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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...
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.
What is size of your home in sq feet?
3800 sq ft. I don't like wireless extenders or MESH systems if I can avoid them.
3800 is quite a bit of area to cover.
You might be able to do it if its stacked (aka, 3 floor house with each floor 1266 sqft) and you have the router centrally located.
If its a spread out floor plan, you could still probably do it but those devices on the peripheral aren't going to be very fast and should probably be more your IoT devices and not streamers/gaming devices.
Not sure why you're against mesh systems. I'm not a huge fan of extenders but the newer generation mesh systems with either dedicated backhauls or if you can wire satellites in are pretty rock solid. Or even go with the business class stuff and get a couple access points. They're amazing to use but take a little more know how.
