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Forum Discussion
Netgear router range
Looking at getting a new router and am leaning towards a current Netgear model. I see you go up in the model series (in price and speed) and the range supposedly increases from ~2000 sq ft to ~3500s...
or do their more expensive routers actually have more range
On the Pro series products, Netgear often publishes "maps" of coverage***. (something we do not see with residential products.)
Given that the WiFi coverage is roughly circular, 2000 sq. ft. corresponds to a radius of about 25 ft. 3500 sq. ft. corresponds to about 33 ft. So, the marketing literature is claiming that you will get a strong signal about 8 ft. farther away from the expensive router than from the less costly router.
Who knows? It could be that the more expensive router has a more expensive antenna.
*** Here's a random example:
Who knows? It could be that the more expensive router has a more expensive antenna.
What constitutes a "more expensive" antenna - is there such a thing in a router?
What constitutes a "more expensive" antenna - is there such a thing in a router?
Good question. WAY beyond my competence level. Notice this comment in the RS500 Product technical specifications:
RS700:
Yeah, beyond my expertise, too. The FCC limits all wifi routers to a maximum power level so they are all the same in that regard (you can reduce the power on some but you can't increase it). That leaves the antenna system but for an omnidirectional signal distribution (as opposed to "beamforming") I don't know there's much you can do inside those boxes(?)
It could be that the more expensive router has a more expensive antenna.
FWIW, the power limit regulations include the antenna gain. What can vary is the number of antennas (to improve MIMO and beam forming).
- RS200: 4 antennas
- RS500: 6 antennas
- RS700: 8 antennas
Of course each antenna requires its own transmitter and receiver circuitry. So the more expensive routers have more hardware. The RS200 is also dual-band, the others are tri-band.
Not an expert on antenna design either, but 3D (generally meaning 3D-printed) antennas can be used to shape the coverage area for each antenna (which I think can be used to further improve beam forming and MIMO), but can also be used to reduce the internal space the antennas need inside the router.
Ah, OK, so more antennas can direct the signal better. But in my home I'm really looking for a uniform distribution of signal, would beamforming produce a directional signal at all times or is it active (adaptive)?
would beamforming produce a directional signal at all times or is it active (adaptive)?
Beamforming is active. When the router is sending to a client, the beam aims the signal towards that client. That increases range and speed.
