Although we’re still operating with data limited wireless internet connections, we’re on the verge of doing away with hardwired internet. Today, LTE speeds exceed that of your typical internet connection. With vendors offering internet packages up to 100GB in size, many Americans have been using LTE for their primary internet connection.

This is especially common with a few specific demographics. Companies are often installing wireless internet in their vehicles. This is used for mobile technicians or salesmen who need internet access while on the road. It’s often used by those of us who live in rural communities. In fact, there are many areas that are serviced by third party re-sellers using a short range 4G network.

No what the reason, an LTE modem is much more reliable than using your phone for tethering. These devices often have higher power antennas. They also have built in WiFi, allowing them to work as a mobile hotspot.

Because this technology is so new, many customers don’t know what to expect. Netgear’s LB2120 modem is widely regarded as one of the most reliable models. But what exactly does it do? And how does it perform? We went hands-on to find out.

First Look

On the surface, the Netgear 4G LTE Modem (LB2120) looks pretty simple. It’s a big black box. Plug it into the wall, and internet comes out of it. Simple, right? Just like your phone, you insert a standardized sim card. It can connect using LTE with speeds of up to 150 Mbps, but can fall back to 4G or even 3G in areas where higher speed service is not available. This particular modem is fairly bare bones, providing a single gigabit Ethernet connection. If you’re only using one computer, this will work fine. But most consumers will be connecting it to an external router to make the most of it.

Design

Despite being simple in design, this is still a fairly attractive modem. The first thing we noticed was the size. Cable modems are very complex devices, but 4G technology has been developed primarily for use in cellphones. For that reason, it’s extremely compact and efficient. This modem can fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Although it’s almost entirely black, there is a polished rim that rounds around the upper part of the housing. In between that and the center cap, there is a deep grove that is inlayed. This makes the cover have the appearance of floating above the core, making it an attractive looking device.

Other than the engraved “Netgear” logo, the only other thing you need to pay attention to is the large LED indicators on the front. The far-left side shows you that there is power, and the far-right side indicates that there is a network connection. In the center, five bars increase in size, and operate just like the signal bar on your cellphone.

On the back, you’ll find two gigabit Ethernet ports. One of them is labelled WAN, and the other LAN. We’ll explain the differences to these shortly. On either side, there is connection options for two antennas, which can be useful depending on how much signal strength you need. Finally, a power port and switch finish off the rear.

Compatibility

Although this modem is sold as “AT&T network ready,” it’s actually a fully unlocked device. In simple terms, it will work with any carrier in the North American market. That being said, there are some compatibility issues when you’re working internationally.

To understand how this works, let’s first take a look at the concept of LTE. LTE is a communication protocol. Just like FM radio, it can run on any number of frequencies. What frequencies are allowed to be used depends primarily on government regulation. You may have heard some news about wireless spectrum auctions. Companies pay millions of dollars to the government in exchange for the rights to use a certain frequency.

When you tune your FM radio to a different station, you’ll see numbers like 89.9 and 94.4 scroll by. With LTE, frequencies are measured in Mhz. This modem can connect on the 1900, 1700, 850, and 700 Mhz frequencies. For compatibility with some carriers, it can also be tuned to the entire range of frequencies between 1930 and 1990 Mhz. This last one is called the B2 frequencies.
Wither you’re using AT&T, T-Mobile, or any other carrier, you can be confident that this modem will work. But if you’re using it internationally, you’ll want to make sure that the frequencies are compatible. As long as you’ve got at least 2 matching frequencies, you should be fine.

Performance

How fast can it go? For the most part, this will depend on your carrier. Before we get into that, let’s first take a look at the maximum theoretical performance of the router. Believe it or not, LTE devices can vary in speed. 3G has it’s specific speeds, and 4G has it’s specifics. But hardware developers knew that if we kept counting up Gs, it would become too confusing for consumers. This modem is a category 4 LTE device, which is technically the 4th generation of LTE. Had we kept counting upwards, we’d now be on 8G.

This technology allows for a maximum download speed of 150 Mbps, and a maximum upload speed of 50 Mbps. Most modern carriers are using Category 4 LTE, but the bandwidth is usually capped below this limit. On T-Mobile, we’re seeing 34Mbps down and about 17 Mbps up. This is actual transfer speed, not theoretical. If you live in a dense urban environment, you’ll probably see higher speeds. But if you live in the sticks, it could be lower.

The nice thing about this technology is that it can evolve with the carriers. When speeds get faster, your modem will be able to support it.

Networking Technology

If you want to use this device the easy way, all you have to do is plug your router into the LAN port on the back of this modem. Just like a cable modem, you’ll then be able to use a wireless network in your home. You can also plug it directly into a laptop or desktop computer, and use it in the same way.

But there is also a WAN port on there. If you’re the type to customize how your network works, this is the port you’ll want to use. With a LAN port, the modem is acting like a middleman. It gives your computers they’re own IP address through DHCP, and handles all communication. But with the WAN port, you get the IP address directly from the cellular towers.

With wired internet, the provider always gives each modem it’s own specific IP address. With wireless, it’s not that simple. Many mobile devices share an IP, and they use a technology called NAT (Network Address Translation) to decide who’s who. It’s a bit like when you share an apartment with roommates. You all get mail in the same box, but you divide it up after. With LAN mode, the modem handles NAT for you. In WAN, it’s up to your router. Most routers support this, but it depends on the model you get.

When you’re using the modem for NAT, there are a number of other features you can use as well. You can manage ports, blocking or white listing them. You can choose to use IPV6, if you’re on modern networks. There is a web based UI available, that allows you to easily set the settings as needed. But if you’re looking for something simple, the default settings should work right out of the box.

Finally, this modem supports external antennas. There are two ports on the back. One is designed for 4G, and the other for 3G. They do this because there are small differences between the external antennas, so you can pick the one that works in your area. There is a built in antenna, and it’s quite good. If your cellphone works, then the built in antenna will certainly work. But if you’re in a rural area where service is flakey, an external antenna can help quite a bit.

Disadvantages

The only disadvantage we found was that there is no built in WiFi. With that in mind, this modem is still quite simple and easy to use. But as this technology grows, we’ll likely see some combination devices in the future.

Final Verdict

Overall, the Netgear 4G LTE Modem (LB2120)is a high-performance choice that goes above and beyond our expectations. For some, things like 150 Mbps download speed and IPV6 will be overkill. But the fact that these are included make it a great investment. It’s something you’ll be able to have for a long time, as it’s already future-proofed for the latest upcoming technologies.

On it’s own, this modem works great for simple use. But there may be a few other things you require. If you don’t have a router, consider the Netgear Nighthawk X10 Router. It’s currently the best on the market, and is sure to allow you to get the most from your modem.

If cell service is spotty in your house, you might want to consider the Netgear 6000450 3G and 4G antenna. Although there are two ports on the back, this combination antenna is made by Netgear specifically for this application. There is a nice long cord, so you can mount the antenna where you like. Most uses see a 30 to 40% improvement in spotty areas.

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Internet connectivity has become an essential part of our lives. When you find yourself in a situation where the internet isn’t working quite the way you’d like it to, it’s easy to become frustrated.

In the home, it’s easy to get your network working exactly the way you’d like. We spend so much time there, that dropping a little cash on a high-end router doesn’t feel like a large expense. For many home users, the modem and router supplied by their internet service provider is more than adequate.

When you’re travelling, this isn’t quite as simple. Often, hotels provide only a single wired Ethernet port. Alternately, maybe you’re looking for a router to connect to your LTE modem. Whatever your needs, it’s not always viable to carry around a full sized household router with you. What you really need is a portable travel router.

TP-Link has been in business for many years, producing routers that are both affordable and reliable. Their latest TL-WR902AC router is an affordable option that has some pretty impressive specifications. Today, we’ll be going hands-on to find out if this is a router that can meet your needs.

First Look

The sleek white case of the Tp-Link TL-WR902AC Travel Router is very modern and stylish. With it’s shiny plastic and rounded corners, it’s easy to see that this is a modern, up to date router. It’s very compact, making it easy to throw in a bag or mount under the seat of your car. To top it off, the high end wireless chip and easy setup procedure make this a great starting point for anyone looking for a portable router. But to find out how it performs, we’ll have to go a little more in-depth.

Design

As we mentioned, we were quite fond of the design of the TP-Link portable router. With many manufacturers opting for aggressive looking lines and matte black enclosures, the bright and cheerful case on this model was very appealing to the eye, and highlighted the simple design.

Although the design is very clean, TP link didn’t skimp on any important details. On the face of the router, you’ll find several indicator lights that show you what’s going on under the hood. From left to right, you’ve got a power indicator, USB connectivity indicator, wireless activity indicator, internet connection indicator, and finally a security indicator – something that we’ll explore shortly.

On the back, the design is simple as it comes. For ports, you’ve got a WAN/LAN port. This is the typical gigabit model, as is found on most routers. There is also a full size USB port, meant for connecting external drives. On the right, there is a micro-USB port which also servers to power the router.

Functionality

This router is meant to be used in all types of situations. If you’re not a technical person, you’d probably find it frustrating to have to go in and change the settings to suit whatever network you’re connected too. This is why you’ll find the three-position rocker switch on the back. Labelled “mode,” what this switch does is actually allow you to choose between three pre-configured options, each of which is suitable for a different environment.

To help you understand how important this is, let’s take a brief look at what each mode does. They are labelled “Share ETH,” “Share Hotspot, and “AP/RngExt/Client”.

Generally, most users will be using this router in the “Share Hotspot” mode. This means that the router handles all DHCP requests, assigning an IP address to every device on the network. In essence, everything connected to it would then be a part of it’s own private network. This mode is ideal for when you’re plugging it in directly to a modem. Modems are only designed to have one client. The router becomes the sole client of the modem, and all of your devices connect directly to the router. Virtually every household router is configured this way.

Sometimes, you’re not going to be connecting directly to a modem. If you’re connecting directly to an existing network, you’ll want to choose one of the other two options. “Share ETH” is ideal for use in a public network. A hotel network would be the perfect example. Basically, all it’s doing is converting your wired connection to a wireless connection. That being said, this mode isn’t going to expose your devices to everything else on the network. You probably don’t want your shared files to be viewable by anyone else in the hotel, so this connection mode will keep your network private.

The last option, “AP/Rng Ext/Client” is similar to share ETH, but it opens the door to have communication with all of the devices on the network you’re connected to. Let’s say, for example, that you’ve got one dead spot in your house where you don’t get a wireless signal. You can plug this modem into a wired port, and get access to the entire network as a whole. This is the choice you want to make if you trust the network you’re connecting to. Ideally, it would be used in a home or office environment. In this example, the modem itself doesn’t handle the DHCP. That would be handled by whatever router it’s connected too.

There is even a wireless mode built into the AP/Rng Ext, Client. If you connect to a wireless hotspot, you can create a private encrypted connection between your laptop and the wireless hotspot. But encrypting your data, it’s safe from anyone who is sniffing traffic on that network, which is an excellent layer of security.

Connectivity

For the most part, the Tp-Link TL-WR902AC is fairly simple. But there are a few unique features that we though were pretty nice to have. First off, the full-size USB port. There are two things you can use this for. The most popular will be to connect a USB 4G or 3G modem. If you have one of those USB keys that mobility providers hand out, you can slap that into the side of this router as an alternative to gigabit Ethernet. This port also works with a cellphone in tethering mode, allowing you to save battery and extend the range.

But this USB port isn’t used exclusively for a modem. You can also use it with an external hard drive as a NAS. Want to share your 2TB movie collection wirelessly? No problem, just slap this router on it and you’re good to go.

Performance

Just how fast is the Tp-Link TL-WR902AC? Well, it’s not the fastest on the market. But it’s pretty darn close for most applications. The maximum theoretical bandwidth of this router is 750 Mbps. In real world test, we were getting close to 680 Mbps. This is due to the 300 Mbps throughput on the 2.4 Ghz channel, and 433 Mbps throughput on the 5 GHz channel, plus a little wiggle room for overhead. Whether we’d plugged it directly into our cable modem or used an LTE modem, we didn’t find that the router slowed us down at all.

Because both of these two channels are supported, range was also quite good. Despite its compact size, it’s powerful enough to use in a full-size home.

Battery Life

Because it’s portable, TP-Link wanted to make sure that you could use it when you were away from a source of power. They included a lithium ion battery, offering up to 8 hours of battery life. In the event you ever need to charge it up, you can always plug in the included Micro-USB charger, or use any standard cellphone charger.
Because this battery is in place, you can also use the USB port to charge up your mobile devices. It supplies a 5V 2A supply current, which is compatible with most high-speed chargers on the market.

Disadvantages

The only real disadvantage comes from its size. If you’re trying to get WiFi in a very large area, or in an apartment or other building with concrete walls, you’ll find that you won’t’ get the same range you would with full size routers.

Final Verdict

If you’re looking for a portable router, the Tp-Link TL-WR902AC is one of the best on the market. Although it has all the same features as any other high end router available through the web interface, the easy switch allows you to choose between one of three handy modes. This makes the router accessible for even non-technical users, drastically expanding the functionality and usability of the router.

If you’re looking to use it with an LTE modem, we’d highly recommend the Netgear LTE Modem 2120. In our tests, we found this modem to be incredibly high performance, and it’s compact size makes it a perfect match for this portable router.

Still looking for more? Be sure to checkout our reviews of the best travel routers.

The post Review of the Tp-Link TL-WR902AC AC750 Wireless Travel Router appeared first on Nerd Techy.

As one of the most respected members of the budget networking community, it would only make sense that TP-Link get into the mesh networking game. But to describe the deco as just another mesh router would be doing it a disservice. Known for simplicity and reliability, they’re not exactly the company you would expect to shake up the game. Typically, they’re the ones cutting out excessive features to build the hardware that most consumers want. But mesh networking is still very new in the market, and it’s clear that there is room for improvement.

If you’re not familiar with this technology, let’s get the important questions out of the way. What is a mesh router? And why would you want one? Typical routers use a point to point communication protocol. Your computer connects directly to the router. The issue with this is range. The farther you are away, and the more that stands in your way between you and the router, the worse your connection is. Mesh routers blanket your house in Wi-Fi, with multiple broadcast points. If you’re having connection problems with your current router, you need a mesh router.

Of all the whole-home networking equipment out there, is this the one for you? To answer that question, we’ll have to go hands-on.

First Look

The TP-Link Deco M5 is small disc-shaped networking appliance used to broadcast your internet connection across several connection points. It’s sold in a three pack, which is advertised as being able to cover 4500 square feet. Each particular unit covers 1500 square feet, and you can add more as necessary. Aside from the impressive range, the main selling point of the M5 is it’s simple and easy to use interface. Unlike some options which sacrifice features for simplicity, the M5 is fairly robust. Instead, they rely on menus that show you the options you need, making the advanced settings available for those that know how to use them.

Setup Procedure

For those who don’t have a lot of technical know-how, unboxing a new piece of hardware can be a daunting experience. Networking equipment in particular can be a challenge, since there are so many different parts. If not set up correctly, you often find that the little green light never seems to turn on.

Fortunately, getting the Deco M5 up and running is a very simple procedure. All you need is one of the repeaters, your cellphone, and TP-Link’s Deco app.

The first step is to install the app, open it up, and sign up for a TP-Link cloud account. All you need is an email and password, so this part is self-explanatory.

The app tells you what you need for the next step: a deco, power adapter, and ethernet cable. You disconnect the power from your modem, and connect the ethernet cable to both the LAN port on the modem and the LAN port on the deco. These are clearly labelled, so it’s easy to do so. You then plug the power adapters back into both the Deco and your modem.

It takes about two minutes for your modem to connect. The Deco app shows you what you’re looking for, and once your modem is on you hit the “next” button. At this point, the LED on top of your deco will begin to pulse blue. From here on out, your deco is connected. The app asks if you’d like to label your deco, giving you a list of rooms. It will then ask you to choose your network name and password.

From here, you’ll be prompted to add as many Deco’s as you like. You just plug them in, wait for the light to turn blue, and label the room they’re in.

For techies, this process might seem obvious. But the handy app guides you every step of the way, giving you both text and graphics to show exactly what you’d look for. If we were in the position where we had to give our grandmothers a router to set up on their own, this would be the one we’d choose.

Networking Technology

The M5 is an 802.11ac router, which is one of the fastest and most common communication protocols on the market. This technology uses both the 2.4 and 5 Ghz frequencies to provide dual-band connectivity, which offers improvements to both range and bandwidth when compared with previous protocols.

One of the features that makes the Deco stand out is it’s MU-MIMO support. Typically, even with a mesh system, your devices only connect to a single access point. Standard routers using MU-MIMO create, in essence, dedicated private networks for each of its users. But when combined with mesh technology, the service is even more powerful. Your computer can connect to multiple deco’s at the same time. If you’re in an awkward place where you aren’t getting full signal from any particular unit, MU-MIMO will allow you to connect to multiple units and make the best of your connection.

The individual Deco units aren’t just using these bands to talk to your devices, but also to talk to each other. Although there are some advantages to having a dedicated channel for back-talk, the system used provides higher reliability.

Speed Test

We’ve been fortunate enough to test out a wide range of whole-home networking systems over time. Instead of simply checking the performance, we decided to pit them against each other to determine what the best system was.

The Deco M5 has a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 867 Mbps. Testing it throughout our home, we saw a download speed 425 Mbps and an upload speed of 215 Mbps coming directly from the first unit. When going through one extender, these speeds dropped to 185 Mbps down and 163 up.

In both tests, the Deco performed better than the Netgear Orbi, Linksys Velop, and Eero. Despite coming out on top, the other routers were only marginally worse. For comparison purposes, these routers scored 412/201, 381/207, and 396/194 respectively. In terms of real world functionality, on the most demanding users would notice a difference.

The one exception to this rule was the Amped Wireless Ally. Strictly through the base station, the ally scored 614 Mbps down and 287 Mbps up. However, once we went through one extender the speeds dropped to 144 down and 135 up. This means that the Amped Ally is much better from a single router, but much worse over a distance.

Coverage

We set up three Decos around our house at various points. Some mesh networking hardware has a setup procedure that involves you walking around your house, finding all of the dead spots, and placing a repeater where necessary. But the Deco doesn’t offer anything like that, so we simply guessed. One went on the main floor in the center of the house. Another went on the top floor in the upper right hand side of the house. The last went in the basement, covering the left side of the house. Our less-than scientific approach had us expecting to see some performance drops, but we were pleasantly surprised.

We tested the speed from different areas, covering a total of 4000 square feet of space. At no point in our home did we have any dropouts, and speed was always above 100 Mbps. Typically, most households will not have an internet connection in excess of 100 Mbps, so we’d consider this performance well above average.

Security

One of the areas where the Deco really stands out is security. As the internet of things becomes more common, it’s important that both our smart appliances and our devices are protected. TP-Link has partnered up with Trend Micro to provide built-in antivirus protection. The software can detect threats in files that are transferred back and forth, so viruses can be eliminated even before they hit your hard drive. Trend Micro also offers an early threat warning system, allowing the virus database to be updated automatically, the second new threats are discovered.

Disadvantages

The Deco M5 doesn’t have a dedicated backe-nd channel. For users with heavy local network traffic, a backend channel is advantageous. When one user is pushing a ton of data, it can leave others with slower connections. A separate back-end channel means that the congestion is restricted only to the particular node that user is one. Without it, one user can slow down the network. This issue should only crop up with users transferring in excess of 400 Mbps, so most won’t have a problem. But if that sounds like something you’d like to do, we’ve got another recommendation.

Final Verdict

In general, we’d always recommend a whole-home mesh networking system to any home that’s struggling to get a signal. Although the market is competitive, the TP-Link Deco M5 has a few advantages over competing models. It’s incredibly easy to set up, it offers built in virus protection, and most importantly it’s affordable. Many other options cost a pretty penny, so you’ve got the opportunity to save a few bucks here.

Is it the best option for everyone? Unfortunately, not, there are a few situations where another system would perform better. If you’ve got one user who needs a ton of speed, the Amped Wireless Ally stands out. It can offer higher bandwidth from the base station, ideal for that application.

For smaller homes, we might recommend the Netgear Orbi. It’s sold individually, so you could only buy two units for a 2000 square foot home.

Overall, we strongly believe that the TP-Link Deco is the best option for most basic users. But if you want to see what’s out there, feel free to check out our guide comparing the best whole-home mesh WiFi systems.

The post TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Wi-Fi System Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

Whether you’re setting up WiFi for guests using the patio at your restaurant or just trying to blanket your backyard in wireless, there is no doubt that outdoor wireless networks behave very differently than indoor networks. Your standard, everyday router just isn’t designed for vast outdoors spaces, instead being geared towards wall penetration.

The TP-Link N300 EAP110 is a uniquely designed piece of hardware that can help broadcast your existing WiFi network in an outdoor environment. How does it perform? We went hands on to find out.

First Look

As a Wireless access point, the N300 EAP110 is designed to tap into your existing WiFi network and rebroadcast it across the wireless-N spectrum. It has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 300 MBPS, and is extremely simple to mount and configure. It comes with a suite of commercial grade software, making it simple to manage a number of these range extenders, should you need to cover a large area.

Networking Technology

Although Wireless N isn’t the newest technology on the market, there are a few key advantages to this style of networking. The first advantage is compatibility – almost every modern device supports the 2.4 GHz N frequency, while not all of them support the 5 GHz frequency used to get a high speed connection on 802.11ac. N is also capable of travelling long distances, when it’s uninterrupted. In an outdoor setting, 802.11N definitely makes the most sense.

User Handling

Both of the two antennas have a very nigh gain, allowing the signal to travel a much longer distance than your standard router. But when you’re covering a long distance, you’ve got to expect to have a lot of users connected to your extender. This is where the MIMO technology comes in.

MIMO stands for multiple input, multiple output. In essence, this means that there are two routers built into one. But when you get into the technical details, it’s a little more complex than that.

The 2.4 GHz frequency is divided into a number of separate channels. Most routers will select a channel between 1 and 11, often determined by whichever is the least crowded. However, it is possible for two routers to share the same channel. The speed is slightly reduced, but the combined speed of two signals sharing the same channel is still greater than the theoretical bandwidth of a single channel.

The EAP110 has 2×2 MIMO. This means that it has two separate signals per channel, with two channels that can be used simultaneously. This is like having four separate networks, with users able to be allocated to each channel depending on their usage. Every have one user downloading a ton of files and slowing down your network for everyone? With the 2×2 MIMO, this is a thing of the past. This technology isn’t necessarily designed for heavy users, but for an environment where you’ve got lots of people trying to share a network at the same time, it’s ideal. This makes the TP-Link N300 great for public spaces, and a very much worthwhile buy.

Configuration & Installation

Getting the EAP110 up and running is a very simple and straightforward profess. The first thing to do is get it mounted on the wall. With most routers we’ve used, this process is a pain in the butt. However, the TP-Link N300 EAP110 makes it very simple and straightforward. There is a mounting bracket included. You just attach two screws to the wall, and the EAP110 slides right into the bracket. The whole process only takes about five minutes, making it the ideal choice if you have to install a lot of range extenders.

Another handy feature about the EAP110 is that it supports power over Ethernet. You’re going to have to run an Ethernet cable from your router to this extender anyway. When using PoE, you won’t have to install a separate power adapter. This can save you a ton of time and maybe even a little money, making operation simple.

Once the router is plugged in, configuration is easy. For most users, there will be no setup required. You can, however, log into the extender to change settings if you like. For users installing this as the single extender in a small system, logging in directly is the easiest way to get it set up. But if you’re going to be running a lot of access points, you’ll want to take advantage of the Auranet controller.

Auranet is a piece of software supported by most commercial routers. You just log into your main router, and configure the settings for all of your access points. Every access point that gets plugged in automatically downloads the settings, so you don’t need any configuration aside from mounting it and turning it on.

Security Features

One of the parts that stands out about this EAP is the security. You can configure them to work on a single Vlan, which isolates the access points from the rest of your network. This is fantastic when you’re setting up a public wireless network on a system that has a private corporate network, as it keeps everything isolated.

You’re also able to activate a captive portal. This allows you to show a pop-up screen for guests, explaining the terms of service of your network. The access portal can also be used to help separate guests from private network users. But providing log ins, you can ensure that only authorized users can access certain parts of the network, or put a speed limit on guest users.

Range

One of the main advantages of this access point is the massive range. Most consumer networking equipment – especially your typical 802.11n hardware – suffers from extremely limited range. Often, we’re seeing numbers below 100 feet But the TP-Link advertises 200 meters of range – a whopping 650 feet. If this is true, this would have been one of the longest range access points we’ve used.

In the real world their predictions did hold true. At 650 feet, we did have a stable connection. However, the speed did suffer. Up to 300 feet away with a clear line of sight, the speed was as good as we’d expect. By the time we hit 400 feet, the internet was still usable, but it was clear that the speed was impacted. Between 400 and 600 feet, the internet was noticeably slow. Overall, this is still one of the best ranges that we’ve used for a wireless access point. The speed might be a little slow at the end of the range, but that’s to be expected when you’re so far from the base station.

Bandwidth

The maximum theoretical bandwidth of this EAP is around 300 Mbps, but we found the cumulative bandwidth to be closer to 220 Mbps. However, each individual user is probably going to cap out at around 20 Mbps, especially if they’re located far away from the access point. This is to be expected. This access point isn’t designed to give a single user high speed internet. It’s designed to broadcast your wireless network across of massive range, with many people able to access it.

Disadvantages

Many of the options on this access point have a very commercial nature. Although it does work for home use, you’re going to be paying little more for features that you may or may not use. If you’re just looking for a simple way to extend your wireless network, you might do a little better with a whole-home WiFi system. But if you do want to run multiple access points or have a large number of users, this would be a pretty solid choice.

Final Verdict

Overall, there are a lot of things we liked about the TP-Link N300 EAP110 Outdoor Wireless Access Point. By upgrading an older technology instead of using the latest wireless communication standard, they managed to create something that can create a stable connection with high speeds over a distance beyond 400 feet. This is not something you often come across, making this a very unique buy.

We’d recommend this extender to anyone who wants an easy to install access point that will work well in the great outdoors. For an indoor environment, you might want to consider taking a look at our review of the best whole-home mesh WiFi systems. Although they are designed for indoor use, the setup procedure is a little more consumer friendly. But for those of you who need advanced security software and a rock solid connection, you certainly won’t go wrong with the TP Link N300 EAP110.

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These days, having access to the internet at all times is expected. For the most part, our cellphones provide us with connectivity while we’re out in the great outdoors, and we rely on WiFi while we’re inside. Unfortunately, cellphones are a pretty expensive way to get access to the internet. If there is WiFi available, most consumers would prefer to use that over their mobile network provider.

If you’re looking to get a network set up outdoors, your first instinct might be to purchase the biggest, baddest, most powerful router that money can buy. But this isn’t necessarily the case. The latest networking standard – 802.11ac – is considered to be a massive improvement over 802.11N. It can handle massive bandwidth, and has better signal penetration through walls.

Believe it or not, 802.11ac is actually worse for an outdoor network. Higher bandwidth for each client means that less clients can be connected at the same time. Better penetration through walls means that the range is shorter.

802.11N is older technology. And if you take a router from a few years ago and pit it against a modern router, the modern one will perform better. But if you get a specially designed outdoor range extender, you’ll be able to create a network that will blow away any indoor router.

In this guide, we’ll show you the three best WiFi range extenders for outdoor use. First, we’ll look at each individual model and show you what it has to offer. After, we’ll help you find the one that’s right for you.

EnGenius Long Range ENS202EXT

Although EnGenius makes a large number of routers and other networking appliances, they’re not a brand that everyone is going to be familiar with. EnGenius tends to go against the grain, creating specialty hardware designed for specific purposes. Though they aren’t a household name, there are very few brands we’d trust more to make an outdoor WiFi extender.

Installation

How a range extender is designed has a huge impact on your installation process. In some cases, the costs associated with installing a poorly designed extender can greatly outpace the cost of the extender itself. Fortunately, EnGenius made sure that this process was simple with the ENS202EXT. All you need is four screws and a plug. It runs off PoE – meaning it pulls it’s power from the Ethernet cable that feeds it’s signal.

As for the four screws? Put them in anywhere you like. With four anchor points, the router will be very sturdy wherever you choose to mount it. It’s IP55 rated, so it can handle even extreme weather conditions even without a separate enclosure.

The actual configuration process is a little more involved than your standard router. First, you’ll have to plug it into a separate computer and configure things like the IP address for DHCP, the name, and the network rules. There is a wizard that walks you through it, but a little tech know-how is required.

Networking Technology

This extender is capable of using 802.11 B, G, and N. For 90% of users, N will be the best option. B & G are very old standards, but they can be amplified a higher rates. If you’re using a special directional antenna to transmit long distances, you’ll have the ability to do so. But even by default, this is a pretty impressive piece of kit.

It’s antennas have 26 dbm of gain, allowing it to broadcast the network over a range of about 500 feet. In our tests, the connection speed was fantastic until the 300-foot mark, where things started to drop off a little.

These are MIMO antennas, meaning that you have to separate 802.11 networks. This allows twice the number of users on a single extender, something that is worth having with such a long range.

Features

The range on this unit is wide enough that it can be used in a professional setting, so EnGenius gave it plenty of professional features. The POE feature can be extended allowing you to run wired IPTV cameras through the extenders. This is a huge advantage for anyone who wants a security system, as it drastically reduces installation costs.

You’re also given tons of network security settings in the control panel. You can set up private VLANS, set private mac address filtering, install QoS systems that prevent one user from bogging the whole system down with a 4K Netflix binge. There is no doubt that this is an enterprise grade piece of hardware. Not everyone will take advantage of these features, but it does give you the option to manage a lot of users.

Ubiquiti UniFi AP Outdoor+

Ubiquiti’s name is based off a word meaning “to appear everywhere,” which happens to perfectly describe what we want from our wireless networks. This access point is designed to be universal. You can use a single model to extend over a small range, or pair an entire array of them for a larger coverage.

Installation

Although the installation process of the UniFi AP Outdoor+ is a little more involved with this access point, Uniquiti does give you many unique mounting options. The simplest choice would be to take the mounting plate and screw it directly onto a wall. It’s much easier to work with a single plate than it would be to try and make your screws line up with the holes on the access point, so you’re going to save yourself time and frustration with this design. If you’re trying to mount it up high to get a better signal, you’ve also got the ability to use the included hose clamp to strap it directly to a pole.

Getting connected is also very easy. You just plug in your Ethernet cable and everything works. There is a pass-through, so you can daisy chain one access point to another to cover a large area.

You don’t have to have an advanced technical skillset to set up a Ubiquiti access point. Just plug it in, and your network will be up and running. All settings are adopted from the host router, so there is no additional configuration required.

Networking Technology

This access point uses 802.11N as its primary communication protocol. It is backwards compatible with other standards, but there are no special features available for long-range transmission. The advantage of this design is that this access point is very compatible. It will work with virtually any device you connect it to, so you won’t have to provide tech support for your clients.

The omnidirectional antennas boost the signal at 23 dBm, which is just a tiny bit lower than the Engenius model. In our tests, the signal quality was good for about 250 feet, and the connection was extremely stable anywhere within this range. Although it’s not the highest range on the market, this access point does have a better system for handling high volume users.

You’ll be able to connect quite a few devices before the network gets congested, making this the perfect choice for a dense installation.

Features

One of the standout features of this extender is the built in hotspot management software. You’re able to limit use, so users don’t bog down your network with unwanted activity. You can display your terms of service before the connection is active, and even set up a billing system where clients can pay for network access. There are plenty of 3rd party programs that do this, but they come at a hefty price. Having this included with your networking hardware is a huge advantage.

TP-Link CPE510

Having been covered in many of our guides, TP-Link is a company that we are very familiar with. They made a name for themselves providing high performance networking hardware for the corporate and household market. This particular extender sets itself apart by combining long range and high performance technology, making this an ideal choice in situations where bandwidth is crucial.

Installation

Although it’s possible to mount this directly to a wall, the TP-Link CPE510 will work best when mounted on a pole. The idea is to mount it high, and point the flat face of the extender in the direction that you’d like coverage. It’s extremely well made, so you don’t have to worry about winds or weather damaging it – ideal when it’s going to be fully exposed to the elements.

Once it’s mounted, you’ll want to get it connected up to Ethernet. You can use the included power adapter, or TP-Links POE adapter. This is a little box that plugs into the wall next to your router. Your router plugs into the adapter, then the adapter to the extender. This adds POE to a non-POE network, allowing you to use any standard router. It’s worth noting that this isn’t standard POE, it’s TP-Link’s own design. The adapter is simple to configure, but it’s mandatory.

The next step is to log into the repeater by typing it’s IP address into your web browser. You’ll be brought to the interface for the Pharos network management software. This is the simplest, step-by-step way to configure your outdoor network. We’ll get into the features shortly, but Pharos is the simplest way to set up an advanced network without a lot of advanced knowledge.

Networking Technology

802.11ac uses both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands to work out a compromise between bandwidth and range. TP-Link does the same thing, with a catch. It runs on 802.11n/a, substituting the newer c standard for the classic N.

Typically, this would reduce the range. But TP-Link got around this by making the network directional. Instead of expanding out from the extender in a circular manner, it covers 180 degrees in front of it. The end result is a network that covers roughly the same area as other extenders – 300 feet. However, you get the added advantages of high bandwidth.

Features

The setup we described above is how the CPE510 comes standard. If you dive into the Pharos network management software, you can do more with this extender than you can with any other. Instead of setting it up as just an access point, you can set it up as a client. This means that it will receive a signal wirelessly, and rebroadcast it in another direction. This means that you don’t have to wire it into your router, although you do need to place it in an area where you already have a strong wireless signal. You can also use it as a router, creating a separate subnet for all of the clients of this access point.

Overall, this is much more than your standard wireless extender. It’s an all in one long-range outdoor router, so you can create configurations as advanced as you like.

Which Outdoor WiFi Range Extender is Right for You?

While these devices may all be sold under the same name, they are actually quite different in functionality. The choice boils down to two options: your current network, and the area you’d like to cover.

The EnGenius Long Range ENS202EXT is the best choice if you’re connecting to an existing commercial grade network. Although the setup is a little more complex, it adheres to all networking standards and supports the proper security systems. You don’t want your wireless network to be a security risk, and you don’t want to have to replace any of your existing hardware. For those reasons, this is an excellent choice.

If you’re looking for simplicity, the Ubiquiti UniFi AP Outdoor+ is the perfect option. This WiFi extender adopts network settings from the router it’s connected to, making setup a breeze. There are a few custom features available if you need them, such as a pay-to-use access point control software. But the entire platform is designed for simplicity, so you can set it up yourself.

Both of the above extenders broadcast your wireless network in 360 degrees around the antennas. But if you want higher bandwidth coverage in a specific direction, the TP-Link CPE510 is for you. This impressive piece of hardware offers a lot more than your typical extender, with one of the most customizable feature sets we’ve come across. If you’re really struggling to get your internet to work the way you want, this is the extender you need.

The post Reviews of the Best Outdoor WiFi Range Extenders appeared first on Nerd Techy.

The number one metric used to measure the performance of our home internet connection is bandwidth. Faster is always better. A faster internet connection means that our web browsing is snappier, our files download faster, and our Netflix streams at a higher quality.

But the package you purchase from your home ISP isn’t the only thing used to determine our internet speed. There are several devices in between a remote server and the device you’re using to access the internet. Your final connection speed will only be as fast as the slowest device in the loop.

For most consumers, the bottleneck is the router. Your home router is responsible for taking a single network connection, and sharing the bandwidth amongst every device in your home. A poor quality router means slow transfer speeds, long ping times, and an overall disappointing networking experience.

Selecting the proper router requires that you understand what your needs are, and select a model that has the best technology currently suited to your application. Linksys’ Max-Stream EA9300 is one of their latest high end routers, promising to drastically improve the connection speed of anyone using it. But who is this router designed for? And what are the advantages of it over a cheaper model? In this hands-on review, we’ll show you all the ins and outs of this router. We’ll help you understand what it’s designed to do, and decide if this is something that should have a place in your own home network.

First Look

From a design perspective, the EA9300 is one beefy looking router. Six angular antennas surround the boxy enclosure, while the vent holes surround the sleek Linksys nameplate. But what you can’t tell from just a glance is that the internals are just as beefy as the external appearance. With a quad core CPU and three peripherial processors to perform the heavy lifting, the hardware is certainly not going to hinder your connection speed.

From a tech perspective, this router checks all the boxes. MU-MIMO means that this router can support a lot of users, and beam forming means that your wireless network will cover a large range. On paper, this is one of the most powerful routers on the market. But in the real world, we know that things often don’t work out quite as well.

Bandwidth

Wondering just how much data you can pump through this router? The maximum theoretical bandwidth is 4 Gbps. This metric puts it in a class well above gigabit Ethernet, but it’s important to understand where this number comes from.

The reality is that no single user is necessarily going to see 4 Gbps bandwidth. This is actually the combined throughput of all users, since this operates somewhat like multiple routers in a single package.

In reality, traffic travelling over the 4.2 GHz band caps out at around 1 gigabit, while you can get up to 2,166 Mb/s on the 5 GHz band. A single device equipped with the latest 802.11ac wireless networking card could reach the theoretical limitations of this bandwidth.

Generally, when you’re using that much data, that means that all the other devices on the network are choked out, and can’t get a good signal. But this is a tri-stream router. So you’ve technically got three separate networks, with all of the users being divided up equally across these four bands. If one computer starts streaming a ton of data, the other will be moved to a separate band.

In or tests, we were able to hit speeds approaching 950 Mb/s when we were close to the router. This makes this one of the fastest routers on the market, and there are very few devices that can match these speeds.

Range

The farther you are from the router, the slower your speeds are. Anyone who’s found themselves in a top floor bedroom with a basement-installed router knows exactly what we’re talking about. Fortunately, the EA9300 has a ton of fantastic technology that drastically improves the range in almost any environment.

First, let’s talk antennas. There are two types on the market: Omnidirectional, and directional. Omnidirectional antennas broadcast a signal evenly in all directions. Directional ones broadcast them in a specific direction. The tolerances can be high or low. For example, consider a satellite dish. A satellite dish can broadcast a signal over hundreds of kilometers. But the tolerances are very tight. If you move a dish only an inch, you’ll completely lose all signal. So this type of antenna would never work for a wireless network.

However, Linksys has a very creative solution for this. They call it beam forming. The antennas surrounding the router are all directional, but between the lot of them they cover a full 360 degree range. Internally, there are nine different amplifiers. These amplifiers will be turned on or off depending on where the users are located. This means that they can focus a beam of WiFi directly at your computer.

This makes the router extremely adaptable. Let’s say that you mount it on the far right side of your house. It will notice that all of the users are connecting to the antenna that focuses the WiFi that direction, and increase the signal to that antenna to improve the range in that direction. The end result is that your speed does not really drop off as you get far from the router. Even on the other end of a 3000 square foot home, we were still getting 683 Mb/s download speeds and 425 Mb/s upload speeds. Considering the distance and obstacles between us and the router, getting these kinds of speeds and a stable connection was incredibly impressive.

Performance

The processing power of a router is not something that most users consider. However, there are situations where this is a very important consideration.

Imagine that you share a house with a few roommates. All of you share an address, so as the mail is delivered it’s your job to look at each individual piece of mail, and hand it to the appropriate roommate. This is exactly the job that the router does. Information is sent to your public IP, and distributed to the local IPs.

Now, imagine you have 100 roommates. Imagine that one of the roommates is running a business from his bedroom, and shipping out hundreds of products every day. All this mail might be challenging to deal with, right? Some of the mail might get lost, or you might be a little slow getting all of the letters where you’re going. This is the situation if you’ve got several high bandwidth users with a lot of open connections on your network. Hosting a gaming server, downloading torrent files, or using certain types of remote desktop software are all examples of tasks that can bog your average router down.

To address this problem, Linksys gave this router a quad core processor. Each core can handle a separate task, so one high volume user won’t slow down the whole network.

These three additional cores, known as offload processors, are like asking your friends to help you with your mail problem. When the mailman drops a stack of new letters for you and you’ve still got to get all the outgoing mail down to the postbox, you can delegate that task to your friend so you don’t get behind. The end result is a router that can handle advanced, demanding applications without even breaking a sweat.

Additional Functionality

For most users, a router simply works in the background, performing it’s tasks efficiently and silently. But there are a ton of additional features Linksys has thrown in, which may be valuable to some users.

The first feature is a QoS (quality of service) function called “Airtime Fairness.” The router knows that your internet connection has a cap. When the cap is being maxed out, it will scale back some users speeds to ensure a good experience for other users. This means that your roommates intense gaming session won’t impede your ability to check your email.

You can configure a guest network. No password will be required, but you can set restrictions on the guest network such as what types of services they can use, how much time they can be on, and what websites they can access.

A full suite of parental controls are available, as is an advanced networking panel for the techie in your home. You can set up subnets, forward ports, prioritize certain devices, and setup a network attached storage device using one of the three USB 3.0 ports.

All of these features are available thanks to the built in operating system. Linksys provides free firmware updates that enhance and expand these features. If you’re reading this six-months down the road, there is a very good chance that there is additional functionality that was released after the time we write this review.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest reasons that people upgrade their routers is because it is the bottleneck in their system. Remember, your home network will only be as fast as the slowest component in the loop. So even though this router is capable of server-grade loads, covering a massive range, and transferring huge amounts of data without breaking a sweat, most consumers won’t be able to take full advantage of everything this router has to offer. Unless you’ve got some seriously demanding needs, this won’t necessarily be the best bang for your buck.

Final Verdict

It’s pretty clear to us that this is one of the most powerful routers on the market. Yes, there are a few top-tier models that perform a little better. But the difference in speed is minor, and you save quite a bit of money with this model.

With this in mind, our opinion is that the Linksys Max-Stream EA9300 has the best price to performance ratio of any router on the market.

The question is, do you need all of this performance? For many consumers, the answer is no. But if you have multiple high-bandwidth users and need a large area covered, then this could be a great buy.

We’d recommend this router to techies who want to host servers, small businesses who want to set up a high performance wireless network, households that do a lot of local file sharing, or anyone who wants to take full advantage of a fiber optic internet connection.

If you’re upgrading your router because you’ve got a high speed cable package, you might want to consider the Netgear CM1000 as an alternative. If you’re mainly interested in the long range, then something from our list of the Best Whole Home Wireless Networking Systems could be a better choice.

The post Linksys Max-Stream EA9300 (AC4000) Tri-Band Router Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

Wireless networking technology is evolving at a rapid pace. If you’ve been shopping for a new router, the boxes alone are enough to tell you this.

We’ve got routers with 4 Gbps of wireless bandwidth, and some with 8 antennas. There’s also routers that run commercial grade operating systems, and some so powerful that every member of your household can stream 4K content while gaming. All this, and you’ll still have bandwidth to spare.

On paper, the difference between the old and the new is night and day. But in reality, we can’t help but notice that the real-world difference is minimal. You can’t help but ask yourself: “Do I really need any of this?”

For many users, the answer is no. So what does the average consumer need? TP-Link thinks they have the answer. Their Archer C2300 is the router for the common man. It’s got specifications that are certainly modern, but comparatively modest. In this review, we’ll be putting it to the test. We’ll find out what it can do, figure out who it’s for, and see how it compares against the competition.

Basic Overview

The TP-Link Archer C2300 is an affordable router with a surprising spec sheet. It supports dual band 802.11ac with a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 2.3 Gbps. It has MIMO, and multi-CPU processing and also supports a wide range of security configuration options rarely found on consumer routers. Almost every feature found on an enthusiast grade router is here, just with slightly lower specifications.

TP-Link recommends this router for streaming 4K content, sharing files, as an extender to your existing wireless network, or simply to browse the web.

Unboxing & Setup

Removing the router from the box, we were surprised at how stylish it was. Overall, it’s just another black box. But there are some subtle design cues that really make it stand out. The metal border separating the upper case from the lower, the contrast between the textured and smooth housing, and the three squared off antennas all work together to create a professional yet modern appearance.

On the back, you’ll find five Ethernet ports. Four are gigabit LAN connectors for wired devices, while the blue port is a WAN connection for your modem. On the front, you’ve got two USB ports: one 2.0, the other 3.0. There’s a WPS button to log in without a password, and a reset button to reboot the router.

A sticker on the back displays the default WiFi network, so you can just plug it in and connect. But we chose to download TP-Link’s Tether app. This app works on both Android and iOS, and walks you through the setup procedure of the router. We chose a network name, password, entered a few questions about our internet connection, and were brought to the main screen. Setup was simple, and occurred without a hitch. Whether you’re highly technical or digitally challenged, anyone can set this router up on their own.

Speed & Range

These two metrics are pretty closely tied together. The further you are from the router, the slower your connection speed is.

At close proximity, we were able to transfer files from our local server at 623 Mbps. From 35 feet away, the speed dropped to 344 Mbps. For the extreme test, we placed it in the basement of our 2400 square foot home, and went up to the second floor on the opposite site. Even across the entire house and through several walls, we still got speeds of over 130 Mbps.

There is certainly some loss of speed over distance, but you’ll easily have enough range to cover even a large home.

For this, we can thank the beamforming technology. Beamforming uses a chain of amplifiers, each of which is designed to broadcast the signal in a specific direction. The router is essentially directing the wireless towards the user, improving its range by ensuring that any ‘dead zones’ are located in an area where nobody is accessing the network.

User Handling

We know how the story goes. Your internet is fast, and everything is working fine. But once the kids come home from school, suddenly your pages won’t load and you keep getting disconnected.
Kicking them off Netflix isn’t necessarily going to fix the problem. Most of the time, the issue isn’t bandwidth. The issue is that inexpensive routers can’t handle too many users.

Well, the C2300 is different. It’s got MIMO technology, and a dual core processor. Each core handles a separate channel. When one channel is being overloaded by a heavy user, active users are distributed across the two channels. One person’s heavy use can’t slow down the entire network, and high traffic can’t bog down the router.

With just a single online, our internet speed test gave us a 94 Mbit result. We then connected a second device, and started transferring files off a local network share. While this was happening, we repeated the speed test to get a 92 Mbit result. The second user’s heavy usage barely impacted our internet connection speed, so dual channel MIMO did its job.

Advanced Features

If you’re interested in playing with some of the more technical features, there are a ton of settings to mess with. You can log into the routers management console by typing tplinkwifi.net into your web browser. Here, the configuration will allow you to set it up as much more than just a router.

Want to extend your existing network? Configuring it as an access point allows you to connect it to an existing router using an Ethernet cable. It will then broadcast a second WiFi network, extending your range.

It can also be used as a repeater. In this mode, you only have one wireless network. The C2300 uses one antenna to send and receive data from your existing network, and relay it through the other two. The end result is the same as the last mode, but there are no cables to connect, and you won’t have to change networks as you move through the house.

On the side, the two USB ports can be configured as a NAS drive. Plug in an external hard drive or flash drive, and every user on the network can now download, upload, or edit files stored on the drive.

If you want to get really fancy, you can route all of your connections through a VPN for security, bond two of the gigabit Ethernet ports to double the speed on a single wired connection, or set access restriction rules on a device by device basis. These are the kinds of features we find on commercial grade networking hardware, and having them bundled is a huge asset.

Disadvantages

Unless you’re tech savvy, we don’t recommend diving into the web control panel. There are some routers that have a simple, easy to use interface for advanced settings, but this isn’t one of them. TP-Link’s app lets you perform all of the basic configuration from your phone. But if you are looking to use it as a repeater or extender, you’re better off buying a simpler device or asking a tech-savvy friend for help.

Final Verdict

The TP-Link Archer C2300 has really made us question what the average consumer needs in a router. On paper, it would seem like the Linksys Max Stream EA9300 (AC4000) would blow it out of the water. The Linksys has double the bandwidth, double the cores, a faster CPU, twice as many antennas, and more MIMO channels.

But for most users, these specifications don’t matter. TP-Link didn’t build a router that looked good on paper. They built something that performed well in real world situations.

Even with half the bandwidth of a high end model, this router is still fast enough to max out your internet connection. You can share files locally at high speed, game, and stream 4K content. Anything you’ll want to do online, this router will enable you to do.

We’d recommend this router for any household user. Those with 4 or more users will appreciate the MIMO technology and dual core processor. Those with a large home will benefit from beamforming, resulting in full coverage of your whole home.

Who shouldn’t buy this router? Houses with multiple, high volume users might want to look elsewhere. If you’ve got a 1 Gbps internet connection or more, run servers from your home, or have persistent, mission critical traffic to network shares, then you are one of the few who could benefit from a top end router.

For all the other home users? The Archer C2300 is the one to get. At the moment, this is the best value for your money that you’ll find anywhere.

The post TP-Link Archer C2300 Wireless Router Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

With increasing demand for streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify, internet service providers have no choice but to increase the amount of bandwidth available to consumers. This change might seem gradual, but it’s actually taken place quite quickly.

Research done by the FCC showed that the average American’s internet speed has tripled since 2011. But the fact remains that many American homes aren’t able to fully utilize the internet connection they pay for.

The problem is that our home networks just aren’t up to snuff. For some, upgrading your router might be a good idea. But no matter what your situation, purchasing your own cable model and router combination device is almost always a good buy.

Why is that? An upgraded cable modem will allow you to get a more stable connection, and can increase the amount of bandwidth available to local users. If you’re one of the many consumers who rent a modem, buying your own will actually save you money in the long run.

So, which one should you get? Technology changes rapidly, and the Linksys CG7500 is one of the latest models on the market. In this review, we’ll be going hands on to see what this hardware can do. After, we’ll help you decide if it’s a good option for your household.

Hardware Overview

This modem uses the DOCSIS 3.0 standard, and is compatible with Xfinity, Spectrum, and Comcast ISP’s. It’s up to date with all modern standards, and can support internet packages up to 300 Mbps. On the WiFi side, 802.11ac technology gives you up to 1900 Mb/s of local bandwidth. Whether you’re a heavy user or just future proofing, this mid-range modem could be a good choice.

Design

If you’ve been stuck with one of the cheap-o modems your ISP gave you, you’ll certainly appreciate the stylish look of the CG7500. It’s simple and unassuming, but still manages to be sleek and appealing to the eye.

Since it’s both a modem and a router, it’s got a lot more components than any single unit. By rounding the edges, it manages to keep a slim profile and provide adequate cooling at the same time.

Indicator lights on the front keep you informed of activity, both over the internet and across your local network. But there isn’t much in terms of an interface or control panel, as Linksys designed this modem to be easy to use and require virtually no user interaction.

Setup Procedure

Linksys really took their time to ensure that this modem was as simple to set up as possible. Everything is pre-configured for you. If you’re on Xfinity, all you have to do is remove the modem from the box, connect your coaxial cable, then connect the power.

Your WiFi network name and password are printed on a sticker on the back of the modem. After a one or two-minute boot up procedure, you’ll be up and running.

With other ISPs, you do have to call them and provide the serial number of the modem. But this is an ISP policy, and not something that Linksys can account for.

Modem

Most cable internet providers are using a communication protocol called DOCSIS. This is the language that your ISP uses to talk to your modem. DOCSIS works by dividing the broadband spectrum into separate channels. Your ISP might deliver 256 separate channels to your block, with each of them supplying 12.5 Mbps of bandwidth.

Channel bonding is the reason that your ISP can offer multiple packages. A 25 Mbit internet plan just means that you’re accessing two DOCSIS 3.0 channels.

The CG7500 can bond up to 25 channels together for download, and 8 channels for upload. This means that the maximum speeds it supports are 300 Mbps down, and 100 Mbps up.

If you have a 50 Mbps internet plan, this modem isn’t going to magically increase your speed to its theoretical limit. But there are advantages. If you’re got a modem that you’re running at full capacity, it can struggle to keep up. Since this modem supports 300 Mbps down, it can provide 50 or even 100 Mbps service without breaking a sweat. A modem that caps out at your max speed with always have some overhead, reducing your bandwidth. With this in mind, most users will find that there are situations where this modem can improve your connection speed.

Router

Although there are many 802.11ac WiFi routers on the market, not all are alike. There are actually several different flavors of this technology, each of which vary in bandwidth and performance.

By nature, all 802.11ac routers broadcast on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channel. This particular router is the ac1900 variety, meaning it provides you with a total bandwidth of 1.9 Gbps. That’s 1.3 Gbps on the 5 GHz channel, and 300 Mbps of the 2.4 GHz channel.

Modern devices can bond both of these channels. You connect on both frequencies and get the combined 1.9 Gbps. Others can only connect to one at a time. Unlike many other ac routers, this model only shows a single network. You’ll automatically be connected to one, or both of the frequencies depending on which one will give you the best user experience.

Why wouldn’t everyone just connect to both? Well, 5 GHz does have more bandwidth, but it also has a shorter range. If you’re far away from the router, you’ll be directed to the 2.4 GHz channel so that you don’t have a dropped connection.

Some routers are designed with a fancy web interface that provides you access to all the nuts and bolts of your network. The CG7500 does have an interface, but configuration options are simple. This router is designed to be easy to use, so almost all settings are configured automatically. You don’t have to be a techno-wizard to get it running, nor do you have to do any maintenance.

Connection Filtering

When you’re listening to FM radio, there are always areas where the sound is a little fuzzier than others. Cable internet is the same. Noise is a big problem, and a bad connection means that you won’t get the advertised speed.

With FM radio, a bigger antenna can often improve reception. With cable internet, it’s filtering you need. The CG7500 uses Intel’s Puma 6 Chipset. This chipset is extremely adept and cleaning up your signal, and making the most of a poor connection. If your home has old wiring, or if you’re located in a rural area, there is a good chance that the filtering system could improve your speed when compared with a basic modem.

Compatibility

Right out of the box, this modem can be used with Xfinity, Comcast, and Spectrum internet packages. But this isn’t the complete list of ISP’s it supports. This is just the ones that have certified the modem for use on their network.

Many ISP’s do not require certification. This modem adheres to the DOCSIS standard completely, so it will work with any ISP that uses that standard. Most small local providers fit the bill. There are a few companies that refuse to let consumer-bought modems on their network, but this is increasingly rare. It might be a good idea to call your provider and make sure, but there are no technical reasons why this modem would be incompatible.

Disadvantages

This modem supports massive bandwidth, but it’s possible that the router could be a bottleneck. When you’ve got multiple high-volume users on your network, we like to recommend MIMO. MIMO essentially creates multiple networks, so that one heavy user doesn’t slow down the connection for everyone else. Unfortunately, this modem doesn’t support MIMO, so it’s not the best choice for anyone with a large number of users who will be using huge amounts of bandwidth.

Final Verdict

The Linksys CG7500 has a lot going for it. Its performance is a huge improvement over most ISP supplied modems, but it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. There is no question about its adequacy for most consumer’s connections. In fact, going off specifications alone you’d assume that this is a modem designed for power users who have top tier packages.

But the truth is, this isn’t designed to be a high end modem. It’s an investment. Its speed is over the top now, but in three or more years it may be the standard.

With this in mind, there are two reasons you’d want to buy the CG7500. The most obvious is to save money. At an average rental rate of $10 per month, you’ll pay off this modem in two years. Based on the average increase in speed of the typical home user’s internet connection, most consumers will get four to five years out of this model, saving a pretty significant amount of money.

Another reason you’d want to pick this up is if you’re struggling to get your advertised internet speed. It performs better in challenging conditions thanks to its filtering hardware.
Not sure if this is the best option for you? Our guide to the Best Cable Modem WiFi Router Combo covered some of the best choices on the market. Whether you’re looking for better WiFi performance or higher speeds, you’ll find an option in our guide.

The post Linksys CG7500 (AC1900) Wi-Fi Cable Modem/Router Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

When consumers decide to purchase a new cable modem, there are usually two main driving forces. Upgraded modems allow consumers to get higher download speeds. This could be necessary if you’re trying to upgrade your cable package beyond what your current modem supports, or if you’re not currently tapping into all the bandwidth your current package offers.

Another reason consumers upgrade is to simply save money. Your cable provider may charge you a rental fee for their modem. No matter what the rate, if you purchase your own modem you’ll be able to quickly reduce your expenses.

No matter what your motivation, there is a pretty big incentive to buy the biggest, fastest cable modem you can find. From a specification perspective, the TP-Link TC7650 looks to be one of the best modems on the market. Wondering how it performs in the real world? In our hands-on review, we’ll be going in-depth to see what this modem is capable of. After we explore the functionality, we’ll help you decide if this modem is the best option for your application.

First Look

TP-Link is an internationally known brand offering high end networking hardware at a competitive price. The TC7650 is definitely a lot larger that most cable modems, but there is a ton of powerful hardware inside that justifies the large size. It supports the latest DOCSIS 3.0 standard, and is one of the few modems capable of downstream bandwidth exceeding 1 Gbps. Consumers who want a top tier internet package, or who don’t plan on upgrading their modem again for a while are the main groups this modem is targeted to.

Unboxing & Setup

If you’ve previously configured your own cable modem, you’ll be pleased to learn that the process is quite similar for TP-Links TC7650-E. But even if you’re unsure of where to begin, you’ll still be able to figure the process out quite easily.

Upon opening the box, you’ll find a few key components. You’ve got the modem itself, a power supply, and Ethernet cable, and a quick start guide. The first thing you’ll want to do is place the modem in an upright position, and connect the Ethernet cable to your router. You can then connect the coaxial port on the back to your cable internet supply, and finally connect the power.

After thirty or forty seconds, you’ll see the power light turn on at the front of the router. This is the indication that your boot process is complete. From here, most ISPs require that you call in to tell them that you got a new router. There are a few, however, that allow you to activate it through their mobile app or online interface if you have a cellular data connection.

Design

Visually, the TC7650 has a very modern, up to date appearance. It’s gently rounded sides and sleek inner enclosure mean that even though it’s a little bulkier than most, it still appears like is has a thing profile. This modem has cooling holes on both sides, and is required to be used in an upright position.

Four status LEDs are located on the front, which give you a quick, at a glance look at it’s current connection status. The appearance is slightly reserved, so it won’t seem out of place no matter where you place it.

Compatibility

Whenever you buy a new cable modem, one of the most important things to check is whether it’s compatible with your current internet service provider.

From a technical standpoint, there are very few ISP’s that aren’t compatible with this modem. Most providers are using DOCSIS 3.0, and TP-Link made sure that their modem adhered to the complete standard. But even through there is no technical reason why this modem wouldn’t work with your carrier, there is still the unfortunate issue of bureaucracy.

Many ISP’s do not allow any modem on their network unless they’ve tested and manually approved it. Before they can be used, vendors need to supply a review version of their hardware and make sure that it adheres to corporate policy.

At the time of writing, this modem is approved for use on Comcast, Xfinity, Time Warner, and Spectrum. If you’re using a smaller, local, ISP. You might want to call and find out. Many smaller companies resell the services of one of these larger companies, so there is a chance that this modem could work even if your don’t see your brand listed.

Networking Technology

If you’re looking for something future-proof, this modem is one of the best options we’ve come across yet. It supports IPv6 in addition to IPv4, and both services can be run as a dual stack. It also supports a total channel width of 144 MHz, allowing it to access 24 channels of DOCSIS 3.0 bandwidth in downstream applications.

What does this mean for you? You get up to 1 Gbps of downstream bandwidth and 200 Mbps of upstream bandwidth. Although there are a few ISP’s offering this kind of bandwidth, packages are still few and far in between. For most consumers, this is the type of modem that you buy now knowing that you want something that will last you several years. But even if you’re the type who likes to download tons of files, this is still a great option.

Another form of future-proofing available with the TC7650 is the symbol rate. For illustration purposes, let’s consider sending a letter to your friend. You have 26 different letters to choose from, so in this case your “symbol rate” would be 26. Each letter can have 26 different meanings. Most cable modems on the market have a symbol rate of 64. This means that a single waveform can have 64 different meanings. But this modem supports a symbol rate of 256. Although this technology is not commonly used with ISP’s, it’s quickly becoming the new standard. Once ISP’s upgrade to this standard by default, most consumers are going to have to upgrade their modems. But if you purchase this one, you’ll be ready for the changeover. For those of you looking for something that won’t become obsolete anytime soon, 256 QAM is an important feature to have.

Disadvantages

For some consumers, the high end components don’t provide much benefit. This modem is designed to be future proof, and includes hardware that supports technologies not currently in widespread use. If you live in an urban center, you’ll likely see these technologies come into play within the next year or two. But if you live in a very rural area, there is a chance that you’ll be spending money on equipment that isn’t going to be seen for 3+ years.

Final Verdict

Should you buy the TP-Link TC7650 modem? Well, the answer to that question depends entirely on your usage. Are you one of the few people fortunate enough to have access to a 1 Gbps internet package? Or, are you looking for an inexpensive modem that will give you the best speeds available now, but scale with your usage over the next few years? If that’s the case, then the 7650 is a fantastic option.

TP-Link is one of the most well known companies when it comes to home networking, and their expertise shows in this modem. It supports all of the hottest technologies currently in use today, as well as ones that are quickly coming into place. 265 QAM, IPv6, and 144 Mhz channel width are all quickly coming into play, and this is one of the few modems that can access these technologies without forcing you to upgrade.

That being said, this modem isn’t the only thing you need to get a high speed internet connection. Unlike some, it doesn’t include a router built in. However, we did just take a look at the TP-Link Archer C2300 router. This router is sold for an affordable price, but still performs like a high end unit. In our eyes, it’s the perfect companion to the TC7650.

Looking for something a little more modest? This high end modem isn’t going to be for everyone. If you’re looking for an affordable modem / router combo, we’d highly recommend that you check out our review of the Linksys CG7500. This unit isn’t quite as modern as TP-Links, but it’s still got all the technology you need for a high end modern connection up to 300 Mbps. For most consumers, this could be a fantastic alternative.

The post TP-Link TC7650-E (24×8) DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

These days, having a good internet connection is extremely important. Our entire lives are online. The transition to cloud architecture means that without a stable internet connection, we’d miss calls, messages, and won’t be able to find the information we need.

The unfortunate reality is that, for many of us, a flakey WiFi connection is a fact of life. Fortunately, mesh networking technology is a promising solution.

Your standard WiFi connection operates on a point to point system. The router broadcasts a network, and your computer connects to the router. If you’re behind too many walls, or simply out of range, your connection to the router won’t be very strong.

Mesh technology involves a number of router-style devices. These devices communicate with each other, as well as with the internet enabled devices in your home. Any time you send a piece of data, your mesh network is determining the most efficient route to transmit that information.

In most circumstances, mesh networking technology can solve your networking woes once and for all. There are many systems on the market, and each of them takes a slightly different approach. When you’re shopping around, it’s important to do your research. One company’s implementation of mesh technology can be significantly better than others, and your environment plays a huge role in how well it will work.

In this review, we’ll be taking a look at the new kid on the block: The EnGenius Technologies EnMesh WiFi system. We’ll go hands on to find out how it performs. After, we’ll help you decide if this is a good fit for your home.

First Look

The EnMesh Whole-Home Wi-Fi System is, financially speaking, one of the most competitive mesh networking systems on the market. Instead of selling the system as a package, you buy the individual nodes. They can work on their own, or you can add as many as you like to eliminate dead spots. This MIMO based system supports up to 1200 Mbps of total throughput, making it the ideal choice for households that like to stream a lot of data.

Networking Technology

Before we show you how the EnMesh system works, we’ll take a quick look at the specifications to find out how this system works under the hood. Behind the network is a 2×2 MIMO chipset. MIMO is a common networking technology used in high end routers where one client is likely to use up all the bandwidth available on one channel. In essence, this means that there are two networks available under the same name.

In this case, there isn’t two different MIMO channels available for your clients. One channel is used for all of your devices, while the other is for internal communication between EnMesh modules. This is what’s called a backhaul channel. The idea is that data can be passed through various nodes without slowing down your actual home wireless network.

Each of the modules has an 802.11ac chipset with an integrated omnidirectional antenna. This means that it broadcasts your network in a circular pattern, evenly from the center of the router.

Design & Layout

Each of the EnMesh modules has a simple, but eye-catching design. They are all flat and cylindrical, with a single multi-colored LED on the front. This LED is an important indicator of your current network status, and can help with the setup procedure (which we’ll get into shortly).

A clean EnGenius logo adorns the top, while all the ports and connectors you’ll need can be found on the back. You get a gigabit Ethernet port, a USB 2.0 port, and a power outlet to connect the 12V power supply. The design is very simple, so you won’t be afraid to place it somewhere that it’s publicly viewable. But all of the configuration takes place through software, so there are no buttons on the device itself.

Setup Procedure

Mesh networking can be complicated. Fortunately, EnGenius makes it simple to set up your network. There are two ways to do so.

Personally, we preferred to set up our network using our mobile phones. You simply download the EnGenius app, and follow the prompts. It asks you to choose a network name, set a password, and provide a little more information about your home. After these basic steps, you take the app and walk around your home with your phone in your hand. It will tell you where the dead spots are, and recommend a place to put the node.

You can also walk around with the node itself. The LED light on the front will remain green when the signal is strong, orange when the signal is weak, or red when there is no signal.

This process only takes a few minutes, and is simple enough that anyone can do it. By taking the time to actually walk around your home, you’ll ensure that every part of your home is evenly covered.

Range

Since the main advantage to mesh networking is a wider range of coverage, it’d be prudent to find out exactly how far that goes. According to EnGenius, each node covers a 1500 square foot home. This implies that you’ll need two for a 300 square foot home, or three for a 4500 square foot home.

For typical houses, we found these measurements to be accurate. But there are a few things that could affect your usability. If you’re going through lots of walls, or you’ve got an older house that has plaster walls, you’ll see coverage reduced to around 1200 square feet per node. In extremely challenging conditions, such as in apartments with concrete walls, range can be reduced to 1000 square feet. However, the app will tell you what your range is. So you can place each node in a specific spot to alleviate a dead zone. With this in mind, consumers will rarely need more than three EnMesh nodes.

Bandwidth

As an 802.11ac 1200 router, this networking system supports up to 1.2 Gbps of total bandwidth. But it’s important to note that this is the theoretical limit. In reality, the bandwidth can be quite a bit less.

In our tests, we saw download speeds of 543 Mbps, and upload speeds of 294 Mbps when going through a single node. Over long distances, these speeds dropped to 285 Mbps down, and 174 Mbps up. Is this anywhere near the maximum theoretical limit? No. But the speeds are consistent with other mesh networking systems we’ve tested.

Software

Through the EnMesh app, you’re able to configure a number of optional features and troubleshoot problems. The app gives you at a glance access to the inner workings of your network. Is one of the nodes receiving a poor signal quality? Is one of your devices having frequent dropouts? The app will tell you all of this, and can recommend solutions. In most cases, you’ll need to either move a node, or add another one.

The app can also be used to activate several bonus features. EnGenius lets you configure a guest network, and set access restrictions on it. You can turn parental controls and determine what times your kids are allowed online, and what kind of content they can access.

Disadvantages

For high volume networks, we like to see a QoS system. QoS allows you to prevent one user from using more than their share of bandwidth, and ensure that connections are prioritized by the strain they put on the network. EnGenius has stated that there is a QoS system coming, but at the time of writing it’s not yet available. If you’ve got your eyes on this system, keep an eye out for this feature in the future.

Final Verdict

As one of the most affordable Mesh networking systems on the market, we were impressed to see that the performance was still consistent with much more expensive systems. The EnMesh Whole-Home Wi-Fi System is extremely easy to set up, has surprisingly high bandwidth, and provided a long-range, stable connection in our tests.

Who should buy this system? We’d recommend it for anyone who has less than 10 users, and a large area to cover. Families living in multi-story homes, or who want to be able to access the internet from the back yard are all great candidates for this system.

Are you looking for a whole-home mesh WiFi system that offers more than the EnMesh has to offer? We reviewed some of the most popular models in our Best Mesh WiFi Systems post. If you’re still unsure of this is the right system for you, you might want to check this out to see what else is on the market.

The post EnGenius Technologies EnMesh Whole-Home Wi-Fi System Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

What does a router do? In simple terms, it broadcasts internet to all of your connected devices. But when Eero launched their first Mesh Router, our answer to this question changed.

Their ground-breaking technology used several different bands to string your network across your home, preventing issues with dead zones, packet loss, and bandwidth issues.

Mesh networking became a trend in the home networking industry, and companies like Google and Linksys hopped on the bandwagon, releasing their own hardware.

For a while, Eero was no longer the best router on the market. Instead, they were one of a few different options, each of which provided the same service.

Their second generation hardware added a whole new layer of functionality, allowing the router to act more as your gatekeeper for your whole network. Which devices can access your network, how they access it, and how your bandwidth is distributed was all managed by a single piece of hardware. Today, we’ll be revisiting Eero’s networking platform by testing out their Eero Pro system. This is the highest end package they sell, designed to create a powerful network that can work even in the most challenging conditions. We went hands on to find out exactly what this router can do, and this guide will help you decide if this is a networking system that can improve your home network.

First Look

Currently, Eero has two modern products on the market. They’ve got the Eero itself – a tri-band mesh networking router with Ethernet ports, a processor, and an advanced quality of service system. They also have the beacon. The beacon comes with a built in night light, and is a little more compact than the Eero. But other than those two points, it’s much simpler than the full-size model, and only used as an expansion.

The Eero Pro WiFi System contains three Eeros, and is the most powerful system that Eero performs. If you live in an apartment, you might be able to get away with just a single unit. But by putting this model to the test, we’re able to find out the best of what Eero has to offer.

Networking Technology

This is one of the most complete WiFi systems we’ve come across. It’s designed to completely replace your router and all of it’s extenders, increasing your single or dual point connection to a tri-band tri-point system.

Being as this router promises so much more than your common system, it would make sense that the technology is unique in design. The most noteworthy feature is the dedicated backhaul line. We mentioned that this is a Tri-band router. Only two of those bands are consumer facing – the standard 2.4 and 5 Ghz channels used for 802.11ac. But the third band is 5.8 Ghz, something that isn’t commonly supported with consumer networking equipment. This is actually a huge advantage. Your Eero units are going to be the only things in your home using this channel. It covers a wide range, has a ton of bandwidth, and is rarely crowded.

This means that each device in your home will connect to the closest Eero as if it’s the first router in your system. And thanks to the backhaul channel, your wireless connection will be as if every single Eero unit in your home has it’s own dedicated hardwired line.

Setup Procedure

Before you can realize the benefits of the Eero system, you’ll first have to get it up and running. Fortunately, Eero has taken a great deal of care to ensure that the process is simple, straightforward, and easy for consumers to follow.

In order to get it up and running, you’ll first need to fire up your smartphone. After plugging in your first Eero to both a power outlet and your modem, your phone will connect to it via Bluetooth, and initiate the setup procedure.

The first questions you’re asked is about your home. You tell it how many square feet it is, how many stories, and select from a list of pre-configured layouts. This line of questioning is a first for whole-home WiFi systems, and helps Eero determine how your network should best be setup.

Once entering this information, selecting “next” causes your phone to look for your first Eero over the Bluetooth network. You can then answer a series of questions including your network name, and configure some initial access restrictions, should you desire.

After the first model is set up, the app will recommend the places you should install the other Eero modules. They are easy to mount, requiring only a flat surface. Table or wall, the choice is yours. You’re then greeted with confetti, and an announcement that enthusiastically reads, “Boom! Your network has been created”.

Bandwidth & Coverage

Once we got our network up and running, the next step was to see how it performs. There are two technologies that can improve both bandwidth, as well as coverage. Generally speaking, wireless routers are omnidirectional – they broadcast your network equally in all directions. But the Eero has beamforming. This is a number of directional antennas that can only broadcast in a specific direction. With power being distributed to the antennas equally, you’ll get the same coverage as an omnidirectional antenna. But when the entire family is playing on their phones in the living room, you’ve got a hotspot of data use. Beam forming can reduce power to antennas facing in unused directions, and improve the signal in fixed areas.

Up next, you’ve got MIMO technology. This stands for multiple input, multiple output. We’ve all encountered a scenario in the past where one person is downloading an entire season of their favorite TV show, which causes your ping time to make your online gaming session almost unplayable. With MIMO, this is a thing of the past. Each Eero module can have two separate WiFi networks running at the same time. If one gets bogged down, users are moved to the other. Across three modules, this is six separate connections. Technically there are nine connections, but three are reserved for communication between Eeros, keeping your backbone up and running.

How does it work in the real world? In a word, excellent! With 802.11ac enabled, we were able to hit speeds of up to a gigabit on WiFi. The router competently covered 4000 square feet of space, with virtually no dead zones or drop-offs to speak of. This might be overkill for some users, but if you’re looking for the ultimate in coverage than the Eero Pro may be for you.

Features

Beyond providing you with unparalleled internet access, there are a few other key features that help set this WiFi system apart from the pack. The first key advantage is security. Eero is designed to automatically detect security holes and patch them. Your Eero always has an internet connection, and all security updates are performed automatically, and in the background.

You also have a whole suite of privacy and parental control features. You can set up a separate guest network, allowing users who don’t have the password to access the internet, but with restrictions on how much bandwidth they can use, and what times they can access it. You can set device specific content filters, as well as time. This means that your kids won’t be up all night on their phones, and they won’t come across anything you don’t want them to see.

Disadvantages

The Eero Pro is a powerful system, and covers a huge area. For many users, this will be overkill. If your home is less than 3 bedrooms, or less than 2500 square feet, we’d instead recommend that you go with a smaller system. Unfortunately, when you’re only buying one or two Eero modules, you don’t get as good of a deal. For now, those of us with massive square footage to cover can get pretty good bang for your buck. But if you have a smaller home, you’ll have to swallow a higher per-unit cost if you want the same advanced features offered by one or two Eero devices.

Final Verdict

If you’re struggling to get the coverage you need in a larger home, a whole-home WiFi system is the solution you’ve been looking for. And in this regard, we feel that the Eero Pro is the best of them all. Featuring a dedicated back-haul channel, MIMO, beamforming, and a whole lotta bandwidth, there are very few systems that can come close to approaching what the Eero Pro offers.

The question is, is it worth it? If you’ve tried other systems and found them lackluster, absolutely! But just because you have the occasional dead spot in your home doesn’t mean that you should get something this beefy. For homes under 2500 square feet, one or two Eeros should work fine. But if you have a large home and an even larger appetite for bandwidth, then the Eero Pro is for you.

The post First-Look Review of the Eero Pro WiFi System appeared first on Nerd Techy.

While high end routers used to be a niche product, today they’re purchased by gamers, streamers, and enthusiasts alike. The simple fact is that our desire for bandwidth increases almost daily, and consumers have to turn to the high end manufacturers to get their hands on hardware that can keep up with their demands.

The Nighthawk series routers are synonymous with power, and this is most clearly displayed by their aggressive look. But tech moves fast, and the top routers of last year have a hard time keeping up with the ones of today. Nighthawk may have been the first to market with a consumer-oriented performance router, but they’re certainly not the last. With the latest generation of this famous router, the X6S, now available to market, we’ve got questions to answer. Is this router still the top dog, or is this just a simple update to an aging platform? We decided to go hands-on to find out.

First Look

With six monstrous antennas, a fiercely angular appearance, and a spec sheet that could make other routers shiver in their boots, it’s obvious from first glance that this is a powerful router. The Netgear Nighthawk X6S R8000P is capable of total theoretical bandwidth of 4 Gbps, and produces a tri-band 802.11ac network.

While this might not be the only router to support those standards, the X6S brings a lot to the table that you can’t find elsewhere. Powerful CPUs, advanced connectivity, and a operating-system grade firmware allow it to take on the most demanding tasks. But something that we’ve all learned the hard way is that cutting edge technologies don’t always perform as well as we think they will, so we had to put it to the test.

Networking Technology

When you’re buying a new router, it’s important to understand the difference between theoretical bandwidth, and actual bandwidth. Once we understand where these numbers come from, we can set realistic expectations.

As an AC4000 router, it’s capable of 4 Gbps (4000 Mbps) of total bandwidth. As a tri-band router, this bandwidth will be spread across three separate bands.

By nature, 802.11ac uses two bands. On the A channel, you get 750 Mbps of bandwidth. This is the 2.4 Ghz channel. On the 5 Ghz channel, you get 1625 Mbps. This router can broadcast on two separate 5 Ghz channels at the same, time. So the 4000 Mbps of total bandwidth comes from the 750 Mbps 2.4 Ghz channel, plus the two 1625 Mbps 5 Ghz channels.

How much will a single device have access too? Well, that depends. Older hardware gives you the choice of connecting to either the 2.4 Ghz or the 5 Ghz channel. In that case, you’ll be able to access either 750 Mbps of bandwidth or 1.6 Gbps. But modern hardware can bond these two channels together, giving a single device access to 2.3 Gbps. This is the maximum bandwidth any single device will have. However, thanks to the MU-MIMO technology, separate high volume users can access separate bands. You could have one user tapping into the full 2.6 Gbps channel with bonded AC, while another user can make full use of their own separate 1.6 Gbps channel. One user won’t slow down the other.

Both of these bandwidth limitations are borderline excessive for most users, so the channels can be further divided so that every user gets equal access to your internet connection. But if you are one of the few people fortunate enough to have a gigabit internet plan, this is one of the few wireless solutions that will work well.

Range

Coverage is a major issue with modern homes, and that’s one of the reasons that whole-home networking systems have become so popular. Fortunately, even if you’ve found it difficult to get coverage across your entire home with other routers, the X6S should still work well. Those six antennas on top are part of a system called beam forming.

To understand how it works, picture your typical router in the center of your home. Typically, coverage is in a circle around the router. The further you get, the weaker the signal is. This is what’s known as an omni-directional antenna – it travels equally in all directions.

If you walk into a large corporate building, you’ll probably notice that the antennas look a little different. These are directional antennas. Like a megaphone, the signal travels out from them in a specific direction. You can hear it better from the front than you can from behind.

The X6S has six directional antennas arranged around the body of the router. This is a directional system that behaves like an omnidirectional system. However, the power going to each antenna can be raised or lowered as needed. If somebody in the corner of the house is getting a poor connection, the router can cut power to an unused antenna and increase the power at the one in demand.

For household applications, this system works great. It’s literally forming the beams, to create an intelligent coverage system that can easily provide a high quality network in homes as large as 4000 square feet.

Some routers that use beam forming allow you to replace the antennas. The fact that these one are not replaceable may seem like a disadvantage, but in reality they are not. This isn’t a standard beam forming system. It’s highly modified and tweaked, and these antennas are designed specifically for it. There is no need to tweak or modify the system, as it works great straight out of the box.

Firmware

When you back powerful hardware with powerful software, the possibilities really open up. The R8000’s firmware can be configured manually, and offers a plethora of choices available. You can set it up to bridge an IPV6 network to an IPV4, or for it to operate as an access point for a more advanced network. You can change the quality of service settings, ensuring that one user doesn’t clog up the whole network.

These features are fantastic for the techies out there, but what if you’re not quite that savvy? No worries! The X6S comes with it’s own software known as “genie.” The Genie will ask you simple questions about your network, and configure all of the complicated settings for you. You don’t need to know anything about networks to get it running, but you aren’t going to lose any functionality either.

Additional Features

One of the most notable features we came across was the built in backup system. On the back of the router, you’ve got several Ethernet ports, as well as a USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.0 port. You can connect an external hard drive to a USB port, or connect a NAS device to an Ethernet port. The router will then take charge of ensuring that all of your devices are backed up, so a hard drive failure won’t cause data loss.

In order for this feature to work, you do have to configure your individual devices. But Windows sees it as a backup device. So when you first connect, you’ll be prompted to set up a backup system.

Disadvantages

in 2016, Netgear found a major security vulnerability in their routers. Consumers had to manually download a patch and apply it in order to correct the issue. Over the past year, Netgear hasn’t found any additional security problems. However, there are a number of routers that automatically update themselves, so there is no user intervention required to fix problems such as these. In the future, we’d hope to see Netgear set up an automatic update system along these lines.

Final Verdict

The Nighthawk X6S is among the most powerful routers on the market. It’s one of the few devices that can support gigabit networking wirelessly, making it a great choice for anyone who has, or intends to get, an high speed fiber internet connection.

But when you look at the raw numbers, you’ll quickly realize that only a very small number of consumers actually need that much bandwidth. But these numbers show a lot more than just raw data travelling around, they show you what the router is capable of handling. If you’ve got a household of gamers, people that stream 4K content, or even if you like to leave your torrent files on all the time, then this is the router for you. It can cover a huge area, and handle many more users that the typical router. You might spend a little extra for it, but anyone that can’t stand dropped connections or disappointing download speeds will appreciate what is has to offer.

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Just when you’ve finally got all of your hardware up to date, a new standard hits that market that threatens to make everything you own obsolete. Such is the nature of technology. Perhaps the best example of this is with cable modems. Some of the best modems on the market use DOCSIS 3.0; and yet only months after the DOCSIS 3.1 standard is drafted, we’ve already got a couple compatible modems available.

If you take pride in having the best internet package your ISP has to offer, you’ve likely got your eye on one of these devices. But what exactly does this new standard bring to the table? Is it work investing in a DOCSIS 3.1 modem, or is it simply too early?

To answer these questions, we went hands-on with Motorola’s new modem: the MB8600. We’ll put it to the test to see how it performs, and help you decide if it’s a good solution for your own home network.

Brand

What separates the Motorola MB8600 from competing models is the brand – and we don’t mean that in the “luxury” sense. Motorola was instrumental in developing the DOCSIS standard, and they’ve consistently been a top performer in the industry. For that very reason, it’s important that you go with a brand you can trust. There are only two reasons that a manufacturer can push new hardware to market before it’s competitors. Either they’ve got insider knowledge of the industry, and the expertise required to expedite the engineering process. Alternately, they might rush the development process by cutting corners. And those types of business practices are what lead to products like the Note 7 – and all of it’s related faults.

Compatibility

Before you consider performance, the first thing to determine is whether this modem will work with your internet provider. For the vast majority of consumers shopping for a DOCSIS 3.1 modem, the answer is “no.” Only a few companies have rolled out the new standard, and usually only in select areas. But with the MB8600, your options are much less restricted.

It supports both DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 3.0. In many ways, this makes it the ultimate future-proof device. You can buy it now, even if your ISP hasn’t updated. When they do update, you’ll be first in line for the new packages available.

The modem is already certified for Comcast XFINITY, and you can use it with any package they offer. They also let you change your modem online. Just log in, and enter the new serial number – no need to call in!

At the time of writing, only Comcast has officially certified the modem. However, Motorola adheres to the complete DOCSIS standard, and they have an excellent relationship with most cable modem providers. But if you’re not on Xfinity, you should call your provider to double check, first.

Bandwidth

You buy a modem for speed, so total bandwidth is likely going to be the determining factor in your purchase. In short: this is one beast of a modem.

Gigabit Ethernet is typically considered the gold standard of network communication. Ping times are low, packet loss in minimal, and bandwidth is consistent – regardless of location. But get this – The MB8600 is too fast for a single gigabit Ethernet port. You actually have to use four of them if you want to max out the modems 3.8 Gbps maximum downstream bandwidth.

If you’re drooling at these numbers, try not to get too excited. You’re not going to see these speeds right away. Currently, you’re limited to the 1 Gbps maximum internet speed offered by cable providers. This is the theoretical maximum bandwidth that DOCSIS 3.0 can offer, so if you’re in a 3.0 area you won’t see speeds improve for a little while. If your area has DOCSIS 3.1, you may see speeds improve soon. The infrastructure is already there; you just have to wait for the demand to increase.

Connectivity

From the back, this looks very much like your typical router. You’ve got a single WAN port, where you plug in your coaxial cable. You’ve then got four Ethernet ports, used to connect your device to your modem.

Based on the looks, you might think that you can hard-wire several devices to it, and use it like a typical router. But this isn’t the case. You can only connect it to a single device.
This system works the same way that DOCSIS 3.0 does. When you’ve got a 1 Gbps connection, what you’re actually using is 32 separate internet connections at the same time. Each port is just bonded into a single connection.

The reason for the four ports is that a single LAN port cannot carry all the data this modem is capable of receiving. In theory, you’ll just use four separate cables to perform the actions of a single connection. When internet speeds reach the potential set by this modem, this will be common. But in the meantime, there is very little consumer hardware available that supports this. One example is the Netgear Nighthawk X6S, although this only supports bonding two ports. For now, it’s unlikely that you’ll need this. It’s not the most elegant solution, but it does add a whole new layer of future proofing you won’t find elsewhere.

Performance

For the most part, you’re going to have to wait until ISP’s roll out their DOCSIS 3.1 networks to take advantage of what this modem has to offer. But there is on exception – Active Queue Management.

To understand how this works, picture yourself working in the mail room at a large office. Mail comes in, and your job is to sort the letters to the individual offices they’re addressed to. You’ve got a huge stack of letters to sort, and you methodically move through them one at a time.

What happens when a really important letter comes in? If you’re just moving through the stack one by one, it will have to wait until you get through all the mail ahead of it, before it’s delivered.

AQM can be thought of one of two ways. Maybe the mailman taps you on the shoulder, and points out that one specific letter needs to be delivered immediately. Or, perhaps you quickly skim through all the letters to prioritize the important ones before you sort them. The takeaway is that AQM reduces lag by ensuring that priority packets are delivered first. There will still be a measurable slowdown (though not noticeable) under high traffic conditions, but the performance is drastically improved when compared with the standard system.

Signal Quality

You might think that the only people who can benefit from this modem are those that live in an urban area, where extremely fast speeds are available. But there is an exception. Thanks to Full Band Capture technology, this modem will be useful in rural areas, or locations with poor signal quality.

Cable internet is divided up into 32 channels. A modem that caps out at around 500 Mbps might only have access to the first 16 channels. Since only ultra-high speed modems use the upper channels, these are emptier, and typically have a cleaner signal.

Even if your ISP only provides access to 8 channels, they don’t restrict what channels you can use. This modem receives the entire DOCSIS band, and can pick and choose channels that are the cleanest. If you’re struggling to get the advertised bandwidth due to a crowded network, or aging lines, this modem could be the answer.

Disadvantages

For most consumers, there will be no advantage to this modem over a cheaper model. It’s got cutting edge technology, but this is a double edged sword. ISPs aren’t going to upgrade their end of the hardware until demand for bandwidth outpaces what they can supply, and until this hardware becomes more standardized. You’re going to pay a premium to get in on the ground floor, and by the time DOCSIS 3.1 is widespread, the hardware will be cheaper.

Final Verdict

Should you buy the Motorola MB8600? Well, that depends on your objectives. There are two main reasons that people buy their own modems, instead of using the ISP supplied one. Since many ISP’s charge a monthly fee for a modem rental, buying one up front can save you money in the long run. But if your modem fee is $10 a month, it can take two to three years before you break even on a router that costs a few hundred. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, you’ll want a modem that will last as long as possible. And in this regard, the future proof MB8600 is a fantastic choice.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in an area that has access to connections 1 Gbps or higher, you’ll probably be limited by your current hardware. In that case, you’re the perfect candidate for a modem like this.

If you’re still rocking a 50 Mbps connection and have no complaints, then this is probably not the modem for you. It might look cool on your desk, but it would be like purchasing a Ferrari to go pick up your groceries. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t upgrade. Take a look at our roundup of the best cable modems and see if there is something that better suits your needs there.

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Since it was first released, wireless networking technology has gone through some major changes. The last few years in particular has seen particularly high growth. The advent of whole-home WiFi systems has been made possible by this technological advancement, but this more of an effect than a cause.

The incentive for growth is simple. The way we use the internet has changed. Previously, any application where the quality of an internet connection was important has relied on wireless networking. From commercial servers to streaming to gaming, an Ethernet cable was the only thing you needed to get a high quality connection. Today, WiFi systems are capable of multi-gigabit throughput. Additionally, we constantly rely on these connections to take advantage of many modern life conveniences. From smart homes to simple communication, having your network connection go down can be a major inconvenience.

Mesh networking technology has put an end to flakey network connections. It’s done away with the point to point connections produced by a standard router, and enabled consumers to enjoy a reliable network connection across their entire property. In this review, we’ll be taking a look at the ASUS Lyra Home WiFi System. Although it’s not the first mesh networking system available, it’s been designed by a company that has a proven track record in consumer electronics. Does this package offer value you can’t find in other routers? Or is this simply a “me too” product designed to help ASUS keep up with their competitors? We went hands-on to find out.

First Look

From the packaging alone, you can tell that this isn’t your ordinary router. It comes in a very large box, featuring a photo of the three Lyra routers inside. All three of the components of the Lyra system are identical. Other models opted for a base station and repeater combination, but this design offers a lot more flexibility. The rest of the packaging is fairly sparse. There are three power supplies, and a small getting started manual.

Hardware

There are many mesh network systems out there. Only by comparing them are you able to find the best one for your home. The first thing we looked at are the specifications.

All of the client facing networking is handled by a quad core Qualcomm chipset. This chipset is commonly found in consumer routers, and provides 802.11ac connectivity across the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels. What’s interesting is that specific chipset used is only rated for AC1200 (1267 Mbps) while the Lyra is rated for AC2200. While their rating isn’t incorrect, consumers will only have access to 1267 Mbps of theoretical bandwidth. The missing 800 Mbps of bandwidth is provided by a second chipset, and is used exclusively for internal communication between the Lyra units.

A backhaul channel is an important part of any mesh networking system. Consider this: you are connected to the Lyra closest to you, while your modem is connected to another Lyra. If you’re downloading a file at 100 Mbps, your Lyra then has to rebroadcast your signal to the station that’s connected to a modem. Because there are two hops to get to the router, your 100 Mbps download has used up 200 Mbps of total bandwidth.

Having a backhaul channel ensures that all internal communication is done over its private internal network, keeping the client facing network free for your use. Both chipsets share 265 Mb of ram – plenty for a router – and 128 MB of flash storage is provided for firmware.

Setup Procedure & Control Panel

Creating an interface for a router can be challenging. Mesh networking systems are commonly sold to enthusiasts – requiring powerful configuration panels and control over advanced features. Another major market segment is consumers with large homes. This group doesn’t necessarily want to have access to lots of features, instead preferring a simple and easy to understand way to get their router setup.

ASUS did a pretty good job of meeting the needs of both markets. Setup is done by downloading the free app. The app walks you through the entire setup procedure step by step. The first thing you do is take your first Lyra unit and plug it into your modem, then connect power. Once done, your phone will search for it while it connects. You’ll be asked to name your network, and label the room where you placed the Lyra.

Next, you take a second unit and place it somewhere in your home. After connecting it to the power, you press the “Sync” button on the back. The app will then detect it, allowing you to once again select the location of the unit. It will tell you how good the signal is. If it’s poor, you can walk around with the router until you find a better location for it.

Once the setup procedure is completed you’ll use the app to access the control panel. For those of you who like to tinker, this is the interface you’ll want to become familiar with. It allows you to control traffic, prioritizing or limiting certain types of connections. You can setup a password-less guest network, setting restrictions on it. There is another interface for parental controls, allowing you to set specific devices that can only access specific types of content. The panel is very easy to use, but still has the features that enthusiasts want.

Speed


We already know the theoretical throughput of this system, but that can change quite a bit in the real world. Our first test was done using a Macbook. This computer is compatible with 802.11ac, so it can use both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies. The best download speed we got was 273 Mbps. This speed was attainable in the same room as the Lyra connected directly to the modem. When we were in the same room as a peripheral Lyra, our download speed was 209 Mbps. When at the far end of the home in a room without a Lyra, we’d get 187 Mbps.

While these speeds are quite a bit lower than the maximum theoretical download speed, they’re pretty much in line with what you’ll find in other models. If you use your internet connection primarily for downloading from the internet, this is more than adequate. Consumer internet connections rarely exceed 100 Mbps, and even in the far reaches of your house you’ll be able to take full advantage of these speeds.

One feature that will help maintain speeds is MIMO. This stands for multiple input, multiple output. In essence, this means that each Lyra unit broadcasts two separate networks. Let’s say, for example, you had two clients connected to a router that didn’t support MIMO. If the router capped out at 100 Mbps, then the two clients could download a maxmimum of 50 Mbps each. With MIMO, you can have two units using the full capabilities of each router. If you had four devices, each device would get half of the available bandwidth.

Range

Overall, the Lyra can comfortable cover an area of 4000 square feet. This range can vary depending on the layout of your house. A multi-story home might get a little less, but if a lot of your coverage is outdoors you’ll see a higher range.
Beamforming helps make this possible. The way beamforming works is by using a number of antennas broadcasting a single connection. If a client is located in a specific direction, the router can reduce the range in one direction, improving the range towards your client.

The Lyra doesn’t have beamforming for end-user clients. It only provides it for the internal backhaul channel. The end result is that you have a lot more flexibility on where you place the Lyra. Other systems require you to walk around and find the ideal spot. With the Lyra, you can simply place each unit in the room where you’ll have the most users, and you can be pretty confident that it will work well.

Disadvantages

The one downside to the Lyra is that the bandwidth tends to vary quite a bit depending on distance and obstructions. In our tests, the difference was approaching 50%. For most standard homes, you can expect your results to be in the range we described. But if you’re in a particularly large home or one with concrete walls, you may see different results.

Final Verdict


Overall, the ASUS Lyra is a very competent whole-home WiFi system. The bandwidth is excellent, and the setup procedure is easy.

The key advantage that the Lyra has is the advanced options. If you’re the type that wants to set up custom access requirements, traffic shaping, or use custom DNS settings, then this is the router you’ll want. Many other models are simplified, reducing available functionality.

If you’re just looking for a way to cover a large area, you might not find this router to be that much better than other models. You certainly won’t be disappointed with it, but it may be worthwhile to look at other options to see if one has a feature you’d prefer. We recently did a roundup of the best whole-home mesh WiFi systems, so you can refer to this list if you want to see what else is out there.

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If you’re a heavy bandwidth user who’s struggled with disappointing wireless networking performance, you’ve probably considered a high end router. Picture this scenario:
You research every detail, and select the right model. After removing it from its packaging and getting every setting just the way you want it, you boot your computer and start a file transfer. You were expecting upwards of 250 Mbps, but instead you can barely hit the triple digits.

What gives? Did you just waste your money on a router that can’t meet the demands it’s specified for?

This is a question that has many consumers scratching their head after buying a high end router. Generally, it’s not the router that’s the problem. Your network is only as fast as the slowest piece of hardware in your transmission path. In many cases, it’s your networking card that’s to blame.

On a desktop, changing your network card is fairly straightforward. But what if you’re on a laptop? And what if you want to get a single card and share it between the two?

In this scenario, a USB network adapter could be the solution. You need something that’s compatible with all of the high end features your new router supports, and you need something that’s compatible with a variety of different hardware configurations. One such device is the Netgear Nighthawk A7000. Not only does this compact adapter have the same branding as many of Netgear’s enthusiast grade routers, but it’s got the chipset to match. Can a USB adapter really help you unlock the potential of your network, or is this a job best left to PCIe? To answer this question, we tried it out for ourselves.

First Look

The photos don’t do it justice – this thing is large! At roughly 7 x 5 x 2.6 inches, it’s about twice the width and thickness of your standard USB drive. But all this space is put to good use. You get a flip-up antenna that allows you to get a high quality directional connection, and it supports features like MIMO and 802.11ac wave 1. With a 1.9 GHZ maximum theoretical throughput, you’re going to need a pretty serious internet connection if you want to take full advantage of what this adapter has to offer.

From the specifications alone, we can tell that this is nothing like the budget-priced USB network adapters we’re used to. This premium feature set is underscored by the accessories. It features a long range USB extension dock with a magnetic bottom. This allows you to place it anywhere on your desk, wall, fridge, or anywhere else you’ve got some metal to stick it to.

Range

There are a few key reasons you’d upgrade your router. One of them is speed, but range is just as important. Typically, USB adapters aren’t suitable for long range communication. They tend to have low quality antennas, and their omnidirectional design reduces their maximum range.

This adapter is one of the few directional USB adapters available on the market. This means that your reception will change depending on where you point it. You can change the direction of the antenna by flipping up the plastic piece, just like using an old flip phone. But this will only adjust your reception along one axis. If you really want flexibility, you’ll want to use the included dock. This gives you the ability to adjust the signal by up to 30% simply by rotating the adapter.

Behind the scenes, there is another powerful tool helping you to improve your range. Explicit beamforming helps the router adjust the signal specifically to suit your network connection.

Beamforming works like this: a router has a number of antennas pointed in all directions. When all of these antenna are powered equally, the signal is broadcast across an even radius. But when you’ve got a single device pointed in one direction, it can reduce the power to unused antenna and improve the signal pointed in another direction. This technology works best when paired with an adapter that supports explicit beamforming. This card measures the signal from all antenna equally, and tells the router which one it’s closest to. Users can see up to 30% improvement over standard beamforming hardware. If you’re struggling to get a good connection over a long range, this adapter may help you get that extra little push you need.

Bandwidth

Purely from a numbers perspective, AC1900 might not seem like the fastest network adapter on the market. But in the real world, it’s unlikely that you’ll need more. On this adapter, you get a total of 1.9 Gbit/s maximum throughput. 600 Mbps is provided through the 2.4 Ghz channel, while 1300 Mbps is provided on the 5 Ghz channel. On most modern PCs, this bandwidth is combined into one. In the real world, we were able to get download speeds exceeding 337 Mb/s over close range, although your router will be the main bottleneck here.

The main speed advantage you get with this router is the 3×4 MIMO. This means that you can have four separate download streams, and three upload streams. Even if you’re transferring a large file over your local network, you’ll still have full use of your internet connection.

On routers, MIMO is useful for having many clients on a single node. From an adapters perspective, the advantage is that you can have a lot of simultaneous file transfers. This makes this adapter ideal for heavy users who like to have a ton of operations running in the background, but who don’t want to experience slowdowns just from these background operations.

Compatibility

As a standard USB device, you can use this adapter with pretty much any computer you have laying around. However, there are limitations. It’s essential that you use a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port. USB 3.1 type A and C will be fine, provided you have an adapter for the latter. However, if you connect it to a USB 2.0 port, your speeds are going to be pretty abysmal.

The adapter can be used straight out of the box with no driver installation, provided you’re running Windows 10 or above. You also get a driver CD which can be used to install the drivers on older versions of Windows, or on OSX.

One consideration with the driver CD is that Netgear will replace Windows built in wireless network management software with its own. For power users, this is advantageous. You do get some features that give you better control over the beamforming technology, and help you configure advanced settings. If you’re using a Nighthawk branded router as well, you can control some router config settings from the application.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of the USB platform is that you’re fairly limited in terms of portability. When you’re using an expresscard adapter or internal adapter on a desktop, you don’t have to worry about it taking up any space. But with a portable computer, you’re going to have a little adapter sticking out the side of your computer, or sitting on your desk. This won’t be a disadvantage to people who are working at a fixed work station, but mobile systems may be an issue.

Final Verdict

If you’re upgraded to a high end router, the Netgear Nighthawk A7000 is the network card that can help you unlock it’s potential. Although it uses USB, you still get to take full advantage of the speed.

However, this isn’t a guaranteed way to increase your internet speed. Your router should support the same basic technologies as this adapter. You’re going to want to have a router rated for at least AC1900 for high speed downloads, but having MIMO is also essential.

Do you need a router that supports explicit beamforming? Well, that depends on your circumstance. If you’re located close to your router, there really is no key advantage to having this feature. But if you’re having trouble getting a solid network connection over a long range, this is a very handy feature to have.

Unsure of what router to choose? This adapter is fully compatible with all modern standards. No matter what brand you choose, you’re not going to run into any incompatibility issues. We recently took a look at the Nighthawk X6S AC4000. This is the perfect router for use with this adapter. It’s got enough bandwidth to provide the full capacity this adapter provides, but still have plenty left over for your other devices.

We’d recommend this adapter primarily for people who have a high speed internet connection at home, but what to use the integrated network adapter while they’re out and about. You could place the adapter on your desk, using it only when connected to your external display and keyboard. If you’re just looking to access the wireless network at your university or coffee shop, you won’t see much of an advantage from this hardware. But paired with the right router, the difference is night and day.

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We rely so heavily on communication infrastructure that a nationwide blackout would be considered a national disaster. How can you keep in touched with loved ones if the cell network was to go down? What if you were to venture out into the woods, where no coverage is available?

Now that their successful Kickstarter campaign has helped get this technology off the ground, the Sonnet wants to solve this problem. By combining common technology with some not-so-common technology, it does something no singular product on the market can. Will the Sonnet be useful in the real world? We’ll attempt to answer this question in our first look at the Sonnet Off Grid Communication Device.

Product Overview

The Sonnet is designed to be a backup method of communication when both WiFi and the cellular network are inaccessible. It uses a special long-range wireless protocol to broadcast messages, audio recordings, images, and GPS coordinates over a range up to 15KM in distance. With the addition of mesh networking, you can transmit data over a theoretically unlimited distance, provided you place enough Sonnets in between yourself and your end point. It’s definitely unlike any product we’ve come across before. As they describe it, it’s like a walkie-talkie and a satellite phone combined. However, there are some usage considerations with the Sonnet, so it’s important that you understand exactly how it works before you commit to one.

Design & Durability

The Sonnet is a small black hexagon. It’s got a grey stripe around the outside bezel, and the edge is lined with a yellow stripe. There’s a micro-USB port in the bottom for charging, and a full size USB port on the top to charge your mobile devices.

It’s fairly compact, with roughly the same width as the diameter as a tennis ball. It sits flat in your hand, and is just small enough to slip into your back pocket. The build is extremely sturdy. This makes sense, as it’s designed to be used outdoors. Even if you were to sit on it while it’s in your back pocket, you’re unlikely to break it. Like any piece of technology, it still has its limitations. However, we consider the physical strength of the Sonnet to be more than enough for the average backpacker.

One key advantage is it’s water resistance. It’s rated for IP66, just one point shy of the highest rating possible. In terms of dust protection, this means that it can survive the dustiest environment out there – it’s fully sealed. For water, it’s resistant but not proof. You can leave it outside during a rain storm, or you can spill a drink on it. The only thing that it won’t survive is complete submersion for an extended period of time. Short of a tsunami, the Sonnet can withstand anything mother nature can throw at it.

Network Technology

The Sonnet runs on the 917 MHz frequency. This frequency is called the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band. Just like the 2.4 and 5 GHz channels your router runs on, the 915 MHz ISM band is available for public use with no licensing. This means that you don’t need to pay a subscription fee to use it, and you’re not relying on any 3rd party providers.

Some countries don’t allow use of the 915 MHz ISM band. In Europe, it runs on the 868 MHz frequency. In Asia, 433 MHz is used. It’s possible that there are small variances in range and speed. Europe and North America should see fairly consistent results, but Asia’s will likely be more limited in terms of bandwidth.

Realistically speaking, bandwidth isn’t much of a concern for the Sonnet. Consumer networking gear uses some very complex broadcast standards to give ultra-high speeds. The Sonnet is much simpler. It uses Chirp Spread Spectrum. It’s a little like morse code, sending binary pulses across a large part of the ISM spectrum. This means that it’s going to be a little slow, but makes massive distances possible. It broadcasts at 30 dBm – the maximum power allowed by an unlicensed user. But the receiver can work with a signal as low as -148 dBm, making the massive range possible.

What kind of range can you expect? On standard terrain, 5KM is possible. When there is line of sight, 15 Km is possible. This opens a lot of doors.

For example. Let’s say you were hiking in the woods. You leave one Sonnet in your car where it has a connection to the internet. You then scale a mountain, and attach a Sonnet to a balloon and a string to anchor it. At this point, you can then climb down the other side of the mountain. As long as you can see the Sonnet, you’ll be able to use the central one to bounce communication to any device within it’s range.

Functionality

We know what the Sonnet looks like, and we understand the advanced technology that makes it possible. How does it work in the real world? Using it is simple. You need at least two Sonnets, and you need two smartphones. As an example, let’s say that you’re going to be hiking in the woods and you want to keep in touch with your friend, who remains at your campsite. Your friend will keep one Sonnet, and connect to it using his smartphone. You carry your Sonnet and smartphone out into the woods.

To communicate, you need to visit a certain website from your browse. This website is redirected the Sonnets online interface. This works just like a messaging app. You can send messages to a specific user, a group of users, or post messages publicly to all Sonnets within range. The messages can be text, photos, voice recordings, or GPS coordinates. You can also download maps while in cell service, and access them through your sonnet.

If you are going to have more than 5km of distance in between Sonnets, you’ll need to leave one in between you. The Sonnet can “hop-scotch” data from one to the other, allowing you to cover a much larger distance.

It’s important to note that all communication is restricted to the internal Sonnet app – it doesn’t replace your cell carrier. You can’t use standard texts, and you can’t access the internet yet. Eventually, the Sonnet is going to support re-broadcasting internet from one device to another. It supports IPV6, so we expect this connection to work fairly well. It will, however, be a little slow. The bandwidth will be more than adequate to check social media, get updates from your favorite news sites, or send emails. But you shouldn’t expect to be watching Netflix on it.

Features

Since the Sonnet is designed to be used off grid, there is a good chance that you won’t have access to all of the same comforts you’d get at home. The top USB port can be used to charge your phone when you’re running low. There are limitations to this. The Sonnet has a 4000 mAh capacity, which allows it to last 24 hours. The average phone has a 2400 mAh capacity battery. This means that if you were to take a completely dead phone and charge it all the way up, you’d reduce the battery life of the Sonnet by nearly half. That being said, it’s a great feature to have in a bind. When you do get a chance to recharge it, it only takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery.

For safety, the Sonnet has a built in SOS system. Just press a single button, and an SOS message will be broadcasted to everyone within range. The message will pop up on their phone, and include both your GPS coordinates and a short message if you choose to include one. This is handy if you’re out hiking, or any other situation where you could be at risk.

Finally, the Sonnet has advanced security features built right in. Everything is encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption. If anyone were to listen in on your private conversations, they’d never be able to deconstruct your messages.

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage to the Sonnet is going to be adoption. If they truly want to meet their goal of developing a completely off-grid device, they’re going to have to have a lot of Sonnets out in the wild. For now, it works great as a medium range communication device. But if they want it to help protect society from a natural disaster, you’d need a huge grid of them to cover a large area.

Final Verdict

Despite being a brand new technology, the Sonnet fills a pretty big void in the market. The users who would benefit most from it are going to be outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you’re climbing, hiking, or camping, the Sonnet allows you to keep in touch with somebody to ensure your safety. It can also be used at crowded public events, where the cellular reception might not be all that great. If the technology catches on, it could also make a fantastic backup network in the event of a serious network outage. Overall, this is one promising piece of technology that has plenty of potential.

The post Sonnet Off Grid Communication Device Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

Take a minute and picture your basic router. Nothing too fancy, but nothing outdated either. It works pretty well. It’s got 802.11ac. The speeds are decent, but far from top of the line. The range is more than enough for your average home, but in some conditions you’ll have dead-zones.

What happens if this router isn’t enough for you? Consumers have two options to choose from. One option is a whole-home WiFi system. These routers have comparable bandwidth to a standard router, but divide up the network distribution across several different units. This gives a more complete coverage, with consistent bandwidth and less dead zones. This is the best choice if range is your biggest networking problem.

The other option is a high bandwidth router. Something like the Netgear Nighthawk X6S Tri-Band router provides incredibly fast speeds and has the ability to handle challenging loads. If high latency, connection speed, and technical capability is your main issue, this is the router to get.

Unfortunately, both of these options forget about one group of consumers. What if you have trouble with both range and bandwidth? A whole-home wifi system won’t give you the speeds you need. Meanwhile, a high bandwidth router won’t give you the range you need.

Netgear’s Nighthawk X6S Tri-Band Range Extender offers a solution. This device is sold as an extender for existing routers. It provides the same ultra-high bandwidth of Netgear’s X6S, as well as other powerful routers. But it behaves as a range extender. Without sacrificing speed, you can extend the range to cover one specific dead-zone in your house. Purchasing this extender with a top-tier router could be a little more expensive than a simple whole-home WiFi system, or it could be cheaper if you already own a router that you’re satisfied with. Does this extender really give you the best of both worlds, or does it lag behind other models? To answer this question, we decided to try it out for ourselves.

First Look

The NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S Range Extender is designed using technology that Netgear developed for its popular Orbi WiFi system. It’s labelled as a Tri-band router, but as far as consumers are concerned it’s a dual band model. One band is reserved as a dedicated backhaul channel, leaving two bands of consumer facing connectivity. It provides up to 3 Gbps of theoretical bandwidth, and supports high-usage technologies such as Mu-MIMO and a form of beam-forming. It can work as both a range extender as well as an access point, allowing it to be made compatible with virtually any router on the market. It will work perfectly with Netgears popular Nighthawk X6S, but you’re certainly not restricted to using that option. This is one of the most expensive range extenders on the market, but it looks to be one of the best.

Design

This is a table-top range extender, designed to be placed on a desk, end-table, or shelf. It’s fairly monolithic in design, appearing like a large slab that stands tall. The front is fairly plain with the exception of a Netgear logo and a set of LED status lights. These lights indicate the presence or power, activity of the WiFi system as a whole, as well as separate indicators for the individual WiFi channels and the Ethernet connectivity.

Design is clearly not one of the main selling points of this extender. This is a little surprising to us, considering how eye-catching the other Nighthawk series hardware is. That being said, an extender is designed to be placed away from your existing network equipment. Since it may be placed in a bedroom or a living room, the more reserved appearance of this router will be an asset in many circumstances. The large LED panel provides an at-a-glance look at all of the information you need to ensure that your extender is working correctly, but there is no excessive design elements that many consumers will deem unnecessary.

Backhaul Connectivity

On the back you’ll find five separate Ethernet ports. Four of these are outputs, allowing you to connect your hard wired devices to the internet. One of them acts as a LAN port. This LAN port is designed to make the extender operate as an access point. This means that you connect it to a hard-wired network, producing an entirely new wireless network. This is useful in commercial settings where you want to create a customer-facing wireless network that is easy to access. Client facing networks can have their own names and rules, preventing guests from accessing parts of your network that would otherwise be deemed off limits.

If you’re using it as an extender, the only wire you’ll need to connect is a network cable. Instead of Ethernet, the extender connects to your router through a dedicated backhaul channel. This is controlled through a 4×4 (also known as Quad MIMO) 5 GHz radio. What this means is that there is a dedicated channel on the 5 GHz network with four separate channels of communication. These channels can be bonded together, or they can be isolated.

If there is only a single device on the consumer-facing network, all four channels are used to provide the most bandwidth possible. If two clients are connected, each of them have two dedicated backhaul channels. With four clients, each gets one channel. This is advantageous because it allows the router to balance the loads very well. If one user is using a ton of bandwidth, it won’t slow down the other dedicated channels. Netgear calls this technology Fastlane 3, although many other competing systems use a similar platform.

Many routers have consumer-facing MIMO, but very few have this on the backhaul side. This is the reason that many whole-home WiFi systems don’t have the same high bandwidth potential as modern high speed routers. For this reason, this router has the potential to deliver much higher speeds in much more challenging conditions, as the bottleneck has been eliminated.

Front End Connectivity

Having a high end backhaul channel is important, but it’s the consumer-facing connectivity that will ultimate determine how powerful your network connection is. There are a couple things we’re looking for. First, we need a platform that is powerful – delivering tons of bandwidth while maintaining a low-latency environment. Next, we need it to be adaptable. Having multiple users each with their own unique usage scenario shouldn’t drop the performance on either end.

There are a couple of technologies that make this possible. The most important of the two is MIMO. MIMO stands for multiple input, multiple output. This means that even though you’ve got a single network connection, you actually have several separate connections going on in the background. This particular router has two consumer facing channels (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with two separate bands on each.

This is what’s known as 2×2 MIMO. With modern 802.11ac, you’ll be connecting on both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands at the same time. So no matter what, you’ll have at least two channels at your disposal. If you have a higher end network card, you’ll be able to use two channels on each band. As a single user, this will give you access to a ton of bandwidth. When multiple users are on the same network, the load balancing kicks in.

What load balancing does is look at how much network resources each user requires, and divides up the channels as needed. If you’ve got one user simply browsing the web or playing a game, they’ll get one channel on one band. A high bandwidth user may require the other three, but their use won’t influence the latency of the second.

Range

A single Nighthawk X6S router has enough range to cover a 2500 square foot home comfortably. This extender has similar technology, and can cover the same range. However, using two won’t give you 5000 square feet of coverage.

The reason is that the extender needs to have a decent wireless connection to begin with. If you place it inside of a dead zone, it won’t be able to connect to the base router. The simplest solution is to place it in between the area where you get a poor connection. This would extend the range by 50%. The area in between the router and the extender would be serviced by both devices. Any devices on either side would be serviced by one or the other. If you aren’t going to change the setup of your existing router, you can expect to see a gain of roughly 50% range in any specific direction.

One alternative is to move both the router and the extender. Mentally, you can picture this by dividing your house up into thirds. The router goes on the rightmost third, while the extender goes on the leftmost. This would give you an effective coverage increase of roughly 66%, and can be either lengthwise or height wise. The perfect example of this could be a three story building. The router goes on the floor, serving the main floor as well as the basement. The extender goes somewhere near the ceiling of the main floor or the floor of the second story, servicing both.

Compatibility

One of the nice things about this extender is that it’s compatible with virtually any client or router on the market. There are some minor limitations to this. If your router only provides 802.11N, then they extender can only provide 802.11N. The important thing is that it’s not a bottleneck. While it can’t improve the speed of your existing router (only the range,) it definitely won’t slow it down. The benefits of this will be realized the most by users who already have a high quality router installed.

Compatibility with clients is also a major advantage to this unit. Technology known as “Smart Connect” ensures that every device is placed on the best channel possible. An older cellphone or tablet might only have access to the 2.4 GHz channel. In these cases, that channel will always be reserved for those devices. Meanwhile, your high end devices that can support the large bandwidth available on the 5 GHz channels will get first dibs. If you’re simply web browsing and not using that bandwidth, you can automatically be moved to a more appropriate channel, freeing up bandwidth for a high usage user.

Disadvantages

The most obvious disadvantage to this platform is the price. If you’re buying a whole new system, the cost of a top-tier router that will allow you to take advantage of all this technology combined with the extender itself will exceed the cost of most whole-home WiFi systems. If you really need the bandwidth, this could be worth it. But if you’re just trying to extend the range of your existing hardware, the cost might be a little prohibitive.

Final Verdict

There is no doubt in our mind that this is the most powerful WiFi extender available on the market. However, it’s not going to be for everyone. There are two main segments of consumers who will benefit from this purchase.

The first segment is consumers who already spent money on a high end router. There is no sense replacing your entire system, when this extender can simply boost your range without cutting into your bandwidth.

Next, users who require ultra-high bandwidth applications should choose this over a whole home WiFi system. Hardcore gamers who require ultra-low latency will appreciate the load balancing. Anyone who runs a file server or likes to stream 4K content will benefit from the impressive bandwidth. If this sounds like you, this hardware will perform better than competing systems.

If you’re happy with bandwidth up to 100 Mbps, then a whole-home WiFi system could be a better option. We recently did a review and selected several of the best options on the market. It’s worth noting that there are circumstances where a whole-home WiFi system, will exceed our 100 Mbps designation, but this is the minimum speed that you should expect across your entire home.

The post Netgear Nighthawk X6S Tri-Band WiFi Range Extender Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

IoT, or the Internet of Things, is a pretty promising technology. Want to make breakfast from your smartphone? Turn on mood lighting and some soft music with the touch of a button? IoT promises to make all of your standard household goods digital, and the technology is only just starting to roll out.

Unfortunately, IoT isn’t entirely sunshine and rainbows. Many devices suffer from limited range, so you have to actually be in the same room as the hardware you’re trying to control. Security researchers found that a network of hacked toasters (seriously!) was used to take down some of the largest sites on the internet. Finally, many consumers find that IoT devices from one manufacturer won’t always inter-operate with devices from another.

All of these problems are being addressed, and a few different solutions are available. ASRock believes that their X10 IoT Router could be one solution. Is this technology something that all consumes should look for in their next router, or is this a niche product for specific markets? To find out, we decided to try it out for ourselves.

Model Overview

Although it looks like a basic router, there is much more than meets the eye. At its core is a simple 802.11ac router with 1300 Mbps of peak bandwidth. In addition, it’s got a number of protocols that are used primarily by IoT devices. We’ll explain these protocols in greater detail later, but the main ones you should know about are X10, IR, and Zigbee. At a minimum, these protocols allow for compatibility with the vast majority of IoT devices on the market. In many circumstances, this router can take the place of the hub you’d have to buy. The end result is that consumers can buy as many IoT devices they want, and use this single product to control them. If you were to stick with the manufacturers proprietary system, you’d be forced to have multiple hubs with their own separate networks.

WiFi

Although this is the most basic form of functionality, it’s important to determine how this device functions as a WiFi router. It’s sold as an “all in one” unit, so many consumers will be using this exclusively for their home networking needs.

As an 802.11ac unit, it supports both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies. This is an AC1300 unit, providing a maximum of 1300 Mbps bandwidth. This isn’t the best on the market, but it is fairly competitive for the price point. This kind of bandwidth is more than enough for streaming 4K (both online and locally) as well as gaming.

If 1300 Mbps isn’t enough for you, or if you already have another high performance router, this unit can be used to supplement your existing network. You can use it as an Ethernet access point, physically wiring it into your other router and creating a second WiFi network. If you don’t want to run a hard-wired cable, you can also run it as a repeater. It joins your existing network and re-broadcasts the signal, creating a single SSID that can be accessed from anywhere in your home.

If you don’t intend to use it as a router at all, you can use it in bridge mode. This allows it to connect to your existing network on WiFi, bridging communication between all of your other IoT networks.

Although bandwidth wasn’t the most impressive part of the router, one of the areas this unit really excels is in range. It’s got two very high gain antennas, and it easily provided complete coverage across our 2500 square foot home. For this, you can thank beam forming. Beam forming uses a number of separate antennas, increasing the gain towards any client that has a poor quality connection.

The router also supports 2×2 MIMO, so one client’s heavy usage won’t slow down the connection for other users. This router is definitely impressive, but far from top-tier. It’s solid, competent, and acceptable. But the real asset is going to be the additional protocols it supports.

IoT Protocol Support

There are a number of different communication systems used with IoT devices. To help you understand how they all inter-operate, we’re going to walk you through them one by one so that you understand what kinds of devices this router will be compatible with.

The most prominent protocol is called X10. X10 is a power line carrier signal, which means that it travels over your AC power lines without any separate wiring. Screw a smart X10 lightbulb into the socket, and you’re automatically connected. Plug an X10 lamp into the outlet, and you’ve got a data line. Plug your new ASrock router into power and… you guessed it… you’re up and running. X10 was, for a long time, used as a professional grade home automation communication protocol. They are plenty of devices that are not part of the Google home or other smart platform ecosystem that can be used easily with the ASRock X10.

Infrared is one of the lesser known protocols, but this support is unique to this router. Infrared is a waveform of light that is invisible to the human eye. This is the same protocol used by most remove controls. The router has an IR blaster located on the top of the router, and can be used to control any device in the same room as it. Infrared is used most prominently by HUE bulbs, but also LED light strips, smart outlets, and basic home appliances. This feature is powerful because it can turn non smart devices into ones that can be controlled remotely. Your television, stereo, and other home appliances can all be accessed thanks to the X10 routers built in support library.

Finally, Zigbee is supported. This protocol is a proprietary form of X10 that works over both your WiFi network as well as the power lines. Zigbee is used by many smart devices including Hue bulbs, wireless home security systems, and smart outlets.

Overall, this is one of the most comprehensive set of protocols available on any smart home router, making it the perfect base station for both a new and an existing installation.

Setup & Control

Getting the router set up on your home network is simple enough. Just plug it in and you can use the web interface to setup your home network. Getting it connected to your smart home is a more involved process. You’ll need to download ASRock’s free app onto your smartphone. From there, it will scan for all of the devices available and let you label them and set them up.

Once you’ve completed that process, you can continue to use it as a simple control. The app can turn all of the devise on or off, or change parameters such as color or volume. In our eyes, using this basic form of control is a bit of a waste of this router. To take advantage of everything it has to offer, you’re going to want to use the IFTTT-like control scheme.

IFTTT is a popular free program that lets you set up programmable rules. Standing for “if this, than that,” the name does a surprisingly good job of explaining what the software does. You can set conditional rules. For example, when you turn on the main light in a room you can have the router automatically turn on all of the additional smart lights you’ve got going on.

Rules don’t have to be based on other devices either. For example, you can set a schedule where your home security system automatically turns on at a certain time, and turns off at another. You can create one button to control multiple devices, or integrate with the online IFTTT system to set triggers based on social media. If we’re just showing off, our personal favorite is the ability to turn lights on or off when sending a tweet to a specific account. In reality, this might not be that useful. But it’s pretty darn cool to show off.

Security Features

After a few major botnets have taken over many IoT devise, IoT security is becoming a bit of a hot topic. This router helps address the security issues by restricting control to within your home network. If you’re not logged into the network, you can’t turn devices on or off. This prevents any unauthorized users from making changes to your programs, or modifying your devices.
That being said, one of the main advantages of IoT is that you can control your home remotely. Forgot to turn the oven off? Just log in on your smartphone and make sure it’s disabled safely. By default, limiting control to within your home network breaks this functionality. But ASRock has a solution. The router has a built in VPN server. By setting up a VPN on your phone, you’ll technically always have your connection routed through your home network.

This does require a little setup, but the app makes this easy to do. The end result is that you can control your smart home from anywhere in the world, but only through devices that you’ve previously authorized. This directly addresses the security concerns, providing you with one of the safest smart homes on the market.

Disadvantages

Not including Bluetooth is a pretty major disadvantage to the entire platform. Although Bluetooth is a bit of an underdog in the IoT and Smart Home market, it’s still a prominent protocol. At this point in time, any users who want to control their Bluetooth devices will have to use a separate router.

Although we haven’t come across any dedicated IoT routers that support Bluetooth, we did review a product called the Cassia Hub. This 2-in-1 audio system and Bluetooth router helps extend the range of your Bluetooth smart home, so this is a good item to check out if the lack of Bluetooth on the X10 is a deal breaker for you.

Final Verdict

As one of the first IoT routers on the market, ASRock has clearly demonstrated a need for their product. Their X10 router is an excellent purchase for anyone who is planning on getting a home automation system, or who already uses one.

The advantages of an X10 router are security, and ease of use. By brining your entire network together onto a single interface, it’s much easier for you to automate your platform. Manufacturers proprietary hubs do allow the same functionality, but they usually restrict you to using exclusively their hardware. With ASRock’s X10 router, you can use devices from any manufacturer without restrictions.

The security feature is something that you hope you won’t need, but probably will. Home automation systems are simple in design, and have proven easy for hackers to get access too. Placing them behind a powerful router that can secure your system helps keep you safe, and is something that anyone with a home automation system should consider.

The post ASRock X10 AC1300 2-in-1 IoT Wireless Router Review appeared first on Nerd Techy.

The Internet isn’t just a luxury we can use to look up information. Today, the Internet is behind every new technology we use. Cloud architecture means that our software is hosted in remote data centers. Our cable packages have been replaced with streaming video services. Our entire social lives have been migrated to the web, requiring constant uptime and low latency.

As our Internet use has increased, so has our bandwidth. Cable Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) are now offering plans with up to 250 Megabits of throughput, giving us access to large amounts of data at incredible speeds. Believe it or not, our bandwidth has already tripled over the last five years, and it shows no signs of stopping.

Unfortunately, our Internet isn’t always as fast as we’d like it to be. Data has to travel through many hoops to get to your computer, and the slowest link in the chain determines that transfer speed. Most ISP’s supply a low-quality modem, which often isn’t capable of meeting modern demands. You might be paying for a service that you can’t fully utilize. In fact, some companies charge up to $120 a year in rental fees for the very same piece of hardware that’s slowing down your performance.

Your cable modem handles the connection from your ISP to your home, but your router distributes the connection to all of the devices in your household. Some routers simply can’t keep up with our high bandwidth use, contributing to poor network performance.

For a onetime fee, you can purchase a cable modem/router combo that will let you tap into the full potential of your connection. There are plenty on the market, but we’ve dug up the three best ones that deliver the fastest, most reliable and consistent signal for all of your connected computers and devices. Let’s take a look.

NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000

The C7000 is an attractive looking device that’s a member of NETGEAR’s Nighthawk product line, made for consumers who demand high speed connections without compromise. If it’s anywhere as good as the standalone Nighthawk router, you’re sure to be impressed with it.

Modem

The NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 has an integrated DOCSIS 3.0 modem that’s compatible with all the latest standards. It provides users with 24 download channels at 8 upload channels, allowing for a downstream rate of up to 960 Mbps. Upstream bandwidth is currently limited to 32 Megabits, although both rates are much faster than anything currently available. It’s very easy to set up, providing self-activation in some cases. If you’re using Comcast XFINITY, all you have to do is plug it in and wait for a few minutes while it’s automatically configured. Other providers will require a quick phone call, although more of them will be allowing self-activation in the future.

Router

Thanks to the Nighthawk technology, the Nighthawk C7000 happens to have one of the best routers on the market. It gives you 802.11ac connectivity, providing you with up to 1.9 Gbps of dual-band bandwidth. Not only does it have a much higher range than competing routers, but you also get pretty impressive bandwidth. Over the local network, you can expect network speeds between 616 Mbps (short range) and 273 Mbps (long range).

If you’re the type that likes to tweak your network settings, you’ll enjoy the NETGEAR genie web interface. You can set up basic features such as access control and WiFi security settings, but there are some other advanced features as well. In fact, you can plug in a USB storage device and use it as a NAS (network attached storage). Or, you can set up an open guest network that restricts bandwidth usage and blocks questionable websites. Parents will appreciate the parental controls, managing what kind of content your children have access to.

Additionally, it also has 5 gigabit Ethernet ports in the back, allowing you to enjoy low latency connections for demanding applications. If you’re going to be streaming media off a local server, you’ll be very glad that these are available.

Compatibility

The NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 is currently required for use with Comcast XFINITY, Time Warner MAXX, and Cox Premier & Ultimate packages. If you have one of those services and are using any other modem, then you’re not getting the bandwidth you pay for.

Regardless of which package you use, it’s certified to be used on all of the above providers plus Cablevision and Bright House Media. Additionally, it adheres to all DOCSIS 3.0 standards, so if your provider isn’t listed you can always call and double check. The only services that it will not work with are those that bundle cable internet and telephone service.

The C7000 uses all of the latest standards, so modern devices can take advantage of the high bandwidth. It’s also backwards compatible with all 802.11 standards, including B, G, and N.

ARRIS SURFboard SBG7580

ARRIS SURFboard modems are typically considered the fastest and most reliable on the market. If you’re the type of person who likes to be on the cutting edge of technology, the SBG7580 will give you the edge you need.

Modem

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG7580 gives you access to more bonded channels than anything on the market. With 32 bonded downstream channels, it’s ready for connections rated at 1.7 Gbps. Upstream has the standard 8 channels, totaling 262 Megabits of potential bandwidth.

This significantly faster than any cable Internet service currently on the market, but there are two reason why you might want to purchase such a fast model. The first reason is future-proofing. There are still people out there using DOCSIS 2.0 modems that came out 15 years ago. The cable Internet standard doesn’t phase out these systems. With the huge bandwidth, this modem is capable of, you’ll be making a purchase that can last you a decade.

The second is stability. Depending on the distance between your modem and the cable company’s distribution, your signal can get a little noisy while travelling through the lines. If you’re running your modem at its highest possible speed, it won’t have the ability to select a cleaner channel or attempt to filter the noise. With 32 bonded channels to choose from, it should easily perform well even if you have poor signal quality.

Router

If you’re going to have the fastest modem on the market, you might as well have a router that can keep up. The dual band 802.11ac network is capable of incredible throughput, reaching a peak of 1750 Mbps. Will you actually see this speed in the real world? In our tests, we were getting about 400 Mbps transfer speed from a locally shared file to our laptop on the other side of the house. At this point, there is likely going to be some bottle-necking from our hard drive. While the performance is very impressive, you’re not going to be able to take full advantage of it for a few years.

Compatibility

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG7580 is already approved for use with Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, and Brighthouse Networks. It’s pending approval with Cox and a few other US cable providers, so you may want to call and confirm before you order.

The router, on the other hand, is fully compatible with virtually every WiFi networking card on the market. However, you’ll need an 802.11ac adapter to take advantage of the high speed it offers. If you’re purchasing for performance, make sure that your devices are up to the task.

Motorola MG7550 High-Speed Cable Gateway

Your cable modem will be used daily, hopefully lasting you many years. When it comes to such a long-term investment, it makes sense to purchase it from one of the most trusted and reliable brands in networking. Motorola played a significant role in developing the cable Internet standard, so you can be sure that their MG7550 modem/router combo will be a top performer.

Modem

With the Motorola MG7550, they were a little more conservative with their design, including 16 downstream channels and 4 upstream channels. This gives you a maximum download bandwidth of 686 Mbps, and upload of around 131 Mbps. On paper, it might not look like the fastest modem on the market. But in reality, it’s just as capable of handling modern connection speeds as any other option.

Where Motorola exceeds is with full spectrum scanning. When most modems offer a certain number of channels, they mean specific channels in the spectrum. Each of these channels can have varying levels of noise, and some are more crowded than others. If you’ve had problems with your Internet randomly cutting out, this modem should likely improve your performance.

Router

Although it may look unassuming, there’s a surprisingly powerful router inside this combo. It’s got a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 1900 Mbps, and is capable of broadcasting a 3×3 MIMO signal. What’s MIMO? Motorola describes it as “beam shaping”, but essentially you’re creating separate WiFi networks for up to three different devices in your household. Sick of having your Internet slow down because your roommate is gaming out? Beam shaping will give you each your own connection, so you don’t interfere with each other’s performance.

It’s also got a feature known as WiFi power boost. This increases the broadcast power to the maximum legal limit, giving you a longer range than any other router on this list. Overall, you get some pretty impressive performance.

Compatibility

This modem/router combo is certified to work on almost every Internet provider in the market. They advertise Comcast XFINITY, CableLabs, and Time Warner Cable, but you can always call and double check.

WiFi is certified by the WiFi Alliance, indicating that it’s compatible with every major wireless networking card on the market. This is one of the few modems that you really don’t have to worry about, as you shouldn’t expect any unpleasant surprises.

Which Cable Modem/Router Combo Should I Get?

All of these options would be a great choice for the average household, as they represent the best of the entire marketplace. Depending on your speed and bandwidth requirements, one may be better than the other.

The first thing you’re going to want to do is contact your Internet service provider. Confirm with them whether they accept 3rd party DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems, and list off the models we’ve reviewed here. At least one of these modems is guaranteed to work, although most major providers will accept all three. Once you know what your options are, you can choose from our recommendations below.

The ARRIS SURFboard SBG7580 is the fastest on the market. This is a purchase that can last you a decade, allowing you to upgrade to the highest tier package the minute it’s available. It does cost a little more, but when you consider the monthly rental charges you’ll be saving over this time you’ll realize that it’s a worthwhile investment.

The NETGEAR Nighthawk C7000 is the most configurable of the bunch. Just like their standalone routers, there are all kinds of settings and modifications that can be done from their easy to use web panel. You can configure access restrictions, content blocking, and even a handy guest network that keeps your communication secure.

The Motorola MG7550 is the best all-around option. It’s not the absolute fastest on the list, but it’s the most reliable. You’ll still save yourself the monthly fees, and your home wireless network will be much more stable and consistent.

Have any questions or need some additional assistance? Feel free to leave us a comment below and we’ll help you out! Enjoy your new cable modem/router combo and have a great time with the new network speeds you’ll achieve.

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Mesh networking is an increasingly popular trend in the home networking industry. As networking has moved away from the 2.4 GHz standard and started relying on the superior bandwidth offered over 5 GHz, the one downside was that range is reduced. To make wireless networking continue to be reliable in larger homes, many consumers are choosing to use mesh networking equipment.

Netgear’s Orbi is one of the most popular Mesh networking systems on the market, but like many competing models it’s been designed with the needs of home users in mind. Because businesses tend to occupy offices that have a lot more space than the average home. In these situations, having large-scale, consistent networking coverage is more important than ever.

The Orbi Pro is very similar in design to the standard Orbi. Both the internal specifications as well as the communication protocols. Where it differs is the software. This router is designed for small businesses that don’t have a full time computer technician. It is designed to be administered by anyone, even without a lot of experience with technology. Does this networking system perform just as well as a professional option? To find out, we decided to try it out for ourselves.

First Look

Mesh networking hardware operates by distributing the task performed by a router across multiple separate nodes. Instead of your connection decreasing in signal strength the further you get from the main router, you can positon a number of these units around your office for complete coverage.

In our review, we’ll be testing the 2-pack Orbi system which is designed to cover up to 5000 square feet. You can also purchase a 3-pack which covers 7500 square feet. If you need additional coverage, you can always purchase a satellite add-on which adds 2500 square feet of coverage to any existing system you have up and running.

While these Orbi’s are very similar internally to the consumer hardware, they do come with an all new design that is both modern and professional looking. The Orbi Pro is rated to have up to 40 devices connected at once, which is a significant improvement over the original. Additionally, Orbi has added a ton of great software features that are especially useful in a corporate environment. To see how this model differs from the consumer alternative, we’ll be going in-depth.

Design

One of the most obvious differences between this Orbi and the consumer model is the appearance. The Orbi pro has a very sleek and professional look to it, featuring a smooth white exterior with blue caps. This design strikes a good balance between a ‘high-tech’ look as well as keeping things professional. But this design isn’t all about looks. It’s also for function.

Home users don’t have to worry about tall buildings all that much. The router is designed to broadcast outwards, but anything above four stories could result in limited range. The Orbi pro is different. You can sit it flat on a table, or on a roof. When it’s laying horizontally, you’ll get more width and less height. This is great for businesses that only occupy a few floors. But if you’ve got offices on different floors, a good alternative is to mount them on the wall. When vertical, the signal goes up more than it goes sideways. A good system with vertical mounting is to place them on the walls on either side of your offices, so the signal will travel better towards upper and lower floors.

The routers have an excellent cooling system on the bottom consisting of a mesh vent and a small silent fan. While they don’t make much noise, they are able to effectively reduce the temperature in high usage conditions. Finally, you’ll find four Ethernet ports on the back. These ports are designed to act as bridges. Any devices that don’t have WiFi connectivity, or devices that have an older, slower standard, can use these ports as a wired connection.

Networking Technology

There are many extenders and repeaters on the market that appear to operate in a similar manner to mesh networking equipment, but the internal components are actually quite different. The marker of a true mesh device is something called a backhaul channel. This means that there is a separate method of wireless communication reserved specifically for communication between modules. You’ve still got the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies used for consumer facing 802.11ac, but there is a channel that is entirely separate. The advantage of this system is that the frequencies used for backhaul are generally free of interference, so there is no bottlenecking that occurs when channels are overloaded with data.

Systems that use the client facing frequencies for backhaul effectively half your total bandwidth. If you had an AC4000 router, it would need to reserve 2000 Megabits to transmit data from node to node, leaving only 2000 Mbits available for consumer communication.

Since this router is a 4×4 MIMO device, you might think that you’ve got 2 channels for consumer devices and 2 channels for backhaul. But in reality, it’s actually an 8×8 router. You’ve got two 2.4 GHz consumer channels, two 5 GHz consumer channels, and four 5 GHz backhaul channels. Despite it’s true specifications, it’s sold as a 4×4 MIMO device because that is all that you’ll have access to as an end user.

Overall, this design allows you to get the same high performance you’ll find in single point routers while retaining the benefits of a distributed mesh system. This might not be the only system on the market with these specifications, but what makes this model different is the backhaul channel. Orbi advertises only the bandwidth you actually get to use. If you see a router advertised with similar specifications that doesn’t include a dedicated backhaul channel, you’re effectively halving your true bandwidth.

Software Features

This system is designed so that anyone can set it up, regardless of technical ability. This is done through a simple web interface that takes you step by step through the entire procedure. It walks you through setting up a private company network that is both encrypted and password protected. You can also set up a number of client facing guest networks. These networks do not require a password, but have limitations set on them by you. This platform isn’t quite as advanced as some expensive corporate routers, but the advantage is that anyone can work on them.

Another key advantage is that this router is programmed to be used with your current router, if you wish. The Orbi home router is designed to replace your existing networking platform, and doesn’t have a well-developed method to work concurrently. The advantage of being able to use both is that you won’t risk breaking your existing networking system. Many small and medium sized businesses have paid a technician to set up a specific corporate network, so the Orbi system can simply be an expansion on what you already have.

The web interface has a plethora of usage controls for both internal and public users. You’re able to restrict the websites they view, the amount of bandwidth they use, and also prioritize your private network so that client bandwidth doesn’t take away from your internal systems.

One of the main upgrades in the Orbi Pro is the software’s ability to handle a lot of connections. You can have 40 simultaneous users all with their own allocation of bandwidth, nearly doubling the 20 users supported on the home Orbi. In our tests, we were able to get more than 40 users connected. But when you exceed this rating the load balancing software doesn’t work as well. If you have a slower internet connection, it’s possible that users 41 and up may experience a laggy connection.

Range & Bandwidth

Orbi claims that you can cover over 2500 square feet with just a single Orbi. This means that our two-pack should provide a solid connection across 5000 square feet of space. Our tests found this to be accurate. We set it up in the NerdTechy office which is roughly 4300 square feet across two floors. Everywhere inside the building had a stable connection, and we could still get a signal outdoors.

The one thing we did notice was that placement was very important. You’ll want to make sure you mount it horizontally to cover a large floor, or vertically for taller, skinnier offices. As long as we did this correctly, we got the kind of range we were expecting.

When testing bandwidth, one of the key things we noticed was that bandwidth was pretty consistent regardless of the range. As with any router, there is a reduction in speed as you move far away from the main module. But this drop wasn’t anywhere near as extreme as with many competing products.

The theoretical maximum bandwidth of the backhaul channel is 1.7 Gb/s. On the 5Ghz consumer channel you get 867 Mb/s, as well as 400 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz channel. In our tests, we found that we could get 517 Mbps when close to the router, and 465 Mbps within a 2000 square foot range. The lowest speed was saw was 197 Mbps, which was towards the end of it’s range.

In the real world, it’s unlikely that any single user will get this full speed. Most of the time, you’ll have many users sharing the same bandwidth. Fortunately, even corporate connections are generally slower than this. In our eyes, this router is powerful enough for almost any medium or small business.

Disadvantages

Although the web interface was extremely comprehensive, we found it to be a little sluggish. Experienced users are likely going to want to rip through the settings as they know what they’re looking for. As a techy, we found it a little frustrating to have to go through the entire process step by step. If you’re inexperienced, the added ease of use will make this an asset. But if you know your way around networking equipment, you can expect this model to take longer to set up than competing options.

Final Verdict

The Orbi Pro takes everything we loved about the original Orbi, and ads on a whole new layer of features that are specifically designed for small and medium businesses. The most impressive addition is the ability for the router to set up multiple separate networks. You can have an open guest network for your visitors and clients, a semi-private network for employees, and a locked down network for your servers and other important business infrastructure.

Even though you can set up an extremely complex network, you don’t need to have any special technical skills to get everything up and running. The Orbi Pro is designed to be simple to use and easy to understand. For any business that’s looking to create a professional grade network without having to hire a technician, we highly recommend the Orbi Pro.

If you’re just looking to set up a simple consumer device, we’d recommend that you pass on the pro and get the more affordable Orbi. If you want to see what other options are available from other manufacturers, you’ll find a few of our favorites available in our roundup of the best whole home mesh networking system.

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