Netgear N450-100NAS N450 Wireless Gigabit Router + High Speed Cable Modem – DOCSIS 3.0

Pros: One of my employees and I installed this router at her house on an Xfinity connection. Getting the modem running was a breeze, dealing with Xfinity was as frustrating as ever. The automatic activation page Xfinity provided did not work. If you run into typical "Comcastic" service, just keep repeating "please activate this modem as a CG3000DV2." Xfinity lists this as a certified modem, but the information appears not to have filtered down to the front-line employees. You likely will be told that it won't work. Persist, and once Xfinity activates it, reboot and you should be online. On the performance front the Netgear box worked like a champ. We were able to get the full sustained 25Mbps download speed Xfinity promised rather than the 18-22Mbps the rented Motorola modem gave. Internal NAT also worked flawlessly. Connecting to a very large number of peers (e.g. bittorrent) did not overload the modem's ability to maintain connections. Connecting devices to the modem over wireless was easy. WPS works, as well as manually entering WPA2 passwords. Given that Xfinity does not provide download speeds that begin to test the N450's capabilities, I brought it into our office. I used a MoCA 2.0 adapter to feed a full 1Gbps signal into the router. It happily devoured a sustained 280Mbps. Security appears good as well. With the shipping firmware, the modem is not susceptible to the Heartbleed attack. It also fended off standard port penetration tests with ease. Over the fast office connection, I could easily DDOS it to death, but that holds for any consumer modem. The integrated USB ports allow easily sharing printers or drives (albeit at USB 2.0 speeds, so don't get too excited). The four Ethernet ports are GigE, but do not offer jumbo frames. Wireless range is OK but not great. It is enough to cover several rooms with full speed, but going through floors drops speeds to 30Mbps or less. On a single floor, I measured 60MBps transfer speed at a distance of 50 feet with three intervening walls.

Cons: If you have used other Netgear devices, the web setup pages will be familiar. That's both good and bad. Good in that you can find everything, bad in that they still assume your browser is Internet Explorer 5. Text boxes are not sized correctly, and you'll need to manually scroll to see all entries. The N450 is also targeted only as a standard router. Reconfiguring it as an access point loses functionality such as the USB ports and all filtering. Wireless speed is OK at best. The N450 only offers 2.4GHz coverage, so it can't compete with dual band devices. Also, the best sustained speeds I measured was ~85Mbps even with line-of-site access. As noted above, speeds dropped significantly when going through a solid floor. The wall-wart power brick is potentially unfriendly. It poses no problems if plugged directly into a wall outlet. If you use a surge suppressor, the brick + power wire covers three outlets.

Overall Review: For the price, the Netgear N450 is a very good option. It offers the most commonly needed features, download speeds that surpass most cable capabilities, and wireless coverage for a medium-sized house. You may run into problems having your cable company provision the router. Other reviewers below note no issues with Xfinity, while it took us over an hour to get them to activate the modem.

Pros: Decent WiFi speeds and range, above average. Full bars at 50 feet between 3 rooms. DOCSIS 3.0 compatible for faster Internet assuming ISP provides it. USB slot for wireless network hard drive access. Gigabit Ethernet. WiFi on/off power button - very useful. So far no hiccups with three weeks of use. My previous modem (basic Surfboard) would reset itself at least once a day, but I have had no resets with the NETGEAR. Dual access (one for guests).

Cons: Standard web interface with basic and advanced router/firewall/modem settings. Not dual band, standard 2.4GHz. The original price is a little high but the sale price is perfect.

Overall Review: The NETGEAR N450 is a great replacement for a standard modem. I recommend to check with your ISP to find out if your location is DOCSIS 3.0 compatible. So far with 3 weeks of use, I have had no problems or glitches. The N450 is a great modem/router combo.

Pros: Instructions were very good, and setup was very easy Web GUI has lots of information on the cable modem status wifi is secure by default, except WPS smaller than having separate devices for wifi router and cable modem. Wall-mount any direction Superb wifi radio. Better signal my current dedicated access point device. Very little signal loss on 2nd floor of the house. Disable DHCP to use it as a dedicated wifi access point or network switch. Wired network performance is on par with typical gigabit switches. all-in-one device saves clutter and probably electrical power. It's pulling 8.3 watts from my outlet, which is less than the 10 watts drawn by my old modem and wifi router together.

Cons: Doesn't allow ability to open/forward ports based on source IP WPS enabled by default - can be a security risk. Google it. No other WAN interface except cable - limits functionality screwdriver required to remove base max of 32 wifi devices, but default DHCP only has 22 available addresses. Automatically takes the IP of .5 in the network for the smb share. Why not make this outside the dhcp range? Or at least let us configure it. If DHCP is disabled, then the USB share seems to go away completely. There is no way to configure the ip address manually, and it's no longer using .5. My tested ping times were always 38 or 39 ms compared to 30 to 35 ms on my old router. I tested each 5 times and the results are consistent. Web GUI is the same style Netgear has been using for years. It looks very dated and can be a little clunky due to having to scroll. Some text entry boxes were not wide enough to display the full entry causing me to have to scroll with the arrow keys on the keyboard to see what was really entered into the box. This was using firefox 29.

Overall Review: Claims ipv6 support Very large in size, but this is probably to help with ventilation. There is a lot going on inside this device. Mine was warm to the touch near the bottom. It is still smaller overall than having two separate devices for cable modem and wifi router. Both USB ports accessed via one share. They show up as two separate folders. Using the USB share, I am getting a steady 1 MB/s file copy. This means it would take 2 hours to copy an entire dual layer DVD. This is a lot slower than the theoretical maximum for USB 2.0, but I have found that it is typical of devices like this. The manual says 7 seconds for a factory reset, took mine maybe 12 pushing the button. No powercycle needed though. The lights on the front will flash orange when you can let go of the button. LAN ip can't be in the DHCP server range, even if the DHCP server is disabled. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind. Activation: comcast put device into the walled garden. Connection established just fine, but I had to enter comcast account info. Not difficult. The whole process took about 15 minutes and it was up and running. This was the same for my previous modem as well. My overall opinion of this device is that it is a solid and reliable choice for it's intended use. That specific use is to be a simple to setup all-in-one device to run your cable internet connection. It is a great performer without limitation as long as you stay within this scope. My only real gripes with the device are due to the lack of functional flexibility; Trying to make it do things that it was not designed to do, which I can't really count against it. Bottom line is that if you are currently renting a modem from the cable company and are looking to get that charge off of your monthly bill, this is a great option. It's very easy to setup and performs on par or better than other devices in it's class. If you are more of a power user that demands a complex setup, you are better off getting separate devices that will give you more control over the configuration (and also cost a lot more).

Pros: Decent sized, simple and looks good. Saves you space and extra wiring buy combining a cable modem with a router. Installation was pretty quick. Just connect coax cable, power and configure wireless settings via Ethernet attached device and you are good to go. With regards to wired connectivity, the router features gigabit Ethernet which is 1000 Mbps or 125 MBps. Not necessary for broadband internet unless your cable internet provider supports speeds > 100 Mbps but great for file transfers via home networking. Remember that attached devices must be Gigabit Ethernet compliant as well. File transfers were pretty quick when testing. Streaming 1080p and 4k video was easy and seamless and did not require any buffering. File transfers of large files (>500 MB) took only a few seconds. Wireless connectivity is great. Not the fastest on the market but definitely better than having just plain Wireless G. Most of my wireless devices do not support 3x3 wireless configuration which requires you to set up channel bonding so I was not able to maximize the full capabilities of the wireless speed. Theoretical max according to product specifications is 450 Mbps but you will be lucky to get half that speed. Unfortunately I was limited to 150 Mbps and max speeds via network hovered around 70-80 Mbps. Pretty decent speeds but not enough if again your cable speeds are > 100 Mbps. Range is typical of a Wireless N device. I tested speeds and range with the cable modem router in my basement. Using my laptop I was able to get 5 bars in my basement and 4-5 on the main floor. In the attic I was able to get a solid 3 bars with minimal impact to speeds. Overall range is pretty good and is what I expected to see from this device. Wi-Fi can easily be turned off restricting it to a wired networking modem.

Cons: Unfortunately it doesn't support Wireless N in the 5 Ghz band which supports higher throughput of data but with lower range. No Wireless AC I personally like having the choice of choosing a router to attach to my standalone cable modem instead of an all-in-one like the N450. While having a device like this helps to minimize clutter and extra wires, there are much faster standalone routers which offer better range and higher data throughput.

Overall Review: Devices like these offer all-in-one benefits but offer limited choice with regards to wireless connectivity. Sure you can buy another wireless router and attach it to this device but that does not come without extra cost. Verizon Fios Actiontec modem/routers function the same but provide FTTP internet services rather than DOCSIS 3.0 which is currently the standard for cable providers. The two look similar but are not compatible with each other due to the different formats.

Pros: Installation: Installation was a breeze. Plugged in router to my laptop with the provided ethernet cable, navigated to 192.168.0.1, increased wireless speeds, set password and wirelessly connected to the router with my desktop. Software: No software was included or needed. Once the wireless was configured, I had my computer and girlfriend's iPhone connected within seconds. Speed: Using Speedtest, I have seen download speeds as high as 125MB/s in Orange County. This is the maximum the cable company supports with Powerboost. The N450 should have no problem with this. I compared the built-in 802.11n router to a few other routers. These were the results from transferring a 1GB file (2.4GHz, dual-channel 40MHz 300Mbps max bandwidth, USB 2.0, WPA2-PSK w/AES TKIP encryption): Netgear N450: -Using an 802.11n adapter to wired PC - 127s @ 39.6Mbps -Using an 802.11n adapter to 802.11n adapter - 282s @ 29.0Mbps TRENDnet AC1750: -Using an 802.11n adapter to wired PC - 79s @ 101Mbps. -Using an 802.11n adapter to 802.11n adapter - 136s @ 58.8Mbps 2Wire 2701HG (802.11g only): -Using an 802.11n adapter to wired PC - 390s @ 20.5Mbps. -Using an 802.11n adapter to 802.11n adapter - 738s @ 10.8Mbps Range: Amazing. What the N450 lacks in wireless speeds, it makes up for it in range. Compared to multiple routers, the best I have seen is 0-1 bars on my SGS IV in my bedroom. With the N450 I get a solid 2/4. My laptop gets a full 5 bars.

Cons: Software: The configuration interface makes you scroll, when it would have been more easily put on one screen, like competing vendors. Speed: Wireless speeds are less than half of other brands that I have used. They are acceptable, but not enough to keep up with the rapid download speed, if you are using this on a network. Warranty: Warranty is only 1-year. Although electronics generally either work or they don't, products like routers tend to get hot and may work less reliably. A longer warranty would have been nice. Physical: The router is fairly large, about 75% the size of a piece of paper, but it stands vertically with a sturdy base so it does not take up too much space. It has many holes so should hopefully stay cool.

Overall Review: Netgear has offered rock solid products for as long as I can remember. Back in 2000, when wireless was just getting started, Netgear was one of the few adapters that would even work out-of-the-box with my university's infrastructure. The N450 boasts improved bandwidth from DOCSIS 3.0, that allows you to channel-bond for higher download speeds - up to 340Mb/s. Modems with up to 32 channels (1.376Gb/s) are in development, but it will be a long while before cable providers catch up. Compared to DOCSIS 2.0 with a max of 43Mb/s and 1 channel, this is an 8x increase, due to the 8 downstream/4 upstream channels (8x4) that this cable modem router supports. In the real world, this should be way more than the maximum speeds any cable modem operator actually delivers - in Orange County you are capped at 100MB/s. Still, the Netgear N450 cable modem router should offer you 2-3x faster speeds more than the DOCSIS 2.0 modem your cable provider gave you, offers okay 802.11n speeds with excellent range.

Pros: This is just an update to my first review. It's been 5 months since newegg sent me this wifi equipped cable modem router and I must say I am impressed. My TWC service was upgraded to 100/10 Mbps and testing shows it at 106/10.4 Mbps so I am very happy with it. Also to note this is over the wifi as I have no hard wired devices. I have not had to reboot the device yet.

Cons: None, well no dual band ac

Overall Review: Buy this it just works!

Pros: Setup was relatively quick and easy (with XFINITY). Hooked it up, plugged it in, activated using Comcast's activation page, and was good to go about 5 minutes later. This modem also offered me about triple the speeds over my friend's previous modem, which was a real treat! The modem also stayed relatively cool to the touch, even during heavy traffic from multiple devices. The USB ports are also a nice touch, especially the front one.

Cons: None

Overall Review: This modem doesn't come with telephony support (no port to hook up a home phone line), so if you require such, you'll want to verify your options with your ISP. This modem also only offers one wireless band (2.4GHz). If you require 5GHz, you may want to consider purchasing a router to go along with this modem. I didn't have to call Comcast up to swap modems; they had a redirect page wizard that allowed me to enter my account info (either account number and phone number, or username and password) in order to activate the new modem. The modem rebooted twice during the process. This process however may vary depending on account status, location, and ISP, so it may be a good idea to just have account details and your ISP's phone number handy when hooking a new modem up. My friend's previous modem was a Arris Touchstone TM402, which is a DOCSIS 1.0-compliant device. The original max download speed according to Steam was about 2 MB/s (megabytes). Upon swapping it out with this modem however, the download speed within Steam went up to 14 MB/s, a huge improvement. Speed test sites however showed a slightly different story. Speedtest.net went from 30754 kb/s download to 119140 kb/s. Testmy.net remained roughly the same around 30 Mbps download. Bandwidth place went from 33 Mbps down to 45 Mbps down on the new modem, and went up to 11 Mbps on upload (all other test sites averaged around 4 Mbps on both modems). I would trust a real-world scenario though over speed tests, and Steam is a pretty good test for that.

Pros: This is a Gateway (i.e. a Cable Modem and Router packaged into a single unit). I actually prefer separate Modem and Routers, but if you want a Gateway, this is a Gateway. Firmware is automatically upgraded by your cable company. When "activated" by Comcast (Business Class) mine firmware was updated to level: V3.01.06. Takes very little table space (when standing on end). Plenty of space to run both your Coax cable and Ethernet cables. Gigabit wired Ethernet (in the Router switch). WiFi Range is good. Modem is stable (on Comcast business class). Default Router user/password is: admin/password (http://192.168.0.1/). I could not find the default user/password for the Modem anywhere I looked (http://192.168.100.1/)

Cons: Its a Gateway (N450 CG3000DV2). I prefer a separate Cable Modem and Router. WiFi is only N450 (i.e. 2.4 GHz only, no 5.0 GHz). External Power Supply. Firmware is rather old and buggy (see Other Thoughts). Your ISP (Comcast for me) updates the firmware (you have no control).

Overall Review: Firmware Bugs (in my opinion): 1. Port Forwarding doesn't allow you to use different Internal Port from the External Port (e.g. I like to always use Internal Port 80 on all Internal IP Addresses.) . 2. Email doesn't seem to work. 3. FTP on http://192.168.1.5/ must be anonymous. I could not get it to work at all using the admin user/password. I will attempt to contact NetGear support about the three Firmware issues listed above. If you want a Gateway (not a separate Cable Modem and Router) and all you need is N450 WiFi (2.4 GHz only, not 5.0 GHz). This product should work for you.