Thursday, 03 September 2015 00:12

VIDEOS: Netgear’s Nighthawk X4S, the world’s best broadband router? Featured

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Netgear launched its flagship Nighthawk X4S with world-first, world beating specs just hungry for a decent NBN to plug into, but it works with ADSL2+, too.

Wanting to launch the best and most advanced consumer-level, NBN-ready broadband router, Netgear has gone all out with its Nighthawk X4S (D7800) to include top shelf inclusions, from blisteringly fast 802.11ac Wave 2 technology, MU-MIMO and Quad-Stream Wi-Fi, powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core processor.

It looks like it might be some kind of ultra-advanced stealth bomber ready to sow destruction on slow Wi-Fi and Internet speeds from trying to connect to connect to your current, likely old or even ancient and, for many, ISP-supplied router simply not designed to cope with today’s volume of smartphones, tablets, computers, consoles, smart TVs, connected devices and HD video streams we all take for granted.

I attended Netgear’s launch of the new router last night, and iTWire colleague Ray Shaw attended, too. Ray had a chance to talk with both David Henry, Netgear Home Network’s VP of Product Marketing and Engineering, and Brad Little, Netgear Australia’s MD following the Nighthawk X4S’s introduction and will present his own views on Netgear’s new next-gen wireless technology later today.

A video of the event is embedded below, the article continues on with plenty more detail thereafter. Three more videos are below at the end of this article - Netgear’s own product videos.

While each network equipment manufacturer strives to launch flagships that outdo the competition, such as D-Link did with its excellent and unusually tube-shaped Viper model, which can support 25+ simultaneous users on what is now the earlier 802.11ac Wave 1 technology (and earlier 802.11 standards), Netgear’s newest Nighthawk goes even better with even higher end features.

It’s the first DSL modem router on the market to support the latest 802.11ac Wave 2 WiFi technology with Quad-Stream on both bands as well as Multi-User MIMO-capability to support more devices, faster downloads, simultaneous streaming and improved WiFi range.

Designed for families with multiple Internet-enabled devices connecting simultaneously to DSL broadband, it will deliver incredibly fast WiFi speeds - especially if your devices are 802.11ac compatible, with extended range, and overall improved streaming and gaming.

Supporting VDSL 2 connections (available in the ACT, in some new or near new estates and some FTTB installations as well as the standard ADSL2+ connectivity most on copper use, it also has a Gigabit Ethernet WAN port letting you connect a future G.Fast/FTTP/DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem into the back of this router for even faster NBN-class speeds when they finally arrive in your area.

Besides 802.11ac Wave 2-class devices, it also works with 802.11a/b/g/n devices too, although when using compatible 802.11ac equipment, wireless speeds of up to 2.53Gbps are capable so that multiple connected devices can each be sucking down HD or better video from local sources on the network or, if your connection can handle it, from SVOD streaming TV services without breaking a sweat.

As Netgear explains, Quad-stream Wave 2 Wi-Fi means ‘the X4S supports up to four data streams in each WiFi band, maximising connection speeds for faster gaming and smoother HD video streaming with greater clarity and less buffering. Moreover, high-powered amplifiers, four high-performance external antennas and Beamforming+ technology improve the X4S range and reliability to extend WiFi coverage and reduce dead spots.’



In addition, Netgear says that ‘with MU-MIMO technology designed for simultaneous streaming of data for multiple devices, Nighthawk X4S provides major bandwidth improvement in next-generation mobile devices. It is especially appropriate for home networks with multiple device connections such as smartphones; notebook, tablet and desktop computers; gaming consoles; smart TVs; and Blu-ray players.'

The explanation continues: 'Instead of sending data to one device at a time, like traditional WiFi routers, the Nighthawk X4S with MU-MIMO will deliver data in parallel to multiple devices simultaneously, essentially doubling the throughput. As a result, you can stream 4K video to one device while also playing an intense multi-user video game on a different device.’

The aforementioned David Henry, visiting Netgear marketing and engineering VP said in a statement that: “If multiple people in your household are streaming HD Internet content at the same time, it’s very likely that the DSL modem router you get in your subscriber service package is not capable of supporting your bandwidth needs

“With the Nighthawk X4S AC2600 WiFi VDSL/ADSL Modem Router, you’ll take advantage of the fastest processor in a DSL modem router combined with the latest innovations in wireless technology for the best experience you can get today for streaming, gaming and file sharing.”

Netgear also talked up and the X4S’s ‘unique Dynamic QoS prioritisation capability’, recognising each individual application and the device it is running on, and prioritises their network traffic accordingly, meaning no matter the device, from held held smartphone to 80-inch TV, the Nighthawk ‘X4S ensures that you are getting the most effective network connection for the best possible experience.’

In addition to that Gigabit WAN port are the usual four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports for all your streaming players, games consoles, smart TVs or other connected-by-Ethernet devices. There are two USB 3.0 ports rather than the usual one, as well as eSATA, with the USB 3.0 ports able to interact with NETGEAR ReadySHARE to wireless access and share content on USB hard drives from any device in your home network.

You also get the ReadySHARE printing capability so you can wirelessly access and share a USB printer.

The ReadySHARE Vault software is free software that takes automatic backups of incremental changes on all PCs in your home network and saves them to a USB hard drive connected to the Nighthawk X4S modem router.

Then there is the Netgear genie app that makes it easy to install, monitor, control and repair your home network, as well as still more Netgear software besides to make the 21st century wireless broadband router an incredibly fast, versatile and efficient device.

This video from Netgear explains how the genie app works - pricing for the X4S is below, along with two other videos from Netgear:

You can even make any printer AirPrint compatible for printing from an iPad or iPhone.

Available now for $549, this router commands an extremely premium price but for an extremely premium product and experience.

The Nighthawk X4S AC2600 WiFi VDSL/ADSL Modem Router (D7800) is available now. More details at Netgear here. 

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Alex Zaharov-Reutt

Alex Zaharov-Reutt is iTWire's Technology Editor is one of Australia’s best-known technology journalists and consumer tech experts, Alex has appeared in his capacity as technology expert on all of Australia’s free-to-air and pay TV networks on all the major news and current affairs programs, on commercial and public radio, and technology, lifestyle and reality TV shows. Visit Alex at Twitter here.

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