Netgear announced today the availability of its latest wireless router, the N900 wireless-dual band gigabit router (model WNDR4500).
This is first true dual-band router from the company, and the second submitted for a CNET review, that offers the new 450Mbps speed on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The first was the
While the Trendnet TEW-692GR doesn't offer much else, the N900 on the other hand is also the first of its kind to incorporate two USB ports to host USB external storage devices and printers. Physically, the N900 is one of the biggest routers on the market. It has a base designed to make it work in a vertical position, which is common for Netgear's routers. However, unlike some other routers, the N900's base is not easily detachable.
Netgear says the N900 router supports the company's NAS server standard, ReadyShare, and supports sharing a connected USB storage device with the rest of the network. The router also has built-in support for the DLNA streaming standard, meaning you can stream digital content stored on a connected USB storage device to DLNA-compliant clients, such as TVs, game consoles, or network media players.
Like other recent routers from Netgear, such as the N600, the N900 comes with Netgear Genie, a network management program. Similar to the Cisco Connect software available with Linksys E series routers that makes setting up a router a no-brainer for most people, the Netgear Genie desktop application offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use way to manage the router and the local network.
The second part of the Netgear Genie package is the router's Web interface, which resembles the desktop software in look and function. This means you can use the Web interface or the desktop software or both to manage the network. By contrast, the Cisco Connect software doesn't work with Linksys routers' Web interface at all.
The new N900 router has other advanced features that can be found in other high-end routers. To find out more about how the router performs and how its features pan out, check back soon for the full review.
If you can't wait, the N900 wireless dual-band gigabit router is available now and is slated to cost $180.
Discuss: Netgear ships its N900 ultimate wireless router
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