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duckware's avatar
duckware
Prodigy
Jan 17, 2020

There are NO Netgear routers that are "Wi-Fi 6 Certified"

https://www.wi-fi.org/product-finder-results?sort_by=certified&sort_order=desc&categories=6&capabilities=17
blue13x's avatar
blue13x
Tutor
Jan 17, 2020

After looking into the website, it shows that the broadcom BCM94908R43684AX chip is wifi 6 certified, and the rax80 and rax200 use it I think.

duckware's avatar
duckware
Prodigy
Jan 17, 2020

The Broadcom BCM94908R43684AX is an actual "reference design" router (NOT a chip) -- which given the name, we assume is using the BCM43684 chip (4x4 802.11ax Wi-Fi Residential Access Point Chip).

 

And this is exactly why being "certified" is so important.  Everyone assumes that Netgear can create something unique (maybe using the reference design as a base) that works -- but until Netgear can actually get their routers "certified", we are left wondering -- is there something in Netgear AX routers that do not work, or does everything work properly?

 

Netgear, please get your routers "Wi-Fi 6 Certified" so we know for sure.

 

  • digitsnbits's avatar
    digitsnbits
    Apprentice
    Jan 17, 2020

    Please read the post directly above your last plastic, your answer is there.

     

    • DDRAGON's avatar
      DDRAGON
      Aspirant
      Apr 14, 2020
      The RAX 80 and RAX200 have chips that support OFDMA up and down. The RAX 120 ONLY supports down because physically in the chip used, it’s only capable of down.

      The RAX120 currently supports WPA3 whilst the others don’t. BelieBe it is meant to be done in a future update. Somewhere I think WPA3 was a requirement.

      Some support 160Mhz native and others do a 80+80Mhz. 160Mhz is a requirement for certification too I believe.

      The WiFi 6 certification requires a series of core and optional requirements. Part of the core requirements is Up and Down OFDMA. that rules out the RAX120 - hence I returned it.

      There are other considerations such as WPA3, 160Mhz etc.

      The RAX 80/200 don’t do WPA3 yet. orbi RKB85X Doesn’t do WPA3 or 160Mhz

      So it’s abit of a mess because it seems everywhere you look, there are bits of firmware updates required before they can attempt to certify - as long as the hardware supports it (which arguably rules out RAX120 completely).

      https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/33221-what-s-missing-from-your-wi-fi-6-router-ofdma