Netgear's new dual-band router offers 450Mbps on 5GHz band
Netgear announces the N750 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000), which offers wireless speed of up to 450Mbps on the 5GHz frequency band.
LAS VEGAS--It's been getting more and more exciting in the wireless networking world recently since Trendnet shipped the first 450Mbps single-band Wireless-N router, the
Netgear today joined the party by announcing its first 450Mbps dual-band router, the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (model WNDR4000).
Like those from Trendnet, Netgear's new networking device is based on the three-stream standard (or 3 by 3), in which each stream carries up to 150Mbps, hence the cap of 450Mbps.
The WNDR4000, however, unlike the TEW-692GR from Trendnet, offers the high 450Mbps speed only on the 5GHz frequency band, while the 2.4GHz band remains at the traditional dual-stream 300Mbps speed. According to Netgear, this is because the company believes that for now the requirements of processing power and the congestion of the 2.4GHz band don't translate into a great bang for the consumer's buck.
So who can take advantage of this new speed? Anyone with a laptop that's equipped with Intel's Centrino N-5300 and Centrino N-6300 Wi-Fi adapters. These two Wi-Fi chipsets, also known as Intel's Ultimate N Wi-Fi Link family, can handle all standards of Wi-Fi, including the three-stream standard. In the future, Netgear says it will also release USB adapters that support this higher speed.
Other than this high speed that can handle data-intensive applications, such as HD video streaming, simultaneous downloads and so on, the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router also offers following features:
ReadyShare USB: Better, easy support for external USB storage devices
Live parental controls: Comprehensive Web-filtering features that help keep Internet access under control
Guest networking: Separate wireless networks with access to the Internet but isolated from local resources
Broadband usage meter: A feature that monitors Internet traffic and sends customized reports
Netgear Genie software: A desktop application that helps simplify the task of managing your network
The N750 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router will be available in the first quarter of the year and will cost around $180.