Introducing The Nighthawk AX8 WiFi Router - The New Era of WiFi

[Dustin_V]

NETGEAR is leading the New Era of WiFi with our new Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream WiFi Router! The Nighthawk AX8 is NETGEAR’s first WiFi Router to support Wi-Fi 6, the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology. With AX WiFi you will get a smoother and more enjoyable experience in your hyperconnected home. By supporting 802.11ax, the Nighthawk AX8 is engineered to deliver up to four times more data capacity than today’s AC WiFi.

Whether you’re looking for strong and reliable smart home connectivity for your IoT devices, smoother UHD 4K/8K streaming, or faster and farther coverage, the Nighthawk AX8 is here to take WiFi to the next level! With advanced features like OFDMA, MU-MIMO, 160MHz channel support and 1024 QAM, the 802.11ax supported Nighthawk AX8 promises to deliver the fastest and most reliable WiFi yet!

Additional Features Include:

• Faster WiFi, Better Performance
• Uplink and Downlink OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access)
• 4-stream MU-MIMO
• Powerful Quad-Core 1.8GHz Processor
• Multi-Gig Internet Support
• 6 Gigabit Ports
• Works with Existing WiFi Devices
• NETGEAR Nighthawk App

For more information about the Nighthawk AX8, please visit: https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/RAX80.aspx

Learn more about AX WiFi by visiting the following:

AX WiFi Landing Page:

https://www.netgear.com/landings/AX-WIFI/

Blog Articles:

802.11ax: The Latest Wireless Standard

Network Capacity: It’s the New Netowrk Speed

Are you excited about the arrival of 802.11ax and the future of WiFi? Tell us your thoughts on the newest WiFi standard and how you expect it to help your smart home!

[Eric_Cartman]

One thing I will say about Netgear whoever designs their Nighthawk physical products does a great job.

They really are awesome looking machines!

Can this Router support more Devices then the X6 R8000 AC3200?

The X6 comes in at 32 devices per channel. 2.4 and 5ghz

Particularly interested in 2.4 Ghz max device capabilities

[virii]

Wow all previous comments about not caring about your users and crappy firmware just erased.

Good thing I have a screenshot of the before and after. Take some responsibility....

[microchip8]

@virii

not erased but moved to its own thread here: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-WiFi-Routers/Fix-your-firmware/td-p/1661547/

[schumaku]

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@Eric_Cartman wrote:

Can this Router support more Devices then the X6 R8000 AC3200?

The X6 comes in at 32 devices per channel. 2.4 and 5ghz

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Appears marketing does not know much about the real world requirements - the number of IoT is growing fast at many prospect customer site - this information is missing on both the AX8 and AX12 "Show All Tech Specs". Strange. 

[Eric_Cartman]

I have the x6 ac3200 but I have 45 lot devices all requiring 2.4 mostly to link plugs. If I power on any more then 32 devices the whole network starts failing. Is there a Netgear router that can power 50 plus 2.4 ghz devices simultaneously or is there a way to get around this bottle neck ¿

[schumaku]

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@Eric_Cartman wrote:
I have the x6 ac3200 but I have 45 lot devices all requiring 2.4 mostly to link plugs. If I power on any more then 32 devices the whole network starts failing.

Wait - I understand that the radio (here the 2.4 GHz) does stop to accept more connections. This should not cause other issues - except that some of the IoT own't be able to associate and can hardly be used of course. Confirm that's the "only" problem.

From the performance view, having that many devices on the same radio can't be the world's best idea. I would suggest to start deploying dome distributed wireless access points (with wired connections to the main router) instead of pusing that much devices on a single router.

[Eric_Cartman]

Wait - I understand that the radio (here the 2.4 GHz) does stop to accept more connections. This should not cause other issues - except that some of the IoT own't be able to associate and can hardly be used of course. Confirm that's the "only" problem.

(........Hi Schumaku Yes sorry You are correct my phrasing was off the What happens is I have say 32 connections (2.4Ghz) and then when house mates come home they cant access to Wifi There devices attempt to connect but cant) But the 32 devices in fairness seem to work fine. Its just that there are no new connections allowed

From the performance view, having that many devices on the same radio can't be the world's best idea. I would suggest to start deploying dome distributed wireless access points (with wired connections to the main router) instead of pusing that much devices on a single router.

(Schumaku.........I actually have 2 Netgear Access Points hardwired back to the X6 Nighthawk allready but they themselves are classed as part of the 32 connections, ditto anything connected to them so unfortunately that isnt a work around 😞

[William10a]

The way the AX standard on paper sounds great with its it treats the 2.4 and 5 ghz bands but until devices can use it and we see how the AX standard works in the real world no one can truly say what will happen. I hope that the new standard work as

promised .

[shamarin]

Netgear FW's for all Nighthawk serious of routers need upgrade with GUI redesign to modern one and also with the availability of more setup options. Now it's bad that super new routers have an old FW's with very old and unmodern GUI.

[schumaku]

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@shamarin wrote:
Netgear FW's for all Nighthawk serious of routers need upgrade with GUI redesign to modern one and also with the availability of more setup options. Now it's bad that super new routers have an old FW's with very old and unmodern GUI.

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If I could choose between reliability, performance, features, and GUI ... I could do it without a new GUI.

Wrong priority setting in my opinion.

[myersw]

Totally agree. Get the firmware right, especially a good reliable basic router and wireless which we do not have now, then additions. I agree a upgrade to UI would be nice, but that would take a large commitment of engineering talent to make happen and they are demonstrating they don't have the talent to fix the basics, routing and wireless support.. 

[shamarin]

Now there are a lot of frameworks that helps to make a good and user friendly UI, such as Bootstrap, Qt and so on.

[theaxman]

Just a heads up- I use a NightHawk X4S / R7800, did a speed test to iPhone XS, ~600Mbit at 5Ghz, ~90Mbit at 2.4Ghz.  Wired speed test, ~950 Mbit.

Bought an AX8, updated to latest firmware and ran a speed test- max 50 Mbit doesn't matter if 2.4 or 5Ghz.  Changing channels didn't help.  Wired speed test, ~850 Mbit.

The wired setup was:

Motorola MB8600  -> AX8 -> Netgear GS750E 48 port switch -> Linux i7-8650U server

Pairs of cat 6 wires used the whole way through using Link Aggregation with theoretical bandwidth of 1.9 Gbit possible, capped at 1.21 gbit via ISP at MB8600.

The AX8 has a fan which is audible during booting but quieter afterwards.

Not really the experience I was hoping for $400 list retail, had to return it.

[myersw]

Sounds like Netgear still has not got the slow Internet connection fixed. Was hoping they would start over since this is a brand new flag ship product. 

IMHO Looks like NG still = No Good. 

[William10a]

My is getting 112 mb down and 11.8 mbs up loads on the wifi 5 ghz band and 80 mb down and 11.8 up loads on the 2.4 ghz band. Running 1.0.1.36 firmware,what devices are you using?

[myersw]

See sig. All Ubiquiti Unifi network, no Netgear. Sold my r8000 and r8000p due to poor firmware support that seems to have not improved. 

[Daniel84]

I bought this router in USA, However I need. Power adapter for Europe, can I get this accessory somewhere?

[William10a]

You should be able to find a power adaptor to fit the country's outlets with the correct pin and voltage rating to power the router at a electric supply house in that country or a travel converter.

[Daniel84]

Will this one work?

http://digit.ec/8623919

[William10a]

Sorry a 12 volt 1 amp(12 watt) adaptor will not work the netgear power supply is rated at 19 volts at 3.16 amps you would need a laptop  type adaptor.

[Annoyed_AF]

Complete piece of junk.  Half the range of my previous Asus router.  I spent 45 mins adding the correct names to my connected devices, rebooted and the router reset all of it to default names.  Constantly dropping connection to my Nvidia Shield Tablet.  I'll be returning this and waiting for the Asus AX router.

[myersw]

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@Annoyed_AF wrote:

Complete piece of junk.  Half the range of my previous Asus router.  I spent 45 mins adding the correct names to my connected devices, rebooted and the router reset all of it to default names.  Constantly dropping connection to my Nvidia Shield Tablet.  I'll be returning this and waiting for the Asus AX router.

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I applaud your move. Right now, IMHO, Netgear is putting out crap. Too bad as they used to be one of the best. Might also look at Linksys. Hear good report about them also. My Asus router was much better then the 2 Netgear routers I sold due to firmware issues. 

[Annoyed_AF]

It is very sad.  I love their range extenders, but this is a joke.  I bought the x10 and was impressed with the power, even though nothing every became of AD.  After my last post, it randomly renamed my 5G band back to Netgear 5g and deleted the security, leaving it open.  One would think they could release a firmware supporting current mainstream technology as they already have working firmware on all their other AC routers.  Not worth the money for sure.  This is going back to Best Buy tomorrow.

[myersw]

Back to best buy tomorrow is a good move IMHO. Netgear used to put out good routers, but currently, due to crap firmware no more.  Just do not buy another netgear router.