The Netgear R6400 AC1750 router is an “oldie but a goodie” model that still holds up quite well today. It can again smoothly run circles around some of the current-gen models within its price range. In general, the Netgear R6400 is part of the mid-range router crowd and can provide decent numbers in terms of its performance.
At a glance, the R6400 also takes cues from other Netgear routers for its design with its sharp-looking angular ramp-like casing. If you are interested to know more about this specific, affordable yet high-performance router from Netgear, you have come to the right place.
Main Features
Media Source: netgear.com
- AC1750 Wi-Fi (450+1300 Mbps)
- Gigabit LAN (x4) Gigabit WAN (x1)
- Nighthawk Netgear Genie App compatible
The Netgear Nighthawk AC1750 is identical in design to its predecessor, almost beat by beat. That’s not a flaw, as the R6300 model had this visually striking sleek and futuristic aesthetic. The wide base will take up a considerable amount of space on your desk or shelf, but you also have the option of mounting the router to your wall, so limited space is not an issue here.
The front panel sports a dozen LEDs that display the status of the router. This is undoubtedly one of the most LEDs we have encountered in a router. It can also be a little distracting when all twelve are blinking like Christmas lights. You can turn off the LED, though, if you wish for a more “quiet” approach.
This unit features two USB ports with the 3.0 port on the front while the 2.0 is at the back. It utilizes three antennas that are attached to the back end of the device. The antennas are also relatively thicker than the previous model, which helps improve the Beamforming+ feature.
However, these antennas are only adjustable and cannot be replaced as they are fixed to the unit. Keep this in mind as a broken Netgear R6400 AC1750 antenna will require you to repair the entire unit itself rather than merely replacing that particular part.
Setup Guide for Netgear R6400 Nighthawk AC1750
As with all new Netgear routers, the Nighthawk R6400 AC1750 delivers that user-friendly signature quality that helped propel the brand to the upper echelons. With the installation wizard, all you need is to click and wait for it to automatically setup your network router. This is a must as not everyone is well-versed in setting up their internet network at home.
The router interface appears to be quite rudimentary to the point of looking outdated. We also had cases wherein the interface didn’t correctly work if you are using specific web browsers to access it, specifically with Google Chrome.
Setting up the Quality of Service setting also feels limited as you can’t select a specific device to prioritize their bandwidth allocation. That being said, the parental control delivers excellent customization and control.
Functionalities and Features
The Netgear R6400 AC1750 model provides the standard processors that are found within the majority of their routers, except for their higher-end models. The R6400 AC1750 comes with a 1GHz processor alongside a 256MB RAM with 128MB flash. This is a pretty standard router technology with units that are within the AC1750’s price bracket.
When it came to throughput speed performance, the R6400 router performed quite smoothly. It also managed to maintain its speed relatively better from a distance of over 10 feet away compared to other dual-band routers. Barriers and walls affected its range as expected, but it did manage to hold a decent number.
The R6400 unit uses an 800MHz dual-core processor, the Broadcom BCM4708. The unit rarely accumulates considerable heat due to the excellent ventilation on the case, which should prevent any overheating issues down the line. We tested it all day long in a non-airconditioned room it barely exceeded temperatures that you would consider worrisome.
Like all Netgear routers, this one also utilizes the convenient Netgear Genie app that lets users access their router’s system via smartphone. This app also makes sharing videos and music to other devices within the network to be extremely easy. The Netgear Genie app is quite useful when it comes to doing maintenance on your system.
When it comes to the AC1750’s speed and stability, it managed to clock in an impressive 524Mbps max connection speed. It led to maintain decent rates even at a distance of 10 feet to 25 feet away with only a slight dip.
Further speed testing showed that the router dipped down to 196Mbps at 25 feet away without any obstructions. With walls in between, the speed averaged at 182Mbps. This is a pretty good number for a router with this price tag. However, at an even greater distance, the rate went down to 20Mbps. With these tests, we consider this router to be a suitable device for medium to larger homes.
The router also hits impressive numbers with its file transfer rate, thanks to the 3.0 USB connection. The Netgear R6400 A1750 is a perfect example of how improvements should be handled with next-gen iterations. It far exceeds what its predecessor managed to deliver on all fronts.
For a budget-friendly router, the Nighthawk R6400 AC1750 certainly delivers in surpassing expectations of routers within its price range.
Pros:
Sleek design and perfect for use in limited space rooms thanks to its ability to be mounted to the wall.
Stable and top-notch 802.11ac speeds.
Solid Wi-Fi range.
Excellent NAS performance.
Cons:
The web browser interface looks and feels dated.
Conclusion
Overall, the Netgear R6400 Nighthawk AC1750 will satisfy those looking for the right balance between price and performance. The router delivers superb range and speeds. If you are working on a tight budget, you might want to check this router out. While it is a mid-range router, it is at the lower end of that spectrum, and it offers a full range of features that will make that couple extra bucks worth it.
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