Netgear R6850 AC2000 Dual Band Gigabit Wall Mount Router (Black)

I also searched too many reviews and online videos before buying this router. My old router (ISP provided) started to show problems so decided to get one. My flat (3BHK 1300 sq-ft carpet) I have placed the router not in the middle because of some issues. My net connection is 40mbps 1 to 1 which means at any time it gives exactly 40mbps speed (upload/download) without fluctuation like Jio. I have on average 7 devices connected to it including some smart devices like lights. In the box, you will get all the regular stuff like a cat cable, adapter, the router. Selected it over Asus RT-AC59U v1 (since v2 is not available) because I have found in a review article that the range of 59U is not that good.Pros:1. Build quality is very nice, the construction of the antenna is good but nonremovable. The product and the ports look very well put together.2. USB2.0 port can be used to share files between multiple devices via FTP connection. Netgear Cloud is not supported in this device you can not upload from android to FTP at least for now since android is not that friendly with FTPs. You have to install a few 3rd party app for this.3. File sharing over the internet via its USB to anywhere is possible but for this, you need to have a static IP-based internet connection which is costly.4. Speed over 2.4Ghz is good enough, I have tested it via file sharing and it easily reaches 100-150 Mbps (1/8 in MB/s). In my flat, I have reduced the signal strength to 75% without any coverage issue.5. Even with a low signal strength of the 5Ghz band, the good news is I play online with this coverage in my PC and never ever experienced any signal drop/connection issues. Even with 50-60% signal strength, it works flawlessly in 5Ghz. Tested with file transfer and the speed is ~350 to 450 Mbps (1/8th in MB/s) if I am using an SSD and I am sure if the signal strength is at 80-90% anyone can get 800-900mbps easily. Not a problem for me since I am using a 40mbps connection.6. My firestick works great with only one bar of 5Ghz network and I watch HD live stream without a hitch.7. QoS algorithm applied to the router works like a charm. If you have configured your high-priority device to use max bandwidth and specified your speed in the router QoS menu then the router manages the bandwidth in all the devices automatically so that you can have a well-balanced experience. You don't have to worry about the bandwidth your TV is using at the same time you are watching say a YouTube video on a different device.Cons:1. Not working with PPPoE connection of my ISP even after bios update. One reviewer also pointed out this issue and it is true. My ISP team failed to connect it via PPPoE. The solution is to bypass the PPPoE and to set an IP by your ISP in this router and they have to configure this IP with their own network mapping service. It is just like assigning an IP to your Xbox or PC so that every time you connect it via Wi-Fi it remains the same. But I want to make it clear, you don't need a static IP for this. Just a fixed local IP by your ISP will work fine. Even I am using it with a regular dynamic IP-based connection. After this trick, the router will never disappoint you.2. Coverage for 5GHz is not good. I don't have a direct line of sight to the router (~6-meter distance) and the signal strength drops to 50-60% (-68 to -75dBm) which is not recommended.3. Now the main issue: We use 5Ghz mainly for separating traffic and interference right? Since it is an entry-level 5GHz router, it only has four 5Ghz bands and which is bad. This info is something that you will never receive from most of the reviews. So what is the advantage of 5Ghz? You have 4 bands, your neighbor (say in a housing complex) will definitely have a dual-band router nowadays and the router might be above or below your floor and they are also using similar bands. The only solution is buying an expensive router if 5Ghz is your need to get rid of interference.Lastly don't fall into traps like MuMiMo/Beamforming etc. Those technologies are there in the router so that its price can be increased. To know more on these techs and why it is not going to make any tangible benefit in your home network setup read some tech journals and don't follow YouTube for the answer because most YouTubers research very little and follow easily available marketing news/info to make quick videos.Apple and a few other tech giants don't even bother to add this in their flagship laptops simply because it does not make any visible difference. Wi-Fi Range, QoS Quality, Connection stability are some important factors you should prioritize over MuMiMo and beamforming. Thanks for reading....Update: Working fine so far, upgraded my connection to 120 Mbps (direct unshared). But the USB function I have found is not useful at all only because of limited support from the android platform. This router does not support the ReadyCloud platform of Netgear. So you cannot use the Netgear ReadyCloud android app otherwise I think I can use a Pendrive to easily transfer files across multiple platforms.

Lots of features + Reliable + looks. but led lights are very less visible.speed is great.connectivity is great.value for money,easy installation,best range

I bought the router a week back. I was really confused when I want to buy a router as we have couple of big names in the market. I went ahead with Netgear based on the reviews in Amazon and some friends who use Netgear router.Pros:1. High speed internet connectivity across a big home. My home is a 800 sq.ft home, amazing speed across home. Even when I move out of my home, still wifi connects to my mobile.2. Easy installation, you don't need to be a tech guy for the installation. I completed the installation in 20 minutes.3. Netgear app helps to handle the router post installation.4. Amazing look, it looks like a beast face hung on the wall and I just love it.5. Product came in a very good packing, no tampering at all, shows the quality of the seller.Cons:1. Netgear says Nighthawk app helps with easy installation, but I took 20 minutes just due to lack of responsiveness if nighthawk app. After 15 minutes I decided to use my laptop to configure the router. :) Most of the Netgear videos in YouTube shows the installation with the help of mobile app, but it didn't work for me. Reducing one star because of this.2. Received a 2019 July manufactured product, may be because I bought it during Amazon Prime Day sale in August 2020.

Product is good. Range is OK for both the bands. Router software is average in interface but does the intended job. Nighthawk app is good for newbies. Many reviewers have complained about the PPPOE connection. But after upgrading the firmware I didn't find any issue. In fact there was no such issue about PPPOE at all. Stability seems solid with this router. Traffic meter is one good feature of this router. You can add VPN server through the router software. It does not support VPN client though. There does not exist dd-wrt firmware for this router yet. I hope it will be available in future.I chose this over Asus AC59U V2 because Asus has 32 MB flash and this one has 128 MB flash. Asus is having support for VPN client and its software is better than this. But who accesses router often once it is set. Range is good enough for my 1100 sqft apartment. Range is reaching every corner of house. Despite three antennas range is impressive. Build quality is solid. It is a USA based company hence no question of quality.Thank you.Update1:After 9 months, one of the ethernet ports of this router stopped working. I contacted their customer care. They told me to upload the invoice on their website. and then they would generate the RMA number. I uploaded the invoice and guess what in two days they closed my case without any reason. Then I opened one more case. After two week I got a call from their executive and he asked me to go through troubleshooting. I did so and then he agreed that device has faulty port. He took my damn one hour for whole this thing. He asked me to send device to their Bangalore office and I sent it. Now after 3 weeks since I created the case I am not having the replacement.Moral of the story is, Netgear has good brand value but their service is not up to mark. Better go with Asus or anything best.Update2:After first replace replacement, router started giving problems in November. I logged a call. They replaced it again their firmware has become sluggish and router quality I thinks isn't something you should consider while purchasing. Go with Asus for better service and quality of hardware.

It's suitable for everyday internet use. However, its lack of extender and repeater modes significantly limits its flexibility. Additionally, the absence of a USB print server is a notable drawback for those needing to share a printer on the network. It may be adequate for basic home networking needs, but users with more complex requirements should consider other options.