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nighthawk R8500
Do not buy the Nighthawk R8500 router. It does not live up to it's expectations of covering 4,000 feet. It will not even give a good signal at 30 feet with only half walls and hallways. It was the most expensive and I have not had any lucj with it or the Gearheads support group. they just keep changing channels It has been very disappointing.
Thaks for your response. I definitely agree now that one unti will not cover 4,000 square feet. Netgear should re think their marketing and what they present on their packaging. I paid over $400 and I would have expected much better performance. I have added a Netgear Acess Point WNDPA620 and two Linksys R6500 extenders and I now have a somewhat adequate coverage at a very high expense. I hope the new Orbi's or google routers coming out change WIFI coverage.
7 Replies
May be the stock firmware doesnt live upto your expectation. Try installing opensources fimrware if that solves your problem.
Basically its test equipment with active antenna's without proper driver to adjust the environment its hard to judge.
Thank you for your response. I am not familiar with open firmware. Can you explain where I get it and how to install it?
Thank you
Here's my 2 cents on this.
Yes! Many people have had good luck using 3rd party FW and I'd bet some have bricked their router's too. Expecting one device to cover a 4000 sq' house is wishful thinking.
While I'm having my own problems with my r8500 coverage is not one of them. For the same money you could use two r7000's the 2nd in AP mode connected via a data cable at opposite end of the house.
