Netgear Nighthawk Review: NextGen Router with Fast Speed - HTG
Next-Generation Home Routers: A Review of the Netgear Nighthawk
Individuals seeking to enhance their home network capabilities will find the latest router models represent a significant leap forward. Recent advancements have introduced functionalities previously unavailable, including powerful dual-core processors and exceptionally high-speed Wi-Fi.
Advanced Features and Capabilities
Modern routers are now equipped with features designed to handle demanding network tasks. These include USB 3.0 ports, facilitating the connection of Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices for centralized data access.
This review will focus on a comprehensive evaluation of the Netgear Nighthawk router, examining its performance and features in detail.
Performance Evaluation
The Netgear Nighthawk was subjected to rigorous testing to assess its real-world performance. The goal was to determine how well it delivers on the promises of speed and reliability.
Key areas of assessment included Wi-Fi signal strength, data transfer rates, and the router’s ability to handle multiple connected devices simultaneously.
Key Features of the Netgear Nighthawk
- Dual-Core Processor: Enables faster data processing and improved performance under heavy load.
- High-Speed Wi-Fi: Supports the latest Wi-Fi standards for maximum wireless speeds.
- USB 3.0 Port: Allows for quick and easy connection of external storage devices.
- NAS Support: Facilitates the creation of a personal cloud storage solution.
The Nighthawk’s architecture is designed to optimize network efficiency and provide a seamless user experience. Its advanced features cater to the needs of modern households with numerous connected devices.
Further analysis will delve into the specific results obtained during testing, providing a clear understanding of the Netgear Nighthawk’s capabilities and limitations.
Introducing the Nighthawk Router
The Nighthawk, officially known as the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router (model R7000), represents a cutting-edge addition to Netgear’s router offerings. It delivers AC1900 Wi-Fi, utilizing advanced 802.11ac speeds across both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequency bands.
This router is equipped with a 1Ghz dual-core processor for enhanced performance. It also features Beamforming technology, which intelligently directs Wi-Fi signals towards connected devices.
Key Features and Design
Advanced Quality of Service (QoS) algorithms are integrated to prioritize network traffic, ensuring seamless media streaming and gaming experiences. Furthermore, the Nighthawk includes valuable additions like NAS software and tools for establishing a personal home FTP server.
The router’s physical design is notable. It’s a substantial device, possessing considerable weight and a modern, streamlined aesthetic.
Its appearance evokes a futuristic spacecraft, complete with illuminating elements when operational. The shift away from traditional blue and gray networking hardware is a welcome change.Having networking equipment that is visually appealing enough to display openly, rather than concealing it, is a significant benefit.
Performance and Value
While offering exceptional speed, comprehensive features, robust construction, dual-core processing, and triple-antenna amplification, the Nighthawk comes at a premium price. Currently, it is available for $199.99.
The question remains: do the advanced capabilities justify this considerable investment? A thorough evaluation, involving a month of rigorous testing, was conducted to determine its true value. The results of this testing are detailed below.
Initial Setup Procedures
The process of configuring a new router is often considered the least appealing aspect of utilizing the device. However, preparation beforehand can significantly expedite the setup. Prior to disconnecting your existing router, proactively record key settings to avoid potential troubleshooting difficulties. Specifically, document details such as whether your IP address is dynamically assigned by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), the DNS servers currently in use, any static IP addresses assigned to devices on your network, and any devices—like Wi-Fi networked printers—that may require subsequent configuration.
With this information readily available, connect your wired network cables to the Nighthawk router and power it on to begin. We advise employing a computer connected via Ethernet cable for the initial configuration process. The router’s administration interface is typically accessible at http://10.0.0.1 by default.
The Nighthawk operates using Netgear’s “NETGEAR Genie” operating system, which incorporates a setup wizard intended to simplify internet connection setup. Despite advancements in automated setup and user-friendly wizards, we have consistently found the automated setup features included with routers to be unreliable. This may be due to misfortune, or simply a limitation of these automated assistants. Consequently, we had to bypass the automated process and manually configure the Nighthawk to function correctly with our cable modem.
This manual configuration proved to be less cumbersome than anticipated, as it was equally efficient to instruct the router to utilize the same ISP-assigned address and DNS servers previously employed. Should you encounter a similar situation, simply exit the setup wizard and input the information you previously recorded from your old router (located under Basic->Internet). If the router fails to establish a connection with your broadband modem, a standard troubleshooting step involves powering down both devices, then restarting the modem before powering on the router to re-establish the link.
Having established internet connectivity, prioritize essential initial tasks. Begin by navigating to Advanced -> Administration -> Set Password. The default credentials are admin/password, and should be changed immediately for security purposes.
While within the Advanced -> Administration panel, check for available updates by visiting Router Upgrade. During our evaluation, we identified and resolved minor issues by updating the firmware to the latest version. We recommend performing this update upon initial setup to ensure optimal performance.
Following the password change, consider adjusting the Wi-Fi settings. Modern routers, including the Nighthawk, typically ship with a pre-configured Wi-Fi password generated during the factory preparation and firmware flashing process. If you already have an existing Wi-Fi network with numerous connected devices—such as printers and gaming consoles—altering your SSID/password could necessitate individual reconfiguration of each device. If this applies to your situation, it’s worthwhile to modify your Wi-Fi settings, accessible under Basic -> Wireless.
At this juncture, you have successfully connected the router to the internet, modified the administrative password, and updated the Wi-Fi SSID and password. You could now proceed to enjoy enhanced internet speeds on your preferred devices. However, given the investment in high performance, let’s explore the advanced features offered by the Nighthawk.
Exploring the Advanced Capabilities of the Nighthawk Router
The Nighthawk router boasts a comprehensive suite of specialized features, as is typical of a premium-tier model. These functionalities simplify tasks that were previously challenging for users without extensive technical expertise. The router facilitates convenient access to features like a dedicated guest Wi-Fi network, a streamlined NAS solution, and secure VPN connectivity to your home network, all with minimal configuration effort.
Let's examine the features that will likely prove most beneficial for immediate implementation.
Guest Networks: Enhanced Security and Control
The Nighthawk incorporates a guest network feature, a valuable tool that deserves wider adoption. Guest Wi-Fi networks provide visitors, friends, and others with internet access while maintaining a higher level of security for your primary network.
You can restrict guest network access to prevent access to local file shares and easily modify the password as needed, without affecting the settings of your personal Wi-Fi devices. Access the guest network settings by navigating to Basic -> Guest Network.
While the guest network generally functions effectively, a single, frustrating limitation exists in its implementation. Within the Guest Network settings, there's an option to "Allow guests to see each other and access my local network". This setting is disabled by default, and it's not possible to enable only one aspect of it.
For instance, if you're hosting a gathering where attendees wish to play a Wi-Fi networked game on devices like iPads or portable consoles, enabling the aforementioned setting to prevent access to printers and network shares also activates "AP Isolation". This prevents guests on the network from seeing each other's devices. If the intention was to allow neighborhood children to play Minecraft PE together on their tablets without granting access to your private network resources, you may encounter complaints of "I can't see Billy's Minecraft world!". This is a minor flaw that we anticipate will be addressed in a future firmware release.
ReadySHARE: Simplified Network Storage and Printing
Available on both mid-range and high-end Netgear routers, ReadySHARE provides several useful capabilities. A USB hard drive can be connected and mounted as a network share directly on the router.
Furthermore, a USB printer can be attached to the router and shared across the network. The system also allows for the installation of a helper application on Windows computers (or the use of Time Machine on Macs) to automatically back up your data to the newly established USB-drive NAS.
While ReadySHARE can be configured for advanced features like automated backups and media streaming via DLNA, its basic functionality is remarkably simple: just plug a USB storage device into the router. The root directory is shared by default at \\readyshare\USB_Storage\ on your network. You can manage read/write permissions and specify shared folders under Basic -> USB Storage -> Advanced Settings.
Related: What Is a VPN, and Why Would I Need One?OpenVPN Remote Access: Secure Connectivity on the Go The Nighthawk supports OpenVPN standards, enabling secure remote connections to your home network from devices like a laptop while traveling.
The setup process is somewhat more involved than the plug-and-play ReadySHARE configuration, but it provides a secure method to access your files and network devices when away from home, making it a worthwhile endeavor. Having tested VPNs on a range of hardware, from older routers to dedicated servers, we can attest that the Nighthawk delivers VPN performance comparable to a full-scale VPN installation, significantly exceeding the capabilities of a VPN configured on an older WRT54GL router.
Performance Evaluation
While numerous advanced features are appealing, the primary concern for most users is a router’s speed and range. Router upgrades are typically driven by either insufficient speed or limited coverage, rather than auxiliary functions like printer sharing. What benefit is high-speed internet if it cannot be enjoyed comfortably throughout the home or garden?
Comparative Benchmarking
To provide context, we compared the Netgear Nighthawk against the ASUS RT-N66U – a highly-regarded, though slightly lower-tier router – and the Linksys WRT54GL, an older but still utilized model. The aim wasn’t a direct competition between top-of-the-line routers, but rather to assess the Nighthawk’s performance relative to a classic wireless-g router and a well-selling high-end router.
Wi-Fi Signal Coverage
Typically, Wi-Fi devices are mobile, and signal reach is often more critical than absolute bandwidth. In this aspect, the Nighthawk excels. When positioned centrally within a large home constructed with dense walls – known to impede Wi-Fi signals – the signal extended to the furthest points of the basement, attic, approximately 100 feet to the street, and behind a detached garage, also around 100 feet away.
Throughout the home and property, the Nighthawk consistently maintained a signal strength of -70 dB or better. Compared to the ASUS RT-N66U, the signal was consistently 25% stronger. Both routers provided complete coverage, but the Nighthawk offered superior readings across all tested locations. The Linksys WRT54GL, understandably, could not compete with the reach of the more powerful Nighthawk and ASUS routers; significant areas of the property, including the yard, were entirely outside its range. While respectable in its time, the WRT54’s performance is demonstrably outdated by advancements in the 802.11 standard.
Data Transfer Speeds
Our data transfer tests yielded some interesting results. The Nighthawk is undeniably fast, boasting substantial processing power and delivering consistently strong transfer speeds. However, a few points warrant consideration.
Reports suggesting lower performance on the 2.4Ghz band appear accurate. Devices unable to utilize the 5Ghz band experienced somewhat slower sustained high-speed transfers compared to the ASUS router. This doesn’t imply slow transfer speeds; it remains significantly faster than older routers, but falls short of the theoretical maximum expected from a high-end device. For typical usage, this difference is unlikely to be noticeable.
On the 5Ghz band, the Nighthawk performed exceptionally well, effectively maximizing our broadband connection during test transfers. Unless you have a gigabit fiber connection, you will likely have more local bandwidth than you can utilize.
Testing USB drive transfers revealed further distinctions. The Nighthawk outperformed the ASUS (limited to USB 2.0). File transfers from a portable drive, through the routers, to a wired client showed a clear advantage for the Nighthawk. While the ASUS typically capped at 75 Mb/s for both read and write speeds, the Nighthawk consistently achieved 350-400 Mb/s read speeds and 200-250 Mb/s write speeds. If you’ve experienced poor performance with router-attached storage, the Nighthawk eliminates that concern, offering speeds comparable to a dedicated server.
Important Considerations
We’ve discussed coverage and transfer speeds, but a significant caveat must be addressed. Your existing hardware may not be capable of fully utilizing the Nighthawk’s potential. This isn’t a criticism of the router itself, but rather a consequence of its cutting-edge technology. It will likely take six to twelve months for the networking standard driving its top performance to become widespread.
Currently, there are relatively few 802.11ac compliant devices available. To fully leverage the router’s capabilities, you may need to invest in an ac-compliant USB adapter. However, considering the lifespan of a router (easily five years or more), spending an additional $40-70 to future-proof your purchase makes sound financial sense, especially when compared to the cost of replacing a lower-tier router in a year or two.
A Comprehensive Evaluation: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Final Assessment
Following a month of rigorous testing, subjecting the router to demanding scenarios including simultaneous gaming, media streaming, large file downloads, network backups, and more, we are prepared to deliver our conclusive evaluation.
Key Advantages:
- The Nighthawk demonstrates exceptional Wi-Fi coverage; users can anticipate seamless connectivity on their iPads by the pool, in detached garages, or even at the property line.
- USB 3.0 data transfer rates are remarkably fast, enabling the creation of a router-based Network Attached Storage (NAS) capable of efficiently streaming video content to various media players.
- Beneficial features such as Guest Networks, file sharing capabilities (both locally and remotely), and robust parental controls enhance standard router functionality.
- Its inclusion of numerous advanced features effectively future-proofs your network infrastructure for approximately two years.
Areas for Improvement:
- The price point is substantial. The initial cost can be considerable, especially when compared to more basic routers available for $40-$80.
- The current implementation of the Guest Network system is somewhat deficient; we desire separate controls for local network isolation and individual Wi-Fi client isolation.
- Performance within the 2.4Ghz frequency band is moderately underwhelming, potentially resulting in a slight reduction in download speeds for older 802.11g devices.
- Achieving maximum 802.11ac speeds necessitates upgrading existing networking hardware or replacing older devices.
Final Recommendation:
For those currently utilizing a router from the mid-2000s era employing 802.11g technology, acquiring the Nighthawk is highly recommended, representing a significant leap in performance akin to upgrading from a golf cart to a high-performance sports vehicle.
If you possess a relatively modern 802.11n router, an upgrade might be less urgent (particularly if recently purchased), though the Nighthawk still offers a noticeable improvement over even high-end 802.11n models.
In conclusion, the Nighthawk currently stands as the premier router available, and individuals contemplating an upgrade – or operating with a device over a year old – will find substantial benefits in making the switch.
Please Note: Netgear is hosting a promotional giveaway from November 25th to December 16th. Participate by liking their Facebook page here for a chance to win a Nighthawk router, with an even grander prize of a Nighthawk router paired with an Xbox One.
Transparency: The Nighthawk unit utilized for this review was generously provided by Netgear at no cost.