Overview of Wi-Fi router Netgear N300: description, characteristics and reviews of the owners

The secret of success of any router in the markets of our country is quite clear: low cost and a large set of useful functions. You do not need a bigger future owner. Due to these two weighty criteria, the new Netgear N300 was able to be on the same shelf with similar devices 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 is designed for the most common users who need a router to organize a local network with support for 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 a single USB port that supports many well-known devices:

• 3G / 4G modems (any device certified in Russia will work without problems);
• Printers (built-in print server is able to identify any printer, even the old sample);
• External disk or USB-drive can be used as a file storage (the device support torrents at the hardware level opens new possibilities for the owner).

The router supports encryption of the wireless communication channel, and also protects all connected devices via Wi-Fi from hacker attacks. Built-in monitoring of Internet traffic presents reports on the connections of all devices on the local network, and an intelligent security system independently blocks suspicious resources and devices.

The configuration and appearance of an inexpensive device

The standard equipment of the manufacturer will obviously be pleasant to the future owner: the Netgear N300 router, the setup instruction, the patch cord, the power supply, the USB extension cable and the stand for easy installation. Admits all owners, judging by their positive feedback, a small extension cord for connecting USB-devices, because this is not an ordinary cord, which users are used to seeing in everyday life. The connector for 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 wants to place it (very convenient for connecting wireless modems).

Outwardly, the router resembles any similar device in the budget class - an ordinary box that does not stand out from its competitors. Unless on the side faces and the bottom of the router there are too many air vents that contribute to an excellent cooling of internal components. As you might expect, an inexpensive router does not have external antennas.

Easy setup

Configuring Netgear N300 is pretty simple, if all the steps are done strictly according to the instructions. Standard access from any browser at 192.168.1.1 with login (admin) and password (password) will move the owner to the wireless access point control menu. The main thing here is not to get lost 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 it will not be so easy to handle the router.

The manufacturer recommends that you trust the interactive setup wizard, but many owners recommend not to do this in their reviews, as the program, following the instructions, tries to share the administration knowledge with the user, and instead of the two basic settings will conduct a lesson on all the functionality of the router. In fact, you only need to configure Wi-Fi and the torrent client, everything else is determined automatically.

The leader of the market of multifunctional routers

But the model 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 provided the standard equipment of the device with a wireless adapter Wi-Fi to Ethernet, 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. Quite an interesting implementation, if there is no possibility of laying the cable around the room.

The main drawback 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 replace technology of the last century. Do not forget that similar routers are limited in speed (100 megabits per second) for wired interfaces, and Wi-Fi transmits data three times faster.

Features of the All-In-One

The Netgear N300 JWNR2000 series router can boast of honest data transmission at a speed of 300 megabits per second, because for this the manufacturer has implemented a system at the hardware level that can build independent tunnels with connecting devices that are guaranteed to transmit data. The Wi-Fi to Ethernet adapter uses the technology of directed radio antennas, allowing the signal to pass through the few reinforced concrete walls with the slightest loss.

Built-in torrent client, USB hub (with print server support), many security systems and firewalls, data encryption, guest connections WPS and many other modern technologies make the novelty very attractive in the market of network devices. A reasonable price (3000 rubles), clearly contribute to the purchasing power in the domestic market.

Difficulties in setting up

Many owners are interested in the management of such a complex system, so you need to figure out how to configure the Netgear N300 router and the wireless adapter that comes with it. The instruction details the user's steps to properly configure the router, in fact, they are no different from other devices of this manufacturer. The same interactive menu with a lot of hints and an intuitive interface. However, the connection of the adapter in the instructions is not a word.

Judging by the feedback of the owners, many went the easiest way: after finding the WPS button on the adapter, they created a secure connection on the guest channel. Scheme working, that's only when you turn on the computer again, both devices must be synchronized again. Professionals recommend to do otherwise: connecting to the computer adapter and finding a wireless network, you need to perform authorization on Wi-Fi, as it is done on a laptop or phone. By writing the MAC address of the connected computer (or TV), go to the router settings and in the trusted device table (there is such a menu) to set the full privileges to the desired MAC address.

Portable devices

On the market, the buyer can meet another device from the well-known manufacturer Netgear Wireless N300 Trek. It is recommended for travelers and businessmen who are used to working without unnecessary wires. The portable device is powered by a built-in battery, which can be charged even from the laptop. Convenience of the device in a miniature size - after connecting in a hotel to a wired local network, the router independently creates a Wi-Fi network in the room. Naturally, before this, the device must be configured. Available in any language instruction will help to do this step by step to any user - only two menu items are configured in a few minutes.

As the owners note in their reviews, the portable router does not have enough 3G / 4G modem support, because a repeater with such functionality would be much more useful when traveling to the Internet, you need to connect not only a laptop, but other mobile devices. Perhaps in the future the manufacturer will pay attention to user feedback and will release the finished product.

Problems and solutions

Many experts draw the attention of users to the timely update of firmware devices Netgear N300. As it turned out, there are a lot of routers on the domestic market that have an old version of software that they managed to crack. For example, all modifications with firmware having the first serial number have problems with unauthorized login: after entering an incorrect access password in the setup menu, the router provides administrator rights several times. Solves the problem of flashing the device. To do this, from the router's control panel, 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 that the owners face is the ventilation system. Plastic grilles easily pass dust, which, settling on the boards, leads to overheating. You need a router either to clean it once a year, or to install it on a table, not on the floor.

Owner feedback

According to statistics, the Netgear N300 router has 95% positive feedback from all owners of this device in the world (for comparison, the leader of the Cisco market is 99%, and the popular D-Link is 65%). Such figures first of all speak about the stability of the device, because the hanging and dropping speed during data transmission are the first indicator of a poor-quality product. There are many virtues, and all of them can not be counted:

• Included, configured in 15 minutes and forgot that this device is generally there;
• Tuned torrent client, got a real video library, which all households use;
• A network printer in the office is used by all employees who can not understand how it works over Wi-Fi;
• Accidentally falling behind the cabinet, the device worked without surprises for over a year, until it was accidentally discovered during the repair.

Such reviews are hundreds, and all of them are only positive - this clearly underlines the absolute quality of the product from the company Netgear.

Finally

As can be seen from the review, the Netgear N300 router deserves the attention of a potential buyer who wants to buy a decent router to organize a wireless network at home or in the office. Reviews of owners in the media uniquely contribute to this. An inexpensive solution, convenient connectivity and configuration, a large assortment - all for the benefit of users.