Netgear Nighthawk X6s Tri-band Wifi Range Extender Review
Our Verdict
Looking for the best of everything in a router? Netgear's Nighthawk X6S delivers tri-band technology, speed and a slew of features.
For
- Tri-band design
- Expert functioning at middle distances
- Lots of customization options
- Wired LAN aggregation potential
Against
- Expensive
- Parental controls require third-party business relationship
- 90-twenty-four hour period support included
Tom'south Guide Verdict
Looking for the best of everything in a router? Netgear'south Nighthawk X6S delivers tri-band applied science, speed and a slew of features.
Pros
- +
Tri-ring pattern
- +
Good performance at middle distances
- +
Lots of customization options
- +
Wired LAN assemblage potential
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Parental controls require third-party account
- -
ninety-day support included
Big and bold, Netgear's Nighthawk X6S tin can fill up most homes with loftier-speed Wi-Fi, but it needs to use a 3rd-party service to protect your family. At $300, it is among the most expensive routers on the marketplace, nevertheless the company supports the router for a curt three months.
Design
About the size of a coffee-tabular array book, Netgear's Nighthawk X6S is one of the largest routers on the market place and is about i-quarter bigger than the Linksys WRT32X router. Clothed in basic blackness, the 11.0 ten nine.0 x 2.1-inch X6S can be set upwards on a tabletop, shelf or windowsill. Or, if yous like, the bottom has cutouts to wall-mount the X6S, but the router'southward 6 pull-out antennas run the risk of being used every bit a coat rack if mounted vertically. On the downside, the antennas can neither be replaced nor swiveled to aim the router'due south signal.
The X6S is onetime school, with no fewer than 11 LEDs upwards front that blink away like a Christmas tree. In addition to indicators for power and net, in that location are lights for the 4 downstream LAN ports and all three wireless channels. Happily, information technology has a switch in the back for turning all the LEDs off.
The X6S does something few routers can: Information technology lets y'all aggregate two wired connections to a single figurer that has a pair of RJ45 LAN ports.
The Nighthawk X6S is built around Broadcom's BCM4365E Wi-Fi bit. It has a dual-core 1.8GHz processor, 128MB of RAM and 512MB of solid-country storage for property the system'due south firmware and settings. While this router does without the WRT32X'due south bandwidth-expansion technology, the X6S uses the latest Mu-Mimo technology to connect with several devices at once.
This router likewise uses Netgear's Beamforming+ protocol to customize the betoken for each device. The protocol works at the driver level to go a little actress speed and range out of beamforming while remaining compatible with standard 802.11ac equipment.
MORE: What Is a Mesh Wi-Fi Router, and Do You lot Need One?
The tri-band wireless design can theoretically deliver 750 Mbps with the X6S's ii.4GHz aqueduct as well as upward to 1.625 Gbps for each of the router'southward two 5GHz channels. This adds upward to a hefty AC4000 rating.
The X6S does something few routers can: Information technology lets you aggregate two wired connections to a single computer that has a pair of RJ45 LAN ports. This LAN teaming tin double the throughput, to upwards to two Gbps for top-speed gaming or file transfers.
Its connection panel in the back has a gigabit WAN connectedness as well every bit four LAN ports. The ii that tin be aggregated are marked. This router's combination of USB ii.0 and USB iii.0 ports means that it tin can plow a hard drive and a printer into networked devices.
There's besides a reset switch, power connection and an on/off control. Up front are buttons for quickly connecting a client via Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button and one for turning Wi-Fi transmissions on and off.
| Netgear Nighthawk X65 Central Specs | |
| Wi-Fi | AC4000 |
| Number of Antennas/Removable | 6/No |
| Ports | 1 WAN/4 LAN gigabit per 2d, USB three.0, USB 2.0 |
| Processor/Retention/Storage | Dual Core 1.8GHz/128MB/512MB |
| Wi-Fi chip | Broadcom BCM4365E |
| Max Thoroughput (at 5 feet) | 661.5 Mbps (at fifty-feet) |
| Range | 100 feet |
| Size | xi.i x 9.0 10 ii.1 inches |
Software
The X6S includes Netgear's Dynamic Quality of Service software to apportion the home'southward bandwidth amid its users. This software concentrates starting time on satisfying data-hungry applications, similar video and gaming. By trying to satisfy all family members, this can improve domestic tranquillity for those with depression-speed connections.
To streamline information delivery, the X6S also optimizes how it sends data amongst the three bachelor broadcast channels. Essentially, information technology decides the best path for the data from router to client.
Dissimilar other loftier-end routers, like Linksys' WRT1900ACS and Trendnet'southward TEW-827DRU, the X6S can't work with open up-source firmware.
Performance
The X6S hits its stride when other routers start to peter out. Overall, it turned in a good operation, but information technology excelled at midrange distances. Based on Broadcom's BCM4365E Wi-Fi bit, the device sets upward a tri-band 802.11ac network that has an AC4000 rating.
We used Ixia'south IxChariot software to monitor network performance at our Utah testing facility. While the X6S was able to evangelize 571.2 and 628.7 Mbps at 5 and 15 feet, it hit its tiptop at an unusual altitude of 50 feet, moving 661.5 Mbps. That's 6 percent above the EA8300's maximum of 626.5 Mbps at 5 feet and 21 percent ahead of the WRT32X'due south 544.5 Mbps at fifteen feet. Still, the X6S was slightly behind the No. 1-performing router, Norton Core and its 672.two Mbps at 5 feet.
The X6S hits its stride when other routers start to peter out. Overall, it turned in a proficient operation merely excelled at midrange distances.
The X6S moved up in the pack, delivering 525.1 and 411.5 Mbps at 100 and 150 feet. That's well alee of the throughput for the WRT32X (302.iv Mbps) and Core (384.ane Mbps) at 150 feet.
This router makes for a pretty good selection in an older dwelling that has lots of thick walls, considering the X6S can push a strong 580.6 and 609.8 Mbps signal through a metal wall and ceiling. The EA8300, by comparing, produces 428.five and 489.8 Mbps. By dissimilarity, the Core punched 705.8 Mbps of Wi-Fi data through a ceiling.
More than: All-time Wireless Router - Routers for Strong, Long Range Wi-Fi
In an older house, the X6S had a range of 100 feet, well alee of the EA8300's 75 feet and the Cadre's 80 feet. The Netgear Orbi mesh router still leads here, with a 110-foot range. On the downside, the X6S's range couldn't quite cover my 3,500-square-foot home with Wi-Fi. The X6S left several areas uncovered, requiring an extension.
The router easily played 4K videos on my iPad Pro. The X6S too passed my informal saturation exam, in which I listen to an internet radio station on an iPad Pro while watching videos on a MacBook Air and Surface Pro 3 and moving data to and from a network storage system with a Samsung TabPro S. The music and video played without a problem.
Setup
To become the X6S online and distributing data, y'all demand to connect to the router via Wi-Fi or a LAN cable. Simply blazon routerlogin.cyberspace or 192.168.ane.1 into a browser's address window and and then, when prompted, enter the router'southward password, which is printed on the small setup booklet.
This is a adept time to change the semirandom name and passwords that come up printed underneath the router. After a restart, the router displays a printable confirmation of your settings. Exist careful where you put this printout, considering it has the passwords too as other details of your network.
Support
After setting up a Netgear business relationship, you're asked if yous want to purchase a support contract that extends support beyond the 90 days that Netgear provides by default.
While other router manufacturers provide a year of back up with their products, with Netgear, a single incident costs $50, or you tin can get six months of support for $90 or a year's worth for $140. This back up goes beyond the basics to include assist for continued devices, software and malware attacks.
Netgear'south support site is ane of the best, with online resources ranging from FAQs and videos to setup tips for common problems. On the other manus, the company provides only xc days of technical support, rather than the one-year minimum offered past Netgear's competitors. Netgear does includes a ane-year warranty.
Configuration
While many of the newer mesh kits allow configuration merely via a telephone or tablet, the X6S router gives you three ways in. To start, you tin can proceed using the browser interface and Netgear's Genie interface. Information technology starts with large boxes that show the internet's status, the Wi-Fi setup, Parental Controls, External Storage, the number of devices connected and the Guest Network'south status.
There are similar entry points on the left for everything from the Wi-Fi settings to the setup for the Guest Network. The Advanced section includes things like Admission Control, Security settings, and the setup of a networked printer or storage device.
Skillful for those who don't allow their phones get likewise far from their hands, at that place's also the Genie app for iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android tablets and phones. Similar with other Netgear routers, yous accept access to the same variety of customization as in the browser, just the interface fits on your phone or tablet.
Finally, Netgear's Up app is more than visual but has less depth. On meridian of updating the firmware with this app, you can alter the Wi-Fi settings, check out the net speed and expect at what's continued. There's too a Traffic Meter and ways to arrange the Guest Network and admission back up in the event of a trouble. Every bit with Genie, in that location are iOS and Android versions.
MORE: How to Update Your Router'south Firmware
The router has parental controls, but with a twist. As with before Netgear devices, yous demand to take an OpenDNS business relationship to ready parental controls and customize the settings. In addition to scheduling off hours for the cyberspace, you can block sites based on keyword and destination. At whatever time, you can update the listing of off-limits items.
Like the other routers we've reviewed, the X6S uses WPA2 encryption to protect your (and your family's) data and identity. All updates are sent in encrypted form, only the X6S tin can't match the Norton Cadre in including behavioral analysis and AV software to keep hackers at bay.
Lesser Line
Netgear's X6S can make full adept-size homes with Wi-Fi while providing lots of customization options and performing well at middle-to-long distances. 1 of the few routers that can aggregate two of its wired LAN ports for top speed, the X6S could exist the router for serious gamers.
However, at $300, the X6S is expensive, ranks 2nd best behind the Norton Core in overall operation and comes with but 90 days of tech support. For those looking for all the networking bells and whistles, the Linksys WRT32X might be a better choice.
Credit: Netgear
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/netgear-nighthawk-x6s,review-5313.html
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