netgear

Netgear entices developers with million-dollar app contest

To attract software developers, Netgear today launched its Million Dollar App Contest with the aim of diversifying the company's Netgear Genie+ marketplace. The networking vendor hopes the contest will encourage creation of innovative apps for its routers and NAS servers.

The company says the top three app developers will win a trip to Las Vegas and the winner of the contest will also receive $10,000 with a chance to win a grand prize of a $1 million 40-year annuity, which is to be announced at CES 2014. Participants will also earn revenue by selling their apps through the … Read more

Netgear D6200: First DSL combo router with 802.11ac support

LAS VEGAS--If you're tired of the router-modem combo device provided by your ISP, here's an alternative.

Netgear today unveiled at CES 2013 the first 802.11ac router in the States that also has a built-in ADSL2+ modem, the Netgear D6200 Wi-Fi DSL Modem Router. This router can be used directly with a DSL service without the need for a separate modem.

Personally, I generally am not a fan of combo devices, especially those provided by your ISP, but mostly because their router portion tends to be inferior to most existing routers on the market. The Netgear D6200 is … Read more

Netgear unveils true dual-band range extender with support for Apple's AirPlay

LAS VEGAS--Netgear announced at CES 2013 its first wall-plug dual-band Wi-Fi range extender, the Universal Dual Band WiFi Range Extender Wall-plug Edition (model WN3500RP).

You plug it into a wall socket within the range of an existing Wi-Fi network to help extend its range. It's also the first Wi-Fi range extender that can be directly connected to speakers for music streaming using AirPlay, via its standard 3.5mm audio jack, or the USB speakers via its USB port.

The new can simultaneously extend both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands, making it best suited for a dual-band home … Read more

New Netgear NeoTV Prime player: Full Web access on TV and much more

LAS VEGAS--Netgear showed off today at CES 2013 the latest in its line of NeoTV streaming players, the NeoTV Prime with Google TV (model GTV100).

The new player offers everything that previous players offered, plus the ability to run apps from Google Play. The player allows you to access a large pool of entertainment including movies, TV shows, and music from major streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go, Crackle, Flixter, Rhapsody, Pandora, and more. Google Play also gives you movies and new releases in HD, music albums, and apps designed specifically for the TV.

The … Read more

Netgear adds Slingbox live TV to NeoTV players

LAS VEGAS--Netgear's NeoTV player's feature list just went up a notch today.

Netgear announced at CES 2013 that it has added Sling Media's SlingPlayer to its line of NeoTV players: the NeoTV (NTV300), NeoTV Pro (NTV300S), the NeoTV Max (NTV300SL), and the just-announced NeoTV Prime with Google TV (GTV100).

The addition of the SlingPlayer means that now those with a Slingbox can use the NeoTV as a set-top box for streaming live TV shows, sporting events, recorded programming, and even movies on any TV via the Internet. It also means you can extend TV viewing to a … Read more

Netgear at 2013 CES: Join us Monday, 12 p.m. PT (live blog)

All eyes will be on Netgear during the company's press conference at the 2013 International CES. The event kicks off at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET) on Monday, January 7, and CNET will be there to cover it live. We'll have a live video stream, along with a live blog chock full of news and analysis, as it happens.

You can tune in to the blog and video stream here:

CNET's live coverage of Netgear's 2013 CES press conference

Top five 802.11ac routers: Time to upgrade

The latest 802.11ac standard is the latest and arguably the most anticipated Wi-Fi standard, thanks to its much faster speeds. Since it was first showcased more than a year ago, there's been an influx of new routers that support the new Wi-Fi standard.

There's a different side to this development, however: we can't enjoy the new 802.11ac standard the way we do 802.11n just yet. That's because as Wi-Fi standards go, in order to have 802.11ac Wi-Fi connections, in addition to a supported router, you'll also need hardware clients, such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones, that support this standard, and currently there are very few clients that have built-in 802.11ac support. However, Windows computer owners can quickly add 802.11ac to their systems via a USB adapter, such as the TEW-805UB from Trendnet. Mac users can rest assured that 802.11ac will soon be supported.… Read more

Netgear demos Broadcom-based 802.11ac Wi-Fi devices

Netgear today teamed up with Broadcom to announce and demonstrate a new line of wireless networking products that use Broadcom's 802.11ac chips. These are the chips that Broadcom showed off in preparation for and during CES 2012.

These devices include two routers, the Netgear R6300 WiFi and the R6300 WiFi, and one USB adapter, the A6200 WiFi.

All of these devices are based on the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard (or 5G Wi-Fi, as Broadcom calls it). The Netgear R6300 is the top of the line and supports the three-stream 802.11ac standard that offers up to 1.… Read more

Top 5 wireless routers of 2011 that ain't so last year

The wireless router is arguably the most important piece of computer equipment in your house, since it connects the rest of your gadgets to one another and the Internet.

Now that we're well into the new year, let's look back at the top five routers of 2011. These routers will stay relevant this year and maybe even beyond. They are a handful from among the many I reviewed last year that represent what consumers will find on the market. … Read more

Netgear pitches itself as a household name. Good luck

LAS VEGAS--It's amazing how things change.

The networking professionals who read ZDNet have long been familiar with Netgear, the former Nortel subsidiary that spun off to become one of the three major networking hardware manufacturers, alongside Cisco and D-Link. For years, wireless routers and switches were for the tech-inclined only; if a family member needed assistance setting up a home network, the "family IT guy" was called. Otherwise, proceed at your own (infuriating) risk.

That perception is quickly changing, by necessity. With nearly every new electronic device Internet-connected, the average consumer is becoming more familiar with networking … Read more