Netgear Nighthawk X6s Ac3000 Mu-mimo Smart Wi-fi Router Reviews
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-ring blueprint
- Good performance at center distances
- Lots of customization options
- Wired LAN assemblage potential
Against
- Expensive
- Parental controls require third-party account
- xc-day support included
Tom's Guide Verdict
Looking for the best of everything in a router? Netgear's Nighthawk X6S delivers tri-ring technology, speed and a slew of features.
Pros
- +
Tri-band design
- +
Good performance at centre distances
- +
Lots of customization options
- +
Wired LAN aggregation potential
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Parental controls require third-party account
- -
90-24-hour interval back up included
Big and assuming, Netgear's Nighthawk X6S can fill about homes with high-speed Wi-Fi, merely it needs to apply a third-party service to protect your family. At $300, it is among the most expensive routers on the marketplace, yet the company supports the router for a brusque three months.
Design
Nigh the size of a java-table volume, Netgear's Nighthawk X6S is ane of the largest routers on the market and is near one-quarter bigger than the Linksys WRT32X router. Clothed in basic black, the xi.0 x nine.0 x 2.i-inch X6S can be ready on a tabletop, shelf or windowsill. Or, if you like, the lesser has cutouts to wall-mount the X6S, simply the router's vi pull-out antennas run the risk of existence used as a coat rack if mounted vertically. On the downside, the antennas tin neither be replaced nor swiveled to aim the router'south point.
The X6S is quondam school, with no fewer than 11 LEDs upward front that glimmer abroad like a Christmas tree. In addition to indicators for power and internet, there are lights for the four downstream LAN ports and all three wireless channels. Happily, it has a switch in the back for turning all the LEDs off.
The X6S does something few routers can: Information technology lets you aggregate two wired connections to a single calculator that has a pair of RJ45 LAN ports.
The Nighthawk X6S is built around Broadcom'southward BCM4365E Wi-Fi chip. It has a dual-cadre ane.8GHz processor, 128MB of RAM and 512MB of solid-country storage for holding the system's firmware and settings. While this router does without the WRT32X's bandwidth-expansion technology, the X6S uses the latest Mu-Mimo technology to connect with several devices at one time.
This router too uses Netgear's Beamforming+ protocol to customize the signal for each device. The protocol works at the driver level to get a little extra speed and range out of beamforming while remaining uniform with standard 802.11ac equipment.
More than: What Is a Mesh Wi-Fi Router, and Do Y'all Need I?
The tri-band wireless pattern can theoretically deliver 750 Mbps with the X6S's 2.4GHz channel as well as up to 1.625 Gbps for each of the router'southward two 5GHz channels. This adds upwards to a hefty AC4000 rating.
The X6S does something few routers can: It lets yous aggregate ii wired connections to a single computer that has a pair of RJ45 LAN ports. This LAN teaming can double the throughput, to up to 2 Gbps for top-speed gaming or file transfers.
Its connection panel in the back has a gigabit WAN connection as well as four LAN ports. The two that can be aggregated are marked. This router'due south combination of USB 2.0 and USB three.0 ports means that information technology can plough a hard bulldoze and a printer into networked devices.
There's also a reset switch, power connectedness and an on/off control. Up forepart 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 Key Specs | |
| Wi-Fi | AC4000 |
| Number of Antennas/Removable | 6/No |
| Ports | 1 WAN/iv LAN gigabit per second, 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 50-feet) |
| Range | 100 feet |
| Size | 11.i x 9.0 x two.1 inches |
Software
The X6S includes Netgear'south Dynamic Quality of Service software to apportion the home's bandwidth amid its users. This software concentrates first on satisfying information-hungry applications, like video and gaming. By trying to satisfy all family unit members, this can improve domestic tranquility for those with depression-speed connections.
To streamline data delivery, the X6S likewise optimizes how it sends data amid the three available broadcast channels. Essentially, it decides the all-time path for the information from router to client.
Unlike other high-end routers, like Linksys' WRT1900ACS and Trendnet'due south TEW-827DRU, the X6S can't piece of work with open-source firmware.
Performance
The X6S hits its footstep when other routers start to peter out. Overall, it turned in a good performance, but it excelled at midrange distances. Based on Broadcom's BCM4365E Wi-Fi chip, the device sets up a tri-band 802.11ac network that has an AC4000 rating.
Nosotros used Ixia'due south IxChariot software to monitor network functioning at our Utah testing facility. While the X6S was able to deliver 571.2 and 628.seven Mbps at 5 and 15 feet, it hitting its peak at an unusual distance of 50 feet, moving 661.five Mbps. That's six percent above the EA8300'south maximum of 626.5 Mbps at five feet and 21 percent ahead of the WRT32X'south 544.5 Mbps at 15 feet. Still, the X6S was slightly behind the No. 1-performing router, Norton Core and its 672.2 Mbps at five anxiety.
The X6S hits its stride when other routers starting time to peter out. Overall, information technology turned in a adept functioning just excelled at midrange distances.
The X6S moved up in the pack, delivering 525.1 and 411.v Mbps at 100 and 150 anxiety. That'southward well alee of the throughput for the WRT32X (302.4 Mbps) and Core (384.1 Mbps) at 150 anxiety.
This router makes for a pretty skilful choice in an older home that has lots of thick walls, because the X6S can push a strong 580.6 and 609.viii Mbps signal through a metal wall and ceiling. The EA8300, by comparison, produces 428.5 and 489.8 Mbps. By contrast, the Core punched 705.eight Mbps of Wi-Fi information through a ceiling.
More than: Best Wireless Router - Routers for Strong, Long Range Wi-Fi
In an older house, the X6S had a range of 100 feet, well ahead of the EA8300's 75 feet and the Core's 80 feet. The Netgear Orbi mesh router notwithstanding leads here, with a 110-foot range. On the downside, the X6S'south range couldn't quite embrace my 3,500-square-pes habitation with Wi-Fi. The X6S left several areas uncovered, requiring an extension.
The router hands played 4K videos on my iPad Pro. The X6S also passed my breezy saturation test, in which I listen to an internet radio station on an iPad Pro while watching videos on a MacBook Air and Surface Pro three and moving data to and from a network storage arrangement with a Samsung TabPro Southward. The music and video played without a problem.
Setup
To get the X6S online and distributing data, y'all need to connect to the router via Wi-Fi or a LAN cable. Just type routerlogin.net or 192.168.1.one into a browser'south address window and then, when prompted, enter the router's countersign, which is printed on the pocket-sized setup booklet.
This is a expert time to alter the semirandom name and passwords that come printed underneath the router. Afterwards a restart, the router displays a printable confirmation of your settings. Be careful where you put this printout, because it has the passwords as well every bit other details of your network.
Support
After setting up a Netgear account, you lot're asked if y'all want to buy a back up contract that extends support beyond the 90 days that Netgear provides past default.
While other router manufacturers provide a year of support with their products, with Netgear, a single incident costs $50, or you can get 6 months of support for $90 or a year's worth for $140. This support goes across the basics to include aid for continued devices, software and malware attacks.
Netgear's support site is one of the best, with online resources ranging from FAQs and videos to setup tips for mutual bug. On the other paw, the visitor provides simply 90 days of technical support, rather than the one-year minimum offered by Netgear'south competitors. Netgear does includes a 1-year warranty.
Configuration
While many of the newer mesh kits let configuration only via a telephone or tablet, the X6S router gives you three means in. To starting time, y'all tin continue using the browser interface and Netgear's Genie interface. It starts with large boxes that show the cyberspace's status, the Wi-Fi setup, Parental Controls, External Storage, the number of devices continued and the Invitee Network's status.
In that location are like entry points on the left for everything from the Wi-Fi settings to the setup for the Invitee Network. The Advanced section includes things similar Access Control, Security settings, and the setup of a networked printer or storage device.
Good for those who don't let their phones become too far from their hands, there'southward also the Genie app for iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android tablets and phones. Similar with other Netgear routers, you have access to the same multifariousness of customization every bit in the browser, just the interface fits on your telephone or tablet.
Finally, Netgear's Up app is more visual but has less depth. On height of updating the firmware with this app, yous tin can change the Wi-Fi settings, check out the cyberspace speed and look at what's connected. At that place's also a Traffic Meter and ways to arrange the Guest Network and access back up in the event of a problem. As with Genie, there are iOS and Android versions.
More: How to Update Your Router's Firmware
The router has parental controls, but with a twist. As with earlier Netgear devices, you need to have an OpenDNS account to set up parental controls and customize the settings. In improver to scheduling off hours for the cyberspace, you tin can cake sites based on keyword and destination. At any time, yous 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, but the X6S can't match the Norton Core in including behavioral analysis and AV software to proceed hackers at bay.
Bottom Line
Netgear's X6S tin can fill good-size homes with Wi-Fi while providing lots of customization options and performing well at heart-to-long distances. 1 of the few routers that tin aggregate ii of its wired LAN ports for top speed, the X6S could be the router for serious gamers.
Still, at $300, the X6S is expensive, ranks 2nd best behind the Norton Core in overall performance and comes with only xc days of tech support. For those looking for all the networking bells and whistles, the Linksys WRT32X might be a better choice.
Credit: Netgear
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