Western Digital My Net N600 HD Dual-Band Router - 5x Ports, 10/100 Ethernet, 300 + 300 Mbps, USB, Dual-Band, 2.4/5 GHz WDBEAV0000NWT-HESN

Pros: In this package, Western Digital has delivered an easy-to-use wireless router that integrates nicely with WD's line of storage and entertainment media. For most users, they'll enjoy how it is configured out of the box and won't need to bother with changing configuration settings. The device has both 802.11g/n and 802.11a/n wireless routers which helps to ensure compatibility and can also use less congested wireless frequencies (5GHz 802.11a vs. 2.4GHz 802.11g).

The router itself appears to function properly and has a simple, easy-to-use configuration menu. With the built-in USB port it is easy for users to attach their USB hard drive to the home network. From these devices, this router makes it easy for wireless devices to stream your media.

In this router, Western Digital implemented a simple Quality of Service feature for users which prioritizes certain types of traffic, such as streaming video from websites like Netflix and Hulu. In the configuration options, users have some control have what services are prioritized higher than others.

Cons: This router has a general cheap feel to it. Although it looks nice, it is very lightweight (not usually a good sign with electronics) and the outer shell is entirely plastic. For most users I don't think that it will have longevity issues, these are just potential concerns I've noticed.

Western Digital is well-known for storage, but not so much for networking. This is another area of concern for me because they have yet to build of a reputation of reliability and performance.

One thing that I also noticed while testing this product is that the firewall access list/port forwarding list only holds a certain number of entries (32 I believe). This is not a problem for most people, but i wanted to include it as an FYI for folks out there who use that feature.

Pros: This particular router was very easy to setup, it worked with great ease right out the box with no need to use the included driver disc. I was able to setup and and change my wireless security key from in the Windows 7 environment, this makes the My Net N600 for novice users, although i did install the included disc in order to utilize the usb port on the back for wireless printing , which works very well and the software created a shortcut on my desktop to mange the router settings, also installed the Network diagnostic tool if you have any problems connecting to the internet. This a Dual-Band with 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands and is also Mac compatible and worked well on my MD103, and has a 1-year warranty and 24/7 tech support which i did not have to use because of just how easy this router was to setup, simple as hooking it up and it works and the range is just fine. The My Net N600 has a (WPS) button for connecting tablets, smartphones, and other UPnP devices.

Cons: Unfortunately, this router was, in my particular case a little slow transferring files to my laptops wireless, an 8gb file only moved at 3Mbs and what was odd? I have 2 WD Live network drives, a 1 TB and a 3 Tb and was only able to get a maximum of 25 Mbs, I had been getting 70Mbs with my BUFFALO WZR-600DHP Air Station and my Linksys WRT64G.

Other Thoughts: The Wd My Net N600 is a really nice quality router and its from a very respectable company. The thing that separate this from other routers is its " FasTrack" which automatically prioritize your specific priority traffic, which usually has to be done manually, currently im using this connected to another router for better wireless reception and for wireless printing on the other side of my home and the wireless range is very good on this model. I do recommended the My Net N600 for the easy setup process.

Pros: Very attractive looking router with good box presentation. Included CD has setup program and manual. Setup was easy using the included CD, or setting up manually using the router's IP address. Included firmware appears to work well with the unit, as it experienced no severe hardware hiccups in the installations I tested it with. QoS support through Western Digital's FasTrack app within their firmware works well. Ability to broadcast over 2.4Ghz and 5 Ghz channels at same time with a guest network is a plus. LED's on the panel are bright enough and work well. USB port allows hooking up printer, or a flash drive for file sharing on your network. Cable on the power brick is long enough for most applications. Western Digital support is very good, either through the web site, or over the phone. They do answer emails within 24 hours.

Cons: NO GIGABYTE LAN PORTS. NO DD-WRT firmware support. Transferring large files across my network was slower than molasses compared to the four other routers I have (all Wireless N, some dual channel, some not, but all had gigabyte lan ports). The reset button is on the bottom of the unit which isn't very convenient. Flat desktop profile takes up a lot of space for those with cramped working areas, and the design itself doesn't lend itself well for wall mounting, though it is possible. Wireless range in both 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz bands was the lowest of all the routers I have on hand. Using a Xoom tablet with InSSiDer app and testing signal readings throughout my complex showed a 2.4Ghz signal over 25% weaker than the router I currently use and almost 40% lower on 5 Ghz.
When doing physical testing at the extreme range of the unit, with three devices downloading the same files on the internet, the download speeds suffered a lot. In the parking area on the first floor outside the building that I am in, I can download at 24MB/s with my current router. With the Western Digital N600, the signal was only one bar, and I barely managted 2 MB/s. I do feel that IF this unit had External Antenna capability, it would help with this issue.

Other Thoughts: Though the router remained rock steady for over a week of testing that my family put it through, except for the lagging streaming of Netflix due to range issues, I was more than happy to go back to my favorite router. Really, with the prices the way they are in the market now, there is no need for anyone to spend this kind of money on a WiFi router and not have Gigabyte Lan ports. If you have a large network, it is a necessity, and there are lots of routers out there in the N600's price range that have them, along with the dual channel capabilities and better range. If you wanted a router that's quick and easy to set up out of the box, and you have an apartment that doesn't have a lot of walls blocking signal, then this router should work well for you if you have only one or two devices to connect to it. If you need Gigabyte lan, and if you are a gamer you do, then consider one of their other units that has it, as this is their only offering that doesn't.

In short, this is a passable WiFi dual band router, but it has some range issues and no Gigabyte lan, therefore, it gets only three eggs from me.

Manufacturer Response:

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with the My Net N600, as this is not the typical experience with the product. Actual data throughput and wireless coverage may vary based on wireless network capacity, data throughput rate, range, and coverage. Performance depends on factors including distance from the access point, volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, operating system used, configuration of wireless products used, interference and other adverse conditions. We suggest testing the WI-FI connection with another device. If you have not already done so, we recommend verifying you have the latest version of the firmware installed, since we are constantly adding features and improving the performance of the My Net N600. Please refer to the user manual for instruction on how to update the firmware http://bit.ly/QLTImt; or visit the following link.
http://bit.ly/QLTFXJ
If you have already done so and are still experiencing these issues, in the interest of troubleshooting, you may want to reset the device back to factory default, as this will remove any residual configurations that may be causing conflicts within your network from an update that did not fully reset upon reboot of the unit.
Should you be interested in Gigabit connectivity, you may prefer one of the routers at the following link.
http://bit.ly/LNrtjg
We would appreciate the opportunity to further assist you, and resolve any further concerns you may have with the device and/or your experience, while looking into possible causes for the stated performance variations you experienced. You may contact us at 1 (855) 842-5370, or via our support website at:
http://bit.ly/Te3EV2
Please indicate within the online case creation or with the first support agent you speak with, that you are responding to a Newegg review, so we route you and your information to the correct team members.

Pros: Within a few minutes of plugging in network equipment and powering on this router it was online and all computers had internet access. The simple to use setup walks the user through the wired and wireless setup and cannot be simpler. Western Digital did an excellent job on the firmware interface and user interface. With concurrent 2.4GHz and 5GHz connectivity this router offers a robust and speedy wireless capability - 802.11a/b/g/n supported. The 802.11n wireless transfer speeds easily moved HD video content across my network.

A USB port is provided as well in order to add network connectivity to an external USB hard drive, USB thumb drive, or USB printer. Printer drivers must be installed on each individual client in order to fully enable the networked printing functionality. Guest network connectivity is also enabled on this device which is a nice feature for guests gaining internet access while in your home (think relatives coming over for a few days for the holidays, etc.).

Western Digital implements a quality of service (QoS) technology they call ““FasTrack Technology" within the routers firmware that is able to identify streaming audio and video content and give priority to that traffic within the network. This is an excellent design and feature being that it works quite well and saves the user some time in setting up streaming content QoS rules manually. One can also set up manual QoS rules within the firmware as well for further refinement.

Wireless security supported is WPA/WPA2, also offers the push button WPS setup, and IPv6 connectivity is supported. Some basic parental controls can be enabled in the router's interface as well.

Design is compact and simple with the activity and power LEDs not over powering and giving the necessary network connectivity/activity feedback. Wireless antennas are internal to add to the clean look.

Cons: Unfortunately the wired Ethernet connections are only 100BASE-T connections (100 Mbit/s). Transferring large files across wired connections will take a long time, and streaming HD video content cannot be achieved over this slower, outdated wired standard.

Other Thoughts: Besides the slower wired Ethernet, all around this router receives very high marks. It appears that Western Digital is marketing this towards a network that is mostly wireless and using speedy 802.11n standards to easily stream HD content and move large files with ease. This router fits the bill perfectly for doing this and the easy-to-use interface certainly adds to the easy setup and solid performance. This device is recommended as a capable and speedy modern router with no fuss setup and use - you would be hard pressed to find this much functionality for the price.

It's nice that Western Digital provided an Ethernet cable in the box. Some of their previous network products excluded this simple and low cost extra that was quite annoying. It's good to see they are not overlooking the little details.

Pros: Easy Set up. I plugged everything in, turned everything on and within 3 minutes everything was running with internet access. Nice ! Followed the 1.2.3 instructions and typed 192.168.1.1 from my PC that was wired to the router and the set up began. No need for a disk. The interface was easy. I followed the instructions and set my name and password for the wireless. Then checked the firmware version. And the update for the firmware was easy. It downloads itself and installs. After the update it asked for a user password log in for the set up. Typed Admin (user) and password (password) and it took me back to the set up web based screen. Its very intuitive and anyone could do it. No complicated setting or awkward hangs. I replaced my home router with this one so I set my wireless password the same and everything connected. No need to reconfigure and clients. Its utility is basic with some advanced features. Its because of it basic design that makes it easy to set up. This router is for the person that doesn't want to be overwhelmed with choices and settings. One nice feature is the Advance QoS. FasTrack comes with pre-programmed services including Netflix, HuluPlus, CinemaNow, Pandora, YouTube, Skype and Spotify. FasTrack automatically analyzes and prioritizes these services to ensure they get the proper bandwidth so you and your family enjoy a seamless entertainment experience. If those aren't your favorites, you can customize up to 21 different services using the My Net Dashboard.. So it puts the bandwidth were you need it. And it is turned on by default. The only setting you need to complete is the wireless password if you want one. It has three wireless networks. The 2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz and a guest network if you choose to turn it on. This router also has USB which worked well when an external drive is connected to be shared on the network. It will also work a a print server but requires software installed on all clients. Western Digital also has great support with a 24hr customer care. It was literally three clicks to get the number for US (855) 842-5370. Nice job WD !

Cons: No gigabyte ports. 10/100 only. So this router is not for transferring large files across your network. But for the average user it will not even matter. You have to go to the next model up to get 10/100/1000 ports. Its wired network speeds were about 12 MB/s, wireless 3MB/s G and 7MB/s N. So speeds were average. Its wireless range was good. The size of the router is small and the lights were soft and not annoying. The look however was kind of Tupperware like. I guess that would be a personal opinion. Its not big and ugly with annoying antennas though. And for the technically inclined DD-WRT does not have firmware for this router as on this review. The reset button is kind of hidden. Its located on the bottom. There is a labeled pin hole, push it for 10 seconds

Other Thoughts: If I had someone that was looking for a easy to set up modern router with no headaches. This would be my first recommendations. Its got all the new features with just the right amount of bells and whistles. If you needed gigabyte ports then the N750 would be the one to get. The N900 also has 7 gigabyte ports and FastTrack + which is colored priority ports. A slick feature

Pros: Very light, wall mountable, USB 2.0 port for NAS sharing (personal cloud). Can utilize both bands simultaneously, very easy setup. The web based interface is very well thought out and easy to navigate, compared to other routers I have (or have set up) this is one of the easiest to understand.

Cons: Although this has nothing to do with how the device works, it would be nice to include rubber feet for those wanting to use it as a desktop device. It slides around the desktop too easily without them. This model does not support Gigabit Lan connection.

Other Thoughts: Placed into use as a second router in my shop and in doing so it extends my wireless coverage well into the back yard. The ability for this router to optimize Home entertainment separate from the regular network traffic it a good asset for those deeply into the Home Theater thing, although this device is OK for this use I would most certainly opt for the next model up which supports Gigabit Lan. This is not the best router I have had, nor is it the worst. For anyone needing a simple dual-band router that is more than adequate for average home use, this is a viable choice. Did I mention this has a very user friendly web interface?

Pros: Sleek Design

Cons: Doesn't Do what it promises

Manufacturer Response:

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with the My Net N600 Router, as this is not the typical or intended experience with the product. Although we are unsure as to what the unit is currently causing you an inconvenience, you may want to ensure that your router is up to date with the latest firmware, as this may easily resolve the issues you are experiencing. Assistance in how to update your routers firmware can be viewed on page 66 of the user manual provided by the following link.
http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/?id=330&type=25
If you have already done so and are still experiencing these issues, in the interest of troubleshooting, you may want to reset the device back to factory default, as this will remove any residual configurations that may be causing conflicts within your network from an update that did not fully reset upon reboot of the unit. If no level of troubleshooting resolves the issues you are experiencing, we would appreciate the opportunity to replace your device for you, so that we may perform diagnostics on your device and determine what the root cause is. You may contact us at 1 (855) 842-5370, or via our support website at:
http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?lang=en&ct=networking
Please indicate within the online case creation or with the first support agent you speak with, that you are responding to a Newegg review, so we route you and your information to the correct team members.

Pros: I really wanted to like this router - it has so much going for it. It's almost impossible to find dual-band routers available in this price range, and it's equally difficult to find a router with a USB port in this price range, and yet here you get both for a very fair price. Another great feature is the extremely user-friendly firmware, which walks you through a simplified setup, but also offers an advanced control panel that essentially duplicates all of the basic setup categories in much more detail. Not surprisingly coming from Western Digital, setup of an external hard drive was extremely easy.

Cons: Simply put, the transmitting power of this router is below average. Using multiple clients, I found that the wireless speed through two walls on the 2.4GHz band was very low, between 3.5 and 7 mbps, translating to a maximum of just under 1MB/s, compared to 10-20 mbps using various other 300n routers. This is despite the fact that a laptop placed right next to this router could easily sustain 25 mbps. Thus, even though the signal strength was reported as 90% through two walls, it clearly had a significant dropoff in throughput. The speed at 5GHz is much better, sustaining over 80mbps, or 10.5 MB/s in large file computer-to-computer transfers. In other words, the transmission speed on the 5GHZ band was 10x faster than on the 2.4GHz speed, using the same client. Unfortunately, this is still just half the speed of the high-powered ~$100 dual-band router I tested it against, likely because it was nearly maxing out the 100mbps Fast Ethernet port on this router that the host computer was connected to (this model does not have Gigabit Ethernet).

Other Thoughts: Unless the slow 2.4GHz transmission speed was just a fluke, it seems there is a significant powerissue with this router. It does, however, offer a lot "on paper" for the price, including dual-band functionality, a USB port, and a very user-friendly firmware. If you'd like an inexpensive way to try out 5GHz transmission and/or networked storage, this may still be a good choice. But if you're looking for the fastest wireless speed on the 2.4GHz band, any number of other routers at or below the price point of this model will provide a stronger and more consistent signal and higher throughput over long distances.

Manufacturer Response:

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with the My Net N600, as this is not the typical experience with the product. Actual data throughput and wireless coverage may vary based on wireless network capacity, data throughput rate, range, and coverage. Performance depends on factors including distance from the access point, volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, operating system used, configuration of wireless products used, interference and other adverse conditions. We suggest testing the WI-FI connection with another device. If you have not already done so, we recommend verifying you have the latest version of the firmware installed, since we are constantly adding features and improving the performance of the My Net N600. Please refer to page 66 of the user manual for instruction on how to update the firmware http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/UM/ENG/4779-705072.pdf.
If you have already done so and are still experiencing these issues, in the interest of troubleshooting, you may want to reset the device back to factory default, as this will remove any residual configurations that may be causing conflicts within your network from an update that did not fully reset upon reboot of the unit. We would appreciate the opportunity to further assist you, and resolve any further concerns you may have with the device and/or your experience, while looking into possible causes for the stated performance variations you experienced. You may contact us at 1 (855) 842-5370, or via our support website at:
http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?lang=en&ct=networking.
Please indicate within the online case creation or with the first support agent you speak with, that you are responding to a Newegg review, so we route you and your information to the correct team members.

Pros: I'm by no means an expert when it comes to networking, and at times I even struggle with it, but that is exactly why I wanted to review this product. I wanted to see if the Western Digital routers were easier to use and more straightforward than other routers I've tried to set up. In other words, I was asking myself "How easily will the average computer user be able to setup this router?" Fairly easily, apparently. I really like the interface that Western Digital went with and everything is well explained and straight forward. I like how the WPS feature is explained, although I turned it off for security reasons since I'm good with WPA. Everything is on the screen and clearly laid out. It's easy to change network names, passwords, turn networks on and off, etc. My modem has been very picky with previous routers, but after resetting the modem once, everything has worked perfectly fine. I also had problems connecting repeaters to previous routers, but the repeater I bought to go with this one works great. This router also has a repeater mode. Judging by the so-so ratings/reviews I've seen on a lot of other routers, and the headaches of dealing with 4 or 5 other routers myself, having a router like this one finally do what it’s supposed to do is a relief. Western Digital has definitely earned its 5 eggs.

Cons: It has a feature called DMZ or "de-militarized zone" where you put in the IP address of one device that you want to have completely unlimited access. This is useful if you're troubleshooting a device that's having connectivity issues, because if it works on DMZ but doesn't work otherwise, that tells you that the problem lies with the router and not the device or internet connection. One drawback is that only one device can be in the DMZ at a time. This is probably for security reasons. The range is not quite as good as I was hoping for, but the range is pretty much standard across all routers. It's still a little better than my last router, and a repeater helps a lot.

Other Thoughts: The power button on the front of the router is more of a switch. It's clearly either in/out, on/off, respectively. I like this because sometimes when you reset your router you need to cut power completely, and this helps. It also has a USB port on the back for adding network storage, which I plan on doing. With dual band routers, a 2.4GHz network and 5.0GHz network are broadcast. Each should be given different names, but they can have the same password. The 5.0GHz network is much much shorter range than the 2.4GHz network, so closer devices should be connected to the higher frequency 5.0GHz signal, while the 2.4GHz bandwidth is saved for devices that are a further distance away. Since I'm also using a repeater, that gives me three networks: a 5.0, a 2.4, and 2.4 extension. It's a good idea to program all the available networks into your devices, so that you can easily switch between them depending on where you are.

Pros: In the box you get the following 4 items.
1. The Router.
2. An RJ-45 Cable.
3. A Power Brick (Which I HATE!!!)
4. A CD containing the Drivers & the Manual.

So far, this Router has been running a week (CONSTANTLY AT FULL SPEED) with 6 ULTRA HEAVY USERS running 10 High Speed PC's with NO MAJOR PROBLEMS. At least, other than the original installation, that is - see CONS below. It has a stylish design and is compact plus it's range seems to be pretty good, despite what others have said in past reviews. At least I haven't had (or seen) any problems with it, so far. Internet responds much faster with all the wireless devices that have been connected..

I imagine that the people who have been complaining about RANGE PROBLEMS haven't even bothered to check to see if the Channel they've been transmitting on is crowded or not (or else they don't know how). People, please READ the Manuals! I know it's 89 pages long, but it's worth it. You'll NEVER get the FULL USE out of this Router unless you do read it.

You have the ability to set up both GUEST ACCOUNTS as well as PARENTAL CONTROLS. Seeing as how I didn't need either one, I didn't try them. Although I can see where they might come in VERY handy, such as to keep kids OFF sites they have NO REASON to view and such.

The Router has the ability to act as a DLNA/UPnP Server, which is nice. This means that it can serve up both Movies, Music, and Pictures to all of your users in your house. I did not need this feature as I already have a 24TB DLNA Server this I use for this function.

It also comes with ONE (REAR MOUNTED) USB Port (2 would have been better), but is still good. This gives the user the ability to attach either a Printer or a USB ThumbDrive AND/OR a Hard Drive and be able to access them from anywhere in the house. This is a NICE feature! Personally, if I had to choose, I'd go with the Shared Printer.

Cons: After unplugging the old Router from my FIOS Modem, I hooked up the NEW Router and tried to install the software for the Router. The software tried to pick up the Router and was unable to find it 6 times. I re-did this a total of 6 times BEFORE it finally found the Router.

I can see where MANY Newbies out there would have given up after 2-3 tries and asked for an RMA from NewEgg. Knowing how good NewEgg is, they probably would have given it no questions asked.

Other Thoughts: The whole purpose of a Dual-Band Router is to provide a SEPERATE Channel for both PC's AND any other device you might wish to connect to the Router. This is meant to retain any speed advantages you have with this Router. This includes the following devices: iPads (or similar devices), X-Box's, Game boy, or anything else you might want to use. As no one in our house has ANY of these devices I did not test them out.

There are a couple of other things that I haven't tried. I should say that I don't want to get hung by my feet (OR my neck) by my housemates for trying them. Supposedly, you are able to customize the Router's ports PER different Specs. This is supposed to give SOME USERS greater access, WHILE limiting others. Basically, a Throttling Device.

My problems is that IF I EVEN ATTEMPTED to do this, my roommates would hang me up on a rope by my feet (OR my neck) from the highest point they could find in our yard. I have NO desire to try this at all.

There are two main things I am disappointed with.
1. NO ANTENNAS. I can see where this MIGHT CREATE range problems. Especially on a DUAL BAND Router. Wake up Western Digital!
2. A Power Brick Power Supply (When will the manufacturers learn that 99% of users HATE THEM - NOR do we want them)!!!

My final opinion is as follows:

Would I recommend this Router to others? YES, with some reservations.
Would I buy this Router myself? Probably not.

Manufacturer Response:

We appreciate your feedback and apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced with the My Net N600 Router, as this is not the typical or intended experience with the product. You may want to ensure that your router is up to date with the latest firmware, as this may easily resolve the issues you are experiencing. Assistance in how to update your routers firmware can be viewed on page 66 of the user manual provided by the following link.
http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/?id=330&type=25
If you have already done so and are still experiencing these issues, in the interest of troubleshooting, you may want to reset the device back to factory default, as this will remove any residual configurations that may be causing conflicts within your network from an update that did not fully reset upon reboot of the unit. Given your experience with this device and the included software, please bear in mind that we are here to assist and support our products for users alike, should the Out-Of-Box-Experience have some minor connection issues along the way, as every individual and the environment have varying factors. The My Net Router has in fact internal antennas which allow for the 300 Mbps upstream/downstream N-Band support on 5 GHz & 2.4 GHz bands, thus requiring no external antennae. Should you require any further assistance or feedback, you may contact us at 1 (855) 842-5370, or via our support website at:
http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?lang=en&ct=networking
Please indicate within the online case creation or with the first support agent you speak with, that you are responding to a Newegg review, so we route you and your information to the correct team members.