Netgear Gaming 5GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit review

We haven't reviewed a wireless access point for a long time, but that's what Netgear's Wireless-N Networking Kit is.

It bundles two access points in a box to work as a wireless bridge. This could be useful if you want to connect non-wireless devices such as a games console or a set-top box to your router in another room. It could also be ideal if you can't use powerline networking for some reason.

Each kit uses single-band Draft-N WiFi, operating at 5GHz, which is still relatively unused in the UK. This should mean less interference and better range, but it precludes connecting any Draft-N devices that use 2.4GHz. However, this kit is aimed at those who haven't upgraded to a Draft-N router and simply want a hassle-free way to connect wired devices to a router.

The units are rather large but fairly stylish, and their internal antennas keep things neat. Each has a mode switch set to Auto, but can be set to Access Point or Bridge. Both have two 10/100Mbit/s Ethernet ports.

Setting up the units proved easier than any other WiFi kit we've tested. We connected one to our Buffalo 802.11g router and the other to our laptop. After turning both on, they established a connection within a minute or so, and we verified this by successfully connecting to the internet from the laptop.

Before testing the speed, we used the bundled Configuration Assistant to find the IP address of the unit that had configured itself as the access point - the one that was connected to our router. The web-based interface looks much like any Rangemax router's, albeit with far fewer options. It was good to see that wireless security had defaulted to WPA2, although slightly odd that the WISH QoS was disabled by default. The WiFi mode was set to mixed 802.11a and 802.11n, and channel-bonding was set to Auto 20/40MHz.

We used these settings for our tests, as most users will use the defaults. We were happy with the speed at our near and far positions (1m and 15m), but at 25m we found that the signal strength dropped off sharply and was intermittent during testing. On average, we saw 5.4Mbit/s at this range - a disappointing result, as other 5GHz routers have performed better.

For most people, powerline adaptors will be a cheaper option and may be faster at longer distances. You may be able to connect two wired devices to the Wireless-N Networking Kit operating in bridge mode, but a pair of HomePlug AV powerline adaptors plus an eight-port switch will still be cheaper. At this price, the Netgear kit is a sensible choice only if you can't use powerline networking.