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Netgear R7000 Router & EX6200 Extender Review

AkG

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Since the release of AC1900 wireless routers we here at Hardwarecanucks have tried to cast as wide a net as possible. Everyone ASUS, D-Link, and even Linksys are now represented in our charts, but one company was noticeable by its absence: Netgear. While Netgear may not have the same brand-name recognition as the other three major wireless router manufactures their R7000 'Nighthawk' has quickly gained quite a loyal following. This one device has introduced countless numbers of consumers to what Netgear has to offer.

The reason the Nighthawk has quickly received the attention of consumers is that it has been built from the ground up to outperform the competition. While it may use a Broadcom BCM4000 series System on a Chip as its main processor, unlike most, Netgear has opted for the faster BCM4709 instead of the slower but more common BCM4708. Unlike the 800Mhz BCM4708, the BCM4709 clocks in at brisk 1GHz. This may not sound like much of a difference, but an extra 200Mhz offers a lot more performance in high stress environments. Mix in three large and powerful external antennas, an aggressive angular form factor and the R7000 looks as fast as it is purported to be.

Thankfully, with an online asking price of $180 the Nighthawk is actually quite affordable compared to some of its compatriots. In fact the R7000 is now actually one of the lowest priced AC1900 options available today.

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As stated previously, Netgear is not just a one trick pony and with numerous years of experience their current stable of 802.11AC networking devices is rather varied. Of all the other devices they make besides the Nighthawk, their EX6200 wireless range extender also stands out. It isn’t some small “plug directly into an AC outlet and forget about it” extender. Rather, the EX6200 is big, bold and promises to provide increased wireless coverage without most of the drawbacks that are associated with typical range extenders. First and foremost is its dual band (2x2) 802.11AC 'AC1200' nature that uses two 5Dbi external antennas and shares more in common with the Nighthawk than typical range extenders. In fact its form factor is pretty much the same as a typical 2x2 wireless router. This alone makes it stand-out from the crowded extender marketplace that usually prizes compactness over performance.

Besides the wow factor, this 'over-sized' form factor's additional space allows for higher performance internal components. Internally it also bears more resemblance to a wireless router than an extender as instead of the typical low power SoC, the EX6200 uses a Broadcom BCM4352, which is more commonly found inside mainstream 802.11AC routers. To best make use of these higher performance parts Netgear has then given this extender an amazing - for its class - 700mW of output power. Whether or not the combination of external antennas, high performance components, and excellent power output rating will allow this $130 device to overcome its high asking price, but on paper this is one potent looking range extender.

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AkG

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Closer Look at the R7000 Nighthawk

Closer Look at the R7000 Nighthawk


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As expected the R7000 accessory list is very, very plain, but still more than adequate. You get a decently appointed installation booklet, an external power adapter, and three external antennas, so all the basic bases have been covered.

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Once you get past the unique look of the Nighthawk, a few other points do spring to mind. This is obviously a horizontal-only design and standing it up in a vertical position would prove difficult. Of course you can still mount it to a wall, but compared to a Linksys WRT1900AC this horizontal footprint design isn’t quite as versatile.

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Its horizontal footprint means that the Nighthawk can be located in tight spots where a tall ASUS RT-AC68U simply will not fit. Whether or not you like this large but short design will ultimately come down to your particular needs.

Whether you consider the dark gray and black plastic Nighthawk to be gorgeous or gauche, two items located on the R7000’s front will either reinforce or help improve your opinion of this router. Firstly, unlike most routers we have looked at in the past, there’s a well placed USB 3.0 port. This may not sound all that important but it will make connecting an external storage device a lot easier than it is on most other routers. You will not have to blindly grope around the various RJ45 network cables, and you certainly need not worry about accidentally striking the power or reset buttons while plugging in the USB cable.

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Even more important than the USB 3.0 front port is the inclusion of a very good LED status indicator cluster. Much like the WRT1900AC the multiple LEDS can tell you with just a glance exactly what the status of the R7000's various components are. To be precise from left to right these LEDS are: Power On, Internet Connectivity, a 2.4GHz band LED and another for the 5GHz network. Next to this is the front panel USB indicator while the USB 2 LED is linked to the rear I/O panel. Next up is the four Ethernet LEDs, a WiFi on/off button (with integrated LED) and a WPS activation button.

Both sides of the R7000 are clear of obstructions and contain nothing but a generous amount of ventilation slits. Considering Netgear has opted for hotter running components than most, will come in handy.

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In keeping with most wireless routers, the I/O panel is located on the Nighthawk’s back and is very similar to most routers we have looked at in the past. From left to right the layout is as follows: a small reset button, the four wired 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports(black), a single color coded (yellow) WAN port, the lone USB 2.0 port, a small power button, and at the extreme right the power input connector.

Because Netgear has moved a few essential components out of this area and to the unit’s front, every port is quite easy to access. Even when all are populated it is rather easy to disconnect and reconnect any device to the R7000. The only real issue with the rear layout is the fact that all these components are sharing space with the three external antennas. In most cases this will not cause any issues, but when all the various ports are in use you will be unable to swing the antennas left and right as much as you would expect. You can still fine-tune the antenna array's configuration but we do wish Netgear had repositioned the left and rightmost antennas to the side.

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Much like the exterior design has been fairly well thought out and executed, the R7000’s interior architecture is purpose built. As with most routers the Nighthawk makes use of a 128GB NAND IC, and a single 256MB RAM IC but instead of the typical Broadcom BCM4708 dual core controller Netgear has gone for the top of the line BCM4709 model. As with the 4708 this System on a Chip is a dual core controller that has proven to be very effective, however clocking in at 1GHz instead of 800MHz the BCM4709 does offer significant boost in performance.

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Unfortunately going hand in hand with this increase in performance is a nearly equal increase in heat output. While still well within the bounds of passive cooling, this hotter running chip does need good ventilation to keep from causing random disconnects. On the positive side Netgear has also opted for the potent - and proven - Broadcom BCM4360 controllers for both the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz networks. This in combination with good amplifiers and three 5Dbi antennas should allow the Nighthawk to easily reach its full 'AC1900' potential with 600Mbit on the 802.11N network and 1300Mbits/sec on the 5GHz 802.11AC network.

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Overall the internal layout and design is very good, but not without one issue worth mentioning. Given the hotter 4709 used we were disappointed by the size and location of the single heatsink Netgear has opted for. Firstly this heatsink is no more robust than the typical heatsink found in most other manufactures’ cooler running 4708 SoC-based units.

Unfortunately, the 4709 has been located on the bottom of the unit, where any heat it radiates away from the chipset will rise…and reheat those selfsame components. Given the combination of hot running internals and poor cooling capabilities we would be hesitant to recommend the R7000 for long term application in airflow restrictive environments or even scenarios that continuously stress the hot running Broadcom controller.
 
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AkG

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Closer Look at the EX6200

Closer Look at the EX6200


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Much like any router - and unlike the typical range extender - the EX6200 comes with a decent accessory list. That is to say it actually comes with accessories. While an installation pamphlet and two external antennas would be considered rather paltry by router standards, this is rather above average for a range extender.

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Let's start with the white elephant in the room, the EX6200 looks less like a range extender and more like a router because that is exactly what it is: a router that has been customized by Netgear to act solely as a range extender.

To be honest the EX6200 poses the question about what the difference is between a router and a range extender. In the past the differences were so large that many networking professionals considered range extenders to be a poor substitute for a secondary router so a good chunk of time was taken up configuring secondary routers to act as supercharged range extenders. Obviously Netgear was listening to their customers and set about to make the most powerful so-called range extender; one that actually has the power to create an enlarged wireless network that isn’t as slow as molasses.

To do these goals Netgear has taken a two pronged approach along both hardware and firmware lines. We will get to the firmware later in this review, but suffice to say the EX6200 has a customized firmware that has been tuned for receiving and then retransmitting signals from wireless network devices to the actual router. This factoid is actually key to understanding its narrow task-specific design.

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On the hardware side of the equation, Netgear has been able to pare down the usual amount of RAM and NAND storage since the EX6200 isn’t meant to be as flexible as a typical 'router'. However, on the networking components side, no expense has been spared. There’s a Broadcom BCM4532 SoC that could easily be found inside any entry level or even mainstream 2x2 AC1200 router. Backstopping this is a BCM43217 for the radio networks, which is also a well-regarded controller. When combined these devices allow for simultaneous 867Mbit 802.11AC 5GHz network and a 450Mbit 802.11N network.

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Netgear has backstopped these fairly robust parts with very good amplifiers. At its heart a range extender lives and dies by its abilities to receive, boost and then retransmit existing signals. These amplifiers allow the EX6200 a whopping 700miliwatts of transmission power. This is well in excess of what the typical range extender can do and is once again more in line with what is expected of a full-on router.

This range extender can be also used in either a horizontal or vertical orientation - something even the R7000 Nighthawk can lay claim to. Naturally, multiple orientation options broaden compatibility with different environments.

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From a purely aesthetics point of view, the EX6200's combination red and black is much more elegant than the R7000 Nighthawk. It also makes use of 5Dbi external antennas which is certainly unique among its compatriots. Just as with any router, the EX6200 also boasts a decent front LED diagnostics cluster which includes abilities that can tell you if given network connection is poor, good, or excellent.

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When you flip this device around there is an actual I/O panel that includes not only a WPS button and a on/off button but also five Ethernet ports. In a nutshell these five ports allow the EX6200 to do double duty as a media center extender as you can plug in wired Ethernet-only storage options and transform them into wirelessly connected devices. Such abilities go a long way towards justifying the above average price tag.
 
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AkG

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Setup and Installation

Setup and Installation


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While it may not be fastest nor easiest installation process we have encountered recently, setting up the R7000 is a fairly painless and straightforward process. Just plug in the router, attach the various cables, and simply type "10.0.0.1" into a web browser and let the built-in setup wizard guide you through the process.

Assuming you use the default passwords and SSID this process should take only a few minutes to complete. When done you will have two fully functioning networks. However as with all other routers, if you wish to use custom names for either networks the process will take slightly longer. In either case once the basic networks are configured you can then take the time to reconfigure and customize network settings as you see fit.



Installing the EX6200 follows along the same lines as the R7000, but if anything it is even simpler. Just plug in the EX6200, attach any cables necessary, and simply type "http://mywifiext.net" into your web browser. This allows your system to talk directly to the extender and grants the built in setup wizard the ability to walk you through the entire process.

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To begin the 2.4GHz and then 5.0GHz networks that should be extended can be chosen. It will scan the network and list them, but if SSID broadcast has been turned off you can manually type it in. Once that is complete security credentials for those networks need to be input and the new extended version of the networks will need to be named. Giving them separate names gives consumers the option to use whichever gives the best signal at any time; either the original source router or the EX6200.

After this, it’s simply a matter of disconnecting the computer from the existing wireless network and connecting to the newly formed extended network. Both your original and extended networks will show up in windows and you connect to either as you originally would.

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AkG

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R7000 Router Interface

R7000 Router Interface


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The R7000 User Interface is best described as tolerable, bordering on adequate. Much like the recently reviewed Linksys WRT1900AC, the Netgear Nighthawk uses a very streamlined and simplified interface, one that almost seems to be more an afterthought than a cohesive UI. Unfortunately, and unlike the WRT1900AC, this device is a Broadcom-based router so 3rd party firmware support is spotty at best. This means that if there’s any interest in finely tuning things or working with an interface that will allow you to coax the most of the router's hardware, you will be sorely disappointed.

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The absolute best example of what we mean is the Parental Control section. Usually Parental control is simply a firewall with custom time and IP based blocking. With most routers parental control is a very involved feature with a ton of options, cater to one of the primary uses of an advanced router: making sure your kids don’t access places they shouldn’t. In the R7000’s case, it is completely lacking.

When clicking on Parental Control, you are redirected to Netgear's website where you can download a software application. Ouch.

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As you can see when you do open the semi-coherent UI, you are greeted to two tabs: basic and advanced. One would think that Basic would deal with basic features and the advanced would deal with….advanced features. This is not the case. Instead, Advanced simply adds another layer of complexity to a UI that really doesn’t have enough features to warrant anything 'complex'.

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Besides the default 'home' section which acts a quasi-applet menu, the Basic section deals with how the wireless networks are configured, how attached devices are configured or blocked, configuring very basic 'guest' networks and using what Netgear calls ReadyShare.

ReadyShare allows for both 'quickly' converting a USB printer into a network attached printer or converting a USB storage device into a basic NAS. As with all other features, this one can best be described as bare bones in its approach and reach.

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The Advanced tab deals with features and customization that Netgear feels may be too complicated for their customers. Things like WPS, administration and other features are grouped here. In other words the Advanced section is filled with features that are rather basic and unfortuantely poorly implemented. For example, while there has been plenty of effort put into creating the 'advanced' setup wizard or 'advanced' WPS wizard useable, neither are features that deserve the moniker of advanced.

In addition to this, the administration options are lackluster at best. While they do include logs, there are no troubleshooting tools worth talking about, and even the Quality of Service abilities leave a lot to be desired.

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Overall we consider this firmware to be tolerable, but it is a shame that you will most likely not be able to nuke and pave it. If there was ever a firmware in desperate need of 3rd party upgrading it is the one gracing the R7000 Nighthawk.
 
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AkG

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EX6200 Extender Interface

EX6200 Extender Interface


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After the R7000’s lackluster UI, we weren’t expecting much from the EX6200. Compared to most range extenders, the EX6200's UI offering is damn impressive. It certainly is a lot more curtailed and streamlined than even the R7000's, but given the narrower nature of this device’s operating parameters it does include everything you could want. It even has features such as USB storage that certainly wasn’t expected.

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Just as with a 'real' router the EX6200's UI is broken up into multiple sub-sections with each one being dedicated to a different task or tasks. At the top of this vertically orientated row of options is the Smart Setup, which is the exact same wizard that you use during the EX6200’s original configuration.

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As the name suggests, the Add WPS client allows you to add more devices to the extended network via WPS. The settings sections changes the EX6200 is configured and features customization for the name, IP address, how it renews/obtains the IP address, and even which networks to extend.

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The USB storage may be as limited as the R7000's in its abilities but it still will allow you to turn a single USB 2.0/3.0 external drive into a single bay NAS. Considering such features are usually not included with range extenders we really appreciated this item, even if the options are limited compared to most routers.

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The Maintenance section allows you to do a variety of tasks ranging from backing up your settings, to updating the firmware. It also gives you a nice status overview of devices attached the EX6200, including respective signal strengths. It can even give you an overview of the main networks being extended, including the maximum speed the EX6200 can use via those pathways. Unfortunately as you can see this is an AC1200 device so both our 2.4GHz and 5GHz default networks' performance will be significantly degraded from their usual 600Mbit and 1300Mbit ratings.

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The Advanced section is for the most part fairly basic in its customization abilities but one feature does stand out: an ability to change the operating mode. If there’s only a need to extend a single 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz network, you can change the operating mode and increase performance on that single network over what you could otherwise expect the EX6200 to deliver.

Basically this FastLane technology can talk to devices on either band, and then retransmit the packets on the other. While this will basically limit the performance to 300Mbit/s, by not having to retransmit on the same band latency can be greatly reduced. For most scenarios the halving performance will not be appealing, but at greater distances FastLane could increase overall performance.
 
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AkG

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Test System & Testing Methodology

Testing Methodology


Testing wireless devices is not as easy as you would think. Yes you can simply connect to it and push a bunch of file across the network while timing it but this only tells half of the story and does not explain <i>why</i> speeds can vary. To obtain a more clear picture of how good – or bad – a networking device is, more is needed in the form of a multi-step testing approach.
The first step consists of accurately measuring signal strength. A good strong signal is a prerequisite of high performance. If a device can barely send or receive a signal, the speeds will be very low as both devices will opt for a slower connection speed to compensate.
To test signal strength we use inSSIDer, a program which can graph signal strength of all wireless signals being received by the computer’s wireless NIC.

The second step consists of synthetic bandwidth testing to show the potential performance of a given wireless configuration. For this test we have chosen Lan Speed Test. This free program can test both transmission and reception performance and do so in an easy to use and highly repeatable way. For clarity sake we have averaged both the transmission and reception performance into one aggregate number.

The last step is real world testing. This test consists of 10GB worth of small file and large file mixture which will be pushed from one wireless connected computer to a second computer connected via wired Ethernet. Testing will be done via MS RichCopy. For clarity sake we have averaged both the transmission and reception performance into one aggregate number.
If the device supports wired transmission, wired Ethernet to wired Ethernet real world performance will also be included using the same 10GB of data used for the wireless test.
If a given wireless device is labeled as “entertainment” or marketed as being entertainment centric, a secondary real world test will be included in the form of using the device for wireless HD media streaming. This test will be a pass/fail affair.

To test all sections, we have further created four unique and distinct scenarios in which all testing will be done. The first test is labeled “Zone 1” and it consists of a twelve foot ‘line of sight’ distance between the router and the wireless NIC with no walls or obstructions between the two. This replicates having the router in one end of a small room and the wireless device at the other. It is unlikely to be encountered all that often but it will test a best case scenario performance of the device being tested.

The second test consists of an eighteen foot separation with a single interior non-load bearing wall separating a wireless device and the router. We have labeled this “Zone 2” as it is much more common and is still a very optimal setup for a wireless home networking. This test replicates you having your wireless device in an adjoining room to the router.

The third test is labeled “Zone 3” and consists of having the router in the corner of the basement with the wireless device trying to connect in the second story room at the extreme diagonal end from the routers location. This is still a fairly common occurrence in home networks with numerous walls, floors, pipes, wires, etc. and even other electronic devices in the intervening distance. This is not an optimal configuration but a very common one none the less. This will test the abilities of both the router and wireless NIC to connect and communicate with each other.

The fourth test is labeled “Zone 4” and is an extreme test. While the router is still in the basement we have paced off 400 feet from it outside the testing facility. This replaces those times a person is outdoors and wishes to use his home network to connect to the Internet or other devices connected to the home network. With fewer walls but much greater distances this test is extremely demanding and many will not be able to successfully complete it. Thus it will separate the truly good from the merely adequate devices.

For all tests, four runs will be completed and only the averages of all four will be shown.
When possible both 5Ghz as well as 2.4GHz Bands will be used for all tests with each getting their own separate results.
All tests will carried out via a “clear” network in order to maximize repeatability and minimize factors outside of our control.

For information purposes here is the theoretical maximum each network connection is capable of:

10Mbits/s = 1,250 KBytes/s
100Mbit/s = 12,500 KBytes/s
150Mbit/s = 18,750 KBytes/s
300Mbit/s = 37,500 KBytes/s
450Mbit/s = 56,250 KBytes/s
600Mbit/s = 76,800 KBytes/s
1000Mbit/s = 125,000 KBytes/s
1300Mbit/s = 162,500 KBytes/s

Processor: Core i5 4670K
Motherboard: MSI Z87 MPower Max
Memory: 32GB G.Skill TridentX 2133
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 in SLI
Hard Drive: Seagate 600 Pro 400GB SSD, Intel 910 800GB PCI-E SSD
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNova 1000P2
Case: Cooler Master Storm Trooper

<i>Special thanks to NCIX for their support and supplying the i5 4670 CPU.
Special thanks to G.Skill for their support and supplying the TridentX Ram.
Special thanks to NVIDIA for their support and supplying the GTX 780s.
Special thanks to EVGA for their support and supplying the SuperNova PSU.
Special thanks to Cooler Master for their support and supplying the CM Storm Trooper </i>
 

AkG

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USB 3.0 & Signal Strength Testing

Performance Testing USB 3.0


<i>While USB has indeed be a mainstay of Asus routers for as long as we can remember, the AC68U is the first high performance router that also provides USB 3.0 and not just USB 2.0 ports. As most consumers know USB 3.0 brings numerous enhancements to the table including higher bandwidth potential and increase power over USB capabilities. As we have seen many times in the past reality sometimes can wildly differ than theory and there are numerous ‘USB 3.0’ devices which actually perform at the same levels as their previous USB 2 counterparts.

To see exactly how much capabilities USB 3.0 adds to the Asus RT-AC68U router we devised a very simple test. Using an empty Seagate GoFlex Slim 320GB device we connected it to the USB 3 a port of the router. We then configured it as a network drive and using MS RichCopy measured the performance via wired, 2.4HGz wireless and 5GHz wireless. Once testing was complete we repeat this process but using the USB 2.0 port. </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Networking/netgear/usb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

While not the absolute best results we have recently seen, the R7000 does post some very decent numbers in the USB testing. This makes the rather anemic USB 'NAS' options it's UI has all the more disappointing since it could have provided an excellent storage platform.


Signal Strength Testing


<i>A good strong signal is a prerequisite of high performance wireless networking. If a device can barely send or receive a signal, the speeds will be very low as both devices will opt for a slower connection speed to compensate. To test signal strength we use inSSIDer, a program which can graph signal strength of all wireless signals being received by the computer’s wireless NIC. </i>

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Networking/netgear/50_sig.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Networking/netgear/24_sig.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

Once again the R7000 posts some very decent numbers and is just about everything we have come to expect from a Broadcom based 'AC1900' router.

Turning our attention the EX6200 we can see that it does its job marvelously well and <i>will</i> expand the typical network's area of coverage well beyond what any single router could. However, what these results cannot show us is how much impact on performance using the EX6200 will have since that is an entirely different and separate metric from signal strength.
 
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AkG

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Synthetic & Real World Testing

Synthetic Testing


For synthetic performance testing to show the potential performance of a given wireless configuration. For this test we have chosen Lan Speed Test. This free program can test both transmission and reception performance and do so in an easy to use and highly repeatable way. For clarity sake we have averaged both the transmission and reception performance into one aggregate number.

50_synth.jpg

24_synth.jpg


Real World Testing


For real world testing we have taken 10GB worth of small file and large file mixture and pushed from one wireless connected computer to a second computer connected via wired Ethernet. Testing will be done via MS RichCopy. For clarity sake we have averaged both the transmission and reception performance into one aggregate number.

If the device supports wired transmission, wired Ethernet to wired Ethernet real world performance will also be included using the same 10GB of data used for the wireless test.



50_real.jpg


24_real.jpg


The R7000's 802.11AC's performance abilities are right up there with the best of them. Unfortunately this makes the rather mediocre 802.11N performance stand out even more. Put simply, the 802.11N's performance is this router's weakest link and considering most wireless devices (notebooks, phones, tablets, etc.) still use this older standard, choosing the R7000 over the competition is contra-indicated. The only saving grace of this unit is its price. After all, the best router to buy is the highest performing one you can afford.


The EX6200 on the other hand did impress us. While the 802.11N performance does noticeably suffer, the amount of loss on the 802.11AC network is only moderate. Obviously if you do use this device on a AC1900 (or even AC1750) network the reduction in performance will be greater, but overall the EX6200 is everything you could hope for in a range extender.
 
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AkG

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Conclusion

Conclusion: R7000


Netgear’s R7000 Nighthawk has garnered no small amount of attention since it happens to be one of the lower priced 802.11AC routers on the market today. It also looks absolutely fabulous. However, price and looks don’t necessarily lead to an optimal experience since firmware and performance on the slightly older 802.11N band still play integral functions.

While Netgear has obviously spent a lot of time and effort on the hardware side of the equation, the 'software' or firmware that the R7000 ships with needs a lot more polish before it can be considered in the same class as D-Link, Linksys, or ASUS. It is relatively stable and surely gets the job done, the whole implementation simply feels rough, even now months after launch. Moreover, the User Interface is poorly implemented compared against those from the competition and simply lacks the features normally associated with a modern day $200 router.

On the positive side, when given the opportunity the R7000 does live up to its namesake and is one potent piece of hardware. It may not out and out dominate the competition like its namesake, but performance was excellent throughout testing.

To be honest the largest mitigating factor (and the one that did help soften our opinion of this router) is its price. Unlike the competition this 3x3 802.11AC totting Nighthawk is priced more in line with mainstream 'AC1200' routers. In the end this excellent price combined with decent to stellar performance metrics makes the Netgear R7000 worthy of further consideration, especially if 802.11N performance is not high on your priory list. It may not be as good as the hype surrounding it makes it out to be, but all things considered it still is a decent router.


Conclusion: EX6200


We must admit to having rather high expectations for this the EX6200 since on paper it looks to be easily one of the most powerful extenders around. Everything from the external antenna array, to the use of high performance 'router grade' internals meant that anything less than great performance would have been a letdown. After working with this unit for weeks now, we can honestly say that while we have no problems in shipping the R7000 back to Netgear, we are going to miss this little powerhouse. Not only did the EX6200 exceed our wildest expectations, but it has changed our opinion of how a ranger extender should look, act and perform.

The reason for this is simple: this is a full router that has been converted into a range extender. This may be an old school trick that many power users have done in the past but it sure gets the job done. After all, if a router can <i>route</i> it certainly can <i>extend</i>. By grasping this straightforward concept and optimizing performance Netgear has created something special.

Sure consumers can still expect a certain amount of performance loss as the EX6200 does have to first receive and then retransmit the signal, but the corresponding drop is right in-line with taking a mainstream 2x2 router and manually converting it. Yet the EX6200 is much easier to work with <i>and</i> is significantly better than classical extenders. Even the less than stellar user interface is not a game changer since most users will ignore it after initial setup.

To be perfectly candid the only way Netgear could make this unit even more appealing is to include 3x3 capabilities. Right now using it in a 1900AC environment will cause a larger performance impact than it will in typical 1750AC state. This however would have drastically increased the price and as it stands the EX6200 has a lot of reasons to opt for it over the 'old school' methods. For the first time we can actually see some enthusiasts opting for this off the shelf extender instead of manually converting a stock wireless router into one, and that is bloody amazing. Even if you don’t own a Netgear router, but are looking for a simple and easy to use extender, the EX6200 deserves to be our your short list, relatively high asking price de damned.

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