Netgear n600 vs ac1000 – Which one has better speeds?
For first time buyers, it’s not very easy to find the best router that will suit your needs with so many in the market today. Whether it’s for your home or office, your router doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be affordable and still provide excellent speeds and reliable connectivity throughout and the Netgear n600 vs ac1000 will give you a better understanding how this works.
I installed a router in my office about 6 months ago. The signal was great, the quality and speeds were also good and even on stormy nights, the network didn’t drop. Last month I expanded my office space to include two more floors upstairs and I noticed the internet connection was spotty on the top floor. I have always wanted to get a Netgear router so I decided to upgrade but I needed to decide between the Netgear n600 and ac1000.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Netgear n600 and ac1000?
Netgear router |
N600 |
Ac1000 (Winner) |
Antennas |
3 internal |
2 external |
Bandwidth speeds |
2.4 GHz – 300 Mbps
5 GHz – 300 Mbps |
2.4 GHz – 300 Mbps
5 GHz – 700 Mbps |
Security |
WPA/WPA2-PSK |
WEP, WAP, WAP2 |
Netgear n600 vs ac1000 – How do they differ?
Design
The Netgear n600is a light stylish router with a bright blue button in the middle and a sleek black casing. The LED lights in the button that dictate where the internal antennas are facing which is a very convenient feature. The blue button is also the WPS button. At the back of the router are 4 LAN ports and a single WAN port not forgetting the 2.0 USB port. However, these are the standard Ethernet cables and not the current Gigabit Ethernet cables. The ports have excellent auto-sensing technology. For the Netgear n1000, it has a wedge shape with 2 external antennas protruding at the back with 4 LAN ports and one WAN port.
Netgear n600 has a better and more stylish design that is compact with a sleek finish.
Antennas
Like some of the Netgear routers the Netgear n600 has an internal antenna design giving it a more compact and tidier look than the routers with external antennas like the ac1000 with 2 external antennas at the back.
Netgear ac1000 has two external antennas at the back that help to improve the signal range and its speed performance.
Netgear n600 vs ac1000 – A comparison review
Netgear n600
- Faster WiFi Speed: N600 Dual Band WiFi delivers 300 + 300Mbps
- Ideal WiFi range for medium to large homes. System Requirements: Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 10,Vista, XP,...
The Netgear n600 wndr3400 is a wi-fi router that offers excellent wireless speeds for streaming and gaming. It uses a dual-band system with speeds of up to 300 Mbps per channel. It uses the 2 channels simultaneously which eliminates network traffic and signal interference in your network. This lightweight router has a simple yet modern and stylish look with excellent design features. At the top in the middle is a round blue button with 8 small LED lights for the direction of the internal antennas. The blue button also serves as a WPS button. At the back are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB 2.0 port, and a wifi button. However, the ports are regular 10/100 Mbps Ethernet. The router has 2 detachable feet that allow it to operate in a vertical position.
The n600 is powered by a 32-bit powerful MIPS processor that can deliver speeds of 530 MHz with 64 MB of RAM and 8 MB of flash memory. It can simultaneously broadcast wireless-N signals on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The 2.4 GHz band shares the signal with most of your devices while the 5GHz band is more exclusive so it offers better throughput performance. The guest network allows you to create a separate network for your visitors without risking the security of your network while the live parental control allows you to filter and control the websites and even set access time. It also has the latest security mechanism WPA/WPA2 and WEP to protect your network from DoS attack.
The genie app is very easy to use and convenient and it allows you to manage and monitor your network from your phone. When it comes to throughput speeds, the n600 is quite impressive with 65.4 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band at 15 feet and 37.1 Mbps at 100 feet. On the 5 GHz band at 15 feet, the router can deliver 75.8 Mbps and 59.8 Mbps at 100 feet.
Pros
- Fast wireless performance and long-range
- Has very useful network features
- Comes with an intuitive web interface
- Has a sleek aesthetic design
Cons
- Its range can be affected by walls
- Doesn’t support gigabit Ethernet
Netgear ac1000
- Maximum Range : 1000 Sq Ft
- FAST WiFi PERFORMANCE: Get up to 1000 sq ft wireless coverage with AC1000 speed (Dual band up to 300 +...
This is a dual-band wifi router that provides improved performance and wireless coverage for your entire home. It’s a wedge-shaped router with 2 external antennas at the back and 4 LED indicators at the front for power, internet, ports, and WPS. At the back are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a power button, and a reset/push N to connect button. The external antennas provide a strong wireless signal for good coverage and faster speeds throughout your home. Simultaneous dual-band capability allows for 2 channels for a better flow of traffic providing a better connection to more of your wifi devices with reduced interference. It has fast download speeds of up to 1000 Mbps for streaming and online gaming. The ac1000 provides 2 separate wifi networks the 2.4 GHz channel that is used by most of your devices and the 5 GHz channel which has less traffic which means less interference which is better for streaming. With this router, you can create a powerful home network that is lag-free so you can enjoy reliable connections to the internet and a secure wireless connection.
The ac1000 has a very simple setup you can install and manage using the setup wizard for your PC and a mobile app for your phone. Some of the features you will find include parental controls that will allow you to limit or block access to certain websites at certain times, the guest network for creating a separate network for your guests, and secure wifi connections with WPA/WPA2/WPA-PSK security with NAT firewall protection to keep your data and network safe.
The ac1000 is compatible with the next generation wifi 802.11ac devices and also backward compatible with 802.11 a/n/b/g devices. As a dual-band router, it has the802.11n 2.4 GHz band that can deliver speeds of up to 300 Mbps and 700 Mbps on the 802.11ac 5 GHz band.
Pros
- Reliable internet connection with less interference
- Better wifi coverage
- Easy to set up and install
- Fast download speeds for fast streaming and gaming
Cons
- May not adequately cover a large home
Conclusion
The Netgear n600 and ac1000 are both great routers that can deliver good wifi coverage and fast speeds for an internet connection throughout your home. They’re both dual-band routers that have the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands but the n600 lacks the gigabit Ethernet which affects networking.
So, which one is better Netgear n600 or ac1000?
The Netgear ac1000 is a better router because it delivers 1000 Mbps wireless speed for super-fast streaming and can provide seamless wifi to more than 15 devices with very little interference. It will also provide secure wifi connections with the highest levels of protection and allowing you to control and monitor your network from your phone.
FAQ
How fast is Netgear n600?
N600 is a wi-fi router that provides excellent speeds of up to 300 Mbps on each bandwidth for better streaming and internet experience. It’s an ideal router for medium to large homes.
How many devices can Netgear n600 handle?
As a dual-band router, the n600 can handle 64 devices, 32 on each bandwidth.
