-pack and costs $349.99 for a three-pack. That pricing is largely in line with what we’ve seen from other entry-level dual-band Wi-Fi 7 routers.

So, the price is right, but how do the features and performance of the Orbi 370 stack up to the competition? Read on to find out.

Design of the Netgear Orbi 370

When I first received the box containing the Orbi 370 review unit (3-pack), I initially thought someone had opened it and yanked a satellite or two out – it was that light. I was shocked to open the box and see that all three nodes were accounted for, along with their accompanying power bricks and a single CAT6 patch cable. I’m used to mesh satellites having an immense weight to them, but the Orbi 370 felt featherweight in comparison. The Orbi 370 router weighs 0.79 pounds, and each satellite also weighs 0.79 pounds. The TP-Link Deco BE5000 nodes each weigh 1.12 pounds.

The Orbi 370 shares a similar design language with other members of the Orbi family (essentially a tall white tower). Orbi branding is near the bottom front face of each node, with a status LED just above the base.

All of the ports and buttons for each node are located on the back spine. Here, you'll find a Sync button at the top, followed by a pinhole reset button, for taking the hardware back to factory default settings. Below that, the primary router features a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port and a 2.5 Gbps WAN port. Finally, there's a port for the barrel-style power adapter. The two included satellites only include a single 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. For reference, the Deco BE5000 includes two 2.5 Gbps ports on each node. The Orbi 370 supports wired backhaul between the router and satellites.

Netgear Orbi 370 Mesh Router Specifications

Setting up the Netgear Orbi 370

You can complete the initial setup of the Orbi 370 using the WebGUI via a desktop browser or the Netgear Orbi app on a smartphone. For this review, I opted for the desktop WebGUI, and pointed my browser to orbilogin.local. If, for some reason, that doesn't work, you can enter the default IP address for the router: 10.168.168.1. A welcome screen appeared and configured my internet connection automatically. After completing that step, the setup program asked me to create an admin password, along with two security questions.

I was next allowed to choose a wireless SSID and password (which I kept as the default for my testing purposes), after which the setup program checked to see if there was any updated firmware for the Orbi 370 (it didn’t find anything). Next, the two satellites were immediately detected, and the setup process was complete – it took roughly three minutes from starting the setup process until it finished and dropped me off at the router’s homepage.

Netgear Orbi 370 Software

If you’ve used any Netgear Orbi router in the past 6 or 7 years, there’s nothing new to see here. The WebGUI looks mostly the same as when the first-generation Orbi mesh router debuted. It’s a text-heavy interface that is short on color and sleek graphics. Compared to the AsusWRT 5.0 software platform found on Asus mesh routers, Netgear’s interface looks ancient. However, it gets the job done, even if some of the menus are a little confusing and redundant. If you prefer, you can also configure your Orbi network with the Orbi smartphone app.

The router homepage offers up five tiles that provide pertinent information at a glance: Internet, Wireless, Attached Devices, Guest Network, and Netgear Armor security. There are also two tabs on the left-hand side of the homepage labeled Basic and Advanced. Basic gives you duplicate access to the five previous tiles, plus the option to add an Orbi satellite.

The Advanced tab provides more granular control over detailed wireless settings, network access control, IoT networks, and more. You also have access to DNS settings, router backup settings, firmware updates, and more.

The Orbi 370 also comes with a 30-day trial of Netgear Armor. Netgear Amor supports up to 50 connected devices and includes virus/malware protection, 24/7 tech support, and an extended warranty. After the trial period, it costs $99/year. There’s also Netgear Armor Plus ($149/year), which adds unlimited VPN, an adblocker, and anti-tracking software.

Netgear Orbi 370 Performance

Our client rig for wireless tests uses an MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi motherboard, AMD Ryzen 5 7600 processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, an MSI Herald-BE Wi-Fi 7 adapter, and Windows 11 Home. The server is a Windows 11 Home machine with a 10 GbE network card connected to the 10 GbE port on the Orbi 370 router.

The iPerf3 wireless throughput tests are run at 6 feet and 25 feet, with and without traffic across the network. Tests are conducted separately on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. In the congested traffic tests, we add six wireless clients streaming 4K YouTube and 4K Disney+ content evenly across the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

By default, the Orbi 370 creates a combined 2.4 GHz/5 GHz network under a single SSID. However, you can specify the wireless network to operate only as 2.4 GHz or only 5 GHz. However, we’d imagine that most people will just leave it in the dual-band mode for broad compatibility (especially with IoT devices).

The Orbi 370 delivered the highest 5 GHz performance we’ve seen yet for an entry-level Wi-Fi 7 mesh router. The router averaged 1,390 Mbps in iPerf3, which was cut in half to just 694 Mbps at 25 feet. However, both of those figures were well above the TP-Link Deco BE5000 (1070 Mbps, 472 Mbps), the MSI Roamii BE Lite (934 Mbps, 541 Mbps), and the Amazon Eero 7 (1,097 Mbps).

Shifting gears to the 2.4 GHz band, the tables turned for the Orbi 370. Here, the router came in last place in the 6-foot and 25-foot tests. Granted, it only trailed the Deco BE5000 by 3 Mbps on average at 6 feet (99 Mbps versus 102 Mbps). The difference was much greater at 25 feet, where the Orbi 370 dropped to just 30 Mbps compared to 57 Mbps and 69 Mbps for the Eero 7 and Roamii BE Lite, respectively.

It was a similar story with congested traffic, with the Orbi 370 leading the field by a fair margin on the 5 GHz band – it delivered 1,200 Mbps, on average, compared to 886 Mbps for the next-closest Eero 7. Performance at 25-feet was also untouched, where it managed 551 Mbps versus 433 Mbps for the Roamii BE Lite and 189 Mbps for the Deco BE5000.

Finally, the Orbi 370 again found itself at the back of the pack with 2.4 GHz congested traffic, achieving 77 Mbps at 6 feet and a dismal 25 Mbps at 25 feet. For comparison, the Roamii BE Lite saw minimal performance drop-off, with 108 Mbps and 65 Mbps at 6 feet and 25 feet, respectively.

Bottom Line

I’ve been harping for a while that Netgear needs to introduce a cheaper Wi-Fi 7-based Orbi product. Well, the company has certainly delivered with the Orbi 370. You won’t find a tri-band product at this price point, but the Orbi 370 does offer the highest sustained 5 GHz throughput speeds that we’ve seen for an entry-level Wi-Fi 7 mesh router. However, that comes at the expense of 2.4 GHz band performance, which lags well behind the competition, especially at 25 feet. If the majority of your 2.4 GHz devices are IoT/smart home devices, this performance shortfall shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance.

Aside from the 2.4 GHz performance, it would have been nice to see two 2.5 Gbps LAN ports per satellite instead of one. However, that’s me being nitpicky with an entry-level product.

But taken as a whole, $349 for a router and two satellites is an excellent launching point for the Orbi 370. 5 GHz performance will be strong for your desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. The only thing standing in its way is the TP-Link Deco BE5000 (also marketed as the Deco BE25). It has a retail price of $299 for a three-pack, but is currently on sale for $269, minus a $50 instant coupon at Amazon. The Orbi 370 is a good product, but in the price-sensitive entry-level segment, it’s hard to argue against a $219 Deco BE5000.

Netgear’s Orbi family of wireless mesh routers has been around for quite some time and continues to grow in this Wi-Fi 7 era. We’ve already reviewed Netgear’s Orbi 770, the company’s entry-level Wi-Fi 7 mesh router. Now, we have an Orbi 970 review unit, representing the absolute best Netgear offers in this segment.

Designed to compete with the best Wi-Fi routers, the Orbi 970 is a quad-band mesh router with a main router and two satellites. Unfortunately, the Orbi 970 also comes with an exorbitant price, making the Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro seem like a relative bargain. An Orbi 970 router with one satellite has an MSRP of $1,699, while a router and two satellites cost a whopping $2,299. Our review unit consists of the latter.

Read on to see If the performance and features of the Orbi 970 live up to its eye-watering price tag.

Design of the Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Router

Like many mesh routers on the market, the Orbi 970 features a tower-style design. But in this case, the nodes are absolutely massive. Each node measures 11.6 x 5.68 x 5.15 inches and weighs 3.96 pounds. For comparison, each ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro node measures 8.43 x 2.83 x 6.86 inches and weighs 2.96 pounds. The router and satellites won’t blend as easily with your home decor as the more compact systems.

Despite the size, it’s an attractive design. Each node is primarily white, with gold trim lining the corners. An LED sits under the Orbi logo and changes color depending on the connectivity status of the nodes.

The Orbi 970 router and satellites are not identical. The main router features a single 10G port for WAN and four 2.5G ports. On the other hand, the satellites feature one 10G LAN and two 2.5G LAN ports. There are no USB ports on the router or the nodes to accommodate external USB storage or USB printer sharing.

The Orbi 970 is available in white from Netgear’s retail partners. It’s also available in black at no additional cost, but that is exclusively available from Netgear’s online store.

Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Router Specifications

Setting up the Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Router

As with most modern Wi-Fi routers, setting up the Orbi 970 was straightforward. I plugged power into the router and two satellites and then ran a cable from my modem to the 10G WAN port on the router. I then ran a cable from the 10G LAN port on the router to my test server.

Once connected, I pointed my web browser to orbilogin.net, where I could log in using the default Netgear credentials (admin/password) to configure the mesh network. I changed the default password, created an IoT network, and finished the configuration process in about five minutes. During that time, the two satellites automatically paired with the router, and a firmware update was applied to all three nodes.

The Orbi 970 features four wireless bands: one 2.4GHz, two 5GHz, and one 6GHz. One of the 5GHz bands and a portion of the 6GHz band form a dedicated wireless backhaul between the router and the two satellites. If you prefer, you can also use a wired backhaul for improved performance and stability.

Wireless clients only have access to the 2.4GHz band, the second 5GHz band, and the 6GHz band. If you have a wireless client that supports Multi-link Operation (MLO), the Orbi 970 combines the 6GHz and 5GHz bands by default (our Wi-Fi 7 client adapter we used for testing is MLO compliant). With this arrangement, the client can simultaneously send and receive data over both bands, increasing overall throughput.

Netgear claims that our Orbi 970 three-pack review unit can cover up to 10,000 square feet, which is overkill for most consumers. An Orbi 970 two-pack covers 6,600 square feet, while a single router/satellite covers 3,300 square feet.

Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Router Software

Our Orbi 970 review unit was updated to the 9.12.4.16_1.3.21 firmware during the initial setup of the mesh system. The update was delivered using the over-the-air (OTA) feature, which applies to all connected nodes. You can also update the nodes manually if you have the appropriate firmware file.

As someone who bought the first-generation Orbi Wi-Fi mesh router when it debuted, I noted that the web user interface hasn’t changed much in the past seven years (nor has the smartphone app). Five main tiles on the homepage give you the status of your internet connection, wireless network (SSID and password are shown), number of attached satellites and clients, guest network status, and Netgear Armor Security.

There are also two tabs on the left-hand side of the interface: Basic and Advanced. Basic gives you minimal control over your internet connection and wireless settings, lists all the devices connected to your nodes, configures the guest network and allows you to add another Orbi satellite.

Interestingly, you cannot create additional SSIDs for the main wireless network — all devices must connect under the primary SSID. For example, if you wanted to create an SSID only for 6GHz devices, you can't do that here. Your only choice is to use one of the IoT or Guest network options. However, those are limited to 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

The Advanced tab gives you additional options such as testing your internet connection speed using Oookla's SpeedTest utility. You can also perform firmware updates from this menu tree.

Overall, the Orbi web interface seems relatively basic and barebones compared to the more intricate and tweaker-friendly AsusWRT 5.0 software that we see in Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers like the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro and ZenWiFi BT10.

You can also use Netgear's Orbi smartphone app to configure and maintain the Orbi 970. Most settings accessible via the standard web interface, including firmware updates, are also available from the app. The app also supports remote management of your Orbi 970 network, which isn't possible using the web browser method.

All Orbi 970 routers come standard with a year of Netgear Armor, which is powered by Bitdefender. It's a comprehensive suite that provides an additional layer of security for all your connected devices, parental controls, an ad blocker, real-time threat protection, and VPN access. Netgear Armor costs $99.99/year.

Netgear Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Router Performance

Our Wi-Fi client testbed dedicated to Wi-Fi testing consists of an MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi motherboard, AMD Ryzen 5 7600 processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, an MSI Herald-BE Wi-Fi 7 adapter, and Windows 11 Home. Our Windows 11 server has an onboard 10 Gbps wired network card connected to the 10 Gbps LAN port on the Orbi 970 router.

The iPerf3 and ping tests are run at six feet and 25 feet, with and without traffic on the network. In the congested traffic tests, we add six wireless clients streaming 4K YouTube videos evenly across all bands.

Unlike with most routers, you cannot isolate 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands with their own SSID on the main network. As a result, we had to manually configure our MSI Herald-BE Wi-Fi 7 client adapter's settings in Wi-Fi to test each band individually. By default, the Orbi 970 combines the 6GHz and 5GHz bands for supported MLO Wi-Fi 7 clients.

I performed the short-range tests at six feet from the primary node. The long-range tests were performed at as close to 25 feet as I could get from all three routers at a central location in my home.

The Orbi 970 performed well in all tests, as expected from a system with an MSRP of over $2,000. The mesh system's iPerf3 performance on the 6GHz band at six feet was nearly a match for our speed champion, the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro. The Orbi 970 mustered 3,340 Mbps versus 3,523 Mbps for the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro. Likewise, the Orbi 970's performance at 25 feet was also a step behind the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro (1,240 Mbps versus 1,907 Mbps), but it was still good enough for second place. Also, maintaining over a gig should easily satisfy the fiber internet speeds available to most U.S. residents.

Moving to the 5GHz band, the Orbi 970 dropped to 1,423 Mbps at six feet, putting it again in second place behind the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro. However, the results were flipped at 25 feet, where the Orbi 970 came out on top (723 Mbps versus 611 Mbps).

On our 2.4GHz band test at six feet, the Orbi 970 took top honors with 131 Mbps. Stretching out to 25 feet, the Orbi 970 landed in third place (52 Mbps) behind the TP-Link Deco BE65 Pro (71 Mbps) and the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro (58 Mbps).

It was a similar story for our congested tests, with the Orbi 970 and ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro nearly tied at six feet in iPerf3. However, the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro opened a wider advantage at 25 feet (1,613 Mbps versus 1,117 Mbps). The two speed champs again swapped places on the 5GHz band tests, with the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro pushing ahead at six feet, and the Orbi 970 taking a slight advantage at 25 feet.

The Orbi 970 saw minimal performance degradation at six feet with congested traffic on the 2.4GHz band, while performance at 25 feet was roughly the same.

Ping times at six-foot and 25-foot distances typically stayed in the below-10ms range, minus the 2.4GHz band tests.

As a cautionary note, wireless performance can vary greatly depending on the environment in which the router will be installed. Home age, size, materials used in construction, and wall thickness (among other factors) can impact wireless range and performance.

Bottom Line

The Netgear Orbi 970 is an excellent performer across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. It was a close match for the Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro, which is our reigning speed champion (and it even surpassed it, slightly, in some tests). However, the biggest problem for the Orbi 970 is its jaw-dropping price tag.

The Orbi 970 carries an MSRP of $2,299 and a street price of $1,999 on Amazon for the three-pack. If you drop down to the two-pack, which will likely be enough for most homes, you’re still looking at an MSRP of $1,699 and a street price of $1,444. For comparison, the ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro, which we also dinged for its high price, has a street price of $1,128 for a two-pack, making it seem like a relative bargain.

The Orbi 970 also has limited configurability for its wireless bands for the main network, and not nearly as much room for optimization as its Asus counterparts. And although it might not matter to every consumer, there are no USB ports on the router or the satellites.

Don’t get us wrong; the Orbi 970 is a fantastic piece of hardware with the performance to match. However, we can’t recommend dropping $1,400 to $2,000 (depending on how many satellites you need) given the cheaper competition with similar performance and more network configuration options.

Wi-Fi 7 routers are no longer a niche segment of the market, as there are now many offerings blanketing a wide range of price points. At the low end, among the best Wi-Fi routers, there are products like the TP-Link BE3600, which offers dual-band Wi-Fi 7 for $99. At the high end, three-node Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers can cost $800 or more. Netgear has introduced a new gaming router, the Nighthawk RS600, that splits the difference with an MSRP of $499 (street price of $449).

The RS600 is the cheaper sibling to the RS700 ($699) and offers plenty of features for the money. The router provides a 10 Gbps WAN port, one 10 Gbps LAN port, and three 1 Gbps ports. It covers up to 3,330 square feet and supports up to 150 devices. 

Design of the Netgear Nighthawk RS600 Wi-Fi 7 Router

Netgear’s current generation of Nighthawk routers have a similar aesthetic, from the entry-level RS200 up through the RS700. The RS600 is no exception, with its black tower-style design. Looking at it from the top or bottom, you’ll notice that it’s hexagonal. The smallest “sides” match up with the front panel (where you’ll find all the status LEDs) and the rear panel (which is home to all the ports and power hookups).

The front status panel has LEDs for connected LAN ports, power, internet, and active Wi-Fi bands. There are also two buttons below the status panel: one for turning on/off the LEDs and one for turning on/off Wi-Fi.

As with all routers, all the port action occurs on the rear panel. Here, you’ll find a 10 Gbps WAN port to handle the fastest consumer fiber internet services available. There are also four LAN ports — one is 10 Gbps, while the other three are 1 Gbps. Competitive offerings like the TP-Link Archer GE800 offer 2.5 Gbps ports for roughly the same price. There’s a single USB 3.0 port for attaching a printer or a storage device. The other items on the back panel include a pinhole reset button, the power button, and a barrel-style receptacle for the power adapter.

Even though a router isn’t something you’ll likely lay hands on frequently once you complete the initial setup, the build quality (which is primarily plastic) is impeccable. It feels like a premium product, as it should, given its price tag. The sides feature a smooth surface finished in dark gray, while the top is a shimmering silver. However, the top is marred by a white sticker with a QR code to speed up the setup process. It also displays the router’s SSID and password. The first thing I did after setting up the router was to remove the sticker and reattach it on the bottom.

While the RS600 is designed to sit vertically, there’s no problem with laying the router flat if you need to place it on a shelf that won’t accept its 10.1-inch height.

Netgear Nighthawk RS600 Wi-Fi 7 Router Specifications 

Setting up the TP-Link Archer BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Router

Netgear offers two ways of setting up the RS600. You can use the traditional web interface and complete setup using your PC or Mac’s web browser, or you can opt for the Netgear Nighthawk app. Since I already had the Nighthawk app installed on my iPhone, I decided to go that route. The app asked me to scan the QR code on the top of the router, after which I was able to verify my internet connection, configure the Wi-Fi bands to my liking, and create an admin password.

The whole setup process took no more than about five minutes, which is typical for most Wi-Fi routers. While most enthusiasts will probably prefer to use the web browser method for setup so that they can tinker with dozens of settings to get performance dialed in right off the bat, companies like Netgear see the usefulness of including app connectivity for consumers who can’t be bothered with such complexities. The app makes the process easy for network newbies who want a true set-and-forget installation process.

Netgear Nighthawk RS600 Wi-Fi 7 Router Software

There’s a stark contrast in the appearance of the RS600 web interface and the Nighthawk app. The web interface looks relatively barren, with a black and white motif primarily dominated by text links. The same interface has been around unchanged for several years, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

As with the RS700, the home screen provides at-a-glance access to the essential vitals of your router: internet connectivity status, SSID and password, the number of attached devices, along with status indicators for the USB 3.0 port, guest network, and Netgear Armor security suite.

You can venture to the Advanced tab if you want more control over your networking settings. For example, you can turn Smart Connect on or off for the three wireless bands. Smart Connect automatically puts the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands under one SSID. Then, your wireless client will connect to whichever bands provide the best reception and performance. For our testing, I disabled Smart Connect to benchmark each band individually.

Of course, there are also options to tinker with LAN and QoS settings, while there are separate controls for the USB 3.0 port. The RS600 comes with a trial of the Netgear Armor security suite. This software package provides protection from outside intrusion for your network, and scans all connected devices for any vulnerabilities. Interestingly, while the RS700 has a trial period that lasts a full 365 days, all the other Nighthawk routers, including the RS600, have a trial of just 30 days.

If you want quick access to your network from your smartphone, you can use the Nighthawk app. While you don't have access to the full allotment of granular controls available in from the web interface, basic Wi-Fi settings are accessible. Settings are also available for the guest network, parental controls, and Netgear Armor. Netgear even provides a built-in SpeedTest utility so that you can measure your current network speeds.

Netgear Nighthawk RS600 Wi-Fi 7 Router Performance 

Our current testbed for router testing utilizes a Windows 11 desktop system with an MSI Pro B650M-A Wi-Fi motherboard, AMD Ryzen 5 7600 processor, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and an MSI Herald-BE Wi-Fi 7 adapter (Qualcomm NCM865 chipset). This is a compact system that I can easily carry from room to room for distance testing.

The iPerf3 throughput tests are run using a separate Windows 11 server with onboard 10 Gbps LAN connected to the 10 Gbps LAN port on the RS600. Wireless tests were conducted at 6-foot and 25-foot distances.

All wireless tests are initially run when the network is free of additional traffic from other connected clients. Tests are then performed to simulate traffic from additional users accessing the network (for our testing, we use six clients streaming 4K video from YouTube).

We kicked off testing with iPerf3 testing on the 6 Hz band, and the RS600 didn't quite have the gusto to hang with the TP-Link Archer GE800 and the Asus RT-BE96U. The RS600 maxed out at 1,790 Mbps at 6 feet, and fell to 956 Mbps at 25 feet. The RT-BE96U managed 3,040 Mbps, while the GE800 wasn't far behind at 2,830 Mbps. The RT-BE96U nearly doubled the RS600's result at 25 feet (1,980 Mbps), while the GE800 almost tripled the result (2,730 Mbps).

On the 5 GHz band, there wasn't a steep drop off in iPerf3 performance at 6 feet, with recorded throughput of 1,610 Mbps (529 Mbps at 25 feet). The GE800 reached 1,830 Mbps at 6 feet and 1,373 Mbps at 25 feet.

The RS600 was no match for the RT-BE96U and GE800 on the 2.4 GHz band, as it hit 110 Mbps at 6-feet compared to 174 Mbps and 187 Mbps for the latter two. Extending the test out to 25 feet saw a more than 50 percent reduction in throughput for the RS600 (46 Mbps).

The RS600 scored about 8 percent lower with congested traffic on the 6 GHz band at 6 feet, and 24 percent lower at 25 feet. 5 GHz performance was identical at 6 feet with congested traffic, but the same test at 25 feet saw a drop of 9 percent from the baseline. However, the biggest regression came at 6 feet on the 2.4 GHz band, which experienced a 35 percent drop to 72 Mbps. Interestingly, performance at 25 feet was almost identical.

We must caution that while our tests were run multiple times for accuracy and thoroughness, performance will vary greatly depending on the layout and makeup of your home. Building materials, the size of your home, and router placement can all affect overall network performance, so keep this in mind.

Bottom Line

The Netgear Nighthawk RS600 provides generally middling performance compared to its peers across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands with congested and uncongested traffic. With a street price of $449, that performance shortfall can be excused compared to the Asus RT-BE86U, which is available online for as low as $659.

The situation gets a bit trickier compared to the TP-Link Archer GE800. The GE800 offers higher performance across-the-board and even offers a superior port layout. For example, the RS600 gives you one 10 GbE for WAN, one 10 GbE for LAN, and three 1 GbE ports. However, the GE800 counters with 10 GbE and four 2.5 GbE ports. If you’re primarily reliant on wireless traffic, this might not be a big consideration, but the GE800 has the upper hand when it comes to performance for wired expansion.

Currently, the GE800 is available for $489 on Amazon after a $50 instant coupon. However, we’ve seen the router for as low as $469 in recent months. With only a $20 price delta between the two, the GE800 is the obvious choice in our eyes. 

The Netgear Orbi 970 router is impressive in its performance and port allotment, but it also starts at $1,699 for a router and one satellite, which is considerable, even among the best Wi-Fi routers. Not everyone can or is willing to spend that kind of money to upgrade their home network from Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 7. That’s where the Orbi 770 comes in, with a much lower price point ($699 for a router and one satellite).

As you might expect, Netgear had to make some compromises to undercut the Orbi 970 by hundreds of dollars, but most consumers in the target demographics will likely be okay with the feature reductions.

Design of the Netgear Orbi 770

The Orbi 770 review unit we received from Netgear consists of a single router and two satellites. The router and two satellites are constructed of plastic and finished in matte white. There’s nothing remarkable about the design of the Orbi 770 hardware other than a downward-firing LED that sits below the Orbi branding on the lower front. The LED changes color based on the status of the router or satellite. While the design is muted, they are far more imposing than the diminutive satellites included with the Linksys Velop Micro 6.

At first glance, the routers and satellites might look identical, but closer inspection at the back reveals that only the two satellites are identical. The router features a single 2.5 Gbps WAN port labeled in yellow, three 2.5 Gbps LAN ports, and a proprietary power port that accepts a barrel-style plug and a Sync button. On the other hand, the two satellites only have two 2.5 Gbps ports, a Sync button, and a power port on the back. Neither the router nor the satellites feature USB-A ports for connecting storage devices.

Netgear Orbi 7 Mesh Router Specifications

Setting up the Netgear Orbi 770

Router manufacturers have made it increasingly easier to configure new routers fresh out of the box. Like many of its peers, Netgear allows you to set up the Orbi 770 using just a smartphone app. The Netgear Orbi app, available for iOS and Android, not only walks you through successfully setting up your new mesh network but it can also be used to maintain your network, including installing firmware updates. However, the app is only suitable for general consumers who don’t necessarily need to have every available option presented to them to configure.

Those who want more control over our networks can use a web browser to set up the router and configure all available options. This is the method I chose for setting up the Orbi 770. After connecting the Orbi 770 router (which I placed in my upstairs home office) to my existing modem with the included patch cable, I connected my server to one of the free 2.5 Gbps ports. I then powered up the two satellites, placing one in an upstairs bedroom, and one downstairs in the living room.

I then pointed my browser to orbilogin.com, which walked me through the configuration process. My internet connection was automatically detected, and I created an administration login and password. The setup program also scanned for and automatically found the two satellites to complete the mesh network.  Finally, the setup program checked for any available firmware updates (no new firmware was found in this case).

Netgear Orbi 770 Software

Once the setup process was complete, I could view the standard Orbi interface. As someone who previously owned a first-generation Orbi RBK50 Wi-Fi 5 mesh router, the interface hasn’t changed much in the past eight years. The Basic tab is barebones, with just five tiles: Internet, Wireless, Attached Devices, Guest Network, and Security. However, the Advanced tab is there for network tinkerers. The Advanced homepage gives you an at-a-glance look at all network parameters, connection status, wireless details, guest network status, and more. There are also further submenus for Setup, Security, Administration, and Advanced.

The Setup menu provides more granular controls for wireless, WAN, and LAN settings and even allows you to use the built-in speed test functionality to measure your internet speeds. The Security menu is limited to Access Control, which will enable you to block devices from accessing your network. The Administration menu allows you to see connected devices, view router logs, backup router settings, and perform firmware updates on the router and satellites. Finally, the Advanced menu gives you control over a wealth of options, including port forwarding, UPnP, IPV6 settings, VPNs, Dynamic DNS, and more.

Regarding additional software that comes with the Orbi 770, a 30-day trial of the Netgear Armor security suite is included. This is a downgrade from the more expensive Orbi 970, which comes with a full one-year subscription. Netgear Armor promises to protect your network and devices from DDoS attacks, password theft, ransomware, and other nefarious activities perpetrated by nefarious actors.

Netgear Orbi 770 Performance

The Orbi 770 delivered consistent performance, although its peaks were no match from standalone routers like the Asus RT-BE96U. The review unit that Netgear sent us was comprised of one router and two satellites capable of covering up to 8,000 square feet. That is overkill for my home, which is less than a third of that size.

I encountered some slight difficulties isolating both satellites for testing purposes. Unlike with other mesh routers I’ve tested, I could not consistently stay connected to one satellite. My test laptop would hop from satellite #1 to satellite #2 frequently (which dramatically influenced test performance), even if I remained stationary. To combat this issue, I tested the Orbi 770 in a router + one satellite configuration, which eliminated the node hopping issues and presented consistent performance results.

As always, iPerf3 is used for throughput testing, which runs on a Windows 11 server configured with a 10 Gbps ethernet port.  The server is then connected to a free 2.5 Gbps port on the Orbi 770 router. I perform Wi-Fi tests at 6- and 25-foot distances from the gateway and nodes. 

Tests are first performed when the network isn't encumbered with ancillary traffic. Next, tests are performed with additional traffic to simulate other members of a household accessing the network (wireless 4K YouTube streams using three clients, local network 4K media streams using two clients, and a multi-gigabyte game downloading in the background). Our trusty Wi-Fi 7-enabled Acer Swift Edge 16 ultrabook served as the client for iPerf3 and ping tests.

6 GHz performance fell well below that of the most recent Wi-Fi 7 routers that I’ve tested, hitting a maximum 1.65 Gbps at six feet and 1.1 Gbps at 25 feet. This compared to 3 Gbps and 1.9 Gbps for the Asus RT-BE996U at those distances. Congested traffic saw the Orbi 770’s speeds drop to 1.2 Gbps and 912 Mbps at six feet and 25 feet, respectively.

Orbi 770 performance on the 5 GHz band was more in line with the other assembled routers, with 1.1 Gbps at six feet and 554 Mbps at 25 feet (uncongested). I saw slightly lower numbers with congested traffic, but not enough to be alarming. More importantly, the drop-off wasn’t nearly as pronounced as it was with the two Asus Wi-Fi 7 routers.

2.4 GHz traffic was similar to other Wi-Fi 7 routers at six feet and 25 feet with congested traffic. However, the Orbi 770 took a bigger hit with congested traffic at six feet than the competition.

Ping times for the Orbi 770 were consistent in the 16 ms range, with a high of 22 ms on the 2.4 GHz band during testing.

I also tested one satellite separately, placed on the first floor, roughly forty feet from the router. Compared to the router, satellite performance was roughly halved across the board. The highest iPerf speeds seen at 6 GHz, 5 GHz, and 2.4 GHz were 832 Mbps, 684 Mbps, and 109 Mbps, respectively. Pings were stable at around 16 ms.

Finally, I tested wired performance with the router and the satellite. A WaveLink 2.5 Gbps USB-C ethernet adapter was plugged into the Swift Edge for the tests. Plugged directly into a 2.5 Gbps LAN port on the Orbi 770 router, iPerf maxed out at 2.37 Gbps. However, performance dropped to just 1.26 Gbps when using the 2.5 Gbps LAN port on the Orbi 770 satellite.

Bottom Line

The Orbi 770 is just the latest in a growing number of Wi-Fi 7 routers that offer solid performance but do so at a considerable cost. With an MSRP of $699 for a router and one satellite ($999 for a router and two satellites), the Orbi 770 is far from an impulse purchase, even if it starts at $1,000 lower than the more performant Orbi 970.

While it doesn’t have the 10 Gbps ports of the pricier Orbi 970, the Orbi 770 includes four 2.5 Gbps ports on the router and two on each satellite. I saw strong performance with uncongested and congested traffic and was impressed with the ease of setup. 

But to reiterate, the biggest detractor for consumers looking to cover every corner of their home with Wi-Fi, $700 is still a bitter pill to swallow. And it’s also a bit stingy to only offer 30 days of the Netgear Armor security suite instead of one year, as offered with the Orbi 970. If you absolutely must have a mesh router for your wireless network, we’d recommend sticking with cheaper Wi-Fi 6E alternatives until their Wi-Fi 7 counterparts drop dramatically in price.

We’ve seen a steady drip of new Wi-Fi 7 routers debut recently, and unfortunately for most people those new devices come with some profound sticker shock. For example, Wi-Fi 7 mesh routers like the Eero Max 7 currently start at $509 for a single node and jump to a staggering $1,445 for a three-pack. Netgear also isn’t a stranger to high-priced Wi-Fi 7 routers, as its Orbi 970 starts at $1,699 for one router and one satellite ($2,299 for one router and two satellites). Its Nighthawk RS700 costs $699.

Netgear needs to appeal to more mainstream customers with cheaper products, hence the arrival of the Orbi 770 and Nighthawk RS300 Wi-Fi 7 routers. The Orbi 770 is a mesh router system, just like the more expensive Orbi 970. However, the specs sheet for the former doesn’t look nearly as impressive, as Netgear had to perform a few nips and tucks to meet a lower price point.

In this case, the Orbi 770 covers 8,250 square feet, down from 10,000 feet on the pricier Orbi 970. It also supports “just” 100 concurrent devices, which is half the number of its overachieving sibling. Feature regression continues, with maximum aggregate speeds of up to 11 Gbps (versus 27 Gbps) and support for tri-band Wi-Fi 7 (instead of quad-band). The Orbi 770 router also only supports up to 500 Mbps internet connections, which is something to keep in mind if you have a 1 Gbps+ fiber connection to your home.

Netgear also pulled back on the physical ports, as you get fewer and slower ports. The Orbi 770 has four 2.5 GbE ports on the router and two 2.5 GbE ports on the satellites. On the other hand, the Orbi 970 adds two 10 GbE to the router and one 10 GbE port to each satellite. One final area where Netgear trimmed costs was by providing a 30-day trial of its Netgear Armor security suite instead of the usual 1-year subscription. 

However, all these deletions mean that the Orbi 770 is far cheaper, at just $699 for a router and a satellite. A complete package with one router and two satellites is $999, which is still far below the $1,699 entry price for the Orbi 970. Granted, $699 to start is still a lot of money to pay for a mesh routing system, but it's one of the cheaper entry points for those who want to futureproof their homes with Wi-Fi 7 support.

If you don't need the expansive coverage of a mesh router in your home, you can go with the Nighthawk RS300, the cheaper alternative to the Nighthawk RS700. Like the Orbi 770, the Nighthawk RS300 makes some notable concessions on performance and expansion, trimming maximum coverage from 3,500 square feet to 2,500 square feet and halving maximum aggregate speeds to 9.3 Gbps. You also only get 2.5 GbE ports on the router and no 10 GbE ports. However, Netgear's extreme cost-cutting means that the Nighthawk RS300 costs only $329, compared to $699 for the Nighthawk RS700S.

The Orbi 770 and Nighthawk RS300 are currently available to purchase directly from Netgear's website. Both routers will soon be available from third-party retailers, where street pricing could be slightly lower.

Wi-Fi 6E routers and devices are now becoming commonplace in the market, which means it’s time to switch things up for consumers with a new standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be). While a few Wi-Fi 7 routers are on the market, they are a pricey bunch, with TP-Link’s cheapest entry, the Archer BE800, retailing for $600. However, Netgear is taking Wi-Fi 7 router pricing into the stratosphere with its feature-packed Orbi 970 Series. 

The Orbi 970 mesh router and accompanying satellites fully leverage one of the highlights of Wi-Fi 7, Multi-Link Operation (MLO). With Wi-Fi 6E or earlier routers, a client can only connect to a single band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz) at a time. However, MLO allows a Wi-Fi 7 client to connect to all three bands simultaneously. The new feature promises increased performance, lower latency and improved reliability thanks to packet duplication via multiple links. 

Netgear leverages MLO technology for its wireless backhaul between the router and its satellites. The Orbi 970 combines the 5GHz and 6GHz bands to create a faster 10 Gbps wireless backhaul between the router and satellites, along with lower latency. Many enthusiasts with mesh routers prefer a wired backhaul for the absolute best performance across large spaces. However, Netgear’s MLO-infused solution should help close the performance gap between wireless and wired backhauls for those unwilling (or unable) to run cables through their walls. 

The Orbi 970, of course, supports all the tenants of Wi-Fi 7, including an expansion of channels to 320 MHz, 4K QAM and preamble puncturing. Netgear also promises a maximum wireless signal rate of 27 Gbps.

The Orbi 970 router features a 10 Gbps WAN/Internet port to handle today’s fastest fiber-based ISPs and a 10 Gbps LAN port. Netgear also provides four 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. Each satellite offers one 10 Gbps port and four 2.5 Gbps ports. 

Software and services running on a router are nearly as essential as the underlying hardware, so a one-year subscription to the Netgear Armor security suite is provided with the Orbi 970. A basic subscription to Netgear Smart Parental Controls is also included for free. However, a 30-day trial to the premium functionality is provided.

Now for the bad news: the Orbi 970 will take a massive bite out of your wallet. The basic Orbi 970 system with one router and one satellite costs $1,699. If you opt for a router and two satellites, the price jumps to an eye-watering $2,299, providing up to 10,000 square feet of coverage. Each additional satellite costs $899. The mesh router system is currently available directly from Netgear.com and will soon find its way to major retailers.

Although Wi-Fi 7 routers are just around the corner, that isn't stopping some of the top vendors in the business from releasing Wi-Fi 6E routers for enthusiasts. Such is the case with the Netgear Nighthawk MK93S, a powerful new tri-band Wi-Fi 6E mesh router.

The Nighthawk MK93S is the follow-up to the MK83 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router. While the MK83 supports a total throughput of up to 3.6 Gbps and coverage for 6,750 square feet (one router plus two satellites), the MK93S offers a 50 percent improvement in throughput to 5.7 Gbps and slightly boosts coverage to 7,500 square feet.

With the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E, customers now have the choice to create separate wireless networks dedicated to 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz or 6-GHz traffic. This is especially helpful with isolating IoT devices (like smart thermostats, light switches, security cameras, etc.) that use the 2.4GHz band. Putting those low-priority and often high-latency devices on a dedicated band frees up bandwidth for media devices, smartphones and PCs that need the higher performance of 5GHz and 6GHz bands.

Netgear also paid attention to wired connectivity, upgrading from the MK83's GbE WAN port on the router to 2.5 GbE on the MK93S. The router also has three GbE LAN ports for your wired peripherals. In addition, each satellite has two GbE LAN ports, giving you a total of seven to divvy up. You can also boost your wired speeds by linking two GbE LAN ports together for a combined 2 Gbps.

The mesh router system is powered by a 1.7-GHz quad-core processor (up from 1.5GHz on the MK83), and all settings are accessible via the Netgear Nighthawk app. You can use the app to set up your Nighthawk and then manage it at home or away. In addition, a one-year subscription to Netgear Armor (which is powered by Bitdefender) is free for one year.

The Nighthawk MK93S doesn't come cheap; it's priced at $549.99 directly from Netgear, and it will soon be available from various retailers like Best Buy, Netgear and Amazon.

Routers aren’t just for gamers and power users. The tech hoi polloi need them too. Moreover, their needs may not be less than those of the putative tech elite—but they may be different. And, because they are less technically inclined, they’re going to want to know what they are getting—and know that it works.

Whatever your needs, we’ve written before that a router using the WiFi 6 standard appears to be the optimal way to go for those seeking an affordable everyday option. Offering theoretical maximum throughputs of 9.6 Mbps, it represents more substantially speed than that from older standards—while eschewing the luxury and added cost of the newer WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 protocols.

Earlier this year, Netgear announced its WiFi 7 router—the Nighthawk RS700—at a $700 price tag. But for those who don’t need anywhere close to the latest and greatest, Netgear’s R6700AXS represents a still-modern yet affordable choice.

Usually available for less than $80, the Netgear R6700AXS AX3200 provides solid value, consistent performance, and a variety of access controls—even if the setup process and the 2.4-GHz band leave something to be desired.

Design of Netgear R6700AXS

For its size, the virtually all-black Netgear R6700AXS is on the heavier side—coming in at 1.1 pounds. for dimensions of 9.27 x 7.26 x 2.25 inches. The front is smaller than the back insofar as the top the router slopes downward.

The sloping effect (as opposed to mere angles) is attractive, but the top part of the chassis feels thinner and more cheaply plasticky than the rest of the router. Ditto for the three foldable antennas in the back above the ports. The tactile effect is to emphasize the router’s relative heft. The visual effect is one of futurism on a budget.

While we’re on the subject of lower-cost design, the box is worth mentioning. For those who prefer simplified packaging, as well as for those who prefer to buy with the environment in mind, the Netgear R6700AXS’s packaging is a plus.

Most routers—as a testament to 21st-century consumerism—are packaged in glossy, toxically over-inked boxes screaming with various optimized lab-induced numbers in large bold print. Not so with the Netgear R6700AXS. 

The box is plain brown recycled cardboard, as is the inside egg-cartonesque packaging used to secure the router in place. The printing is done in plain black ink in tasteful, understated fonts. To wit, the Netgear R6700AXS’s is the kind of no-nonsense, environmentally responsible box one might be proud to put in last week’s paper bag from Whole Foods with the rest of their recycling.

Setting aesthetics and sustainability aside, the outward design of the Netgear R6700AXS is relatively basic. The back of it features a WPS button, a WAN port (highlighted in yellow to stand out from the surrounding blackness), four Ethernet ports, and a recessed reset button. Sadly, there is no clicky power button on the Netgear R6700AXS; plugged in means on and unplugged means off.

One nice thing about the recessed reset button is that—unlike many other recessed reset buttons—it is not as narrow as a pinhole. Rather, the recess is of a diameter much more forgiving than is typical. Accordingly, if you haven’t seen your paper clips since you set them down next to your fax machine in 2004, then a pen, a pencil, or any number of other household items will do the trick.

Specifications of Netgear R6700AXS

Setup of Netgear R6700AXS

Like most routers these days, the Netgear R6700AXS provides options for setup via Ethernet, WiFi, or a smartphone app (Nighthawk) from either the App Store or Google Play. Netgear is coy about the setup process via web interface, however. The one-sheet card with setup instructions prominently gives clear instructions on downloading the Nighthawk app—but directions for beginning the web-interface setup process are only found in fine print on the reverse.

Frustratingly, if you choose not to use the app, Netgear will pester you about it during the setup process. After all, user data presents quite possibly a more profitable product line than do routers. (And this is to say nothing of the paid-subscription features offered through the app; more on those later.)

In this vein, during the Netgear R6700AXS setup process, Netgear also interrupts you with a large popup urging you to register your product.

These annoyances aside, the setup process is fairly smooth. There is one additional superficially annoying hitch, however. When prompting the user to set the password for the router admin account, the setup program shoots itself in the foot security-wise by compelling the user to select two pre-scripted security questions—the kind that are often easily socially engineered. If you want ease of access, answer honestly; if you want better security, however, invent a phony answer (if not mash on the keyboard).

In any case, the setup process is relatively quick and straightforward—even if it could be made quicker and more straightforward without the upselling and interruptions.

For those who do prefer setup via smartphone over web interface, Netgear seems to have missed an accessibility opportunity in that there appears to be no setup via QR code. From a security standpoint, however, that may be for the best.

Features of Netgear R6700AXS

The Netgear R6700AXS includes many standard features—including guest-network setup on either band, port forwarding, port triggering, QoS prioritization, and VPN setup.

Unfortunately, many other features that might be considered standard or near-standard are only available via the app with a subscription—albeit with a free trial period. This includes security (“Netgear Armor Cybersecurity”), smart parental controls, and 24/7 support. This is disappointing when compared with other routers; even the similarly (if not lower) priced Asus RT-AX1800S doesn’t require a subscription for these features.

In fairness, however, the Netgear R6700AXS does offer some light security and parental-control features for free—and its free parental controls appear to be more substantial than those of the Asus RT-AX1800S.

Technically, the free parental controls are featured under the Security tab in the control panel. But they are richer than you might expect—offering domain blocking, service blocking, keyword blocking, and device blocking/access control. You can also set an automated schedule for when you want to block these things.

Finally, you can have the router email logs to and alerts—including when someone attempts to visit a blocked website.

To speak of monitoring and controlling, the Netgear R6700AXS offers a traffic-meter and traffic-control feature. The traffic meter can be set to monitor downloads only or for both directions. You can set a monthly limit on either the amount of traffic per megabyte or by the number of hours of use.

When the monthly limit is in danger of being reached (you can set how long before the monthly limit, in terms of either megabytes or minutes, as appropriate), a warning message will pop up for users.

When the monthly limit actually is reached, either or both simultaneously of a couple of options are available. You can set a visual alert on the router, turning the Internet LED light on the front of the router to flash green and amber. Additionally or alternatively, you can set the router to automatically disconnect and disable the internet connection for the remainder of the month.

Traffic metering is not the only area in which you can tinker with the LED settings. For those who grow weary of bright LEDs that exist merely to confirm that their router is supposedly working, the Netgear R6700AXS offers the option under advanced settings to enable/disable blinking LEDs—and even an option to turn all LEDs off altogether (excepting the Power LED).

An additional nice touch that the Netgear R6700AXS offers is its ability to backup router settings to a file that can be loaded and reverted to later.

Performance of Netgear R6700AXS

Before we get to our tests, it’s worth pointing out that the Netgear R6700AXS’s control panel offers its own throughput testing via Speedtest. When we tried this on our close-to-the-router client with no network congestion, we got a download-throughput result of 918.42 Mbps. Outstanding.

At the same time, we’ll continue to rely on our own testing methodology.

We conducted tests repeatedly throughout the course of three weekdays in a single-family house with a 1,200-Mbps connection, using a laptop with an Intel WiFi 6 AX201 160MHz network adapter as the client and another PC, attached via Ethernet, as the server to receive traffic. We used iPerf, a common bandwidth benchmarking tool, to test throughput and ping to test latency. Four sets of tests were conducted for each band:

Near uncongested: Testing laptop approximately 7 feet away from the router, no substantial traffic being carried across other devices

Far uncongested: Testing laptop approximately 25 feet away from the router, no substantial traffic being carried across other devices

Near congested: Testing laptop approximately 7 feet away from the router; videos streaming on four devices throughout the house

Far congested: Testing laptop approximately 25 feet away from the router; videos streaming on four devices throughout the house

The Netgear R6700AXS claims to reach speeds up to 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and up to 1,200 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. However, those are theoretical numbers and iPerf numbers are much lower on every router.

At 5-GHz, the higher speed band that you will want to use for any devices that require good bandwidth (PCs, streaming devices), the R6700AXS provides really strong near and far throughput both with and without network congestion. Though the D-Link R32 is a tad faster in most scenarios, Netgear’s router fares better at a distance when there’s other traffic. It also has latency that is a very solid 4 ms in all scenarios.

It is also noteworthy that, overall, there was little variability in latency throughout all tests on the 5 GHz band; in other words, there were no notable outliers skewing the mean averages when testing latency in 5 GHz.

We also noted very few wild swings in general on throughput across both bands. For better or worse, overall performance on the Netgear R6700AXS appears relatively consistent.

At 2.4 GHz, the throughput was so-so, particularly when we had congestion and were far from the router. The latency was particularly mediocre at far distances with congestion. However, for your older and non-bandwidth-critical devices, the Netgear R6700AXS’s 2.4-GHz performance is more than adequate.

Bottom Line

Considering its lower price, the Netgear R6700AXS AX3200 router has a ton to offer. Its overall consistency—particularly on the 5 Ghz band—is remarkable. Far-congested tests saw some heightened variability, but performance across all other tests on the 5 GHz band was very steady. You know what you are getting with the Netgear R6700AXS.

We are disappointed that security features, support, and smart parental controls, inter alia are subscription only. Even without any subscriptions, however, users can do a lot with the access controls that are offered for free—especially when paired with the traffic metering. In this regard, the Netgear R6700AXS seems especially well suited to a small family on a budget—assuming there are no demanding gamers in the house.

While Wi-Fi 6E routers for your home are a dime a dozen these days, that isn’t the case regarding portable routers. Today, Netgear announced the launch of its new unlocked version of the Nighthawk M6 Pro (MR6550), which brings faster internet connectivity to users on the go or for consumers that lack reliable fixed broadband service at home.

Compared to its predecessor, the M6 Pro adds Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and mmWave support for broader compatibility with 5G networks at speeds up to 8 Gbps (up from 2.5 Gbps max). The M6 Pro also features a larger 2.8-inch touchscreen (versus 2.4 inches) and ups maximum LTE speeds from 1.6 Gbps to 2 Gbps. 

The mobile hotspot has 3,600 Mbps of available bandwidth (2,900 MHz 5/6 GHz, 700 Mbps 2.4 GHz) and an integrated 2.5 GbE port (the M6 has just a 1 GbE port) on the back. You’ll also find a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port on the back, which is used for charging and data. Another intriguing addition to the M6 Pro are two TS-9 antenna connectors. This allows you to connect external antennas to boost reception beyond what the M6 Pro’s internal antennas can provide (an ideal setup for users that need internet connectivity in more remote regions).

The M6 Pro’s internal battery can also last up to 13 hours per charge, which should be sufficient for even the most demanding users, Netgear told us via video call. I also asked how mmWave connectivity would affect battery life but was assured that endurance hit would be minimal. The M6 Pro’s Wi-Fi coverage is roughly 1,000 square feet on battery power. However, if you connect it directly to a power outlet, coverage doubles to 2,000 square feet.

You might ask why you would want to use a mobile hotspot like M6 Pro when a smartphone can perform the same task. According to Netgear, 88 percent of people purchasing a dedicated mobile hotspot use it as their primary home internet connection. Many Americans live in rural areas with non-existent or substandard broadband connectivity, so a cellular-based solution is ideal — and smartphones can’t simultaneously support up to 32 devices like the M6 Pro can. 

Netgear’s research also found that 54 percent of people use portable routers as a “primary” connection in vacation homes, and 50 percent use them inside their vehicles while traveling. 

There is one “gotcha” to the M6 Pro, and that's would be pricing. You can get an AT&T carrier-locked version of the M6 Pro for $460 or pay $12.78 per month on an installment plan. However, the unlocked version will set you back $999.99 direct from Netgear (and soon from Amazon). According to Netgear, the unlocked M6 Pro is currently only supported by AT&T and Verizon SIMs that have previously been activated or with T-Mobile BYOD plans. However, it does note that new BYOD activations for AT&T and Verizon will be "coming soon."

It seems as though many of us are finally getting used to Wi-Fi 6E, and now Wi-Fi 7 is nearly ready to hit the market. Several Wi-Fi 7 routers were announced at CES 2023, and now Netgear is the next in line with the $699 Nighthawk RS700. 

Unlike many traditional routers with relatively flat base units, the Nighthawk RS700 features a tower-esque design akin to the Asus ZenWiFi Pro ET12 or Netgear's high-end Orbi mesh routers. In addition, it's a tri-band router covering 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands. It is backward compatible with all the popular IEEE standards, including the most recent Wi-Fi 6E, with a maximum total throughput of 18.7 Gbps. 

Of course, the Netgear RS700 can take full advantage of Wi-Fi 7 features like multi-link operation, which allows a router to aggregate multiple wireless bands. For example, instead of a client connecting to a single 2.4GHz, 5GHz or 6GHz band, it could connect to all three simultaneously. This allows for reduced latency and increased data rates. Wi-Fi 7 also enabled preamble puncturing, allowing clients to better leverage wireless channels experiencing interference. 

In addition to its impressive wireless portfolio, the Nighthawk RS700 also packs one 10 Gbps WAN port, one 10 Gbps LAN, and four 1 Gbps ports. While the 10 GbE ports might seem like overkill at first, Netgear was quick to point out that AT&T Fiber and Frontier already offer 5 Gbps service to customers, while Google Fiber (8 Gbps) and Comcast Xfinity (10 Gbps) promise even faster speeds for customers. Thus, the Nighthawk RS700 can theoretically handle those high-speed pipes to your home or business.

The Nighthawk RS700 also supports LAN aggregation, combining two 1 Gbps ports for up to 2 Gbps. Internet aggregation is also supported between the 10 Gbps WAN port and one of the 1 Gbps ports. Netgear also includes a USB 3.0 port for attaching a printer or storage device for NAS duties.

While Nighthawk RS700's features can be accessed via the traditional web user interface, Netgear also provides a Nighthawk smartphone app for quickly setting up your router and maintaining it once operational. The company also includes one year of Netgear Armor protection for the router with Bitdefender security and a VPN (includes 200MB of daily traffic). After the first year, Netgear Armor costs $99 per year. 

Netgear says that the Nighthawk RS700 will be available during the second quarter, priced at $699 (you can preorder it now direct from Netgear), which is a hefty price for a Wi-Fi router. The Nighthawk RS700 also supports mesh operation, meaning you could add two more units in a home or office to increase coverage (and your financial outlay). However, this will be the company's flagship consumer model, and we're sure to see stripped down and cheaper options from the company in the coming months.

Wi-Fi 6E has yet to penetrate every facet of our wireless life like the preceding Wi-Fi 6 specification, but Netgear is making strides in that direction with its latest product release. Today, the company announced the Nighthawk AXE3000 USB 3.0 Adapter (A8000), which adds Wi-Fi 6E connectivity to your laptop or desktop.

Of course, you’ll need a Wi-Fi 6E router to take full advantage of the speed the A8000 offers. Once connected, the dedicated 6GHz band provides you with up to 1,200 Mbps of bandwidth. The A8000 also supports legacy 5GHz (up to 1,200 Mbps) and 2.4 GHz (up to 600 Mbps) bands for connecting to older networking hardware.

As you might expect from this high-speed networking device, the A8000 uses a USB 3.0 connection and a dongle form factor for quickly plugging into a free port on your laptop or desktop. Netgear also includes a USB cradle with a flip-open design so that you can position the adapter for the best possible reception and performance.

For those unfamiliar with Wi-Fi 6E, the specification was first announced in 2020 as an extension of Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). Wi-Fi 6E improves upon Wi-Fi 6 by supporting the 6GHz wireless spectrum in addition to the existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The 6GHz band supports more capacity, features wider channels (up to 160MHz), and is not prone to interference from household electronics. 

While Wi-Fi 6E promises higher connection speeds, the “gotcha” is that its short wavelengths mean that increased bandwidth is limited to shorter distances, and signals are easily stymied by walls or flooring. Even though Wi-Fi 6E tops out at the same 1,200 Mbps as Wi-Fi 6, the performance of the former should be more consistent than the latter. 

Speaking of the Wi-Fi 6E support, we should note that it is extremely limited at this point. Macs are completely left out of supporting the 6GHz band on the A8000. In fact, only Windows 11 supports the 6GHz band at the moment — if you’re running macOS or Windows 10, the A8000 isn’t for you. But if you have a Windows 11 PC and are interested in the A8000, be sure to check out the best gaming routers for a perfect match.   

The Nighthawk AXE3000 USB 3.0 Adapter (A8000) is priced at $89.99 and will be available from major retailers and direct from Netgear later this month so be sure to check out our list of Netgear promo codes.

Asus is looking to advance the networking space with its latest offering, the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 gaming router. At first glance, it looks like the typical over-the-top best gaming routers with spider-esque 8 antennae. However, the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 stands apart from the rest of the pack because it is the first gaming router with quad-band Wi-Fi 6E support.

There’s a single 6 GHz band to handle your bleeding-edge networking devices (up to 4,804 Mbps) along with two 5 GHz bands (4,804 Mbps each). The fourth band is dedicated to 2.4 GHz devices and provides a total of 1,148 Mbps of bandwidth, bringing the grand total to 16,000 Mbps. We should mention that while Asus makes the distinction that this is the first quad-band “gaming” Wi-Fi 6E router, the Netgear Orbi 960 Series emerged last year as the first quad-band Wi-Fi 6E router.

Asus keenly points out that the second 5 GHz band can be used as a dedicated backhaul when connecting with AiMesh compatible routers. This would be helpful if you need to extend Wi-Fi coverage in hard-to-reach areas of your home or in, for example, a detached garage/workshop.

However, the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 doesn’t just excel at wireless networking; it also features a plethora of wired ports to handle your devices. There are four GbE (supporting port bonding) and two 10 GbE ports along with a 2.5 GbE WAN port. All of the ports are configurable for WAN usage, which allows you to support [atypical] consumer-centric scenarios like receiving service from multiple ISPs at once. Running the show is a 2 GHz quad-core processor.

Not to be left out, Asus also gave some attention to the existing ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, which sees several improvements and the addition of “Pro” to its name. This tri-band router features two 5 GHz bands (4,804 Mbps each) and a single 1,149 Mbps 2.4 GHz band. Asus also opened the 5 GHz band by adding a third high-power 160 Hz channel to join the previous two.

While not as generous as Asus’ flagship router, the ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro offers up four GbE, one 2.5 GbE and one 2.5 GbE WAN port for wired duties. It also gets a brain transplant by using the same 2 GHz processor from the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000.

Asus has not yet indicated when the ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 or GT-AX11000 Pro will be available for sale, or for how much. However, the existing GT-AX11000 carries an MSRP of $449.

MSI isn’t a name that we typically think of when it comes to the best gaming routers, but the company is looking to change that perception with the launch of the RadiX AXE6600 at CES 2022. This is the first wireless router from MSI, which joins its growing family of hardware peripherals to complement its better-known motherboards and graphics cards. 

The RadiX AXE6600 is based on the latest Wi-Fi 6E wireless protocol and features a tri-band setup. Although the company didn’t get into specifics, we know that it uses a 1.8 GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor that features a beefy heatsink and a heatpipe arrangement to keep things cool and prevent overheating.

Given that MSI is entering a market filled with competition from Netgear, Asus, TP-Link and countless others, the RadiX AXE6600 is looking to go toe-to-toe on features. One in particular that helps it stand out is what MSI calls AI QoS. The MSI logo on the top of the router actually doubles as a button. Pressing it cycles through several QoS presets (i.e., gaming, streaming, productivity, etc.) so that you don’t have to wander into the web interface (or an app) to change settings. Of course, you still have the option to log in to the web interface if you wish for more granular control over QoS settings.

One other trick up MSI’s sleeve is Mystic Light RGB support. Of course, we’ve seen RGB effects on gaming routers before, but MSI doesn’t just include lighting on the router body. The RGB effects also extend to the six antennae jutting out from the body. Although it seems somewhat counterintuitive to add complexity to the same antennae that are your lifeline to broadband internet goodness, we’ll be interested to hear MSI’s reasoning for its inclusion (other than the fact that it looks cool).

Unfortunately, MSI has not provided us with pricing for the RadiX AXE6600, and the company is also mum on availability. However, MSI does assure us that the wireless router will debut this year, likely in Q3 or Q4 2022.

The Netgear RAXE500 is an early entry into the Wi-Fi 6E router space, and on paper at least, it looks like a wireless network powerhouse. It also looks good and is easy to set up--at least on the hardware side--with no antennas to attach. But as we’ll see in testing, it struggles a lot on a congested network. And despite it’s very high price, Netgear charges extra for ongoing security support.

But before we jump deep into the router’s details, a quick cutting-edge Wi-Fi primer: While it may seem like Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is still new, Wi-Fi 6E is the latest generation of standards to feed our wireless data needs. The names of these standards can certainly get confusing, in part because Wi-Fi 6E also gets designated as 802.11ax. However, 6E has even faster potential speeds on the 5 GHz frequency. The big change, though, is an entirely new frequency -- 6 GHz -- which should be a lot less crowded, at least until all of your neighbors upgrade their gear as well. But don’t expect any of your existing tech got get much benefit from 6E. Until you upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E on the device side, you won’t be able to take advantage of these advancements. Check out our feature for much more on the differences between Wi-Fi 6 and 6E. 

Design of the Netgear RAXE500 

The Netgear RAXE500’s body is made of solid black plastic, that’s simple to deploy because there are no antennas to screw onto the body. The hardware setup is as simple as unfolding the two wings--the design certainly saves time and effort. The overall aesthetic appears somewhere between an Imperial TIE fighter and an ocean-dwelling manta ray. In case you’re worried about quantity affecting performance, the wings hide a total of 8 antennas inside.

The router’s size isn’t the biggest we’ve seen, but is by no means small. At 11.7 x 3.07 x 8.3 in (298 x 78 x 211 mm) and weighing 3.2 lb (1.45 kg), the Netgear RAXE500 feels substantive, without being overly bulky.

The back of the router includes four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, along with a WAN Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 2.5G Multi-Gig port. The Netgear RAXE500 also supports link aggregation of the Gigabit ports, for even faster speeds. For adding network-accessible storage, there are also a pair of USB 3.0 ports.

Specifications of the Netgear RAXE500

Under its plastic shell, the RAXE500 houses a 1.8 GHz quad core processor with 512MB NAND flash and 1GB of DDR3 SDRAM. With its formidable hardware and support for Wi-Fi 6E, the router sports some impressive speed specs. We are talking about 2.4 GHz up to 1.2 Gbps, 5 GHz up to 4.8 Gbps, and 6 GHz up to 4.8 Mbps, for a total theoretical bandwidth of 10.8 Gbps. This makes it a Tri-band router, with three distinct frequencies.

Netgear’s RAXE500 also includes some of the lesser-known latest wireless technologies, such as support for 1024-QAM ( which has better 25% data efficiency and faster speeds than 256-QAM routers), additional DFS channels to reduce interference, support for WPA3, and 4X4 MU-MIMO. 

Setup of the Netgear RAXE500 

Setup of this router could certainly have gone smoother. We chose to us the browser, but there is also an option for installing and using a smartphone app.

Things started out well, as the router informed us on initial setup of a firmware update and began downloading it. We were then informed that the upgrade was complete after waiting a few minutes on the setup screen. However, when we went back into the router software, the firmware was in fact on the same version number as when we started. We had to trigger it manually and wait all over again for the upgrade process. This would be really easy to miss if you were a novice, or just not paying close attention. For a router in this price category, we’d expect much better. That’s a feeling we’ll come back to shortly.

Security

The RAXE500 does have security, but we were disappointed that it comes at an additional charge, despite claims that it is “built in” to the router. After a 30-day trial period, it is a $69.99 annual fee. The software can work on the network level via the router to scan all traffic and keep it secure. However, some competitors, especially on higher end gear, offer security without an additional payment. That said, users who do pay up get not just Bitdefender Security, but also Bitdefender VPN, so if you were going to pay for a VPN anyway, the price is quite fair. 

Performance of the Netgear RAXE500  

We put the RAXE500 through the usual battery of tests, starting with looking at throughput. Testing is done with an Asus gaming laptop, with an Intel WiFi 6 AX201 card. Unfortunately it does not support WiFi 6E, so we cannot test performance on the 6 GHz frequency. The 2.4 GHz speed was a solid 210.3 Mbps on the near test, and dropped to 160.1 Mbps on the far test. The 5 GHz test was more impressive, with a 1398.5 Mbps close test, and a drop to 951.8 Mbps on the far test.

To overcome the lack of a WiFi 6E card on our laptop, we tested further with Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra 5g. This was performed using the SpeedTest app that can measure both on the upload and download side of the speed equation. While it confirmed the fast throughput of this router, on the 5 GHz frequency, we easily maxed out on both the upload and download side, as our internet connection is officially a 300/35 connection, which is typically mildly overprovisioned to ensure bandwidth. This explains the speeds we obtained of 341 Mbps download and 36.8 Mbps upload using 6E on the test phone. 

The network congestion testing showed that the RAX500 could really benefit from implementation of robust Quality of Service (QoS), which allows a router to prioritize traffic to smooth out gameplay, and allow a video to play smoothly. 

When this router is in an uncongested environment, for example, when connected via Ethernet with no background videos, our game of Overwatch achieved a respectable 142.83 FPS, with no Pingplotter spikes (which signify dropouts). We also had an in-game latency of 68 millisecs in Overwatch. 

However, add in the congestion, in our case ten 8K YouTube videos, which saturate our Optimum Online cable connection, and the game’s FPS precipitously drops to 21.88 FPS, and even went down to 0 FPS during gameplay-- essentially becoming a frozen game. Confirming the congested situation, the PingPlotter spikes went to a very high sixteen during our short gameplay session, and the dropped frame rate on the 8K videos was at a high 37.2%.

An analogous situation was created each time for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless frequencies with a minimum FPS of zero, and high dropped frame rates on the 8K videos.

We ended up with a situation where the raw throughput was impressive, but the congestion testing revealed a significant drop in performance. Of course, we wondered if there wasn’t an issue with this particular router (be it in the hardware or firmware). But after getting our hands on a second version of the Netgear RAXE500, things didn’t really improve. \

We set it up once again, including updating to the latest firmware version, and putting it through another round of testing to verify. With the lack of QoS, we once again replicated the results, with the game freezing on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network congestion tests, and this time both with over 50% of the frames dropping on the 8K videos. Ouch.

Bottom Line

We expected better performance from the RAXE500, and that was before we factored in the price. While it’s of course true that ongoing Covid-19-related issues have inflated the price of many products, the $599 MSRP and $529 street price of the RAXE500 puts it solidly at the high end of the high end category of consumer routers. Early adopters often overpay for the privilege of bragging rights. But in this case you’d be paying more than double the price of a solid midrange router, mostly for the privilege of being able to tell your friends and relatives that you have a 6 GHz wireless network.

Even if that’s important to you, keep in mind that even Wi-Fi 6 devices won’t connect on the 6 GHz frequency unless they specifically support Wi-Fi 6E. At the moment, such devices are few and far between, largely including recent high-end phones. So you probably won’t make much use of that 6E network, as most of your devices will still be stuck on the 5 GHz band. Making matters worse, for such an expensive router, the RAXE500 is missing some features that we’d consider fairly basic in a high-end router, like QoS for better traffic control, and included security without an additional yearly fee.

Overall, the Netgear RAXE500 is a bleeding edge product that feels like it needs more work. Perhaps it was rushed to market, but it simply lacks the high-end performance that a router at this level should deliver. For now, it is a glimpse into the promise of the next generation of Wi-Fi 6E wireless, with high throughput scores, but that promis proved hollow when we tested performance in a crowded environment. We don’t recommend purchasing this router based on our results, but we can’t wait to see how the next wave of WiFi 6E routers will perform, companies get past these 6E teething pains.

Many locations, be it a multi-story house, an attic office, or an outside patio, present challenges in getting decent wireless coverage. And with the record number of us working and learning from home, a solid Wi-Fi signal has gone from ‘nice to have,’ to the ‘gotta have it’ category. Between streaming media services and Zoom meetings for every occasion from business transactions to birthday parties, dead zones are far less intolerable than they used to be.

There is no shortage of wireless accessories to fix dead spots, including wireless extenders and powerline networks with wireless access points to get the signal where it needs to go. But rather than going crazy trying to get all this gear to play well together, which can be a time sink even for a network expert and a significant challenge for novices, a simpler solution these days (though it’s often far from cheap) is a mesh networking kit. With a mesh kit, the manufacturer has done the heavy lifting, put multiple wireless units in one nice box that are all compatible and designed to work together out of the box,with a single set of directions to get it all up and running.

That’s what we’re looking at with the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 AX3600 (MK83) system. It consists of three pieces: a router and two satellites, which technically makes it a ‘Hub and spoke’ system rather than the ‘True mesh’ which has all identical wireless nodes. But purist considerations aside, this setup promises to cover 6,750 square feet of wireless goodness with Wi-Fi 6 speeds.

Design

The AX3600 comes as a three- or a four-piece system (we tested the former, MK83), with the option to add additional satellites if you need to cover more space. Each is composed of glossy black plastic sides with a textured top (which reminds me of the classic 80’s arcade game Q*bert), measuring 5.51 x 5.51 x 3.62 inches, with the router and the satellites having identical dimensions, and weighing 1.4 pounds for each of the three units. The glossy plastic tends to pick up fingerprints and smudges easily, so we’d strongly prefer textured plastic here.

The router (center in the image above) has three Gigabit Ethernet ports and a single WAN port. The simple way to tell the router apart from the satellite boxes is that the satellite (above left) has no WAN and just two LAN ports. The latter is a nifty feature to have to connect wired equipment (like set-top boxes or consoles) to the satellite access point.

While there are no external antennas, each unit has five internal antennas. There is a single LED that glows blue when connected, flashes white when booting, and orange when ready to sync. Unfortunately, the light cannot be turned off, making this less than ideal for a bedroom application (unless you want to put a piece of black electrical tape over the LED).

Specifications

Both the router and the satellite units use a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, and the router has 256 MB of flash memory for storage and 512 MB of RAM. The wireless is tri-band, that is Wi-Fi 6 AX3600 (5 GHz 1800 Mbps + 5 GHz 1200 Mbps + 2.4 GHz 600Mbps). This sums up to 3600 Mbps of theoretical bandwidth, hence the name of this kit, however it strikes us as odd to have two different bandwidths for the 5 GHz radios. Also, it is unclear if one of these is the backhaul between the router and a satellite, which would then be a bottleneck to the faster 5 GHz speed, unless directly connected to the router.

At least on paper, the AX3600 does have all of the wireless features that you would expect from a higher end piece of home networking gear--the three-piece kit we tested currently sells for just under $400. The list is lengthy, and covers MU-MIMO for simultaneous data streaming, explicit beamforming on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, OFDMA for both uplink and downlink and seven-stream WiFi for 4K video streaming.

The AX3600 does have QoS (Quality of Service) that can be toggled on, along with a “Performance optimization database.” We also went through the SpeedTest to identify the available bandwidth, to then have this mesh kit optimize it. That said, there is absolutely no control over the QoS, either by the type of traffic (such as to give video streaming or gaming priority), or to be able to give a specific device priority, such as a gaming rig. We think this deficit in granular control at least partially explains the poor QoS performance below. But first, let’s get the system up and routing.

Setup

Mesh systems can often be a drudgery to set up, but the AX3600 performed well in this area. While it can also be done with a smartphone app, we proceeded via the web interface, and it was pretty painless.

As part of the setup, the system’s firmware was upgraded to the latest available. This is an important step to ensure that the latest patches have been applied and any known security holes have been addressed.

With the router connected and chugging, the next step is to add the satellites to the system. This was easier than most mesh systems, as we just had to plug in the satellite, wait for the flashing white LED to turn orange, and then hit the ‘Sync’ button on the satellite, followed by the ‘Sync’ button in the software, and then the satellite was all configured.

Security

The AX3600 does support WPA-3, the latest encryption standard, which is becoming increasingly important as all the previous standards have been cracked at this point.

The AX3600 does support network level antimalware security, which is termed “Netgear Armor” here. But while there is a free trial, it’s limited to 30 days, even on this top end mesh kit. Beyond that, you’re looking at an annual subscription for an additional cost of $69.99 (although it’s currently on sale for less). Purchasers should factor this into the cost of the AX3600, because some competing products have network-level antivirus for the life of the product without an additional cost.

Performance

Right off the bat, we experienced connection issues. An Acer Aspire laptop we had with a Wi-Fi 6 card (AX201, driver version 22.40.0.7) was completely unable to connect to the router. We did discover that this was not the latest Intel driver for this card, which was subsequently upgraded to 22.60.0.6, but this didn’t solve the problem. Our testing was done with our standard Asus gaming laptop, model G512L, which also uses the same AX201 card, although did not have any connection issues.

The AX3600 sends out a single SSID, and we were not able to separate it into separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals. Therefore, we were unable to test throughput on the 2.4 GHz frequency. The 5 GHz speeds we obtained of 315.2 Mbps on the near test and 286.7 Mbps on the far test are decent, but nothing exceptional among Wi-Fi 6 gear.

Testing Configuration

Stress testing the AX3600 mesh kit proved to be an exercise in disappointment, with a nearly nonexistent QoS that resulted in low frame rates on our game of Overwatch, and a high percentage of dropped frames. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Things started out reasonably well. When connected via the Ethernet cable, the frame rate of 119.8 was solid, with a low in-game latency of 69 ms. However, when we added in the ten 8K streaming videos, we saw the frame rate drop to 36.0 FPS, and at points the game froze with a frame rate of zero. We also had the latency rise to 189 ms, with a dropped frame rate on our streaming videos of 16.2%, plus six PingPlotter spikes. Turning on the QoS did nothing for us--in fact the FPS went even lower to 20.2, and the dropped frames on the video stream went even higher to 34.8%, for an overall worse performance.

In short, the AX3600 mesh kit performed poorly in a congested environment, and the QoS did not effectively manage the congestion. This then was replicated when connected via 5 GHz directly to the router, and additionally when we connected to the satellite unit.

Bottom Line

In terms of looks and advertised features, the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh Wi-Fi 6 AX3600 (MK83) sounds promising. But factor in the price, plus our experience with it on a congested network, and the AX3600 becomes a fairly poor value, with an MSRP of $499 and a current street price of $396. At that price, this gear is clearly in the high end of routers and mesh kits, and the performance on both throughput and congested testing is lacking.

Price aside, the AX3600 does have some pluses, such as the ease of setup, automatic firmware upgrade on setup, the support for the WPA-3 security, and the compact size of the units. But put together the high price with the lack of effective QoS, the unexceptional throughput, and the additional charge for antimalware protection, and it becomes clear that there are better options out there. Hopefully Netgear can take what works from the AX3600 and build on this experience going forward.

The Raspberry Pi has a knack for bridging the gap between different technologies but, in this project, it's combining the power of multiple routers into one connection point. This setup is referred to as a bonded router by its creator, Jona, and operates using a platform called Speedify.

The best Raspberry Pi projects tend to come out of necessity—often providing a solution to a specific problem. According to Jona, he was tired of the bandwidth limitations of rural internet and decided to merge multiple sources into one, stacking the available speed. Before this project, his network speed was capping around 2 - 5 Mbps but now it reaches up to 120 Mbps.

The Raspberry Pi is responsible for distributing network traffic between four individual internet access points (in this case, two LTE lines and two 5G lines). Jona also included a DSL failsafe to act as a backup in the event the bonded router connection drops.

If you'd like to recreate this project, you can download Speedify from the official website. It's available for Linux machines like the Raspberry Pi but also on Windows, Mac, iPad and Android devices. In Jona's setup, he's using an 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 with a 4G LTE HAT. It also has a USB hub connected to a 4-four gigabit Ethernet adaptor and a 5-port Netgear gigabit switch.

Read more about this project in detail on the project thread at Reddit and be sure to follow Jona for more cool Pi projects.

It’s not much of a stretch to say that a good number of folks don’t give a ton of thought to their router. After all, it is in some ways just a box that sends out a Wi-Fi signal. But if you're a wireless tech aficionado and/or a serious gamer who wants to make sure you're getting the best connection possible, TP-Link would kindly like you to consider the Archer AX11000 Next-Gen Tri-Band Gaming Router. We'll just be calling it the TP-Link AX11000 from here on out.

The AX11000 is a follow-up model to the Archer C5400X, which used 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) but had a similar appearance to the newer, Wi-Fi 6-equipped router we're looking at here. The AX11000 is designed to offer a top-of-the-stack router that is targeted to the gaming market and has a price tag to match. That said, at between $405 and $430, the AX11000 is still more affordable than flagship routers from the likes of Netgear and Asus. And it certainly looks the part, with its aggressive styling. Let's dig in to find out if this model is a comparative bargain.

Design

The AX11000 offers some serious power, so it is no surprise that it comes in a larger package. This is a horizontally oriented router in an almost matte-black plastic, that takes up considerable desktop real estate with its square design. On top of that, it has a large brick of a power supply that also takes up even more space, along with a total of eight antennas that are adorned in red.

Unlike some competitors and even lesser routers, the antennas are all in a fixed location, and cannot be fine-tuned via repositioning. There are also a large number of holes on the top of the router and an LED in the center position on top that thankfully can be turned off.

In short, this is a large, visually loud router and not ideal for those that live in a space-cramped apartment.

Specifications

As the AX11000 is a high-end router, it follows that the specs are top-notch. At the heart of every router is a CPU, and this one has a 1.8 GHz 64 Bit Quad-Core CPU, along with three coprocessors, 1 GB of RAM, and 512 MB of flash storage.

Ports are covered well also, with a pair of USB 3.0 ports, one Type-C and the other a type A. The Ethernet ports are plentiful as well, with a single WAN port that is 2.5 Gbps and eight LAN ports that are gigabit speed. There is also Static Link Aggregation available for port pairing.

On the wireless side, the AX11000 lives up to its name and supports 802.11ax, better known as Wi-Fi 6. This is a tri-band router with a single 2.4 GHz network with claimed speeds of 1148 Mbps, plus a pair of 5 GHz networks that have speeds of 4804 Mbps. That all adds up to 10,756 and then TP-Link rounds this up to 11,000 with some fuzzy math, and voila, you get the router’s name. This router also has other cutting-edge wireless technology, including 4×4 MU-MIMO, beamforming, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) and Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS).

Setup

Router setup for the AX11000 is a definite strong point. It starts with connecting the eight antennas, which hooked in with a satisfying click.

We appreciate that configuration can be done via either a smartphone or our preference, a web browser. Going the latter route only took a few minutes, gave us an opportunity to choose our Wi-Fi password, and to have separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks.

Features

TP-Link did endow the AX11000 with the types of features that you would expect for a higher-end gaming router. This includes bandwidth testing and Quality of Service that has five preset settings, and a sixth setting that allows the user to customize prioritization of traffic for full granular control.

There is also a Game Accelerator designed to reduce game latency.

Security

From a security perspective, the AX11000 is decent, but not class-leading from a consumer router perspective. It starts with support for the latest wireless encryption. The AX11000 does support WPA3, while being backward-compatible with the previous standards.

As seen in the screenshot (see how to take screenshots in Windows) above, the AX11000 includes some antivirus protection, and we like to see that it is included out of the box, not requiring a separate subscription, and uses a security database that gets updates powered by Trend Micro. There is a Malicious Content Filter, plus an Intrusion Protection System, which can be controlled separately. There are also Parental Controls, again as we'd expect from a router in this class.

Performance

Our performance testing of the AX11000 started with throughput testing using our Netperf software. Our 'Near' test is done at 8 feet away, while ‘Far’ is on a different floor about 30 feet away. We found that the AX11000 had decent performance on the 5 GHz frequency and fairly unexceptional speeds on the 2.4 GHz frequency.

Our network congestion testing shows the AX11000 to perform better via Ethernet and 5 GHz connections, with the 2.4 GHz performance a weak point. While connected via Ethernet, with no background videos, on our Overwatch gaming test, we measured a solid FRAPS score of 128.5 FPS. This dropped substantially to 88.1 FPS when we added the ten 8K videos to saturate our 300 Mbps connection. The game improved to 118.6 FPS when we set the QoS for gaming and toggled on the Game Accelerator. While the frame rate in the game improved, we found the high dropped frame rate of 25.1% to be disappointing for a high-end gaming router.

Performance was better on 5 GHz, and weak on 2.4 GHz where we experienced a large number of spikes on PingPlotter, indicative of the router not handling the network congestion well. However, on the 5 GHz frequency, the framerate we obtained on Overwatch with the video streaming congestion of 129.3 FPS is notable as it is a higher score than we got via Ethernet. Also realize that while the FPS is higher, the PingPlotter spikes increased to 7, and the dropped video frames increased to 36.2%, both increases over a wired connection.

Pricing

The cost of the AX11000 is a pain point. Despite this router coming out in 2019, the cost is north of $400 on many sites. You may be able to find it for a bit less, as on the TP-Link site they connect the user to Costco. But Costco then hides the price for members only. Still, anywhere around $400 is a lot for a router, and while there are gaming models that cost more, our tests show performance was more good than great, and that was mostly on the 5 GHz band.

Conclusion

The TP-Link AX11000 is a bit of a mixed bag in our evaluation and testing. The strong points include the integrated 8 port switch, the 5 GHz throughput, the integrated TrendNet security, and the ease of setup. The weaknesses are the bulky size, weak 2.4 GHz throughput, the large number of dropped video frames in our congestion testing, and the high price. At the end of the day, while this is a decent router, at this high price point for a top-end gaming router, the AX11000 left us wanting more consistent performance.

Netgear offers a full variety of networking gear, including its Nighthawk Pro Gaming line of routers and accessories. At the top of this product stack is the XR1000, which boasts the latest version of the company's DumaOS which is 3.0. We go hands-on to see if the cost of $349 (less if there's a sale or a current Netgear promo code) is justified for this piece of premium networking hardware, or if most gamers should look for something more affordable.

Design

The XR1000 is designed to sit horizontally on a shelf or table, with four positionable, external antennas and no internal antennas. It strikes a good balance of showing its gaming intentions with its tasteful red accents while avoiding the over-the-top gaming look with flashing RGB lights that can turn off some adult gamers (or adult gamers will just turn off). There are some white LED indicator lights roughly arranged in a “V” on the top of the device.

The router's dimensions are 11.61 x 7.87 x 2.51 inches (295 x 200 x 64 mm) with a weight of 1.32 lb (600 g).

Specifications

At the heart of the XR1000 is a 1.5 GHz triple-core processor, with 512 MB of RAM and 256 MB of flash storage. These specs are certainly solid, but hardly class-leading among high-end gaming routers. The rear of this router houses the essential connections, which include a single USB port, a WAN port with four LAN ports that are all Gigabit Ethernet. However, there are no 2.5 Gig LAN ports, which would be a nice bit of future-proofing given the price. There is also a physical, on/off toggle switch, and a recessed reset button.

The wireless for the XR1000 gets designated as Wi-Fi 6, with 5.4 Gbps throughput. This corresponds to dual-band Wi-Fi, with 2.4 GHz speeds of up to 600 Mbps, and 5 GHz speeds that max out at 4.8 Gbps. There is also Beamforming available on both bands to optimize reception to the client.

Setup

Getting the XR1000 up and running is a bit of a stumbling block. It starts with downloading the Netgear Nighthawk app for your smartphone, then following the prompts to connect the router for initial setup. It requires the creation of a Netgear account with security credentials, which is done through the phone and takes additional time. Furthermore, during setup we somehow got locked out of the account and had to go through the drudgery of the lost password sequence to get back into setup.

Once back into the account, the setup proceeded more smoothly. We appreciate that the setup included a step that upgraded the firmware to the latest, an important step to avoid security vulnerabilities and get the latest bug fixes. The XR1000 also does a bandwidth test, which provides the actual throughput, and then subsequently gets used for divvying up the bandwidth.

Features

The XR1000 has as one of its highlights, the DumaOS, which is now at version 3.0. You may recall that this is the nifty OS that debuted in the NetDuma R1 from the UK that made claims that it could “dominate lag,” however the original hardware seriously held it back. Now, Netgear has taken this software and put it into updated hardware for the best of both worlds.

From a gaming perspective, there are two levels of control when it comes to the DumaOS and the important QoS that can prioritize gaming traffic. The first is what the DumaOS dubs as ‘Congestion Control’ which can be set to Always, Never, and Auto-Enable. This lets the router analyze data packets so that the time-sensitive ones, namely gaming and streaming content, can be prioritized over other content for a better experience. 

There is another level of control, called ‘Bandwidth Allocation’ that allows types of traffic, with categories including Gaming, File sharing, VoIP, Web, among others, to be designated a specific amount of bandwidth. This allows specific granular control to ensure that each activity can get the minimal bandwidth it needs, and is controlled separately on both the upload and the download side of the equation.

Security

The security for the XR1000 is provided by Netgear Armor. Annoyingly, it cannot be activated from the router’s web-based interface, but rather needs to be turned on from the Nighthawk app. To add insult to injury, it's only a free one-month trial. The subscription includes Bitdefender Security, which may not be the best value as Bitdefender offers a free tier with its Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. There is also a promise of 35% off the Netgear Armor security package, but annoyingly the $69.99 price is not indicated until you get to the webpage to pay.

Much of the security goes through the Netgear Armor app. It provides a report that includes a security score, an assessment for vulnerabilities, and a running tab of the threats blocked. From the app, a firmware upgrade can also be triggered.

Performance

On the bandwidth testing with NetPerf, the XR1000 put up some solid scores, with 2.4 GHz throughput at 214.6 Mbps on the near test (8 feet), although it drops off to 158.4 Mbps on the far test (30 feet). The 5 GHz speeds remained more consistent as the distance increased, from 845.3 Mbps when near, with minimal penalty at the further distance, at 812.5 Mbps. 

On our network congestion testing, the XR1000 was able to show the value of the DumaOS 3.0. When wired to an Ethernet port for a baseline, our game of Overwatch posted a healthy 110.6 FPS with no PingPlotter spikes (>100 milliseconds) seen during gameplay. We then congested our Internet connection (Optimum cable connection, DOCSIS 3.0, 300 Mbps down, 35 Mbps up), with a total of ten streaming 8K videos on YouTube. Not surprisingly, the FPS on Overwatch dropped considerably to 57.3, along with 14 PingPlotter spikes, and the video dropped 25.3% of the frames. We then applied the Congestion Control on auto-play, and allocated 50% of the bandwidth on both upload and download to Gaming traffic. With the same ten videos playing, the Overwatch FPS was restored fully to 112.1, with the 8K video dropped frame rate lowered modestly to 18.1%.

A similar, albeit less-dramatic effect was demonstrated with the application of QoS on the 5 GHz wireless gaming as well.

Bottom Line

The NetGear XR1000 is an intriguing entry into the higher-end gaming router market. Misses range from the buggy setup that requires a smartphone app, the extra cost for router-based security, and the less-than-stellar hardware specs. However, the pros do include the powerful DumaOS 3.0 that allows for fine-tuning of the network to prioritize traffic, as well as Wi-Fi 6 with Beamforming. While this XR1000 may not be for everyone, gamers that want a true gaming router with granular controls rather than colorful lights should put this on their shortlist of products for consideration.

Tech companies received some good news and some bad news from the White House on Monday. The good news was that officials changed the list of items affected by tariffs on goods imported from China to exclude smartwatches and other Bluetooth devices. The bad news was that "network router-type products" were added to the list of affected products and that addition could have serious implications for businesses, an official told CNN.

Placing tariffs on wireless routers would raise costs for tech companies in several ways. Companies that sell wireless routers would be directly affected, for example, simply by virtue of their business. Yet even companies that don't sell routers would be affected because they need to use them for their existing infrastructure. Tech companies have to go online; making it more expensive to do so causes a clear financial problem.

U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods have steadily expanded to include more types of product over the last few months. The first wave affected tech companies by including various transistors, PCBs, displays, and other components used in many devices. It was expected to affect $34 billion worth of goods. An updated list was going to include certain wireless devices, like Bluetooth speakers, but those items have been spared for now.

A later update threatened the semiconductor market and raised the estimated value of tariffed goods to $200 billion. According to a statement from President Donald Trump, if the Chinese government "takes retaliatory action against our farmers or other industries" in response to the tariffs, another $267 billion worth of goods will be added to the list. Saying that's a big leap from $34 billion would be underselling it.

But that doesn't mean China won't respond to the Trump administration's tariffs. The Associated Press reported that the Chinese government announced a "tariff hike on $60B of U.S. products in response to Trump duty increase in technology dispute." That doesn't quite compare to the $200 billion targeted by U.S. tariffs, but it shows that if the Trump administration wants a trade war, China's willing to get its hands dirty as well.

The prospect of a trade war has tech companies on edge. Tariffs would make it more expensive to develop and release new products, and if those costs aren't passed on to consumers, a company will either have to watch its profit margins dwindle or stop making affected products entirely. That isn't a hypothetical--a boutique case maker called CaseLabs shut down in August, with its CEO claiming that tariffs helped raise their costs by 80 percent.

The Consumer Technology Association published a statement in response to Monday's announcement. The group questioned whether or not the tariffs are actually legal--it said "Congress has not given the president or the USTR a blank check to pursue a trade war"--and expressed its hope that the Trump administration will rethink the tariffs. Here's the part of the statement addressing the good and bad in the latest tariff news:

“We appreciate the Trump Administration removing consumer connected devices, the largest tariff code CTA identified in our USTR comments. Retaliatory tariffs, whether 10 percent or 25 percent, are bad policy. We are especially concerned about retaliatory tariffs on printed circuit assemblies, routers and networking equipment. They will stifle our global leadership in 5G, create an internet tax on businesses and cause uncertainty for companies."

Introducing tariffs on goods originating from China is unlikely to help American businesses or consumers. It could have the opposite effect: products could become more expensive, companies might stop making specific goods, and some people could lose their jobs as their employers scramble to cut the effects the costs imposed by these tariffs could have on their business.

According to the previous Recorded Future report, hackers were able to steal documents about the U.S. Military’s Reaper drones because the Air Force didn’t set the FTP password on its Netgear routers, which allowed the attackers to gain free access to the military’s computers. Netgear has now said this wouldn’t have been a problem if the Air Force had applied the firmware update the company released in 2016 for this very issue.

Air Force Hack

As we know from the previous report, the attackers first learned that the Air Force’s machines were vulnerable to hacking via its Netgear routers by using the search engine Shodan to scan the internet for non-secure devices. Shodan calls itself the “world's first search engine for Internet-connected devices.” However, it’s often used by malicious parties to scan for their hacking targets.

Once the attackers found Air Force’s routers, gaining access to them was trivial due to a two-year-old flaw in Netgear’s routers. The flaw would let anyone gain remote access to its routers because Netgear wasn’t asking for any form of authentication via FTP, which was enabled by default.

Netgear Had Already Solved The Issue

Routers aren’t typically known for being the most secure devices in the world, nor are they often updated by their manufacturers. Even today, many router makers still don’t take security too seriously, which is why we still see things such as hard-coded passwords, backdoor accounts, or default credentials being used by the router makers. All of these “features” make it trivial for attackers to take over hundreds of thousands of routers at once after they learn about these vulnerabilities.

However, in this case, Netgear had known about this particular flaw for more than two years, which is also when it released a fix for it in a firmware update. It may have been Netgear’s fault for releasing a router to which other parties can gain access by default without any authentication being required, but the Air Force also had two years to prevent this attack from happening by patching its own routers.

Netgear told Tom’s Hardware that its registered customers have been notified by email about new firmware updates and also that its customers can check the Router Update page to check if a new update is available. If you still haven't updated your router, even after the VPNFilter saga, then now may be a good time go look into that.

Cisco's Talos Intelligence Group revealed that new malware, which it dubbed VPNFilter, has infected at least 500,000 devices in 54 countries. The malware is said to target Linksys, Netgear, TP-Link, and MikroTik small and home office (SOHO) products as well as unidentified NAS devices. Activating the malware could render affected devices inoperable, which could, in turn, cut off hundreds of thousands of people's internet access.

VPNFilter is said to have steadily infected more and more devices since at least 2016. Cisco said the malware doesn't rely on any specific exploit--instead, it spreads by taking advantage of known vulnerabilities in each individual product. That's made possible at least partly because people neglect to update these devices' firmware, and because they're rarely covered by antivirus solutions and other consumer security tools.

Cisco said VPNFilter could be used for three major purposes: conducting attacks that are mistakenly attributed to the malware's victims; collecting information from devices connected to the affected products; and cutting off victims' access to the internet via the built-in "kill" command. None of these possibilities are particularly welcoming, but the last one, in particular, could be devastating if it's used on many devices.

Unfortunately, knowing about VPNFilter doesn't make it all that much easier to defend against it. Cisco explained in its blog post:

Defending against this threat is extremely difficult due to the nature of the affected devices. The majority of them are connected directly to the internet, with no security devices or services between them and the potential attackers. This challenge is augmented by the fact that most of the affected devices have publicly known vulnerabilities which are not convenient for the average user to patch. Additionally, most have no built-in anti-malware capabilities. These three facts together make this threat extremely hard to counter, resulting in extremely limited opportunities to interdict malware, remove vulnerabilities, or block threats.

It's important to note that Cisco published this report before it finished its research into VPNFilter. That's because the company detected a spike in the rate with which the malware was infecting new devices on May 8, with "almost all" of the newly infected devices being located in Ukraine. Another spike occurred on May 17. Cisco decided to reveal VPNFilter's existence before finishing its research because of these spikes.

A Big Problem Borne Of Many Small Ones

Remember that VPNFilter doesn't rely on new vulnerabilities in networking or NAS products. Instead, the malware spread by taking advantage of a bunch of known flaws that simply haven't been fixed, either because the product makers didn't fix them, or device owners didn't install them. The reason why doesn't matter--what matters is that VPNFilter provides another example of how small vulnerabilities can grow in importance.

This is why experts keep advising companies to stay on top of their products' security, telling consumers to stay up-to-date with security patches, and pleading with regulators to force action on these issues. VPNFilter poses a very real threat to hundreds of thousands of people, many of them in the already embattled Ukraine, and there isn't anything just one company will be able to do to address this threat. It takes a village.

Cisco said in its blog post:

While the threat to IoT devices is nothing new, the fact that these devices are being used by advanced nation-state actors to conduct cyber operations, which could potentially result in the destruction of the device, has greatly increased the urgency of dealing with this issue. We call on the entire security community to join us in aggressively countering this threat.

Trustwave revealed two security vulnerabilities that can be exploited to reveal the password used to secure Netgear routers. This password could be used to gain total control over the router, which could in turn be used to compromise other devices on the network or to attack online infrastructure.

The security flaw was discovered in April 2016. Trustwave said it contacted Netgear about the vulnerabilities several times over the course of nine months without response. Meanwhile, the list of affected models rose from 18 to 31, and the company discovered that an LG router using Netgear firmware was also vulnerable to attack. Compromising these devices would be trivial: The researcher who found the flaw, Simon Kenin, said in a blog post that he's "not a great programmer" but that even he could exploit these vulnerabilities in several different Netgear products with his flawed code.

The good news was that Kenin's exploit usually required physical access to a router, which would make it hard for hackers to take advantage of the problem on a large scale. The bad news was that people could enable remote access to their routers, which meant the vulnerabilities could be exploited from anywhere in the world, so it could still make Netgear routers a prime target. Kenin said Trustwave has found more than 10,000 remotely accessible routers vulnerable to this attack--and that "the real number of affected devices is probably in the hundreds of thousands, if not over a million."

Netgear responded to Trustwave just days before the vulnerabilities were revealed to the public. It has released firmware updates for several vulnerable routers, said it's working on patches for other models, and informed users of a workaround that would prevent their devices from being taken over. But until these problems are fixed--people might not update their router's firmware or know about the workaround--Kenin said vulnerable routers could be "infected and ultimately used as bots" or easily used to "further infect machines on the network." That's bad news for both Netgear and its customers.

This is just the latest problem found in the company's routers. Critical security vulnerabilities that could allow Netgear routers to be taken over by hackers were revealed in December 2016. The company responded by quickly releasing firmware updates and introducing a bug bounty program. The program was something of a mea culpa: Netgear was informed of these vulnerabilities in August 2016, but the disclosure slipped through the cracks in its system, much like the repeated warnings from Trustwave appeared to. Kenin said this bug bounty program helped restore his trust in Netgear:

Luckily NETGEAR did eventually get back to us right before we were set to disclose these vulnerabilities publicly. We were a little skeptical since our experience to date matched that of other third-party vulnerability researchers that have tried to responsibly disclose to NETGEAR only to be met with frustration. [...] Two changes helped sway our opinion. The first was that NETGEAR committed to pushing out firmware to the currently unpatched models on an aggressive timeline. The second change made us more confident that NETGEAR was not just serious about patching these vulnerabilities, but serious about changing how they handle third-party disclosure in general. That change was their commitment to Bugcrowd (https://bugcrowd.com/netgear), a popular third-party vendor that helps to vet research, provides oversight for the patching process and provides bug bounty rewards to help to motivate third-party researchers. We fully expect this move will not only smooth the relationship between third-party researchers and NETGEAR, but, in the end, will result in a more secure line of products and services.

Netgear router owners can see if their devices bear these security flaws by checking the lists of affected devices published by Trustwave and Netgear.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against D-Link saying the company failed to secure its routers and internet-connected cameras.

If the FTC's complaint is accurate, this is the latest example companies putting their customers and the rest of the internet at risk via faulty security. Hacking a router or IP camera doesn't just make it easy to compromise someone's personal information or snoop on them--it also provides the platform needed to conduct large-scale attacks on critical infrastructure. One company's failing can lead to problems for countless individuals and organizations.

Yet many companies are either disinterested in security or unable to keep pace with malicious actors. On the router side, Netgear recently introduced a bug bounty program after one researcher's disclosure of critical flaws in the company's routers went unnoticed for roughly four months. IP cameras have also had issues: Bitdefender found many problems with an unidentified company's products, and multiple backdoors were discovered in Sony's devices.

The FTC discovered many issues with D-Link's products. The commission said that basic credentials like using "guest" as both a username and password were hard-coded into the devices; that a private key code used to log in to D-Link's software was available on a public website for six months; that the routers were vulnerable to command injection attacks; and that login credentials for the company's mobile app were stored in plain text on the device.

Here's how these failings could have been exploited, according to the FTC:

According to the complaint, hackers could exploit these vulnerabilities using any of several simple methods. For example, using a compromised router, an attacker could obtain consumers’ tax returns or other files stored on the router’s attached storage device. They could redirect a consumer to a fraudulent website, or use the router to attack other devices on the local network, such as computers, smartphones, IP cameras, or connected appliances. [...] The FTC alleges that by using a compromised camera, an attacker could monitor a consumer’s whereabouts in order to target them for theft or other crimes, or watch and record their personal activities and conversations.

Insecure products can also lead to problems outside the home. Internet of Things (IoT) products were implicated in an attack that brought down popular websites like Twitter, Spotify, and many others in November, and Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology warned in December that these gizmos could threaten entire nations. Hopefully the FTC joining the chorus of calls for improved security will help make these attacks less likely in the future.

Netgear partnered up with Bugcrowd to offer between $150 and $15,000 to researchers who find security flaws in its hardware, mobile apps, and APIs.

The partnership was made shortly after critical vulnerabilities were discovered in several Netgear routers. These problems would have allowed someone to take over the affected devices with a malicious web page or advertisement--which could in turn have given them a legion of bots that could be used for attacks on popular services. The issues were discovered by "Acew0rm" in August 2016; Netgear didn't respond to the vulnerabilities until December.

That failure to patch the affected routers stemmed from a simple mistake: Netgear didn't notice Acew0rm's email about the problem. This led Acew0rm to go public with the vulnerability, which captured the company's attention but also showed attackers how to compromise the affected routers. Such is the double-edged sword of public disclosure. Often it helps prod companies into fixing problems, but in the meantime, consumers are left vulnerable.

This is what a Netgear spokesperson told Tom's Hardware at the time:

This vulnerability, which has come to be referred to as VU 582384 was overlooked in our review process. We initially became aware of this vulnerability last Friday, December 9th, when CERT emailed us, and because we had no record of a prior report, began our standard process of validating prior to making any public statements. Once it had been disclosed that the first notification occurred in August, we conducted a search and confirmed this was the case. Admittedly, this was an oversight on our part. While no security reporting system is perfect, we aim to do better, and are evaluating how to improve our response process.

Creating a bug bounty program is certainly one way to respond to this problem. These initiatives have become increasingly popular as more companies recognize that their products are under constant attack. They aren't just limited to software companies-- manufacturers like Qualcomm, auto companies like Fiat Chrysler, and even the European Parliament are just a few of the organizations that recently introduced or expanded bug bounty programs.

Here's Netgear vice president of information technology Tejas Shah on the program:

As the innovative leader in connecting the world to the internet, NETGEAR must earn and maintain the trust of their users by protecting the privacy and security of their data. Being proactive when it comes to security is fundamental to NETGEAR’s approach. By adding a managed bug bounty program through Bugcrowd, we are adding one more layer to our security program.

Researchers interested in poking around Netgear's systems for fun and profit can find out how to do so on Bugcrowd's website. Given how critical routers are to most consumers, and how popular Netgear's products are, this program could have a profound impact on digital security. At the very least it could help make sure people's routers aren't being used to conduct attacks on big websites, critical services, and other infrastructure.

(Update 12/20/16 at 9:53am PT: Netgear told Tom's Hardware in an email that it plans to release "final firmware for all of the affected routers" today. The company also updated its security advisory with additional information about what routers are affected and for what routers firmware updates are now available. Anyone who owns a Netgear router should check the company's website to see if they need to update the device's firmware.)

Netgear announced that it has released beta firmware updates for routers with critical security vulnerabilities. The company also said the problem was more far-reaching than expected, and that a security researcher's warning about the issue from August slipped through its reporting system's cracks.

The security issue could have allowed anyone to completely take over affected routers with a malicious website or advertisement. At first, the problem was thought to be present only in R6400 and R7000 routers; then it expanded to include R8000; and now, Netgear has added other models to the list. As the company discovers more products affected by this vulnerability, at least, it's also swiftly releasing firmware updates to improve their security.

"Acew0rm" on Twitter discovered the security problem in August. They said that they emailed Netgear about the vulnerability but never received a response. The company didn't acknowledge the issue until CERT released a warning to consumers telling them to immediately stop using the affected devices. Four months passed between the first disclosure and Netgear's acknowledgement of the vulnerability, and Netgear knows that's unacceptable.

Here's what a Netgear spokesperson told Tom's Hardware in an email:

This vulnerability, which has come to be referred to as VU 582384 was overlooked in our review process. We initially became aware of this vulnerability last Friday, December 9th, when CERT emailed us, and because we had no record of a prior report, began our standard process of validating prior to making any public statements. Once it had been disclosed that the first notification occurred in August, we conducted a search and confirmed this was the case. Admittedly, this was an oversight on our part. While no security reporting system is perfect, we aim to do better, and are evaluating how to improve our response process.

Netgear has now acted swiftly to address the problem. It's released beta firmware updates for 11 models of its routers in just a few days. If the patch resolves the issue, the company might have plugged a hole in its security that could have put its customers and the rest of the internet at risk. Still, this shows that even companies with the proper systems in place can miss vulnerabilities and demonstrates how hard it is for researchers to make sure their warnings are taken seriously.

The full list of routers affected by this discovery can be found below:

R6250R6400R6700R6900R7000R7100LGR7300DSTR7900R8000D6220D6400

Netgear is still looking into the issue, however, so customers should be on the lookout for any firmware updates regardless of which Netgear router you use.

Netgear acknowledged a critical vulnerability that allows its routers to be taken over with nothing more than a malicious website or advertisement. Anyone exploiting this security flaw could use affected routers as their own personal botnet, effectively turning Netgear's products into a dormant army that need only be roused and given its marching orders, which could include taking down popular websites and online services with a flood of traffic.

The issue affects Netgear R7000 and R6400 routers. It might also be present in other products--Netgear said the security flaw could affect R8000 and other models, and it plans to investigate the matter to determine the full extent of the vulnerability. CERT, which informed the public about the problem, advised consumers "who have the option of doing so" to "strongly consider discontinuing use of affected devices until a fix is made available."

The vulnerability was discovered by "Acew0rm" on Twitter, who revealed the problem on December 8. Netgear head of digital strategy and innovation Chris Salazar acknowledged the problem on the night of December 11. The support article informing Netgear customers about the issue was published December 12--four days after Acew0rm went public and two days after they published a video about the exploit, which you can watch below:

Netgear said in its support article that it "has recently become aware of the security issue." But according to Acew0rm, the company was informed about the vulnerability on August 25, which means it had almost four months to fix the problem before the exploit was made available to anyone else. Many responsible disclosure policies allow researchers to share information after 30 to 90 days; Acew0rm waited even longer than that before going public.

Routers aren't new to security flaws. D-Link had to fix a backdoor in 2013 to make sure its products' settings couldn't be remotely changed; the F-Secure security company released a free tool in 2015 so people could scan their routers for any problems. Experts have called on the FCC to require manufacturers to make router firmware open source and vow to release patches for known vulnerabilities in a timelier manner.

Yet many of these products still use old firmware and companies rarely update them to improve their security. Routers are much like Internet of Things (IoT) devices in that regard--people only care about them when they're working, and manufacturers only care about them when they need to sell more. As critical as these devices are, and despite the threat they pose if they're used to attack online services, they simply aren't top-of-mind for many people.

These sleeping armies are being awoken, however, so it's time for companies and consumers alike to start taking them seriously. Netgear did not provide a time frame for any firmware updates to address this vulnerability. Here's what the company said in its support article for its customers:

NETGEAR is investigating and will update this article once we have more information.We appreciate and value having security concerns brought to our attention. NETGEAR constantly monitors for both known and unknown threats. Being pro-active rather than re-active to emerging security issues is fundamental for product support at NETGEAR.

Waiting four months to acknowledge a security vulnerability is hardly reactive, and it certainly isn't proactive. Let's just hope that Netgear responds faster to the issue now that it's been made public. In the meantime, if you use one of the Netgear models affected by this vulnerability, it's probably time to start looking for a new router. Better to be safe than to risk unwittingly contributing to future attacks on some of your favorite websites.

We've had the Netgear ProSAFE M4200 Intelligent Edge Series switch in our lab for the last two months. This is the first affordable switch to support the 2.5GbE multi-gigabit standard for Wave2 11ac access points. Until Computex, we had no idea how to test the switch because network interface cards were not available.

In the Gigabyte suite, we stumbled across the new Intel X550-AT2 multi-gigabit network interface card (NIC). Intel quietly released the X550 series last month as the successor to the popular X540. The new X550 lowers power consumption and adds 5GbE and 2.5GbE modes.

Gigabyte plans to utilize the new Intel X550 NIC in a Thunderbolt 3 attached device that brings up to 10-gigabit Ethernet support to systems equipped with Thunderbolt 3.

Business First, Professional In 2017

The story here, though, is the two new speed classes that work over existing CAT 5e cabling and increase performance over the industry standard one-gigabit connection that dominates the market today.

The first big push for the new performance class comes from faster-than-gigabit Wi-Fi technology. The first in this new class comes from the 802.11ac Wave 2 standard with up to 1300Gb throughput. The new Netgear ProSAFE M4200 supports 8 power-over-Ethernet (POE) 2.5GbE multi-gigabit (two are 5GbE compatible) connections with dual 10GbE uplinks for eight non-blocking 802.11ac Wave 2 device deployments. The Netgear M4200 currently sells for less than $1,200 at Newegg. This product targets large offices that need high-speed wireless technology to support several users.

The Netgear M4200 feature set includes:

Eight full power PoE+ and multi-speed 1G, 2.5G ports combined with two 10G SFP+ uplinksAllows for a fully non-blocking deployment of eight Wave 2 11ac access points, with 240W PoE budget8 x 2.5G to the access points and 2 x 10G line-rate aggregation to the wiring closetTwo of these multi-speed 1G, 2.5G PoE+ ports also support 5G speed Netgear Multi-gigabit Ethernet is compatible with most major wireless and switching vendors Multi-speed 2.5G / 5G for 100 meter Cat5e / Cat6 cable runs with 1G backward compatibilityPlenum rated, slim design and mounting accessories allow one to place this switch to optimize access points placement and cabling efficiency, inside and outside the rackLifetime hardware warranty, Lifetime next business day and Lifetime online technical chat for investment protection and post-sales support.

This is just the start of the multi-gigabit roll out, and big businesses will adapt the new standards faster than any other user group. That doesn't mean the technology will stay in the medium- to large-size business arena for long, though. At Computex 2016, we learned that Marvell plans to supply network attached storage (NAS) vendors with the technology for products that will ship as early as January 2017.

Around the same time, we should see more consumer-focused products come to market in the form of routers, switches and high-speed wireless technology with multi-gigabit capabilities. We expect to see more interest in the technology as more products come to market. Multi-gigabit Ethernet is the web that ties new high-speed technologies together, like NVMe SSDs, mobile data connections, and the content that comes with it, such as 4K video and high-bit rate audio.

Chris Ramseyer is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Storage. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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Specifications, Features And Accessories

With the powerline adapters we've reviewed up to this point, we have noticed a trend that individual adapters have a slight model number variance compared to the powerline adapter kits, which include a pair of adapters. Netgear continues that trend with its XAVB5101 Powerline adapter kit. On the company's website, the adapters are listed in the home networking department under the powerline link.

Specifications

MORE: Powerline Networking 101MORE: How We Test Powerline AdaptersMORE: All Powerline Content


MORE: All Networking Content

The technical specifications state that the nano-class (more on that later) XAV5101 employs the HomePlug AV standard, rather than HomePlug AV2 like some of the other adapters we've reviewed, but is modeled for use with a GbE adapter for connectivity purposes. The operating range of these adapters is from 2MHz to 80MHz, with data rate claims topping out at 240 Mb/s. When compared to other adapters that we previously tested in our powerline round-up, Netgear's XAV5101 operates with the highest MHz range cap. Power usage while actively transmitting appears to meet the average of its peers, coming in at a reported 4.5W.

On the HomePlug Alliance Certified Products List, Netgear's XAV5101 is easy to find; just apply the HomePlug AV search filter. The product packaging specifies that the kit is HomePlug AV-compliant, and the HomePlug Certification Mark is clearly visible near the package contents list.

While there's a "Push-and-Secure" button on one side to factory-reset the XAV5101, you have to insert a paperclip into the designated hole on the opposite side of each unit.

Features

Netgear's XAV5101 includes an energy savings mode, a Pick-A-Plug feature as well as a number of security options. Through its gigabit Ethernet port, the Netgear XAV5101 enables interoperability with other devices that adhere to the IEEE 802.3 standards.

On the side panel, there's a "Push-and-Secure button" that sets the powerline network password. Communications over the powerline network are then protected via 128-bit AES encryption, which includes key management. Pressing the button on one of the adapters starts a syncing process, during which you have to press the button on the kit's other adapter so it will sync appropriately within five minutes. If you want more granular control over the powerline network membership, you can download Netgear's Powerline Configuration Utility.

Netgear also includes a power-saving mode that cuts the XAV5101's consumption to less than half of one watt. When the Power LED shines amber, it is in power-saving mode. It takes 10 minutes of idle time before the mode is triggered, so you don't have to worry about flip-flopping between active transmitting and standby.

Pick-A-Plug is touted as a way to plug the adapters into different ports for the purpose of determining the best transmission rate. The Powerline LED indicator shines green for link rates above 80 Mb/s, amber for rates in excess of 50 Mb/s but less than 80 Mb/s, and red if the link rate drops below 50 Mb/s.

According to a 2011 press release, Netgear began manufacturing nano-class adapters after recognizing other powerline adapters at the time were large to the point of blocking two outlets. Nano-class adapters are made to avoid this.

Accessories

Inside the box, you will find two Netgear XAV5101 powerline adapters in a cardboard cutout, two 6.5-foot cables with RJ-45 ends and a quick-start guide. The kit is protected by a one-year hardware warranty.

Hardware, Software And Tear-Down

Netgear markets the XAV5101 powerline adapter as a nano model, and although it is more compact in length and width, its depth extends farther from the wall than competing offerings (more than two inches). Above the adapter, there is ample clearance to plug in a three-prong cable. Whereas the bases of the D-Link DHP-600AV and Linksys PLE-500 extend maybe a quarter-inch past the bottom of the outlet, Netgear's XAV5101 doesn't extend as far.

By the time I was ready to hook up for testing, the power LED was glowing amber, indicating that the adapter was in low-power mode. Once I plugged in my Ethernet cable, the power LED turned green.

Netgear's marketing team took advantage of the powerline rate LED indicator colors to coin the "Pick-A-Plug" feature. Perhaps D-Link should take note and create its own term to describe the same behavior. Similar to the indicators on D-Link's DHP-600AV, the XAV5101's powerline LED turns green, amber or red depending on link speed. Again, green is indicative of rates above 80 Mb/s, amber is between 50 and 80 Mb/s, and red is less than 50 Mb/s. If other powerline vendors follow this trend, we hope they settle on a standard range for each color to represent.

In the picture above, the security button is on the left side of the Ethernet port, while the factory reset pinhole is on the right.

Software

For advanced configuration, Netgear also provides a Windows- and Mac-compatible software utility, downloadable from its support site. Make sure your Netgear XAV5101s are plugged in before launching the utility. Once it's running, the tool gives you a logical network diagram of sorts.

The icons in the utility are clickable, providing additional options (like renaming each device so you can tell what room they're in). If you simply mouse over the nearest (local) adapter, you see the screen above, which includes model number, MAC address, LED status and firmware version.

When you highlight a remote adapter, the utility displays a connection path, along with calculated receive/transmit rates:

I'm not sure what packet exchange is used to measure the speed, but the real-world transfer performance is drastically lower than the calculated numbers you see in the picture.

Notice the unlatched padlock on the left side of the above image. It means the devices have the default Network Membership Key assigned. To alter their security, click the lock to bring up a selection screen.

I only had a pair of adapters to test, but we can assume that if there was a third adapter, it would show up next to the one on the right side of the diagram. We would also be able to see if the calculated speed showed differently between the adapters as you mouse over.

Tear-Down

Thankfully, the screw hole wasn't hidden under any labels for our tear-down.

This powerline adapter is somewhat similar to the TP-Link PA6010 in that, instead of the adapter having a "lid" to the internals, each half contains some components. Once I finagled my way around the plastic clips, you can see where the break line is in the pic below.

Disengaging the four clips on the sides wasn't too difficult. The tricky part was the bottom, near the Ethernet port. There's a fifth clip and the depress button for the adapter sync function. I had to maneuver a bit to get the two halves to split because of those bottom elements.

Here's a side-angle view of the clips.

Because Netgear embeds components on each half, here's a glance at the other side. This side has a plastic clip as well.

I tried prying loose the black cover, but it was held securely in place and I didn't want to inadvertently damage the components underneath. Interestingly, while yanking on the black cover a bit, I noticed the whole assembly jostle. On a hunch, I grabbed the metal pin protrusion area and the Ethernet port housing and pulled. This is what the bottom part under the Ethernet port housing looks like.

On the underside, we see two chipsets. There's a Qualcomm Atheros AR8035-A on the lower-left. It's marketed by Qualcomm as an ultra-low-power single RGMII gigabit Ethernet PHY, and part of its Ethos product line (PDF datasheet available here). Other interesting marketing details include:

• Supports voltage input/output levels from 1.5V to 3.3V.
• "Error-free" operation up to 140 meters of CAT5 cable (that's about 160 meters short of this adapter's marketed 300-meter max range).

On the top left, we have another Atheros chipset, the AR1500-AL1C. It appears to be older, and Qualcomm recently re-did its website, making it harder to find concrete information about this part. However, multiple links from other sources point to the AR1500 as being a companion chip to the AR7400. According to a datasheet archive, other specs include:

• Supports HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901, with a PHY rate of 500 Mb/s.
• As an analog front end/line driver IC, includes a Tx filter, programmable-gain line driver and programmable-gain Rx amplifier. The amplifier programmability allows signal optimization and multiple country support.

I didn't feel comfortable removing the gray blocks; when I tried with a little pressure, they didn't budge.

Flipping over to the other side, we have transistors and other components covered in some kind of adhesive paste.

Test Results And Conclusion

Comparison Powerline Networking Adapters

Solo Round

We tested the Netgear XAVB5101 using system configurations and procedures outlined in our How We Test Powerline Adapters article. Here's how the Netgear XAVB5101 performs:

Oddly, the XAV5101 fared better when it was farther apart on the same floor, rather than in the same room, during our 2GB folder transfer. Even in PerformanceTest 8's Advanced Networking Test, our run in the same room barely edged out the measurement from the same floor when looking at peaks only.

However, once you compare the peaks to the averages, we see more performance consistency from the same-room benchmark.

In The Mix

While our initial powerline adapter round-up compared adapters according to the HomePlug specification, marketing trends make it confusing for end-users since the trend seems to be categorizing adapters according to rounded numbers that reflect theoretical performance. Accordingly, we're re-aligning our powerline adapter comparisons according to marketed speeds. Netgear's XAV5101 consequently does battle against two other AV500 powerline adapters, the Trendnet TPL-408E2K and Linksys PLEK500.

We begin with the 2GB folder transferred in the same room:

Netgear underperforms both Linksys and TRENDnet in our Same Room test. Previously, the XAVB5101 actually performed better in the Same Floor test on its own. But will that earn it a higher spot against the other AV500 adapters?

In the Same Floor test, Netgear outmaneuvers Linksys for second place. Let's increase the distance by changing floors.

The Netgear XAVB5101 maintains second place! Interestingly, TRENDnet's TPL-408E2K really preferred the second floor to its first floor position, even against the Same Floor test, while the numbers for both Netgear and Linksys' PLEK-500 fell a bit.

That performance degradation appears to continue in the next test, from the first floor to the basement.

Netgear is outpaced in the First Floor to Basement test, slipping back into third place.

In the last 2GB folder test from the second floor to the basement, the client/server speeds swapped dominance, with Netgear's XAVB5101 still performing worse than its peers.

We next switch from the native 2GB folder copy test to a purpose-built bandwidth testing software suite from PassMark called PerformanceTest8, re-running the tests from each position. Our first benchmark evaluates the Netgear XAVB5101 kit in the same room using PerformanceTest8 and comparing performance against its AV500 powerline peers.

As in the 2GB folder test, we see Netgear's XAVB5101 perform better on the same floor, moving it into second place.

In the second floor to first floor test, however, Netgear drops into third place as its performance numbers are almost halved.

Thankfully, performance kicks back up a bit in testing from the first floor to the basement.

In the last test from the second floor to the basement, Netgear continues trailing its AV500 peers.

Even though our testing is presented in peak values, the averages don't change this story for Netgear. As we saw from Linksys when we tested UDP throughput, Netgear's XAVB5101 adapters flood the switch, causing extreme packet loss to the extent that testing wasn't possible.

Conclusion

We reached out to Netgear for more information about the performance differences and were advised that, at this point in the product's life cycle, its XAVB5101 is outdated compared to more recent offerings. Netgear was an early contender in pursuing a powerline product that supported the HomePlug AV specification, though. As such, the companion chipset chosen to go with Atheros' AR8035-A, the Atheros AR1500-AL1C, is older than the companion chipset used in competing adapters. This could have been a key factor in the XAVB5101's lower performance numbers. More evidence supporting that theory is that Atheros' AR1540, the companion chipset used in higher-performing powerline adapters we've reviewed, was Qualcomm's first chipset marketed as HomePlug AV2-compliant, and it's capable of achieving higher speeds.

Amazon and Newegg list the Netgear XAVB5101 for around $70 although you may find it for less at Netgear with a Netgear promo code. For the same price, you can get Linksys' PLEK-500, which is more consistent in its higher performance. The Netgear loyal might not mind this kit's shortcomings, but I would recommend a different solution based on our results, especially if you're performance-obsessed. 

MORE: Powerline Networking 101
MORE: How We Test Powerline Adapters
MORE: All Powerline Content


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Matthew Matchen is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware. Follow him on Twitter @matchemm.

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Introduction

A wireless router is the central piece of gear for a residential network. It manages network traffic between the Internet (via the modem) and a wide variety of client devices, both wired and wireless. Many of today's consumer routers are loaded with features, incorporating wireless connectivity, switching, I/O for external storage devices as well as comprehensive security functionality. A wired switch, often taking the form of four gigabit Ethernet ports on the back of most routers, is largely standard these days. A network switch negotiates network traffic, sending data to a specific device, whereas network hubs simply retransmit data to all of the recipients. Although dedicated switches can be added to your network, most home networks don't incorporate them as standalone appliances. Then there's the wireless access point capability. Most wireless router models support dual bands, communicating over 2.4 and 5GHz and many are also able to connect to several networks simultaneously.

Part of trusting our always-on Internet connections is the belief that private information is protected at the router, which incorporates features to limit home network access. These security features can include a firewall, parental controls, access scheduling, guest networks and even a demilitarized zone (DMZ), referring to the military concept of a buffer zone between neighboring countries). The DMZ, also called a perimeter network, is a subnetwork where vulnerable processes like mail, Web and FTP servers can be placed so that, if it is breached, the rest of the network isn't compromised. The firewall is a core component in today's story. In fact, what differentiates a wireless router from a dedicated switch or wireless access point is the firewall. Although Windows has its own software-based firewall, the router's hardware firewall forms the first line of defense in keeping malicious content off the home network. The router's firewall works by making sure packets were actually requested by the user before allowing them to pass through to the local network.

Finally, you have peripheral connectivity like USB and eSATA. These ports make it possible to share external hard drives or even printers. They offer a convenient way to access networked storage without the need for a dedicated PC with a shared disk or NAS running 24/7.

Some Internet service providers (ISPs) integrate routers into their modems, yielding an "all-in-one" device. This is done to simplify setup, so the ISP has less hardware to support. It can also be advantageous to space-constrained customers. However, in general, these integrated routers do not get firmware updates as frequently, and they're often not as robust as stand-alone routers. An example of a combo modem/router is Netgear's Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi cable modem router. In addition to its 802.11ac wireless connectivity, it offers a DOCSIS 3.0 24 x 8 broadband cable modem.

DOCSIS stands for "data over cable service interface specifications," and version 3.0 is the current cable modem spec. DOCSIS 1.0 and 2.0 defines a single channel for data transfers, while DOCSIS 3.0 specifies the use of multiple channels to allow for faster speeds. Current DOCSIS 3.0 modems commonly use 8, 12 or 16 channels, with 24-channel modems also available. Each channel offers a theoretical maximum download speed of 38 Mb/s and a maximum upload speed of 27 Mb/s. The standard's next update, DOCSIS 3.1, promises to offer download speeds of up to 10 Gb/s and upload speeds of up to 1 Gb/s.

MORE: All Networking ContentMORE: Networking in the Forums

Wi-Fi Standards

The oldest wireless routers supported 802.11b, which worked on the 2.4GHz band and topped out at 11 Mb/s. This original Wi-Fi standard was approved in 1999, hence the name 802.11b-1999 (later it was shortened to 802.11b).

Another early Wi-Fi standard was 802.11a, also ratified by the IEEE in 1999. It operated on the less congested 5GHz band and maxed out at 54 Mb/s, although real-world throughput was closer to half that number. Given a shorter wavelength than 2.4GHz, the range of 802.11a was shorter, which may have contributed to less uptake. While 802.11a enjoyed popularity in some enterprise applications, it was largely eclipsed by the more pervasive 802.11b in homes and small businesses. Notably, 802.11a's 5GHz band became part of later standards.

Eventually, 802.11b was replaced by 802.11g on the 2.4GHz band, upping throughput to 54 Mb/s. It all makes for an interesting history lesson, but if your wireless equipment is old enough for that information to be relevant, it's time to consider an upgrade.

802.11n

In the fall of 2009, 802.11n was ratified, paving the way for one device to operate on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Speeds topped out at 600 Mb/s. With N600 and N900 gear, two separate service set identifiers (SSIDs) were transmitted—one on 2.4GHz and the other on 5GHz—while less expensive N150 and N300 routers cut costs by transmitting only on the 2.4GHz band.

Wireless N networking introduced an important advancement called MIMO, an acronym for "multiple input/multiple output." This technology divides the data stream between multiple antennas. We'll go into more depth on MIMO shortly.

If you're satisfied with the performance of your N wireless gear, then hold onto it for now. After all, it does still exceed the maximum throughput offered by most ISPs. Here are some examples of available 802.11n product speeds:

802.11ac

The 802.11ac standard, also known as Wireless AC, was released in January 2014. It broadcasts and receives on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but the 2.4GHz frequency on an 802.11ac router is really a carryover of 802.11n. That older standard maxed out at 150 Mb/s on each spatial stream, with up to four simultaneous streams, for a total throughput of 600 Mb/s.

In 802.11ac MIMO was also refined with increased channel bandwidth and support for up to eight spatial streams. Beamforming was introduced with Wireless N gear, but it was proprietary, and with AC, it was standardized to work across different manufacturers' products. Beamforming is a technology designed to optimize the transmission of Wi-Fi around obstacles by using the antennas to direct and focus the transmission to where it is needed.

With 802.11ac firmly established as the current Wi-Fi standard, enthusiasts shopping for routers should consider one of these devices, as they offer a host of improvements over N gear. Here are some examples of available 802.11ac product speeds:

The maximum throughput achieved is the same on AC1900 and AC3200 for both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The difference is that AC3200 can transmit two simultaneous 5GHz networks to achieve such a high total throughput.

The latest wireless standard with products currently hitting the market is 802.11ac Wave 2. It implements multiple-user, multiple-input, multiple-output, popularly referred to as MU-MIMO. In broad terms, this technology provides dedicated bandwidth to more devices than was previously possible.

Wi-Fi Features

SU-MIMO And MU-MIMO

Multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), first seen on 802.11n devices, takes advantage of a radio phenomenon known as multipath propagation, which increases the range and speed of Wi-Fi. Multipath propagation is based on the ability of a radio signal to take slightly different pathways between the router and client, including bouncing off intervening objects as well as floors and ceilings. With multiple antennas on both the router as well as the client—and provided they both support MIMO—then using antenna diversity can combine simultaneous data streams to increase throughput.

When MIMO was originally implemented, it was SU-MIMO, designed for a Single User. In SU-MIMO, all of the router's bandwidth is devoted to a single client, maximizing throughput to that one device. While this is certainly useful, today's routers communicate with multiple clients at one time, limiting the SU-MIMO's technology's utility.

The next step in MIMO's evolution is MU-MIMO, which stands for Multiple User-MIMO. Whereas SU-MIMO was restricted to a single client, MU-MIMO can now extend the benefit to up to four. The first MU-MIMO router released, the Linksys EA8500, features four external antennas that facilitate MU-MIMO technology allowing the router to provide four simultaneous continuous data streams to clients.

Before MU-MIMO, a Wi-Fi network was the equivalent of a wired network connected through a hub. This was inefficient; a lot of bandwidth is wasted when data is sent to clients that don't need it. With MU-MIMO, the wireless network becomes the equivalent of a wired network controlled by a switch. With data transmission able to occur simultaneously across multiple channels, it is significantly faster, and the next client can "talk" sooner. Therefore, just as the transition from hub to switch was a huge leap forward for wired networks, so will MU-MIMO be for wireless technology.

Beamforming

Beamforming was originally implemented in 802.11n, but was not standardized between routers and clients; it essentially did not work between different manufacturers' products. This was rectified with 802.11ac, and now beamforming works across different manufacturers' gear.

What beamforming does is, rather than have the router transmit its Wi-Fi signal in all directions, it allows the router to focus the signal to where it is needed to increase its strength. Using light as an analogy, beamforming takes the camping lantern and turns it into a flashlight that focuses its beam. In some cases, the Wi-Fi client can also support beamforming to focus the signal of the client back to the router.

While beamforming is implemented in 802.11ac, manufacturers are still allowed to innovate in their own way. For example, Netgear offers Beamforming+ in some of its devices, which enhances throughput and range between the router and client when they are both Netgear products and support Beamforming+.

Other Wi-Fi Features

When folks visit your house, they often want to jump on your wireless network, whether to save on cellular data costs or to connect a notebook/tablet. Rather than hand out your Wi-Fi password, try configuring a Guest Network. This facilitates access to network bandwidth, while keeping guests off of other networked resources. In a way, the Guest Network is a security feature, and feature-rich routers offer this option.

Another feature to look for is QoS, which stands for Quality of Service. This capability serves to prioritize network traffic from the router to a client. It's particularly useful in situations where a continuous data stream is required; for example, with services like Netflix or multi-player games. In fact, routers advertised as gaming-optimized typically include provisions for QoS, though you can find the functionality on non-gaming routers as well.

Another option is Parental Control, which allows you to act as an administrator for the network, controlling your child's Internet access. The limits can include blocking certain websites, as well as shutting down network access at bedtime.

Wireless Router Security

There are two types of firewalls: hardware and software. Microsoft's Windows operating system has a software firewall built into it. Third-party firewalls can be installed as well. Unfortunately, these only protect the device they're installed on. While they're an essential part of a Windows-based PC, the rest of your network is otherwise exposed.

An essential function of the router is its hardware firewall, known as a network perimeter firewall. The router serves to block incoming traffic that was not requested, thereby operating as an initial line of defense. In an enterprise setup, the hardware firewall is a dedicated box; in a residential router, it's integrated.

A router is also designed to look for the address source in packets traveling over the network, relating them to address requests. When the packets aren't requested, the firewall rejects them. In addition, a router can apply filtering policies, using rules to allow and restrict packets before they traverse the home network. The rules consider the source of a packet's IP address and its destination. Moreover, packets are matched to the port they should be on. This is all done at the router to keep unwanted data off the home network.

The wireless router is responsible for the Wi-Fi signal's security, too. There are various protocols for this, including WEP, WPA and WPA2. WEP, which stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, is the oldest standard, dating back to 1999. It uses 64-bit, and subsequently 128-bit encryption. As a result of its fixed key, WEP is widely considered quite insecure. Back in 2005, the FBI showed how WEP could be broken in minutes using publicly available software.

WEP was supplanted by WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) featuring 256-bit encryption. Addressing the significant shortcoming of WEP, a fixed key, WPA's improvement was based on the Temporal Key Integrity Program (TKIP). This security protocol uses a per-packet key system that offers a significant upgrade over WEP. WPA for home routers is implemented as WPA-PSK, which uses a pre-shared key (PSK, better known as the Wi-Fi password that folks tend to lose and forget). While the security of WPA-PSK via TKIP was definitely better than WEP, it also proved vulnerable to attack and is not considered secure.

Introduced in 2006, WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) is the more robust security specification. Like its predecessor, WPA2 uses a pre-shared key. However, unlike WPA's TKIP, WPA2 utilizes AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), a standard approved by the NSA for use with top secret information.

Any modern router will support all of these security standards for the purpose of compatibility, as none of them are new, but ideally, you want to configure your router to employ WPA2/AES. There is no WPA3 on the horizon because WPA2 is still considered secure. However, there are published methods for compromising it, so accept that no network is impenetrable.

All of these Wi-Fi security standards rely on your choice of a strong password. It used to be that an eight-character sequence was considered sufficient. But given the compute power available today (particularly from GPUs), even longer passwords are sometimes recommended. Use a combination of numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and special characters. The password should also avoid dictionary words or easy substitutions, such as "p@$$word," or simple additions—for example, "password123" or "passwordabc."

While most enthusiasts know to change the router's Wi-Fi password from its factory default, not everyone knows to change the router's admin password, thus inviting anyone to come along and manipulate the router's settings. Use a different password for the Wi-Fi network and router log-in page.

In the event that you lose your password, don't fret. Simply reset the router to its factory state, reverting the log-in information to its default. Manufacturers have different methods for doing this, but many routers have a physical reset button, usually located on the rear of the device. After resetting, all custom settings are lost, and you'll need to set a new password.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is another popular feature on higher-end routers. Rather than manually typing in a password, WPS lets you press a button on the router and adapter, triggering a brief discovery period. Another approach is the WPS PIN method, which facilitates discovery through the entry of a short code on either the router or client. It's vulnerable to brute-force attack, though, so many enthusiasts recommend simply disabling WPS altogether.

Software

Web And Mobile Interfaces

Wireless routers are typically controlled through a software interface built into their firmware, which can be accessed through the router's network address. Through this interface you can enable the router's features, define the parameters and configure security settings. Routers employ a variety of custom operating environments, though most are Web-based. Some manufacturers do offer smartphone-enabled apps for iOS and Android, too. Here's is an example of a software interface for the Netis WF2780, seen on a Windows desktop. While not easy to use for amateurs, it does allow for control over all the settings. Here we can see the Bandwidth Control Configuration in the Advanced Settings.

Routers offer a wide range of features, and each vendor has its own set of unique capabilities. Overall, though, they do share generally similar feature sets, including:

• Quick Setup: For the less experienced user, Quick Setup is quite useful. This gets the device up and running with pre-configured settings, and does not require advanced networking knowledge. Of course, experienced users will want more control.

• Wireless Configuration: This setting allows channel configuration. In some cases, the router's power can be adjusted, depending on the application. Finally, the RF bandwidth can be selected as well. Analogous settings for 5GHz are available on a separate page.

• Guest Network: The router software will provide the option to set up a separate Guest Network. This has the advantage of allowing visitors to use your Internet, without getting access to the entire network.

• Security: This is where the SSIDs for each of the configured networks, as well as their passwords, can be configured.

• Bandwidth Control: Since there is limited bandwidth, it can be controlled to provide the best experience for all (or at least the one who pays the bills). The amount of bandwidth that any user has, both on the download and upload sides, can be limited so one user does not monopolize all the bandwidth.

• System Tools: Using this collection of tools, the router's firmware can be upgraded and the time settings specified. This also provides a log of sites visited and stats on bandwidth used.

Here is a screenshot of a mobile app called QRSMobile for Android, which can simplify the setup of a wireless router, in this case the D-Link 820L.

This screenshot shows the smartphone app for the Google OnHub.

Open-Source Firmware

Historically, some of these vendor-provided software interfaces did not allow full control of all possible settings. Out of frustration, a community for open source router firmware development took shape. One popular example of its work is DD-WRT, which can be applied to a significant number of routers, letting you tinker with options in a granular fashion. In fact, some manufacturers even sell routers with DD-WRT installed. The AirStation Extreme AC 1750 is one such model.

Another advantage of open firmware is that you're not at the mercy of a vendor in between updates. Older products don't receive much attention, but DD-WRT is a constant work in progress. Other open source firmware projects in this space include OpenWRT and Tomato, but be mindful that not all routers support open firmware.

Hardware

System Board Components

Inside a wireless router is a purpose-built system, complete with a processor, memory, power circuitry and a printed circuit board. These are all proprietary components, with closed specifications, and are not upgradeable.

The above image shows the internals of Netis' N300 Gaming Router (WF2631). We see the following components:

1. Status LEDs that indicate network/router activity
2. Heat sink for the processor—these CPUs don't use much power, and are cooled without a fan
3. Antenna leads for the three external antennas to connect to the PCB
4. Four Ethernet LAN ports for the home network
5. WPS Button
6. Ethernet WAN port that connects to a provider's modem
7. Power jack
8. Factory reset button
9. 10/100BASE-TX transformer modules — these support the RJ45 connectors, which are the Ethernet ports.
10. 100 Base-T dual-port through-hole magnetics. These are designed for IEEE802.3u (Ethernet ports).
11. Memory chip (DRAM)

Antenna Types

As routers send and receive data across the 2.4 and 5GHz bands, they need antennas. There are multiple antenna choices: external versus internal designs, routers with one antenna and others with several. If a single antenna is good, then more must be better, right? And this is the current trend, with flagship routers like the Nighthawk X6 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router featuring as many as six antennas, which can each be fine-tuned in terms of positioning to optimize performance. A setup like that facilitates three simultaneous network signals: one 2.4GHz and two 5GHz.

While a router with an internal antenna might look sleeker, these designs are built to blend into a living area. The range and throughput of external antennas are typically superior. They also have the advantages of reaching up to a higher position, operating at a greater distance from the router's electronics, reducing interference, and offering some degree of configurability to tune signal transmission. This makes a better argument for function over form.

The more antennas you see on a router, the more transmit and receive radios there are, corresponding to the number of supported spatial streams. For example, a 3x3 router employs three antennas and handles three simultaneous spatial streams. Using current standards, these additional spatial streams account for much of how performance is multiplied. The Netis N300 router, pictured on the left, features three external antennae for better signal strength.

Ethernet Ports

While the wireless aspect of a wireless router gets most of the attention, a majority also enable wired connectivity. A popular configuration is one WAN port for connecting to an externally-facing modem and four LAN ports for attaching local devices.

The LAN ports top out at either 100 Mb/s or 1 Gb/s, also referred to as gigabit Ethernet or GbE. While older hardware can still be found with 10/100 ports, the faster 10/100/1000 ports are preferred to avoid bottlenecking wired transfer speeds over category 5e or 6 cables. If you have the choice between a physical or wireless connection, go the wired route. It's more secure and frees up wireless bandwidth for other devices.

While four Ethernet ports on consumer-oriented routers is standard, certain manufacturers are changing things up. For example, the TP-Link/Google OnHub router only has one Ethernet port. This could be the start of a trend toward slimmer profiles at the expense of expansion. The OnHub router, pictured on the right, features a profile designed to be displayed, and not hidden in a closet, but this comes at the expense of external antennas, and the router has only a single Ethernet port. Asus' RT-AC88U goes the other direction, incorporating eight Ethernet ports.

USB Ports

Some routers come with one or two USB ports. It is still common to find second-gen ports capable of speeds of up to 480 Mb/s (60 MB/s). Higher-end models implement USB 3.0, though. Though they cost more, the third-gen spec is capable 5 Gb/s (640 MB/s). The D-Link DIR-820L features a rear-mounted USB port. Also seen are the four LAN ports, as well as the Internet connection input (WAN).

One intended use of USB ports is to connect storage. All of them support flash drives; however, some routers output enough current for external enclosures with mechanical disks. If you don't need a ton of capacity, you can use a feature like that to create an integrated NAS appliance. In some models, the storage is only accessible over a home network. In other cases, you can reach it remotely.

The other application of USB on a router is shared printing. Networked printers make it easy to consolidate to just one peripheral. Many new printers do come with Wi-Fi controllers built-in. But for those that don't, it's easy to run a USB cable from the device to your router and share it across the network. Just keep in mind that you might lose certain features if you hook your printer up to a router. For instance, you might not see warnings about low ink levels or paper jams.

Conclusion

The Future Of Wi-Fi

Wireless routers continue to evolve as Wi-Fi standards get ratified and implemented. One rapidly expanding area is the Connected Home space, with devices like thermostats, fire alarms, front door locks, lights and security cameras all piping in to the Internet. Some of these devices connect directly to the router, while others connect to a hub device—for example, the SmartThings Hub, which then connects to the router.

One upcoming standard is known as 802.11ad, also referred to as WiGig. Actual products based on the technology are just starting to appear. It operates on the 60GHz spectrum, which promises high bandwidth across short distances. Think of it akin to Bluetooth with a roughly 10 meter range, but performance on steroids. Look for docking stations without wires and 802.11ad as a protocol for linking our smartphones and desktops.

Used in the enterprise segment, 802.11k and 802.11r are being developed for the consumer market. The home networking industry plans to address the problem of using multiple access points to deal with Wi-Fi dead spots, and the trouble client devices have with hand-offs between multiple APs. 802.11k allows client devices to track APs for where they weaken, and 802.11r brings Fast Basic Service Set Transition (F-BSST) to facilitate authentication with APs. When 802.11k and 802.11r are combined, they will enable a technology known as Seamless Roaming. Seamless Roaming will facilitate client handoffs between routers and access points.

Beyond that will be 802.11ah, which is being developed to use on the 900MHz band. It is a low-bandwidth frequency, but is expected to double the range of 2.4GHz transmissions with the added benefit of low power. The envisioned application of it is connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Out on the distant horizon is 802.11ax, which is tentatively expected to roll out in 2019 (although remember that 802.11n and 802.11ac were years late). While the standard is still being worked on, its goal is 10 Gb/s throughput. The 802.11ax standard will focus on increasing speeds to individual devices by slicing up the frequency into smaller segments. This will be done via MIMO-OFDA, which stands for multiple-input, multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, which will incorporate new standards to pack additional data into the 5GHz data stream.

What To Look For In A Router

Choosing a router can get complicated. You have tons of choices across a range of price points. You'll want to evaluate your needs and consider variables like the speed of your Internet connection, the devices you intend to connect and the features you anticipate using. My own personal recommendation would be to look for a minimum wireless rating of AC1200, USB connectivity and management through a smartphone app.

Netis' WF2780 Wireless AC1200 offers an inexpensive way to get plenty of wireless performance at an extremely low price. While it lacks USB, you do get four external antennas (two for 2.4GHz and two for 5GHz), four gigabit Ethernet ports and the flexibility to use this device as a router, access point or repeater. Certain features are notably missing, but at under $60, this is an entry-level upgrade that most can afford.

Moving up to the mid-range, we find the TP-Link Archer C9. It features AC1900 wireless capable of 600 Mb/s on the 2.4GHz band and 1300 Mb/s on the 5GHz band. It has three antennas and a pair of USB ports, one of which is USB 3.0. There's a 1GHz dual-core processor at the router's heart and a TP-Link Tether smartphone app to ease setup and management. You'll find the device for $130.

At the top end of the market is AC3200 wireless. There are several routers in this tier, including D-Link's AC3200 Ultra Wi-Fi Router (DIR-890L/R). It features Tri-Band technology, which supports a 2.4GHz network at 600 Mb/s and two 5GHz networks at 1300 Mb/s. To accomplish this, it has a dual-core processor and no less than six antennas. There's also an available app for network management, dual USB ports and GbE wired connectivity. The Smart Connect feature can dynamically balance the wireless clients among the available bands to optimize performance and prevent older devices from slowing down the rest of the network. Plus, this router has the aesthetics of a stealth destroyer and the red metallic paint job of a sports car! Such specs do not come cheap; expect to pay $300.

Conclusion

Wireless routers are assuming an ever-important role as the centerpiece of a residential home network. With the increasing need for multiple, simultaneous continuous data streams, robust throughput is no longer a nice feature, but rather a necessity. This becomes even more imperative as streaming 4K video moves from a high-end niche into the mainstream. By taking into consideration such factors as the data load as well as the number of simultaneous users, enthusiasts shopping for wireless routers will get the help they need to choose the router that best fits their needs and budget.

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Jonas DeMuro is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware.
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Introduction

In our Network Switch 101 article, we defined unmanaged switches and discussed the features they provide, hopefully giving you a general understanding of switching technology.

For this initial review, we rounded up three unmanaged switches to test: Netgear's GS308, Amped Wireless' G8SW and ZyXEL's GS-108B. Each contender comes armed with eight 1 Gb/s ports.

Specifications

Naturally, there are features shared across all three models, including a memory buffer, a MAC table and jumbo frame support.

The memory buffer stores incoming packets until the switch can determine where they're going and the interface to send them out over. The MAC table is a repository for physical addresses. When a device sends out information, the switch records its address and corresponding port. The switch looks to the MAC table as a reference to see if it already knows what port to send information out of. This greatly reduces traffic, so the switch is not flooded entirely once physical addresses are known. Jumbo frames are Ethernet frames that contain more than 1500 bytes, with 9000 bytes tending to be used as a conventional MTU size. Jumbo frame support can be useful for lowering resource utilization, as the switch's CPU only has to process one large frame instead of multiple smaller ones, and increasing throughput.

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Netgear GS308

Netgear's GS308 sits in the middle of the company's SOHO (small office/home office) family of eight-port GbE switches. Interestingly, it's the only model from the family housed in a metal chassis.

Features

The GS308's features include a 192KB memory buffer, an 8000-entry MAC table, an MTBF of 365,500 hours and status LEDs for system power and link connection/activity. In addition, the GS308 is compliant with 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet, and supports the 802.3ab 1000BASE-T, 802.3u 100BASE-TX, 802.3 10BASE-T and 802.3x flow control standards. The GS308's memory buffer is the largest of our three contenders. This can be an important feature, as it allows the switch to store more information before it is passed to the proper destination, potentially allowing larger workloads to be processed through the switch at once.

Installation

Due to the GS308's dimensions (6.22in wide, 4.02in deep, 1.02in tall), installation should not be an issue, even in a tight space. The switch comes with four sticky rubber feet that attach to the unit's underside. They provide a reasonable amount of grip and also help elevate the switch a bit, aiding heat dissipation. The GS308 is able to operate with temperatures ranging from 32 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 40 degrees Celsius).

The other installation option is mounting the switch to a wall using two notches on the base of the metal housing. Those notches are meant to accommodate screw heads for vertical positioning. Netgear could have made this easier, though, if it bundled a paper template to more accurately show where the anchors need to be screwed in.

Once installed, a wall wart supplies 12V/1A power, while consuming a maximum of 3.8W.

General Observations

Plugging in and removing patch cables is easy and does not require a substantial amount of force. The interior build quality is passable; pieces fit the way they should, and the soldering appears to be good. In the pictures below, we see that Broadcom provides the switch's SoC. And even though there is no heat sink, the switch never demonstrated thermal issues during testing.

In The Box

The switch and accessories are packaged securely, with every item required for installation bundled inside. There are anchors and screws for wall mounting, and round rubber foot pads that can be attached to the bottom of the switch. Also included is a basic installation guide that shows how the switch may be connected. The guide provides basic physical information, including the switch's operating temperature range, power consumption and dimensions. Of course, the box also contains the external power supply. 

Warranty And Pricing

As of this writing, the Netgear GS308 is available through retailers like Amazon and Newegg. The average price seems to be between $30 and $35, depending on whether it's on sale and/or where you find it. The switch also comes with a limited two-year warranty in the U.S. and Canada, with basic technical support provided for 90 days from the date of purchase.

Amped Wireless G8SW

The eight-port Amped Wireless G8SW is the company's entry-level product in a three-switch family. It's similar in features to Amped's other two offerings, but lacks the G16SW's extra ports, the GP48SW's PoE ports and a rackmount/internal power supply.

Features

The G8SW supports 8000 MAC addresses and has 128KB of buffer memory. The switch also supports 9K jumbo frames, status LEDs for power and link activity, MDI/MDI-X auto crossover, 802.3 10BASE-T, 802.3u 100BASE-TX, 802.3ab 1000BASE-T, 802.3x Full Duplex Flow Control and 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet.

Installation

Installation should be relatively easy. The switch fits into many areas because of its small footprint (6.16 x 3.5 x 1in). However, the Ethernet ports and power connector are on the back of the switch, which may be an issue if you want to power and data/patch runs separate.

The Amped Wireless G8SW comes with four small adhesive rubber feet that can be attached to the underside, elevating the product and helping to keep it in its operating range of 32 and 105 degrees F (0 to 10.5 degrees C). The G8SW can also be wall-mounted using two notches on the bottom of the metal housing. As no switch template is provided, the distance between notches needs to be measured out manually. Once installed, the provided wall wart supplies 5V/1A power.

General Observations

Ports are seated securely in the chassis; they don't flex when you insert or remove cables. The internal construction appears solid; all of the pieces fit snugly. The soldering appears to be high-quality, and a heat sink rests on top of the unidentified SoC.

In The Box

The G8SW and its accessories are packaged securely, helping mitigate shipping damage. Amped's bundle includes round rubber feet, a basic installation guide and a 5V/1A wall wart power supply. The adhesive pads can be attached to the bottom of the switch to provide stability, along with elevation. The basic installation guide shows you how the switch can be hooked up. It also contains basic information about the switch like its operating temperatures, features and dimensions.

Warranty And Pricing

The switch is available from many online retailers, including Newegg, Amazon and Micro Center. The average price ranges from $43 to $50, depending on whether the product is on sale. Warranty coverage is limited to one year, and if you need to use the coverage, the returned product will continue under the original warranty duration or 30 days, whichever is longer.

ZyXEL GS-108B

ZyXEL's GS-108B fits into the company's line-up alongside the GS-108S and the five-port GS-105S.

Features

The GS-108B supports 8000 MAC addresses and has a 128KB memory buffer. It supports 9K jumbo frames, status LEDs for power and link activity, MDI/MDI-X auto crossover, 802.3 10BASE-T, 802.3u 100BASE-TX, 802.3ab 1000BASE-T, 802.3x Full Duplex Flow Control, and 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet. The GS-108B is housed in a silver-colored metal housing that should prove durable and help with thermal performance.

Installation

You shouldn't have any trouble installing the compact GS-108B, which measures 6.46 x 3.86 x 1.02 inches. However, the GS-108B's data ports and power connector are located on the back of the switch; as with Amped's G8SW switch, this could be an issue if you want to separate the cables. Four adhesive rubber feet can be securely attached to the bottom of the chassis for a bit of elevation, providing a non-slip base. Wall mounting is also an option, with two notches cut out on the underside of the metal housing. A wall wart adapter supplies 9V/0.85A power.

General Observations

The switch ports fit securely within the case, and we didn't notice any flex after repeatedly inserting and removing cables. Inside, everything looks to be in place. A heat sink tops the unidentified SoC, which, along with the metal enclosure, should help dissipate thermal energy. The housing is built well, though the front is covered with a plastic strip that may become scratched over time and detract from the product's aesthetics.

In The Box

The box contents are packaged securely. Inside, you'll find a smaller box containing four adhesive pads, a basic installation guide, a power adapter and a warranty instruction paper. The installation guide shows an example of how the switch can be connected to other devices.

Warranty And Pricing

At the time of writing, the GS-108B is available from online retailers like Newegg and Amazon. The average price is between $35 and $45, depending on where you find it and if it's on sale.

As for warranty coverage, ZyXEL guarantees the hardware for two years. After providing proof of purchase, ZyXEL will, at its discretion, repair or replace the product or components, or it may elect to refund the switch's original purchase price. Repaired or replaced hardware is protected for the remainder of the original warranty period or 60 days, whichever is longer. The purchaser is responsible for all shipping costs associated with the service.

Test Results

We collected four types of benchmark results in ixChariot: straight cable, point-to-point, bi-directional and mesh. The straight cable results were gathered by connecting the server and client to each other with a patch cable, thus excluding a switch. Point-to-point results were generated by connecting the server and client to each switch and passing information from the server to the client. Bi-directional testing involved connecting the server and client to the switch, and passing data between both at the same time. Mesh testing results came from running the point-to-point test, while also adding three other machines that simultaneously generate traffic to saturate the switch.

In theory, a 1Gb/s connection should be able to move 1 Gb/s. In the real world, however, hardware, software and environmental variables limit maximum performance. A straight cable naturally performs best since there's nothing in the middle to affect the results.

Once you add a switch the mix, you see that Netgear's GS308 beats out the competition in most disciplines. Amped's G8SW takes second place, most notably posting lower mesh and bi-directional results.

Our numbers demonstrate minimal differences between the three switches, except when you get to the mesh metric. Even then, you wouldn't notice that delta in a real-world setting.

Despite fairly consistent response times across all three switches, the Netgear GS308 switch technically take first place. Amped Wireless' G8SW posts a good result as well, but cannot match Netgear's GS308 or ZyXEL's GS-108B.

Conclusion

Netgear GS308

Amped Wireless G8SW

ZyXEL GS-108B

Final Thoughts

Given the number of unmanaged switches out there, it's hard to pick the right one. But with some benchmark data to lean on and a lot of feature parity between the models we reviewed, you shouldn't expect many surprises.

With that said, we believe that Netgear's GS308 offers the best performance for your money. Its benchmark results were generally the strongest, its Ethernet ports face the front, facilitating more installation options, and its memory buffer is the largest. Impressively, it's also the most affordable option in our round-up. As a result, the GS308 emerges as our top choice.

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Eric Bliss is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware.

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Specifications, Pricing, Warranty And Accessories

QNAP has two new NAS appliances designed for SOHO (small office/home office) customers: the TS-251+ and the TS-451+, and we have the latter in-house for testing. It's an updated model based loosely on the original TS-451, a dual-core Celeron-based system.

The TS-451+ adds a quad-core Intel Celeron J1900 at 2GHz and doubles the platform's RAM. The extra cores increase the NAS system's multimedia capabilities, while the memory upgrade allows more applications to run in the background. This is the new breed of network-attached devices that extends beyond storage. Many new home and small office QNAP systems fall into this category. Nobody has coined an official term for these systems, but someone really should. Continuing to call them NAS fails to capture everything they're capable of.

Many of the appliances we're seeing employ Intel's Celeron J1900 or a similar model from the Bay Trail family (with Silvermont-based cores). They're attractive processors because of their hardware-accelerated transcode engine and impressively low power consumption, which lowers cooling requirements.

QNAP recently introduced its QTS 4.2 operating system, which is backward-compatible with existing products. We installed the latest software package on a six-year-old TS-809 Pro during its beta phase and then when the release was finalized. We really like that QNAP steadily updates its OS, enabling new features. Not every capability works on the older systems since some are directly tied to hardware functionality, but that's inevitable. Fortunately, if a feature isn't supported, it doesn't show up in the software. In short, you can't do anything to get yourself in trouble.

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QNAP's TS-451+ ships in two configurations differentiated by memory capacity. We're testing the 8GB model. However, there's also a lower-priced 2GB version. Its Celeron J1900 SoC includes integrated HD Graphics and a hardware-accelerated transcoding engine. Some of the systems that cost less than the TS-451+ use AMD G-series and Marvell SoCs. Just above the Celeron J1900 are systems with Intel Core i3 processors based on the Haswell architecture. The TS-451+ falls in the upper-middle range, offering excellent single-user and moderate multi-client performance suitable for small offices.

There are four hot-swap drive bays, though you can expand to 12 with QNAP's UX-800P. While the system supports a typical assortment of RAID levels, most folks will opt for RAID 5 to balance user capacity and data redundancy. The TS-451+ also facilitates SSD caching. It's read-only with a single drive and read/write with a pair of them. The cache algorithm can be tuned for different workloads, but you'll probably go for storage and redundancy over better random-latency performance.

Moving data to and from the system takes place over gigabit Ethernet. A pair of ports allows access from two separate networks or just one in a teamed configuration. If your network can handle it, 802.11ad is supported. QNAP also enables a few specialty network functions that do not require specific hardware to increase performance or reliability.

There are five USB ports in total. The front USB 3.0 interface is enhanced by a feature called one-touch copy, and it works in conjunction with a button right above the port. Around back, one more USB 3.0 port sits just under two USB 2.0 connections that provide a number of additional features. You can quickly set up a print server or even connect a keyboard and mouse. With video output through HDMI 1.4a, you can use the TS-451+ like a virtualized computer running on top of the QTS operating system. That HDMI 1.4a output can also send video and audio signals to a home theater.

This system ships with a QNAP-branded remote control, and if you combine it with Kodi home theater software, you get a powerful combination. I have one friend who recently "cut the cord", but still enjoys live TV broadcasts from a number of Kodi plug-in packages over IP networks. Though that's not a QNAP-supported feature, you can still see how flexible the Kodi package and user-built plug-in system has become. To fully exploit the software's capabilities, you need a powerful processor. Intel's quad-core Celeron J1900 works nicely.

Pricing, Warranty & Accessories

The TS-451+ 8GB model has an MSRP of $649, while the 2GB TS-451 costs $529. Pricing is similar to competing products based on the same J1900 processor and system memory capacity.

QNAP's standard warranty lasts two years, but the company allows e-tailers to sell QNAP-backed warranties that extend coverage up to five years.

The system ships with two Ethernet cables, an external power brick, screws for mounting both 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives, a paper manual and a remote control.

A Closer Look

The TS-451+ ships in a brown box with a small list of specifications, features and capabilities printed on it. Most of these systems are sold online, so there's no real need for flashy packaging. I did recently visit a retail store and discovered NAS products from other companies on shelves in the same labeled brown box. They were easy to spot because there were so many, and they all had a layer of dust on top.

After reviewers started talking about how NAS appliances are packaged, the major players began using dense foam with extra protection in the corners. QNAP has always packaged its products well, and its TS-451+ maintains the status quo. The accessory package is even boxed separately, so your NAS won't get scratched in transit.

Inside the box, we find a quick-start guide and QNAP's 13-button remote control. This is the third QNAP product we've reviewed with this remote, and I was finally able to configure a system with QTS 4.2 and Kodi to use it. The remote is responsive, but lacks strong tactile feedback. Since it uses IR, you can easily clone the signals to a programmable remote from your home theater.

TS-451+ owners also receive two Ethernet cables, screws for mounting 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives in the corresponding sleds, and an external power supply.

If you are a fan of QNAP's two-line display, you'll be disappointed to find it isn't used on this model. I often use the read-out for initial setup. Without it, you'll have to rely on QNAP's Finder Utility to retrieve an IP address and get everything configured.

The original TS-451 had a dual-core Celeron processor and shipped in a white case with this same design. Somewhere around that time, QNAP started using more plastic in its construction, which tends to run warmer than metal enclosures. Given the low-power SoCs we see nowadays, though, heat is rarely a problem. 

A power button and one-touch copy button (tied to the forward-facing USB 3.0 port) are located on the far left side of the chassis' face.

The system has seven status LEDs that indicate power, network, USB and hard drive activity. Aside from them, the rest of the front is fairly sparse. QNAP's drive sleds do not lock, so you won't want to use the system anywhere security is a concern.

The drive sleds employ a newer design than many of the QNAP appliances I've tested in the past. In the image above, you can see that air must pass through a small hole that won't dissipate heat evenly. This could negatively affect drive temperatures, leading to louder operation if you end up choosing hotter-running disks. Manufactures are not afraid to ship six- and even eight-platter drives these days, and some of them get really hot. Fortunately, using our lab's 5900 RPM Seagate NAS disks, we didn't have any problems with noise.

One side of the system has a vent to keep the platform cool. Four rubber feet on the bottom of the enclosure minimize vibration to and from the NAS. Like the rest of the TS-451+ chassis, the rubber feet are low-cost parts. Many of QNAP's upper-range systems are built to a higher standard.

A large fan on the back of the TS-451+ is automatically adjusted to keep the system and drives cool. Without an internal power supply, a smaller fan isn't required to cool that component. Again, there are three USB ports back there, one of which supports third-gen transfer rates. Two GbE ports move data to and from the system.

The less common bit of I/O is a lone HDMI output. Over the last two years, we've increasingly seen HDMI show up in networked storage. It started appearing on high-end systems as Intel pushed integrated HD Graphics. Now the functionality is available down in the company's least-expensive models.

Software

Features

QNAP recently released QTS 4.2, its latest operating system. In it, we find support for QNAP's new Container Station, Qsearch function and various incremental updates for existing features. You can read more about QTS 4.2 on the operating system's microsite.

Feature Apps

Interface

There are so many software features that we could write an entire article just on the operating system and what's inside. In fact, we plan to publish comprehensive feature stories covering NAS operating systems and their GUIs in the future. For now, there are more native features and optional add-ons than we can introduce in a single device review.

There are hundreds of pages in the QNAP QTS operating system, but they all originate from the main screen. The icons are similar to what you find in Android; you can move and re-position them across the three default pages. Of course, you can also add and remove icons as needed.

The health check feature in the lower-right corner of the dashboard opens to what we see here. It provides a quick way to catch the latest QNAP software news, see details about firmware updates and view the system's status. You can monitor the storage array and CPU, in addition to keeping an eye on memory usage and network traffic. Another pane shows if other users are logged in to the system; you don't want to update firmware or restart the NAS if someone else is using a shared file from a remote location.

Before we even get into the applications, let's look at the system's many configurable features. Everything comes set up from QNAP to be completely usable. But you can easily change the options to create a more customized experience.

For instance, disable and hide all of the home/multimedia functions by clicking a single check-box. This helps save processing cycles and system memory if those capabilities aren't needed.

In QTS' Storage Manager, you can build arrays either in volumes or by pools of disks. The latter option, introduced a few years ago, allows the appliance to tackle storage like an enterprise-class SAN. For example, one part of a drive may be a member of a RAID 0 array, while another section is part of a RAID 5 array.

When we review QNAP NAS appliances, we use the single-volume option. Systems with seven drive bays and less are tested in RAID 5, while systems with eight or more disks are tested in RAID 6.

You get a lot of networking options, too. QNAP facilitates several modes of network teaming, including 802.11ad link aggregation. And there are a few ways to connect to the system from outside of your intranet: it's accessible from QNAP's cloud feature, a free service through a specialized website, or through a third-party DDNS service.

Four-Corner Performance Testing

We've updated our comparison units now that we have a sufficient number of mid-range models in the database. In the coming months, we'll publish reviews of Asustor's AS6104T and Netgear's ReadyNAS 214. You can read our review of the Thecus N5810 Pro here.

All of the systems in today's review are filled with Seagate NAS 4TB disks in RAID 5, and they run from a single GbE port through an enterprise switch.

Sequential Data Transfer by Block Size

The sequential read performance for every system is similar at each block size. This isn't a very stressful metric, but it does give us some idea of what to look for as our testing continues.

There's a lot more variation in the sequential write test. Asustor's AS6204T is on the first iteration of the company's newest operating system, and it clearly has some issues with smaller block sizes. The TS-451+ finishes without encountering any issues; it performs particularly well in the 64KB and 128KB tests, posting bigger numbers than Thecus and Western Digital.

Sequential Performance

Now we're looking at 128KB and 1MB blocks, charted across increasing queue depths. Interestingly, the mid-range systems we're measuring don't report higher throughput as queue depths go up. That would normally be bad. But many of these platforms saturate a GbE link at low queue depths, so that's our bottleneck.

The write tests again yield a wider range of performance results. QNAP's TS-451+ performs well, managing to saturate the gigabit Ethernet connection.

Sequential Mixed Data Sweep

All of the systems are optimized for workloads consisting of 80 percent reads. Back when the SSD 520 launched, Intel published a document claiming that 80 percent reads are typical for most client systems. Seventy percent reads are more common among workstations.

The bathtub curve observed here is what we're accustomed to. After all, mixing reads and writes presents a greater challenge than a pure read or pure write workload.

Random Data Transfer by Size

For the most part, if you don't run applications on the NAS or use the appliance as an active disk with a mapped volume, you will rarely transfer files in a random manner. Even when you send small blocks of data over SMB, the information moves sequentially. Hosting an app on the NAS is another story entirely, though.

In both the read and write tests, QNAP's TS-451+ outperforms its competition in random 4KB performance. This is important for running applications with Windows, where 4KB blocks make up a majority of the workload. The 8KB block size is often associated with virtual machines from VMWare. The TS-451+ also outperforms the other products there, though it falls behind two systems in 8KB random writes. 

Random Performance

Ratcheting up the random workload by scaling queue depth doesn't do much for performance. For the most part, these systems demonstrate fairly linear performance as the queue depth increases. 

Random Mixed Data Sweep

Under heavy random writes, all of the systems use cache algorithms to burst performance. None of them exhibit a bathtub curve as we sweep across the mixed workloads. We see very little variation until the test's end, where caching performance differentiates each appliance.

SMB, iSCSI And Standard Server Workloads

Single-Client SMB Performance

QNAP's TS-451+ performed well in the synthetic measurements, so it's not surprising to see it leading many of our real-world tests over SMB.

These benchmarks are traditional home and small business NAS metrics, where users transfer files to and from the system. For most folks, this is exactly why you buy networked storage.

Multi-Client SMB Performance

Each node in the multi-client test falls short of saturating our test subjects. We used real Microsoft Office software to record traces that run from each system with a dedicated gigabit Ethernet connection to the network. The combined workload does tax the GbE link. With some products, we hit other hardware limits before banging on Ethernet's ceiling.

We can see this happen on two of the charts; either throughput sharply decreases or the latency spikes. I like to use latency to determine the load level at which a NAS device still delivers acceptable performance. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of traffic to make a NAS fail outright. But you don't want the nasty user experience preceding that failure, either.

Single-Client iSCSI Workloads

iSCSI is the most underused feature on NAS appliances today. All of our comparison products have the feature installed right out of the box, but we rarely hear about it being used. iSCSI adds a drive letter to the volume and shows up on your computer as a local disk. It's a great way to deal with large game libraries, particularly since the data on a RAID 5 array is redundant.

These results are presented in time units rather than throughput.

QNAP delivers strong iSCSI performance, giving its TS-451+ the advantage it needs to come out on top. The throughput result is about as fast as a 7200 RPM disk inside of your own desktop.

Standard Workloads

Since none of the systems scale as queue depths increase, the snake charts that show IOPS compared to latency are nearly vertical. Only a small number of users will deploy their low-cost storage appliances in one of these single-workload applications, though the systems are powerful enough.

Response time starts out around 8ms across the board. You never want to push much beyond 100ms of latency, and 200ms is a practical maximum.

Conclusion

Even though the TS-451+ is sold as a small business model, its features are more compelling in the home, where you can really take advantage of the multimedia capabilities. To be fair, HDMI output can be used to run a virtual PC, but that's be a progressive application of what this system is meant for. We simply believe that accelerated transcoding, HDMI output and a bundled remote control, when added to a traditional network-attached storage device, scream home theater. Bonus points for connecting the TS-451+ to a receiver able to decode high bit rate audio. 

All of the NAS manufacturers have taken steps to streamline the initial configuration process. The whole network-attached dimension of these systems sounds like it could be complicated, but it's not. Within 10 minutes, you can have the TS-451+ up and running. And if you really do want to get elbows-deep, QNAP enables a comprehensive feature set for you to explore. Most of us don't sit down and spend hours setting up every capability; we'll usually configure the system and then enable the advanced extras as the need arises.

In order to make use of what the TS-451+ can do, you'll want more memory than what the 2GB model includes. I don't know where QNAP buys RAM, but I wish I was the supplier! The price difference between the 2GB and 8GB models is much larger than it should be. You're better off buying the lower-capacity version and adding your own 4GB DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM.

This system isn't perfect, though. It suffers a few negatives I've never encountered from QNAP before. The drive sleds, case structure and overall design fall short of the company's quality standards compared to its higher-end equipment. We expect to find a lot of plastic on appliances destined for home installations, but this thing costs more than $500.

The TS-451+ is also fairly redundant. QNAP's TS-453mini is nearly identical with the same processor, system memory, many of the same features, an included remote control and an extra USB 3.0 port. The TS-453mini's piano black finish also looks better, and it consumes less desk space due to a vertical drive design.

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Chris Ramseyer is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Storage. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Netgear's enthusiast Nighthawk line is known for offering excellent performance and features, and the R7800 Nighthawk X4S AC2600 Smart WiFi Router, which was released during CES, illustrates the company's intention to maintain appearances.

The newly released R7800 Nighthawk X4S AC2600 Smart WiFi Router offers performance and features comparable to the previously released R8500 Nighthawk X8 AC5300, but with one less band. The R7800 is intended to be the successor to the R7500 Nighthawk X4 AC2350 Smart WiFi Router, which was released in 2014, delivering higher maximum speed at a more compelling price.

Not only does the R7800 deliver up to 2.53Gbps wireless speeds (1733Mbps on 5GHz and 800Mbps on 2.4GHz), but it is also an 802.11ac Wave 2 enabled router, meaning it provides the benefits of MU-MIMO functionality to MU-MIMO capable endpoint devices. This means faster speeds for connected devices since the router doesn't need to service each device one at a time. Although the R7800 supports up to four data streams, since mobile devices typically have support for up to single or dual-streams, the R7800 provides up to 160MHz bandwidth for devices.

The R7800 features a 1.7GHz dual core processor, four external antennas with amplifiers and Beamforming technology for excellent coverage, one Gigabit WAN and four Gigabit LAN ports. Storage access is handled by two USB 3.0 ports and one eSATA port using Netgear's ReadySHARE suite.

Netgear's Genie app is used to monitor and control the status of the R7800, as well as establish parental controls. Using MyMedia, the R7800 may play stored media, such as music on DLNA enabled devices. Finally, the R7800 is both application-aware and device-aware, allowing it to optimize connections in a case-by-case fashion.

Netgear's R7800 Nighthawk X4S AC2600 Smart WiFi Router is available now for $269.99 through major online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Alexander Quejado is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. Follow Alexander Quejado on Twitter. Follow us on  Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

WiFi is almost ubiquitous in this day and age. Almost. Sometimes, there are environments where WiFi is obstructed. On the other hand, a wired connection can only go so far (in most cases, as far as your Ethernet cable). On the rare occasion where these common connections fail, a powerline solution may go a long way; to the other end of your home, in fact. However, the best case scenario would be a networking solution that has it all.

At CES, Netgear announced the availability of the PLW1000 PowerLINE WiFi 1000 Adapter Kit, consisting of an adapter and access point that can provide WiFi coverage anywhere through a powerline connection.

Powerline adapters work via sending data over your home's power grid. Two or more adapters are connected via a wall outlet, sending data back and forth to each other through the powerline. Powerline kits bypass the limitations of both wireless and wired connections. For example, what if you wanted to connect your wireless devices to your WiFi network, but your home is built out of solid concrete? Good luck getting any coverage, even if your router was in the next room over. Drilling holes just so you can route wires for access points would prove problematic. Luckily, Netgear's PLW1000 offers the best of both worlds.

The PLW1000 provides the functionality of a powerline adapter. It features an easy PnP setup; simply connect the adapter to an outlet and route a wired Gigabit Ethernet connection to the Ethernet port. Gigabit Ethernet speeds are sent to its access point counterpart over the powerline. The PLW1000's access point typically offers coverage of up to 500 square meters. LED indicators illustrate which outlet provides the optimal amount of performance. Establishing and securing network connections is as simple as pressing a button. The access point's two external antennas are capable of providing reliable speeds to wireless devices gaming online and streaming 4K content.

Netgear's PLW1000 PowerLINE WiFi 1000 Adapter Kit is available now for $119.99 at major online retailers and in physical stores.

Alexander Quejado is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. Follow Alexander Quejado on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

2016 is undoubtedly the year of MU-MIMO. A few products of this nature appeared late last year, but here at CES, the number of MU-MIMO products that will hit the market soon is staggering.

Traditional MIMO products provide coverage by sending packets of data to a single device at once. Even just a few years ago this was more than adequate, but in the age of smartphones, tablets and other connected devices using data-intensive applications, single user MIMO just wasn't cutting it. MU-MIMO entered the market at a much needed time. Multiple MU-MIMO compatible clients connected to a MU-MIMO router or range extender will receive data simultaneously.

Netgear has jumped on the MU-MIMO trend with the EX7300 Nighthawk X4 AC2200 WiFi Range Extender and the EX6400 AC1900 WiFi Range Extender. Both the EX7300 and the EX6400 feature four internal antennas, 802.11ac Wave 2 to provide MU-MIMO, Netgear FastLane to use two WiFi bands simultaneously to establish one fast connection, beamforming technology to increase the range and stability of connections and low ranged amplifiers that increase the quality of transmissions.

Both range extenders are wall extenders, meaning they can be plugged directly into wall outlets for discreet and space efficient operation. They feature LED indicators that help illustrate the optimal location for maximum performance. Setup is easy; simply push the button to establish a secure connection.

The EX6400 and the EX7300 both extend WiFi range up to 10,000 square feet and may cycle between range extender and access point. The similarities stop here. The EX6400 offers wireless speeds of 1.9Gbps; the EX7300 is part of Netgear's enthusiast Nighthawk line, offering speeds of up to 2.2Gbps. Its Gigabit Ethernet port has two functions: it features an auto-sensor that simplifies setup with wired devices and increases WiFi speeds up to AC2200 when connected to a wired internet connection.

Netgear's EX6400 AC1900 WiFi Range Extender and the EX7300 Nighthawk X4 AC2200 WiFi Range Extender are available now on Netgear's website and major retailers for $139.99 and $169.99 respectively.

Alexander Quejado is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. Follow Alexander Quejado on Twitter. Follow us on  Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

Cable modem routers are devices that provide the functionality of both a cable modem to receive data from an ISP and a router to send data to devices in a home network. Netgear offers a variety of cable modem router combo devices under its “C” line, two of which offer fast wireless AC speeds (the C7000 and C6300) while the rest offer wireless N speeds. The newly announced Netgear C6250-100NAS will join their ranks soon.

The Netgear C6250 is an AC1600 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router consisting of a CableLabs-certified DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem sporting up to 640 Mbps of maximum download speeds and 16x4 channel bonding, which will prove beneficial in delivering the speeds users paid for during congested hours. No more needing to fight your neighbors for your much deserved speed!

The C6250 also includes a router offering Wi-Fi speeds of up to 300 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbps on 5 GHz. The router features four gigabit Ethernet ports with auto-sensing technology, plus Netgear’s Genie and ReadySHARE functionality. The Genie app is used to control your home network from anywhere by managing connected devices and web controls. Connected media devices may play stored media via MyMedia, and printers can be accessed via Airprint. Using ReadySHARE, users may plug in a USB port to share files with any device on the network.

The cost of the Netgear C6250, at $169.99, will pay for itself over time once the monthly cost of an ISP-provided modem eclipses it. Additionally, being slightly lower spec'd than the C7000 and C6300, The C6250 is a welcome addition to the C series that fulfills a pricing segment that its bigger brothers cannot, while offering a more robust feature set than lower-end C series cable modem routers cannot. This is the perfect price for someone looking to replace their router and modem without the extravagant speeds and extra frills offered by more expensive solutions, while still providing solid performance.

Alexander Quejado is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware and Tom’s IT Pro. Follow Alexander Quejado on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook,Google+, RSS, Twitter andYouTube.

Introduction

Wireless networking reaches new levels of performance with 802.11ac — both in range and bandwidth. But what options are available to extend the network even farther, and what sort of throughput can you expect when using a wireless range extender?

Wireless range extenders represent a simple and cheap way to stretch your home network out even farther without needing to penetrate walls and run cable to the far reaches of your home. In our Range Extender 101 story, we covered some of the basics of what to expect in terms of hardware and configuration, so give that a look if you're not familiar with range extenders.

The devices we look at in this round-up are in the home or small office category, and rated for AC1200 performance. Each range extender offers essentially the same core functionality, but also includes something unique. Let's take a look at some of the contenders and dig into their configurations, features and performance.

Specifications

MORE: All Networking Content
MORE: Networking in the Forums

Amped Wireless REA20

Amped Wireless may be one of the lesser-known vendors in this fight, but its REA20 range extender is a strong contender for a variety of reasons. With a retail price of $160, the REA20 is easily the most expensive model being reviewed. But, at least on paper, there some added values we have to take into account. Of the four products we're covering, this is the only one with three external antennas: one for 2.4GHz, another for 5GHz and a third that supports both frequencies. Amped Wireless also has some internal goodies to optimize your signal, as well as one of the stronger feature sets in terms of configuration and management.

Specifications

The REA20 ships with five gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting wired clients. Amped Wireless provides a USB 2.0 port that can be used for sharing files from a connected USB storage device, though no media server support is offered. LED indicators along the top of the unit provide status information on power, the 5GHz and 2.4GHz radios, each of the five Ethernet ports and the USB port.

Included with the REA20 is a stand that holds the chassis diagonally, assisting with air flow and raising the antennas slightly (though this can get a little awkward if you have more than a few devices plugged into the Ethernet or USB ports). A WPS button is located on the back of the device, as well as a Reset button that's recessed to prevent your configuration from being wiped by mistake.

Highlights

Amped Wireless arms the REA20 with a comprehensive set of configuration options. For starters, it can be configured as either a range extender (the default), an access point or a media bridge. Up to eight guest networks can be enabled in order to expose different SSIDs to clients. The BoostBand feature allows you to configure the network backhaul—connectivity from the range extender to the existing wireless network—to use a specific wireless band.

Observations

For the most part, the REA20 is pretty unremarkable in terms of appearance. The white finish under a layer of glossy acrylic certainly won't hide a coating of dust, but it's easy enough to wipe down (or hide, depending on your preference). Each antenna rotates and articulates independently, allowing you to adjust them for shelf or wall mounting. Cooling is strictly passive, using ports on the bottom and front to facilitate airflow. The lack of fans keeps this device completely silent.

Hardware

Amped Wireless uses a Realtek 8197D SoC operating at 660MHz inside the REA20, which should be adequate for a platform that doesn't offer media server functionality. Each wireless band is powered by a Realtek controller: the RTL8192CE for 2.4GHz and RTL8812AR for 5GHz. The REA20 offers 700mW of amplification through a total of 10 amplifiers (4 x two-stage 5GHz, 2 x 2.4GHz and 4x wireless reception amplifiers), minimizing potential performance degradation due to a weak signal. The amplifiers used are the SkyWorks 50231 for 5GHz and Skyworks 65900 for 2.4GHz. Amped Wireless touts its combination of amplifiers and high-gain antennas, and claims that wireless signal strength is one of the REA20's most notable advantages.

Management

In addition to the aforementioned networking options, the REA20 enables a variety of security features, including WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA mixed and WPS; radio scheduling; and user filtering by MAC or IP address. Even the radio signal power can be managed individually for each frequency, from 10 to 100 percent power, giving you the ability to fine-tune the footprint of your wireless network. Finally, the REA20 can be configured to serve DHCP addresses to connected clients in situations where that's needed.

Accessories

The REA20 comes with a power adapter and the aforementioned desktop stand, which also allows for some cable management. Each of the detachable antennas (2.4GHz, 5GHz and dual-band) is shipped disconnected in the box, and must be installed into the proper port prior to use. Documentation includes a setup guide and a CD with a full user guide and an installation video.

Note: Pricing for the Amped Wireless REA20 has been adjusted to current price.

D-Link DAP-1650

D-Link's DAP-1650 range extender sports the most distinctive profile in our round-up, forgoing the standard flat shape for a cylindrical one. The device's design cues add some height to the hardware, minimizing its desktop footprint. But, as you can imagine, it's also a poor choice for wall mounting.

Specifications

The DAP-1650 features internal antennas for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. Four gigabit Ethernet ports run up the back of the device, topped by a USB 2.0 port. There's a power button around back, located below the ports, along with a WPS button between the Ethernet and USB ports and a pinhole Reset button on the range extender's base. The front of the DAP-1650 features two LED indicators—one for power and WPS activity, and a second to show Internet connectivity.

Highlights

Because of its styling, the four gigabit Ethernet ports are stacked vertically with the USB 2.0 port on top. That placement could prove problematic for USB storage devices with short cords. The DAP-1650's use of internal antennas, which could partially explain the vertical chassis design, also sets it apart.

Observations

Whereas Amped Wireless seems to target business customers, D-Link appears to be targeting desktop enthusiasts. The DAP-1650's design arguably makes it less flexible, though some will undoubtedly favor the antenna-less approach. Meanwhile, mainstream capabilities like a USB port are more likely to be used in a home environment than a business setting.

We would have liked to see support for guest networks—a feature that's useful regardless of the customer—but apparently, that didn't make the cut. D-Link does let you schedule the range extender's availability and manage its signal power.

Hardware

Considering all of the external differences between Amped Wireless' REA20 and D-Link's DAP-1650, it's interesting that they're internally similar. The DAP-1650 uses the same 660MHz SoC (Realtek's RTL8197D), and Realtek RTL8192CE and RTL8812AR controllers.

Management

D-Link programmed the DAP-1650's firmware to let it function not only as a range extender, but also as a standard access point or media bridge. The DAP-1650 lets you configure the channels that each wireless band uses, as well as radio schedules to turn the network on and off automatically. CAPTCHA can be turned on or off, depending on how worried you are about the range extender's security.

The USB 2.0 port can act as a media server for music, video or pictures, sending content to network clients supporting iTunes or DLNA. The DAP-1650 is also the only contender that supports the vendor's mobile app for configuration, though it's really only for initial setup. Although Linksys and Netgear offer mobile apps, they don't support the range extenders in today's round-up.

Accessories

D-Link ships the DAP-1650 with a power adapter, Ethernet cable and quick-start guide. The $90 retail price is at the low end of the range we're looking at. Factor that in alongside the flexibility offered by the three usage modes, and this could be a solid option for consumers looking for an entry-level device.

Linksys RE6500

Though the brand changed hands a couple of times in the last decade, Linksys is a recognizable name in the home networking market, particularly in the wireless segment. Its RE6500, the smallest range extender of the four we're reviewing, is a shelf- or wall-mountable unit with two external antennas. Selling at a list price of $100, the Linksys RE6500 is close to the bottom of our range.

Specifications

The RE6500 has four gigabit Ethernet ports to accommodate wired clients, but offers no support for USB devices. One useful feature that Linksys does include is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which can be used to stream music through media players supporting DLNA or Apple's AirPlay.

One LED indicator on top of the RE6500 serves multiple functions. It blinks white when initiating a WPS connection, remains solid when the connection is successful and turns amber when the WPS connection attempt is unsuccessful. Each of the four Ethernet ports has an LED placed below it to indicate network traffic.

Highlights

In our view, the RE6500's key highlight is its 3.5mm headphone jack. The ability to stream wireless audio to various parts of your house is something you could spend a lot of money on, or spend a lot of time configuring. The simplicity offered by AirPlay and DLNA makes this capability a key differentiator.

Observations

The RE6500 is roughly the same size as an iPhone 6 Plus. Naturally, we were surprised by how small it is. We do have to mention the way its screw slots for wall mounting are directed, though. When the RE6500 is hung from the mounts on its base, the device's rear (including its antennas and Ethernet ports) face downward.

Hardware

The RE6500 uses a MediaTek MT7621A processor, which is a dual-core 880MHz SoC. The 5GHz band is powered by MediaTek's MT7612E controller, while the 2.4GHz radio uses the MT7602E (also from MediaTek). Both chipsets feature internal amplifiers.

Management

The RE6500's configuration is pretty Spartan. It enables basic settings for Wi-Fi, such as SSID Settings, Channel Width, Security Mode and Password, and IP Address Settings. But it falls short elsewhere, even neglecting to give you the choice of disabling a Wi-Fi band. One option that Linksys does offer is the ability to reuse the same SSID of your existing Wi-Fi networks. However, using the same SSID only emulates a roaming function as wireless clients will still have to disconnect and then reconnect between access points even if the SSIDs have the same name. Most of the extender's management interface is dedicated to statistics, logs, troubleshooting and diagnostics—features that don't have much value for most home networking customers, but would serve as useful troubleshooting tools for technical users.

Accessories

The RE6500 comes with an Ethernet cable, power supply and the two antennas. The included quick-installation guide will help you through the initial setup.

Netgear EX6200

Netgear, like Linksys, has a long history in the home networking space. Recently, some of its products (like the Nighthawk router) pushed into the higher end of the market. And considering that the EX6200 range extender is Netgear's premium AC1200 option, we expected it to be a strong contender in this review. With a price of $120, it's certainly targeting the enthusiast range of this category.

Specifications

The Netgear EX6200 is designed to sit horizontally on a shelf or vertically with the included stand. It comes with two external antennas, along with 700mW amplifiers to boost the signal. Five Ethernet ports on range extender's back let you extend connectivity to wired network clients. Power and WPS buttons are also located on the back of the EX6200, as are a Reset button and the antenna connectors. A USB 3.0 port is located on the front of the range extender. Status LEDs are plentiful, providing feedback on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz link rates, connectivity between the range extender and the existing wireless network, each of the five Ethernet ports, and the USB port.

Highlights

One performance-based feature available on the EX6200—FastLane—gives you the ability to configure one band for connectivity between the range extender and the router, and the other for client connectivity. The problem with FastLane is that it's always utilizing the 2.4GHz radio, resulting in a bottleneck. It won't achieve the same performance level as a network leaning on 5GHz from one end to the other. Where FastLane may offer some benefit is for clients without 5GHz connectivity, since the 2.4GHz band could be used solely for client communication.

Observations

The visual design, styling and coloration of the EX6200 is pretty aggressive. With the black chassis, red accents and base, triangular vent designs, and tapered shape, the EX6200 is meant to be seen sitting on your shelf. It's also the largest of the range extenders covered in our review, though it's not significantly larger than the Amped Wireless REA20.

Hardware

Netgear employs a Broadcom BCM4708 SoC, which includes a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU. Broadcom's BCM43217 controller manages 2.4GHz connectivity, while the Broadcom BCM4352 runs 5GHz networks. Each wireless frequency is powered by two amplifiers for improved signal strength.

Management

The EX6200's configuration is pretty straightforward, offering a familiar selection of security settings and SSID options, even allowing you to enable each band or tweak the SSID broadcast. There is no way to manage network availability on a schedule, but the EX6200 will let you configure a client whitelist by MAC address.

The range extender's USB 3.0 port can be used a number of ways, including basic file sharing, HTTP and/or FTP access, media server capability, TiVo support and the ability to share a USB printer. It can even be configured for security, limiting usage to allowed devices.

Accessories

Netgear ships the EX6200 with a "Do More booklet", as well as an installation guide. The power adapter, two 5dBi antennas and the stand to mount the EX6200 vertically are also in the box.

Test Results

Because wireless range extenders are all about extending the footprint of your existing network, our testing focused on range and how that affects performance.

MORE: How We Test Wireless Range Extenders

5-Foot 2.4GHz TCP Throughput

Both the Linksys RE6500 and D-Link DAP-1650 posted respectable numbers using 2.4GHz at the baseline five-foot (1.5m) mark. The sub-par results measured from Netgear's EX6200 and Amped Wireless' REA20 leave a lot to be desired. We'd like to attribute those performance profiles to amplifier/antenna configurations (higher-powered devices posting lower numbers), but results at greater distances only partially support that theory.

5-Foot 5GHz TCP Throughput

Clearly, switching to a 5GHz network enables a significant performance increase across the board. Linksys' RE6500 retains its top spot by a wide margin. The gap between the Amped Wireless REA20 and D-Link DAP-1650 is particularly interesting, since the two devices utilize the same Realtek SoCs and controllers.

The five-foot range with 5GHz yields a perfect snapshot of the performance inconsistency we saw from Netgear's EX6200, possibly attributable to storage features offered through the USB port.

25-Foot 2.4GHz TCP Throughput

We  believe that the 25-foot (7.6m) distance is a common range for mainstream users in the market for a wireless range extender.

The results our contenders demonstrate at this distance do little to impress, but for basic Internet connectivity, they're not altogether terrible either. The Amped Wireless REA20 benefits more from the 5- to 25-foot jump than its competitors, slightly improving average throughput at the greater distance. No such luck for Netgear's EX6200, which clearly languishes at the back of the pack.

25-Foot 5GHz TCP Throughput

The effort Amped Wireless put into its antenna/amplifier configuration seems to carry the REA20 on 5GHz from 25 feet away, though throughput did drop well below the five-foot range. Linksys' RE6500 posted a respectable top speed, but was inconsistent over time. The D-Link DAP-1650 (again, with internals similar to those of the Amped Wireless REA20) performs well behind that related platform, likely because of the significant difference between antenna configurations on the two devices.

50-Foot 2.4GHz TCP Throughput

Average scores from 50 feet (15m) away approach the point of no return. D-Link, in particular, takes it on the chin, as the DAP-1650 struggles to keep up without external antennas. The REA20 from Amped Wireless continues to outpace the competition at farther distances, posting higher average throughput than competitors can touch

50-Foot 5GHz TCP Throughput

The Netgear EX6200 continues to show a split personality, posting both the highest high and lowest low over 5GHz at 50 feet. The Linksys RE6500 is similarly inconsistent at this distance, but manages to turn in a respectable average score. Amped Wireless maintains its first-place average at 50 feet.

75-Foot 2.4GHz TCP Throughput

Any expectation of performance at 75 feet (23m) should be tempered, based on the results of our testing. For basic Web surfing, you can probably get by with any of our contenders at this distance. Just don't plan on streaming high-def video or gaming competitively 75 feet away from your range extender on the 2.4GHz band.

75-Foot 5GHz TCP Throughput

At 75 feet, all of the range extenders suffer from inconsistency due to signal loss, which we'd expect. On average, throughput is pretty similar between the Amped Wireless REA20, Linksys RE6500 and Netgear EX6200. While 25 to 30 Mb/s isn't stellar performance, it should be ample for common tasks like Web surfing, gaming and streaming media.

2.4GHz Signal Strength

Our biggest takeaway from the signal-strength testing is that precipitous drop Amped Wireless' REA20 takes from the 5- to 25-foot mark, which is where its performance actually improved in our throughput tests. The REA20's signal strength practically flat-lines from 35 feet (11m) all the way out to 75 feet.

How the D-Link DAP-1650 managed to generate top marks at 75 feet without external antennas is anyone's guess. But clearly, modest signal strength didn't help its cause in our throughput testing.

Linksys' RE6500 had some of the lowest signal numbers across the board, but they most closely followed the trend of its closest competitor from our performance tests, the Amped Wireless REA20.

5GHz Signal Strength

Other than the Linksys RE6500, which outperformed its competition at the five-foot range, each range extender offered similar signal strength at our baseline distance. The signal strength of Amped Wireless' REA20 again dropped significantly—this time, up to the 25-foot range, but then maintained a relatively consistent line all the way out to 75 feet. With its size and antenna configuration, we expected Netgear's EX6200 to offer some of the best range at a distance, but beyond 70 feet (21m), the EX6200 was unable to keep up. Unlike its throughput results, which were the most consistent, the Linksys RE6500 fluctuated more than its competitors when it came to signal strength.

Conclusion

Wireless range extenders offer a convenient way to extend the reach of your existing network, hitting additional wired and wireless clients. Each of the devices we reviewed will meet that need to varying degrees, and also offer some other features you may find useful.

When you're considering your range extender choices, it's important to first determine what features are most important to you. If gaming or streaming HD video are part of your daily routine, you'll likely want to focus on performance. Music lovers may prefer a model that either offers media server capabilities or can stream audio from their media player.

From a performance point of view, the clear winner was Linksys' RE6500. In addition to boasting the best average speeds, it also had the top throughput in our testing, pushing 157.79 Mb/s from five feet away. Add this performance to a package that supports wireless music streaming, and we're big fans. The two downsides we saw were the RE6500's lack of a USB port and its minimal configuration options. But for most consumers, those aren't huge areas of concern.The REA20 from Amped Wireless came in slightly behind Linksys' offering in our performance testing, with a maximum throughput of 112.68 Mb/s at five feet. On average, though, it demonstrated comparable or better speeds to those of the Linksys RE6500 when using 5GHz. The REA20 did suffer somewhat on the 2.4GHz side, averaging around 20 percent less throughput than Linksys' competitor.

In terms of features, the REA20 was the top AC1200 range extender we tested. There were areas where Amped Wireless fell short, like USB port speed and media server capabilities. But the management interface for setting up and configuring a wireless network were far above those offered by the other contenders.

Both the D-Link DAP-1650 and the Netgear EX6200 took it on the chin in our performance testing, averaging 12 Mb/s and 10.5 Mb/s on 2.4GHz, and 39.45 Mb/s and 36.9 Mb/s on 5GHz. This performance hit could be explained by the fact that both the DAP-1650 and the EX6200 offer media server capabilities, which require a large amount of resources. Our testing of the Netgear EX6200 produced some severe performance issues with the latest firmware (V1.0.0.60_1.1.98). Rolling back to firmware version V1.0.0.52_1.1.90 under the guidance of Netgear support resulted in more consistent performance.Clearly, you shouldn't expect to reach the 1200 Mb/s speeds that vendors suggest you can hit with their range extenders, but upwards of 100 Mb/s is fairly reasonable, considering the hurdles a range extender has to negotiate when sending traffic back and forth between a wireless router and a client. Nonetheless, we're certainly looking forward to seeing 802.11ac devices mature, and we're excited about the future of wireless networking in general.

Amped Wireless REA20

D-Link DAP-1650

Linksys RE6500

Netgear EX6200

MORE: All Networking Content

Tim Ferrill is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware. Follow him on Twitter.

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Today, Netgear announced its team-up with Best Buy's Geek Squad and their joint release of the new Nighthawk DST home networking bundle. According to Best Buy, the bundle, which includes Netgear's Nighthawk DST 1900 and its accompanying DST (short for "Dead Spot Terminator") adapter, was built to its specifications, making the router an ideal home solution for eliminating dead or weak spots in residential networks.

The Nighthawk DST AC1900 Wireless-AC Gigabit Router has dual band support and is equipped with a 1 GHz dual core processor and comes with three high-powered external antennas. The router features implicit and explicit beamforming in order to increase the speed and reliability of a user's Wi-Fi connection. All-in-all, the bundled hardware runs wireless speeds of up to 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbps at 5 GHz for the router, and 300 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 350 Mbps at 5 GHz for the DST adapter. The Nighthawk DST also comes with five gigabit Ethernet ports (one WAN and four LAN) and two USB ports (USB 3.0 and 2.0).

In an effort to battle dead spots in a typical home network, the bundled kit relies on its DST Adapter. The adapter has a single gigabit Ethernet port and works with HomePlug AV and HomePlug Green PHY. To setup up the adapter, first install the router, then simply plug the DST adapter into an available outlet near an area with a weak signal and push the WPS/DST router sync button to create a new Wi-Fi access point.

Note that because both the Nighthawk DST router and the DST adapter are powerline devices, they need to be plugged directly into power outlets, as power strips and surge protectors can interfere with data transfers.

As with other Netgear devices, the Nighthawk DST AC1900 Gigabit Router comes with ReadyCloud, turning any USB storage device into personal cloud storage. Remote access is also made available using Netgear's genie app, while Dynamic QoS helps boost app performance. The Nighthawk also includes up to one year of free continuing online and phone support from Best Buy's geek squad.

The Nighthawk DST AC1900 Gigabit Router with DST Adapter is available now only at Best Buy online and its retail stores at an MSRP of $299.99 USD.

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Introduction

Despite the performance advantage of wired network connections, many of us prefer the convenience of Wi-Fi. And when our computing devices don't have Wi-Fi controllers built-in, it's hard to get any more ubiquitous than a USB-based adapter. The speediest dual-band models fall into the AC1200 standard (as a reminder, AC1200 refers to the 2.4GHz band's 300 Mb/s maximum and the 5GHz band's 867 Mb/s peak).

Check out USB Wi-Fi Adapter 101 and and How We Test USB Wi-Fi Adapters if you would like more background.

In this piece, we take a look at a handful of modern USB-attached AC1200 adapters. After all, it is fine for manufacturers to talk about rated transfer rates and range, but we want to know which products go the distance (and for this type of device, we mean that literally in terms of throughput from range).

The AC1200 USB Wi-Fi adapters we're testing include:

• D-Link's DWA-182
• Netgear's A6210
• TP-Link's Archer T4U
• ZyXEL's AC240

Since they're compatible with the AC1200 standard, these dual-band devices can connect on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi frequencies. They also work with older Wi-Fi standards, including 802.11n, 802.11g and even the original 802.11b and 802.11a.

All four products, and in fact almost every comparable USB-attached Wi-Fi adapter, support the latest security protocols, including WPA, WPA2 and WEP. In order to accommodate 802.11ac's peak performance, the quartet also features USB 3.0 connectivity capable of 5 Gb/s transfer rates, though they're backward-compatible with USB 2.0 as well.

D-Link DWA-182

D-Link was founded in 1986 and manufactures a variety of networking products, including routers, Wi-Fi adapters and even wireless security cameras.

While it DWA-182 does support the AC1200 standard, it's listed as "Draft AC" on D-Link's website, suggesting that it was not designed on the final 802.11ac standard. It takes a long time for the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) to fully ratify a new wireless networking standard, so manufacturers sometimes release products based on the draft specifications.

I was nevertheless assured by D-Link's engineers that there were no changes from the draft to final release of 802.11ac that affected this adapter, and that its DWA-182 is fully 802.11ac-compliant. We'll see how it holds up against the rest of the field. D-Link's DWA-182 came out in the spring of 2013, so it is fairly old, after all.

Specs

• AC1200, up to 300 Mb/s on 2.4GHz and 867 Mb/s on 5GHz bands
• USB 3.0, backward-compatible with USB 2.0
• Broadcom controller
• Internal antenna
• OS support: Windows 8, 7, XP (SP3)
• 802.11ac (Draft), 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11a

What's in the Box?

The following items are included in D-Link's packaging:

• DWA-182 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 adapter with protective cap
• Software CD
• Quick-start guide

Despite the DWA-182's age, we're fairly certain the hardware has undergone multiple updates. The version we're testing is labeled C1. According to D-Link's website, the A1 version was lighter at 16.7g, it came with a USB cradle, but was limited to the slower USB 2.0 interface and its 480 Mb/s transfer rate. C1 is slightly heavier at 20.5g, but benefits from USB 3.0 interface, capable of 5 Gb/s. That shifts the bottleneck over to to the Wi-Fi controller, rather than USB.

The DWA-182 has a WPS button and a single green status LED. Consider avoiding WPS for security. While the technology is convenient, there's an inherent risk to using it.

Finally, there is a user manual in PDF format on the CD, which is fairly typical these days as manufacturers move away from printed documentation.

Features

The D-Link DWA-182 features AC SmartBeam, which, rather than sending a signal omnidirectionally, works to send each device an individual signal to deliver the fastest connection possible. This is D-Link's implementation of beamforming, a technology designed for directional signal transmission, which uses an intelligent algorithm to detect where the device is and where it's going to send a focused, direct wireless signal.

AC SmartBeam is a proprietary chip-based (as opposed to antenna-based) implementation of beamforming that employs optimized drivers between a D-Link router and D-Link adapter. Of course, 802.11ac beamforming will work with this adapter and any other 802.11ac-capable router, but without AC SmartBeam's additional optimizations. AC SmartBeam only works on the 5GHz band, and only with D-Link's latest driver package. The company claims this technology increases throughput specifically in the middle of the adapter's range, but does not serve to increase range overall.

D-Link's bundled software found my home network and prompted me for my WPA2 password. It also revealed the Wi-Fi channels utilized by surrounding networks to suggest potential interference issues.

Standouts

D-Link's DWA-182, even more than the other USB-based Wi-Fi adapters, feels like a large flash drive. And not a high-end one, either. With its cap attached, the thin plastic device just doesn't exude quality.

General Observations

The DWA-182 has small slits on its sides for ventilation. They appear to be functional too, since the adapter didn't get hot through our testing.

1: USB 3.0 connector
2: RF shield
3: WPS button
4: Dual internal antenna

It's interesting that the DWA-182 employs two antennas internally, since multiple antennas are required for client-side beamforming (electronically focused communication back to the router).

Management

D-Link Wireless Connection Manager facilitates the DWA-182's connection to your wireless network. We used version 3.03.B04 for testing. If a network is not detected (should you choose not to broadcast your SSID, for instance), the software lets you manually configure the connection.

The software is stable and frankly easier to use than Microsoft's built-in configuration utility. More advanced options include security settings (WEP, WPA-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise) and the ability to set up your network as infrastructure or ad hoc.

Availability, Warranty & Pricing

D-Link's DWA-182 has the most expensive list price of the adapters tested, at $75. It is available for less on Amazon, sporting a street price of $47.88. Warranty coverage lasts one year.

Netgear A6210

Neagear's A6210 includes a number of features that set it apart from the competition. One is the company's Beamforming+ technology, which purportedly enhances speed, range and reliability. Again, beamforming is an open standard of 802.11ac designed to enhance the range and speed of compatible devices. Most manufacturers incorporate it into their ac-capable products, and it should be interoperable between them. However, Netgear says that it implemented driver-level improvements for better performance and range, which is where Beamforming+ comes from. In order to derive a benefit from Beamforming+, the router and wireless adapter both need to come from Netgear and support Beamforming+ technology. If you don't plan on using a Netgear router, don't write this adapter off, though. Our testing showed it to be adept at connecting with other manufacturers' equipment.

The A6210 doesn't feature a slim profile. Instead, it sports a high-gain antenna, which flips up to increase the adapter's wireless range. This was also the only product to include a docking cradle. 

Specs

• AC1200, up to 300 Mb/s on 2.4 GHz and 900 Mb/s on 5GHz bands
• USB 3.0, backward compatible to USB 2.0
• Flip-up antenna housing; dual antennas
• Supports 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11a

While all of the adapters support 300 Mb/s transfer rates on the 2.4 GHz band, Netgear's A6210 claims 900 Mb/s at 5GHz compared to the competition's stated 867 Mb/s. At first I was skeptical that this was just the marketing department prettying up its numbers or trying to one-up the rest of the field. But in our testing, Netgear indeed proved quicker.

What's in the Box?

The Netgear A6210 ships with:

• A6210 Wi-Fi adapter
• Resource CD
• Quick-start guide
• Desktop dock, including integrated extension cable

Features

The A6210 features an extendable antenna, a docking station, a WPS button and Netgear's Genie software.

That antenna is a double-edged sword in that it improves reception, but also makes the adapter more prone to getting knocked out of the USB port since it's pretty big.

This is also the only adapter in our round-up with a desktop cradle. Although it's superfluous for most notebooks, it is quite useful on a desktop; any adapter will work better when it gets a little distance away from the metal case of a full-size PC.

Standouts

Again, Netgear's A6210 is one of two adapters we're testing with a flip-up antenna for better reception. What makes the adapter's design unique is its flip-up form factor and dual antennas required for client-side beamforming.

General Observations

Netgear's Genie software can be used to manage the A6210. Part of its interface has a similar-looking network map as what's built in to Windows. You also get signal strength in a five-bar metric, a throughput estimate, Wi-Fi channel information and the currently-connected network. While Windows' native network settings show the same statistics, you click around more to find them. Netgear Genie, in comparison, puts everything in one place.

The A6210 has a dedicated hardware WPS button, which is back-lit. Unlike the other adapters, there is no status LED.

1: USB 3.0 connector
2: RF shield
3: WPS button
4: Dual antenna connection
5: Flip-up antenna array

Management

I installed the software from a bundled CD. It prompted me to connect to the Internet and offered to download a newer build. There is also an option for standalone driver installation for power users. The software version used for our testing was version 1.0.0.30. Since you'd probably want the latest version anyway, Netgear provides plenty of prompts to get you to update.

Availability/Warranty/Pricing

The Netgear A6210 has a list price of $70, with a street price on Amazon.com of $50.

TP-Link Archer T4U

The Archer T4U is TP-Link's current-gen USB-attached AC1200 Wi-Fi adapter with an omnidirectional antenna and a USB extension cable to help optimize signal strength.

TP-Link is a frequent favorite with our forum members because its products tend to cost less than the competition. In this line-up, the Archer T4U is indeed the least-expensive contender.

Specs

• AC1200, up to 300 Mb/s on 2.4GHz and 867 Mb/s on 5GHz band
• USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
• Omnidirectional internal antenna
• Supports 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11a

TP-Link includes the following in the box:

• T4U Wi-Fi USB adapter
• Software CD
• Quick-start guide
• USB extension cable

This is the only adapter that comes with an 80mm mini CD, which is great for saving space. But it also makes the install a little slower since the outer edges of the media can't be read as fast as a 120mm disc. TP-Link's manual is available as a PDF file on the CD.

Features

TP-Link's Archer T4U includes all of the features you'd expect, including a WPS button on the adapter and a status LED, which lights up green. The antenna is fully internal, facilitating a smaller profile than some of the other contenders. Overall, the Archer T4U's chassis is kind of square and chunky, and the plastic feels less durable than its competition. It's particularly glossy and shiny, which makes it prone to scratches, too.

Standouts

The aforementioned LED  transmits light down a strip of clear plastic. This is a clever trick that makes the output look like more than a single LED. In fact, no other USB adapter in our round-up is as bright. If you're gaming on a tricked-out PC or notebook, the Archer T4U will look right at home.

General Observations

In use, the Archer T4U struggled to maintain a consistent connection on both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. It occasionally lagged and encountered delays opening Web pages, both issues not seen from the other products we're reviewing. This translated to inconsistent performance in our benchmarks.

1: USB 3.0 connector
2: WPS button
3: Dual internal antenna (both are indicated)
4: LED

Note the lack of an RF shield over the circuitry. We asked TP-Link about this and confirmed that no parts were missing. Apparently, this design was chosen for certification reasons. Still, given the Archer T4U's instability during our tests, we have to question the lack of a component used by competing adapters.

Management

TP-Link's software can manage your Wi-Fi settings if you want it to. While the utility does not provide a Windows Network Settings map, other essential information is there, including the SSID, type of network, type of encryption, wireless mode and a transfer rate estimate.

There are also two advanced features for power users: SoftAP mode and power-save mode. Both are toggled off by default. The driver we used for testing was V1_141219.

Availability/Warranty/Pricing

The Archer T4U has a list price of $50 and a street price on Amazon of $30. Both of those prices make this the least-expensive adapter in our review. TP-Link includes a two-year warranty.

ZyXEL AC240

While ZyXEL has a solid presence in the consumer market, the company's designs often reflect industrial roots. Its fastest AC1200 USB Wi-Fi adapter is the AC240, featuring a flip-up antenna and a USB extension cable to optimize signal strength.

Specs

• AC1200, up to 300 Mb/s on 2.4GHz and 867 Mb/s on 5GHz bands
• USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
• Flip-up antenna
• Supports 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11a

What’s in the Box?

Included in the box are:

• ZyXEL AC240 USB Wi-Fi adapter
• Quick-start guide
• Software CD
• USB extension cable

Features

ZyXEL's AC240 features a flip-up antenna to improve your connection to the router as much as possible. There is a single green status LED and a WPS button on the adapter.

Standouts

The AC240 is one of two Wi-Fi adapters we tested with a flip-up antenna, Netgear's A6210 being the other. By getting the antenna away from the adapter, it theoretically decreases electrical interference.

There are reports that ZyXEL's AC240 is actually a re-branded Edimax AC1200 Wi-Fi adapter. While I cannot confirm this, it does look identical except that the Edimax uses a white chassis.

General Observations

The included CD features a manual in PDF form. There is also a section for Utilities," though it only contains an installer for Acrobat Reader.

The upright antenna did not seem to offer a stronger signal when it was raised or lowered, though it did increase the likelihood of having the AC240 knocked out of a USB port.

1: USB 3.0 connector
2: WPS button
3: LED
4: RTL8812AU
5: 5G PAx2 + 5G LNAx2
6: I-PEX cable
7: Dual-band PCB antenna and PIFA antenna

The Planar Inverted F-Antenna (PIFA) is common in the mobile phone market. If you look carefully, it looks like the letter "F," hence the name. This type of antenna is known for a slim profile and omnidirectional pattern.

Management

ZyXEL's installation process is one of the longest; the driver alone was 100MB. What left me puzzled was that the Wi-Fi settings were still managed by Windows, and not a separate configuration utility. Despite the vanilla approach, ZyXEL's driver remained stable throughout testing. We used version 1.0.0.5 in our review.

Availability/Warranty/Pricing

The AC240 has a list price of $70. The street price is $56.04 on Amazon.com, and ZyXEL includes a two-year warranty.

Test Results

Throughput

The AC1200 USB Wi-Fi adapters were tested using IxChariot, a software program that measures network speeds in a reliable and consistent manner. The goal was to isolate each product's signal strength and throughput. After all, each one has similar specs on paper, and we want to know how they're differentiated. Both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands were tested separately. The router used for testing, an Asus RT-AC66U, has a maximum supported speed of 450 Mb/s on the 2.4 GHz band and 1.3 Gb/s at 5GHz. Not surprisingly, the actual throughput achieved was considerably less than those ceilings, since AC1200 tops out at 300/867 Mb/s.

The minimum (red), maximum (black) and average (blue) throughput on the 2.4GHz band is measured by IxChariot at five feet, 25 feet, 50 feet and 75 feet and expressed in Mb/s. In some cases, such as D-Link's adapter at 75 feet, there was a large difference between the minimum and maximum reported throughput. In the line chart showing average performance, of the four adapters tested on the 2.4GHz band, ZyXEL delivered the fastest speed across the 25- and 50-foot distances, with Netgear quicker at five feet and TP-Link faster at 75 feet.

The transfer rates at 2.4GHz were at their fastest from 25 to 50 feet away from the router, and they dropped off from five feet away (too close) or 75 feet away through an interfering obstacle. While it is intuitive that performance suffers from greater distances, it's less obvious that being too close to your router can cause issues as well. This phenomenon was reproduced by every adapter except Netgear's, and the lesson is that if you're five feet away, plug in via Ethernet rather than use a Wi-Fi adapter.

At 25 feet from the router, ZyXEL's AC240 registered a maximum of 99.2 Mb/s, followed by D-Link at 96 Mb/s, Netgear at 94 Mb/s and TP-Link at 91 Mb/s. At the same 25-foot distance, the averages reveal bigger differences. The quickest average again came from ZyXEL at 67.9 Mb/s, followed by Netgear at 60.2 Mb/s, D-Link at 43.7 Mb/s and TP-Link at 38.1 Mb/s. Moving out to 75 feet with a wall in the way, the averages dropped off quite a bit, with TP-Link at 24.4 Mb/s, ZyXEL at 21.6 Mb/s, D-Link at 17.6 Mb/s and Netgear at 10.9 Mb/s.

The test results on the 5GHz band were also revealing. The general consensus is to use this less-congested frequency when possible, even if it means less overall range. In our testing, however, better performance was achievable out to 75 feet. From 25 feet away, Netgear's offering registered an average of 268.9 Mb/s, ZyXEL hit 182.1 Mb/s, D-Link checked in at 154.6 Mb/s and TP-Link brought up the rear at 139.8 Mb/s. Clearly, that's a big advantage over 2.4GHz.

Netgear's performance advantage was apparent from 75 feet away, where it achieved a blistering 238.8 Mb/s, outperforming TP-Link at 96.3 Mb/s, ZyXEL at 86.5 Mb/s and D-Link at 58.1 Mb/s. Incredibly, the slowest transfer rate on the 5GHz band is more than two times faster than the fastest speed recorded on the 2.4GHz band.

Signal Strength

We also looked at each adapter's signal strength on the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. The router (an Asus RT-AC66U) and PC (a Sony SVS13112FXS) we used remained constant throughout the testing at each distance and across the different Wi-Fi adapters.

From 25 feet away and on the 2.4GHz band, Netgear demonstrated the strongest signal at -37 dBm, while all the others were at -45 dBm. However, Netgear also placed third in average throughput at this distance. Looking at the 75-foot test, Netgear boasted the strongest signal at -57 dBm, besting ZyXEL with -58 dBm, D-Link at -64 dBm and TP-Link at -65 dBm. Again, these signal strengths did not correlate with throughput, as TP-Link achieved the fastest speed with Netgear in last.

At 25 feet on the 5GHz band, Netgear was the stand-out with the strongest signal at -38 dBm, while the other adapters reported -45 dBm. This was consistent with Netgear demonstrating the best performance from that distance as well.

From 75 feet away, while Netgear decisively reported the highest speed, D-Link actually had the strongest signal at -59 dBm, followed by ZyXEL at -60, TP-Link at -61 dBm and Netgear at -64 dBm.

Conclusion

D-Link DWA-182

Netgear A6210

TP-Link Archer T4U

ZyXEL AC240

Final Thoughts

One lesson we learned from our data is that the 2.4GHz band won't always give you the best Wi-Fi range. Even from 75 feet away with a wall interfering, the 5GHz band facilitated better performance.

We also quantified the need for good antennas. In the end, Wi-Fi, with all of its fancy algorithms, is a radio send-and-receive problem. It should be no surprise that the two better-performing adapters from Netgear and ZyXEL are the ones with flip-up antennas.

Overall, with its significantly faster speeds on the 5GHz band and solid performance on 2.4GHz, Netgear sells the AC1200 Wi-Fi USB adapter we'd recommend based on our data. 

While much attention is often paid to the right router for your network, be equally mindful of the Wi-Fi adapter you buy. With these types of USB-attached adapters available, even older PCs can be upgraded to the latest 802.11ac wireless standard with an impressive connection speed improvement, particularly on the 5GHz band.

MORE: Networking in the Forums

Jonas DeMuro is an Associate Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware.

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UPDATE: Pricing and availability information added.

Netgear has released the Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart Wi-Fi Router, its most powerful router to date and the fourth product in the company's series of Nighthawk routers. According to Netgear, this new router is its high-end solution to problems caused by the increasing number of devices popping up in today's home networks. The Nighthawk X8 comes with a set of features designed to give tech enthusiasts increased range and performance.

The Nighthawk X8 is a tri-band AC5300 wireless router that can deliver network speeds of up to 1000 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz band, and 2166 Mbps for its two 5 GHz bands.

For processing, the router uses Broadcom's 40 nm-based BCM4709 communications processor with a 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core at the heart of its microstructure, and a BCM4366 SoC that gives the router its 802.11ac tri-band support.

Connectivity-wise, the Nighthawk X8 includes one WAN/Internet port and six gigabit Ethernet ports on the back of the router, eight antennas (four internal and four external), and two USB ports (3.0 and 2.0).

The Nighthawk X8 is also capable of connecting to NAS devices that support dual port aggregation. By using two ports on the router and on the NAS, a consumer can get better throughput in order to watch stored content, such as 4K video, sitting on the connected storage device.

The Nighthawk X8 is also MU-MIMO capable. This means that the router has the physical architecture to support the Wireless AC Wave 2 technology, but MU-MIMO support won't be available until later this year when Netgear enables it as part of a future firmware update. Once updated, the router can reap from the benefits of MU-MIMO and increase the number of clients that simultaneously connect to it.

With the Nighthawk X8, Netgear introduced its Active Antenna technology into the higher-end router scene. According to Netgear, the new antenna technology changes the way that external antennas are powered by the router. By bypassing the router's PCB, each antenna will benefit from better noise cancelling, reduced interference, and better signal direction, but at the same time, it won't pull additional power draw from the power source. This new antenna tech may help in performance, but it may also hurt a little when it comes to cost. Netgear explained that it's reserving Active Antenna for its high-end wireless products, as the technology's inclusion is a significant contribution to this device's, and upcoming products', final price.

Smart Connect is a feature that lets the router intelligently assign wireless devices to an appropriate Wi-Fi band. By knowing to put older devices on the slower band, the Nighthawk X8 can keep slower devices off of the faster networks, thus letting fast devices work faster.

Two additional features that are highlighted on the Nighthawk X8 are load balancing and Dynamic QoS. The load balancing feature is tied to the router's two 5 GHz bands and lets wireless users connect to the 5 GHz band with the best availability. Dynamic QoS allows a user to allocate bandwidth to specific applications and helps shape network traffic to wireless devices.

When asked about open source support, Netgear stated it will have the first release of the open source firmware ready and available for the Nighthawk X8 at myopenrouter.com, the company's open source community website.

Other Nighthawk X8 features include remote management and access via Netgear’s genie app, enhanced parental control, and ReadyCloud which allows the user to attach USB storage to the Nighthawk X8 and access it from most anywhere through a web enabled device.

The Netgear Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router is available now and can be purchased online and in stores for an MSRP of $399.99 US.

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Netgear announced the replacement of its R6300 Wi-Fi Router with the R6400 AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router. The new router is the latest addition to Netgear's current lineup, which ranges from AC1200 to AC3200 routers. According to the vendor, improvements in the R6400's amplification, including external antennas and beamforming technologies, boost the new router's long range performance by 80 percent over the prior generation's AC1750 Router.   

One improvement that the R6400 features is Airtime Fairness. Without Airtime Fairness, it usually takes longer to transmit a packet over wireless networks using older 802.11 standards, consequently forcing newer devices to lag behind while the router caters to older, slower devices first. Rather than waiting for an older device to finish transmitting a packet of data, Airtime Fairness divides the time allotted to all devices, allowing faster devices to download at their expected speeds without having to wait for slower devices to finish transmitting first. In the end, Airtime Fairness realigns the order of how devices connect to the router, slicing the total network time between multiple wireless devices.

The R6400 can also be controlled via the downloadable Netgear Genie app available for iOS and Android. Netgear Genie allows users to setup and manage the R6400 through their phone in various ways, such as monitoring data usage, allowing and denying Wi-Fi devices, making Wi-Fi capable printers AirPrint compatible, configuring parental controls, and streaming media on your system over the network. According to Netgear, more than 5 million Netgear customers currently use the Genie app to manage their devices.

Netgear's latest offering includes three external antennas which, along with its beamforming technology, improves the router's range, and with its AC1750 speeds (450 Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 1300 Mbps at 5 GHz), it allows multiple home users to comfortably game and stream HD content.

On the back, the router contains four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, a WAN port and a USB 2.0 port, and there's a USB 3.0 port on the front.

Although Netgear presents a suitable replacement to the previous generation R6300, with added features such as Airtime Fairness and OpenVPN, the R6400 falls under Netgear's mid-level class of routers, sitting alongside the R6250 AC1600 Router. Both of these routers fall one classification below the company's fastest routers, including Netgear's R7000 AC1900, the R7500 AC2350 and the tri-band R8000 AC3200.

The Netgear R6400 AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router hits the market today at an MSRP of $149.99.

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Destined to catch the eye of those of us trying to get out of using the slow cable modem routers that come with our home Internet plans, Netgear announced its latest cable modem router, the Nighthawk AC1900 (C7000). The C7000 joins the current lineup of Netgear's home networking products that includes the N300 (C3000), N600 (C3700), and AC1750 (C6300) cable modem routers.

The Nighthawk C7000 is built around two combined processors: a 1 GHz processor used for wired and wireless networking, and a second 600 MHz processor that uses DOCSIS 3.0 to provide the company's touted fast cable connection. With a total processing speed of 1.6 GHz, the Nighthawk C7000 is the fastest cable modem/router combination in the market, per Netgear.

On the providers' side, the Nighthawk C7000's cable connection can run up to 960 Mbps thanks to the its 24 data channels used for the downstream network traffic, giving way to better bandwidth for 4K/HiDef TVs and all the other Internet-connected devices and services homes have today. Of course, this could be overkill if your provider does have the bandwidth.

At press time, Comcast/Xfinity's fastest home package is 250 Mbps, while TimeWarner's is 300 Mbps, but as cable networking speeds get faster, the gap between cable's current top speeds and gigabit should get narrower.

Out of the gate, Comcast will be adding the Nighthawk C7000 to its approved vendor list, with Time Warner following not too far behind. As for cost cutting, with rental fees for cable modems and routers costing between $8-$13 dollars a month, buying your own approved device could pay for itself at around 21 months at most (not including sales tax).

The C7000's Wi-Fi is rated up to theoretical speeds of 1.9 Gbps. Like other AC1900 routers, the 3x3 C7000 is a dual channel device that provides 600 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz range and 1300 Mbps in the 5 GHz range.

The quality of the wireless signal to and from the Wi-Fi router benefits from Netgear's Beamforming+ technology. Activities like watching Netflix, playing online games or simply browsing around the Internet are improved even when the mobile device is being moved around. According to Netgear, the router's enhanced Beamforming+ technology simply locks in on the moving device and provides a stronger, more reliable Wi-Fi connection and experience.

Additional features on the C7000 include:

• Four 10/100/1000 gigabit Ethernet ports
• One USB 2.0 port that uses Netgear's ReadyShare solution for printer and hard drive sharing
• 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM
• Netgear Genie app available on App Store and Google Play for network management on the go
• Network security – Guest Access, Wi-Fi Protected Access, SPI and NAT firewall protection, DoS attack prevention, Parental Controls and WPS

Available through major retailers in late June; MSRP for the Netgear Nighthawk C7000 starts at $279 USD.

Corrections: Fixed the specs regarding the router's processors and Wi-Fi speed.