The secret of success of any router in the markets of our country is quite understandable: low cost and a large set of useful functions. More to the future owner and do not need. Thanks to these two weighty criteria, the new Netgear N300 managed to end up on the same shelf with similar D-Link, TP-Link, ASUS and other well-known brands that produce products for organizing wireless networks at home and in a small office.
Best Home Router
The Netgear N300 WNR2200 model is designed for the most ordinary users who need a router for organizing a local area network with Wi-Fi and cable connections. Affordable price (1100 rubles) and great functionality make this device very attractive in the market of network devices.
In addition to a wireless access point and a four-port hub, the router is equipped with one USB port that supports working with many well-known devices:
- 3G / 4G modems (any device certified in Russia will work without problems);
- printers (the built-in print server is able to detect any printer, even an old model);
- an external drive or USB drive can be used as a file storage (device support for torrents at the hardware level opens up new possibilities for the owner).
The router supports encryption of the wireless communication channel, and also protects all connected devices via Wi-Fi from hacking from hacking. Built-in monitoring of Internet traffic provides reports on the connections of all devices on the local network, and the intelligent protection system independently blocks suspicious resources and devices.
Options and appearance of an inexpensive device
The future owner will definitely like the standard equipment of the manufacturer: Netgear N300 router, setup instructions, patch cord, power supply, USB extension cord and stand for easy installation. Judging by their positive reviews, the small extension cord for connecting USB devices delights all owners, because this is not an ordinary cord, which users are used to seeing in everyday life. The connector for connecting devices is made in the form of a platform, which has considerable dimensions and weight, allowing it to hold the device on the surface where the owner wishes to place it (very convenient for connecting wireless modems).
Externally, the router resembles any similar device of a budget class - an ordinary box that does not stand out from competitors. Unless on the side faces and the bottom of the router there are too many ventilation openings that contribute to excellent cooling of the internal components. As expected, the inexpensive router does not have external antennas.
Convenience settings
Setting up the Netgear N300 is quite simple, if all the steps are carried out strictly according to the instructions. Standard access from any browser at 192.168.1.1 with the login (admin) and password (password) will move the owner to the control menu of the wireless access point. The main thing here is not to get confused and remember one truth: there are not many settings themselves, but the manufacturer provided them with a detailed description in the form of interactive tips, so it seems that managing the router will not be so simple.
The manufacturer recommends trusting the interactive setup wizard, but many owners recommend not doing this in their reviews, as the program, following the instructions, tries to share administration knowledge with the user, and instead of two basic settings, will conduct a lesson on the entire functionality of the router. In fact, you only need to configure Wi-Fi and the torrent client, everything else is determined automatically.
The market leader for multifunctional routers
But the Netgear N300 JWNR2000 is designed to satisfy all demanding users when creating a high-speed local network at home or in a small office. The manufacturer supplied the standard equipment of the device with a wireless Wi-Fi to Ethernet adapter, which allows connecting stationary devices to the network, whether it be a personal computer or a plasma panel. If there are several devices, then the user can buy the same module in the store. A rather interesting implementation, if there is no possibility of laying the cable in the room.
The main disadvantage of this adapter is the lack of a network hub for wired connections, but, as the owners claim in their reviews, only one connector looks poor. But, as the manufacturer assures, wireless interfaces will soon supersede the technologies of the last century. Do not forget that similar routers are limited in speed (100 megabits per second) for wired interfaces, and Wi-Fi transfers data three times faster.
Feature Capabilities
The Netgear N300 JWNR2000 series router boasts honest data transmission at a speed of 300 megabits per second, because for this the manufacturer introduced a system at the hardware level that can build independent tunnels with connected devices that are guaranteed to transmit data. The Wi-Fi to Ethernet adapter uses directional radio antenna technology, allowing the signal with the slightest loss to pass through several reinforced concrete walls.
The built-in torrent client, a USB hub (with support for a print server), many security systems and firewalls, data encryption, WPS guest connections and many other modern technologies make the new product very attractive in the market of network devices. And the affordable price (3000 rubles) clearly contribute to purchasing power in the domestic market.
Difficulty setting up
Many owners are interested in the process of managing such a complex system, so you need to figure out how to configure the Netgear N300 router and the wireless adapter that comes with the kit. The manual describes in detail the steps of the user to properly configure the router, in fact, they are no different from other devices of this manufacturer. The same interactive menu with many tips and an intuitive interface. However, there is not a word about connecting the adapter in the instructions.
Judging by the reviews of the owners, many went the easiest way: having found the WPS button on the adapter, they created a secure connection through the guest channel. The scheme is working, only when you turn on the computer again, both devices must be synchronized again. Professionals recommend doing otherwise: by connecting the adapter to the computer and finding the wireless network, you need to authorize via Wi-Fi, as is done on a laptop or phone. After writing down the MAC address of the connected computer (or TV), go to the settings of the router and in the table of trusted devices (there is such a menu) set full privileges to the desired MAC address.
Portable devices
On the market, the buyer can meet another device of the famous manufacturer Netgear Wireless N300 Trek. It is recommended for travelers and businessmen who are used to working without extra wires. The portable device is powered by a built-in battery, which can be charged even from a laptop. Convenience of the device in miniature sizes - after connecting to a wired local area network in a hotel, the router independently creates a Wi-Fi network in the room. Naturally, before this, the device must be configured. The instructions available in any language will help you do this step by step for any user - just two menu items are set up in a few minutes.
As the owners note in their reviews, the portable router lacks support for a 3G / 4G modem, because a repeater with such functionality would be much more useful when traveling when you need to connect not only a laptop, but also other mobile devices to the Internet. Perhaps in the future, the manufacturer will pay attention to user reviews and release a finished product.
Problems and their solution
Many experts draw users' attention to the timely update of the firmware of Netgear N300 devices. As it turned out, there are a lot of routers on the domestic market that have an old version of software that hackers managed to crack. For example, all modifications with firmware with the first serial number have problems with unauthorized entry: after entering the wrong access password in the setup menu, the router grants administrator rights several times. Solves the problem of flashing the device. To do this, being on the control panel of the router, you need to go to the “Update” menu and install the latest software from the manufacturer’s website (the Internet must be connected to the router).
The second problem owners have to deal with is the ventilation system. Plastic grilles easily pass dust, which, settling on the boards, leads to overheating. You need to either clean the router once a year, or install it on a table, not on the floor.
Owner reviews
According to statistics, the Netgear N300 router has 95% positive reviews from all owners of this device in the world (for comparison, the market leader Cisco is 99%, and the popular D-Link is 65%). Such figures primarily indicate the stability of the device, because freezes and a drop in speed during data transfer are the first indicator of a poor-quality product. There are many advantages, and all of them can not be counted:
- turned on, set up in 15 minutes and forgot that this device is generally there;
- set up a torrent client, got a real video library, which is used by all households;
- An office network printer is used by all employees who are unable to understand how it works over Wi-Fi;
- accidentally falling over the cabinet, the device worked without surprises for more than a year, until it was accidentally discovered during the repair.
There are hundreds of such reviews, and all of them are only positive - this clearly emphasizes the absolute quality of the product from Netgear.
Finally
As you can see from the review, the Netgear N300 router deserves the attention of a potential buyer who wants to buy a decent router for organizing a wireless network at home or in the office. Owner reviews in the media clearly contribute to this. Inexpensive solution, ease of connection and configuration, a large assortment - all for the benefit of users.