This provides less flexibility compared to others, including TP-Link’s Archer AX6000’s ability to perform the set up via a connected computer’s browser. Aside from these popular smart speakers, the AX8 lacks the ability to integrate home automation devices into its interface, such as turning the router off at 6PM for a nightly family dinner. There’s also a pair of USB 3 ports for use with a printer or hard drive, but the system lacks the Archer AX6000’s USB C port. If not NETGEAR has other extenders, access points and Ethernet-over-Power solutions that could help. Netgear announces its latest Smart Wi-Fi Router, the Nighthawk R7000, that can do a lot more than just sharing the Internet. The interface includes set up for port aggregation. It may be expensive, but the RAX80 is the Wi-Fi 6 router to get. There was a problem. While you can't fully tap into its features yet, the Nighthawk AX8 is every bit as fast (or faster) than a top-tier Wi-Fi 5 model, as we saw in our benchmarks. It comes with its “wings” folded down; unfold and lock them into place to position the antennas at the perfect angle. There are downloads of a manual and firmware updates as well as videos that can help get the most out of the gear. Unfurl them and the AX8 gets large quickly at 12.0 x 8.0 x 6.3 inches. Write a review Say goodbye to dead zones and dropped connections. The AX8 has all of the features you could hope for in a router. The Netgear product support site has lots of DIY material, including configuration help, troubleshooting and optimization techniques. /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. The closest competitors were the TP-Link Archer AX6000 (at 884.4Mbps) and the Linksys MR9600 (at 822.0Mbps). The modern smart-home can … Next, the router restarts and it’s time to connect the tablet to the router’s Wi-Fi network with the details printed on a sticker underneath. When Netgear built the Nighthawk AX8, it certainly wasn’t messing around. This protection includes unlimited use of malware protection apps from Bitdefender with software for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS systems. I achieved average throughputs of 729.16Mbps at 2m, 350.59Mbps at 5m and one floor up, and 389.93Mbps at 10m on the second floor. You don’t get parental controls powered by the Disney Circle app, nor do you get the option for Security via the Netgear Armor service. Based on benchmark testing with Ixia’s ixChariot’s network simulation software in a 100-year old house, the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 is the current top performer among standalone routers and is for those who demand the best throughput. If you’re looking for the best Wi-Fi 6 router, look no further than the Netgear Nighthawk AX8. The Nighthawk AX8’s antennas come folded for easy transport and open up for use. The Nighthawk AX8 is a dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) wireless router that can connect to your internet gateway (modem or modem-router). It has a pair of inserts underneath for mounting it on a wall or under a table, as well as grilles upfront and on top to help dissipate heat. It not only delivers one-third more throughput than other Wi-Fi 6 routers, but smashes through the gigabit per second barrier with 1.389Gbps of throughput and does an excellent job of pushing its Wi-Fi signal through walls and floors. This potentially blurs the lines between the main and guest networks. Still, our Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) review shows that it's the top dog for home high-performance routers. Streams can be used in different ways. For those who don’t like flashy light shows, the Nighthawk AX8 has a demure row of status LEDs. In addition to setting up Internet access on a schedule, the system comes with Disney’s Circle app for blocking inappropriate content. The Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) may look like a spaceship that just landed on your desk but it delivers top Wi-Fi speed to a variety of computers while protecting them from malware attacks. #mergeRow-gdpr {margin-top: 20px;} It can be set for keywords or a child’s age. For the most part, the router does a good job. Our review rates NETGEAR Nighthawk AX8 Wi-Fi 6 very highly (we had to leave some room for the AX12!). If you have a Samsung Galaxy S10 device with the new Wifi 6 AX standard, then check out the Nighthawk AX8 Wireless Router from Netgear. Both the Nighthawk AX8 and Nighthawk AX12 support WPA3, which is the latest security protocol for wireless Internet connections. For those with a wireless mesh network, such as the excellent Netgear Orbi, there’s less incentive to change – by distributing your wireless network to different satellites, you’re already relieving some of the strain. You will receive a verification email shortly. Two of the Gigabit Ethernet ports can be aggregated to give a 2Gbps pipe, and you can also aggregate the WAN Ethernet port with the first Gigabit port in the instance you have super-fast broadband. Finally, the app asked if I wanted to set up Touch ID with the iPad for extra router security. I’m pleased to say that the AX8 is exceptionally fast. Please refresh the page and try again. Estimated Annual Electricity Cost: $10.50. © It's a great Wi-Fi 6 router and one of the best Wi-Fi routers we've reviewed. That said, it's not the most expensive … Netgear Nighthawk RAX120: Excellent performance. The Nighthawk AX8 was a reliable router that worked well for a week of continual home use. That’s nearly one third higher than the Archer AX6000’s 738.0Mbps and almost 80% better than the MR9600’s 219.1Mbps. The section includes adjusting the Fragmentation threshold, whether to use a long or short Preamble and the ability to set up port forwarding and turn the AX8 into a wired access point. Netgear AX6000 Nighthawk AX8 review If you intend to upgrade your devices anytime soon, it’s time you upgrade your router too. Wi-Fi chip: Broadcom BCM43684 This translates into an annual electricity bill of $10.50 if it’s used for 12 hours a day and asleep the rest of the time and you pay the national average of 13 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity. 4.0. Both, unfortunately, appear to have been written for phones and are locked into vertical orientation. Ports: 1 WAN/5 LAN gigabit per second, 2 USB 3 If you crave top speed and your gear can support port aggregation, the output of ports four and five can be combined for a maximum of 2Gbps. Get fast and reliable WiFi for better 4K UHD streaming, gaming, and downloads. It includes improvements for password protection, encryption, and a handful of other security benefits. If you do, the router then pushes connecting devices towards the best channel based on range, performance and ability. Write a review Dead zones and buffering are a thing of the past with the Nighthawk AX8 WiFi 6 Router. It can combine the abilities of two of its LAN ports for a 2Gbps data stream. It moved 20.8Mbps, just enough for viewing movies. Netgear AC1200 Smart Wi-Fi Router (R6220) Review. */ Placement on a desk isn’t essential, since it has a couple of wall-mount slots on its rear. Editor’s Note: We periodically update our reviews to insure the pricing and information are up to date. The system stayed in contact at our terminal distance of 90-feet, but just barely. The Netgear AC1200 Smart Wi-Fi … We may earn a commission if you click a deal and buy an item. Configuration of the router is via the Nighthawk app, which is available for iOS and Android. It comes with 2 wireless bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz), and the smart connect option allows the router to intelligently select the … Shaped like a futuristic starship, the RAX80 … Looking more like a model of the Star Wars A-Wing fighter than a piece of networking gear, Netgear’s Nighthawk AX8 (RAX80) router has a prominent pair of fold-open wings. Processor/Memory/Storage: Broadcom quad-core 1.8GHz/1GB/512MB At 50-feet, it was capable of moving only 277.1Mbps versus 396.4Mbps for the Archer AX6000 and 363.3Mbps for the MR9600. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. The recommendations and rating in this review remain unchanged since it initially ran in July of 2020. If you are looking for an easy set up of a … That’s one more than the MR9600 has, but three fewer than the TP-Link Archer AX6000’s wired ports. I plan to run this POS over with the trusty Tacoma and send the pieces to the CEO. Size: 12.0 x 8.0 x 6.3 inches Importantly, 802.11ax is a standard that runs on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, whereas 802.11ac is a 5GHz technology (Wi-Fi 5 routers used the older 802.11n standard for 2.4GHz networks). Its Guest network can allow outsiders to use the router’s Internet connection with or without a password or to allow access to other parts of the network.