Modem routers Review Netgear RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router (WNDR3300)

[ganeshbala]

Modem routers Review

Netgear RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router (WNDR3300)

The world of wireless is in flux.

The 802.11n standard is all but finalised and the demand for longer ranges and stability has been testing even the very biggest manufacturers.

Thankfully, leading Wi-Fi kit manufacturer Netgear has the answer: dual-band wireless N. It's fast, stable, secure and a doddle to set up.

Dual-band router

Essentially, this router can send wireless signals on either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequency, or both.

The 5GHz frequency is much less crowded (over 20 channels) than 2.4GHz and so ignores interference from other devices.

What this means in practice is that your wireless signal is much purer than before, and less prone to random disconnections.

Use multiple antennas

The new dual-band Netgear router uses "metamaterials", which according to Netgear enables designers to place multiple antennas in close proximity to one another without interference.

This means that the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router can incorporate eight internal antennas and still deliver improved reach and signal stability.

How effective this is compared to external varieties is difficult to measure, but the Netgear dual-band router performed well.

Easier setup

Aesthetically, the router is pleasing to look at and the housing is identical to the popular DG834PN, but in a black finish.

The dome LED device is again borrowed from the 802.11g RangeMax, although this time it's been made into a push button device too, which acts as a one-push connector to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

This makes network setups quicker than ever before. The dual-band router also sports automatic Quality of Service (QoS) rules to divide up your bandwidth for the most important applications.

With huge range potential and ready for hardcore streaming, this is a router that'll serve you well for the next few years at least. Nice work Netgear.