NetGear Beefs Up Wireless Router Line

Competition in the wireless access market has intensified as it has matured. To try and maintain its current momentum, NetGear rolled out four devices, with an emphasis on support for higher transmission speeds and a wider variety of connectivity options.The vendor unveiled the N600 (WNDR3800) and the N750 (WNDR4000) Dual-Band Gigabit routers; the N600 (DGND3700), an all-in-one home gateway; and NETGEAR N300 Wireless Router with Powerline AV (WNXR2000), which supports powerline network connections.

The N600 (WNDR3800), which costs $179.99, features a ReadyShare Remote function that enables users to access files and folders on an external USB storage device and ReadyShare Printer, which connects to users to multi-function printers. A Clear Channel Selector function dynamically avoids busy Wi-Fi channels and moves transmissions to less congested links. The router includes a Guest Network Access, a Broadband Usage Meter, and DLNA certification.

Priced at $199.99, the NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit ADSL Modem Router (DGND3700) enables users to connect to the Internet via an ADSL modem or a Gigabit Ethernet port. The device features a 4-port Gigabit switch, ReadyShare storage access with two USB ports, and a DLNA Media Server.

The N750 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router, available for $179.99, operates at speeds up to 450 Mbps on 5GHz channels, so it can support applications like HD video conferencing.

The NETGEAR N300 Wireless Router with Powerline AV, which is priced at $119.99, works as either a wireless router or with wired powerline connections, operating at speeds up to 200M bps.

NetGear has focused on the low end of the market. Recently, this strategy has been quite successful: the company posted 38% revenue growth in its last fiscal quarter. The new products are designed to help the company maintain that momentum.