Netgear n300 vs n450 – Which one is best for your home network?
Slowly the internet is becoming a basic need in most of the homes as we become more dependent on it for social media, sending emails, downloading and watching videos online, web surfing, and playing games. The Netgear n300 and n450are routers that can deliver great wifi connection speeds for your entire home.
I have had a Netgear router for 2 years now so I thought it’s time to upgrade. The Netgear n300 is a great router with fast internet speeds, but the n450 has both router and modem in one unit which is also a great choice and also has excellent wifi connection speeds.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Netgear n300 and n450?
Router |
Netgear n300 |
Netgear n450 (Winner) |
Speeds (2.4 GHz band) |
300 Mbps |
450 Mbps on the router |
Cable download speeds |
n/a |
340 Mbps |
Ethernet ports |
Regular Ethernet ports |
Gigabit Ethernet ports |
Docsis support |
None |
Docsis 3.0 that is 8 times faster than DOCSIS 2.0 |
Netgear n300 vs n450 – How do they differ?
Hardware
The Netgear n300 is a simple wireless-N router that offers decent throughput speeds and excellent range that will improve your internet experience. On the other hand, the n450 is a router and a cable modem all in one unit with a downloading speed that is eight times faster than your average router to ensure you receive faster and smoother wifi connection throughout your home.
N450 has better hardware as it’s a router and a modem all in one unit.
Parental control
The Netgear n300 doesn’t come with a lot of features but it has one unique feature that most routers don’t have, the semi web-based parental control that is a very effective and convenient way of keeping a close eye of internet users in your home. However, you will need to first create a free account with OpenDNS and set up your web filter level. For the n450, you don’t need to open an account, you just need to customize the settings to make sure your family is protected by blocking or limiting access to some sites and access time.
It’s easier to operate the parental control feature in n450 as it doesn’t require an OpenDNS account like n450.
Performance and speed
Speed is important when it comes to the router you’re going to buy for your house. Although the Netgear n300 doesn’t support the 5 GHz band, it can deliver up to 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band which is enough speed for you to enjoy HD streaming and gaming. N450 on the other hand is a 2-in-1 wifi router plus cable modem that can deliver speeds of up to 450 Mbps on the router and 340 Mbps on the modem. It uses the Docsis 3.0 platform to deliver the fastest cable speeds.
Netgear n450 is a better performer since it can deliver the fastest cable speeds.
Netgear n300 vs n450 – A comparison review
Netgear n300
- Supports Windows 8
- Fast downloads and online gaming with speeds up to 300 Mbps
Netgear n300 wnr 2000is a simple and compact wireless-N router that offers excellent range and decent throughput speeds and it comes with a free comprehensive web filtering tool. It has a sleek vertical box design with an elegant black casing with ventilation holes at the top and no external antennas. It’s a slim and compact router that will save on space. There are LED lights at the front that indicate the status of the ports and a WPS button while at the back are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, and on/off button. It’s designed to operate in a vertical position so it has a detachable stand. You can use the Netgear genie app to install and manage the n300 system on both your PC and phone. The QoS settings will help you to prioritize which devices get more bandwidth which will make your HD streaming smoother. N300 provides excellent security by using the WPA/WPA2 protocols to keep your network secure and the guest network allows your guests to access your internet using a separate network from your main network. The in-depth parental controls allow you to place limitations, time limits, and web filtering for certain devices in your network. It also supports WPS that allows you to quickly add clients to your network without having to type in the encryption key manually.
The n300 uses a single wireless 2.4 GHz band with speeds of up to 300 Mbps so if you’re in an area with many wifi signals, your router will experience some interruption. It has an amazing throughput performance with speeds of up to 32.2 Mbps when it comes to range. It can deliver a strong wifi connection over an area of about 1600 sq. feet with no surrounding walls, but when around obstacles the range drops. With downloading speeds of up to 300 Mbps, you can comfortably game and stream live without any buffering.
Pros
- Excellent range
- Decent throughput speeds
- Free comprehensive parental control feature
- Very affordable
Cons
- Dropping connection constantly
Netgear n450
- ELIMINATE MONTHLY CABLE MODEM RENTAL FEES - Up to $156 per year
- Two-in One DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem + WiFi Router with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 2 USB 2.0 ports
Netgear n450 is a wifi cable modem router that can deliver better wifi and faster internet and is ideal for medium to large-sized homes. It has enhanced range powerful enough to cover your entire home. This router and DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem can deliver eight times the faster-downloading speed of up to 340 Mbps and also smoother, faster wifi. It’s compatible with all major cable internet providers. This two-in-one unit has a vertical sleek design with a perforated black casing on one side that helps with keeping the unit cool and littleLED lights on the side for power, internet, ports, and WPS. At the back are 4 gigabit Ethernet ports, a USB 2.0 port, a power switch, and a coaxial port for cable internet. There is also another USB 2.0 port at the front of the router. N450 has wireless built-in so you can enjoy theoretical wifi speeds of up to 450 Mbpson the 2.4 GHz band while the gigabit LAN ports give your wired devices enough bandwidth for super-fast, reliable HD streaming and online gaming. Setting up this unit is very easy, all you need is the Netgear genie app to help you configure and monitor your network from your PC or phone.
Some of its security features include parental controls that help you block or limit internet access and time on certain devices to protect your kids from harmful content, the guest wireless network that allows you to give your guests internet access without accessing your entire network, and WPA2 encryption to protect your data and network system. The modem features wireless N for video, email, surfing, chatting, and USB access to allow for sharing content in your USB drive through the USB ports.
Pros
- A very good combination of router and modem
- The router menu is very easy to navigate and setup
- The built-in DOCSIS 3.0 is 8 times faster than DOCSIS 2.0
- It has super-fast wifi speeds
Cons
- The 2.4 GHz band is slower
Conclusion
The Netgear n300 is an impressive router with excellent range and throughput performance. It has a strong wifi connection that is great over long-range and downloading speeds of up to 300 Mbps for comfortable streaming and gaming without any buffering. The n450 is a 2-in-1 unit that comprises a router and a cable modem which is very convenient and has enhanced range to cover your entire house.
So which one is better Netgear n300 or n450?
Netgear n450 is better because it has both a router and a cable modem which saves you monthly cable modem fees and offers super-fast wifi speeds for all your connected devices.
FAQ
How many devices can Netgear n300 support?
Several devices can be connected to a wireless router, but performance decreases with each device added. So, 3-5 devices can use the same wireless connection without a noticeable decrease in your network response.
Is Netgear n300 a good router?
If you’re looking for a router that can deliver smooth video streaming and a fast internet connection to your entire house, n300 is a good option.
