Netgear has just released the WiFi router to end all WiFi routers – called the Nighthawk X10 AD7200. It’s got all the high-end features that will future-proof internet networks at home. Most notably, it’s got a 10Gbps port for network storage, as well as the ability to combine two 1GB Ethernet ports together.
The new router supports next-gen 802.11AD WiFi and Plex Media Server
This router is perfect for a home set up and for streaming 4K content. And it’ll do it pretty fast, with a few seconds to spare. The only factor that can slow down the performance of this router is the internet connection. Of course, it can also be used as a storage centre for when the need of all those stashed up torrent files need to come to use.
Commenting on the Nighthawk X10’s capability to move large video files within network and to the cloud, David Henry, senior vice president for home networking at Netgear, said, “Today’s video files are getting larger with 4k and VR video. Offloading from capture devices and moving these large files within a network often becomes a time-consuming and challenging task. The Nighthawk X10 is powerful enough to move these files at unprecedented speed and provides easy access once the file is stored on the network.”
The new Netgear router delivers WiFi in two standards – 802.11ac, that’s compatible with almost every other device out there right now. It’s also the most common, and refers to the general breed of WLAN we’re used to. Only, this is way faster and can take on more load of users. The second strand of WiFi that it offers is more for personal usage or a Pan Area Network – that’s 802.11ad support. It’s short range, more powerful and currently still in development.
The router has 4 antennas – PC World says that it’s got 4×4:4, according to what the market is calling it; so it’s got four transmitting and four receiving antennas with separate spatial streams. And each of these antennas can carry a whopping 800Mbps on a 2.4GHz band and 1733Mbps on a 5GHz band. It’s also got amplifiers on the antennas to increase range for better performance.
Thanks to its PAN-oriented network and superfast transfer speeds, data can be transferred locally at a speed of a cool 4.6Gbps, which isn’t anything to take lightly. So this means streaming 4K and VR content will be smooth sailing for users. The Nighthawk also consists of a Plex Media Server that can access content from an attached USB drive. It can also transcode all of that data if needed, thanks to a fast 1.7GHz quad-core processor. It also has DLNA, so it can be accessed from a TV and game console. It’ll further come with two installable apps for phones – to configure and set up the router, and another app to act as the dashboard to monitor usage and system health. If that’s not fancy enough, we don’t know what is.
What’s more is, this router has six gigabit Ethernet ports for LAN connections including two for network-attached storage devices like external hard drives for back up and data storage. So the Nighthawk scores extra brownie points on that one!
Finally, all of this future-proofing will come at a cost – $500. It’s a question of morals for some, who can get most of those features on a router at half the cost. But for those who have a really fast connection and haven’t been able to make the most out of it, this one is for them.