Netgear n750 vs Netgear ac1200 – Which router has better routers?
If you’re dealing with wifi dead spots or slow internet speeds, getting a new router can significantly improve your internet function and experience. The Netgear n750 and Netgear ac1200 are routers that can boost your speed and range.
I have has my router for 6 months now but it has an annoying habit of disconnecting me from the internet every 2 hours. Even after getting it fixed, after a week it started again with the same problem. So now I am thinking it’s time to get another router. I found Netgear n750 and Netgear ac1200 offer excellent performance but I can only take one.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Netgear n750 and Netgear ac1200?
Netgear router model |
N750 |
Ac1200 (Winner) |
Coverage range |
Medium to large homes |
Large homes |
Wifi speeds |
2.4 GHz – 300 Mbps
5 GHz – 450 Mbps |
2.4 GHz – 300 Mbps
5 GHz –867 Mbps |
Antennas |
Internal |
2 external |
VPN support |
Yes |
No |
Netgear n750 vs Netgear ac1200 – How do they differ?
Design
Netgear n750 has a squared-off shape with a sleek casing and a matte finish. It operates vertically with the help of a detachable stand or horizontally on a desktop. You can also mount it on your wall. At the front is a WPS button and color-changing LED indicators for the ports at the back, internet connection, and wireless network. The 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB port, and power button are at the back. The Netgear ac1200 is a rectangular box with a black glossy finish and 2 antennas at the rear. The LED lights at the front show the status activity for WPS, USB, wired ports, internet, and wifi. The back hosts 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, and buttons for WPS, power, and reset. It also has a USB 2.0 port that you can connect your printer and storage device.
Netgear n750 has a better design. It’s small and compact so it doesn’t need a lot of space on your shelf.
Setup
The n750 has a bit of a long process than the ac1200 when it comes to the setup process because it comes with a CD that contains the setup files and a manual PDF that is well-detailed. You can use the smart wizard on the CD on your PC or Mac devices to launch the Netgear genie app and setting up this router requires a physical Ethernet cable to connect your router and computer. However, to install ac1200, you just connect your router to your PC and the internet source and the Netgear genie app will launch automatically which will then launch the setup wizard. From there you can configure and customize the settings to make it easier to monitor and control your network.
Netgearac1200 has a better and easier setup procedure with simple and clear steps.
Speeds and performance
The Netgear n750 is a true dual-band router with high speeds of 450 Mbps on its 5 GHz band and performance on the 2.4 GHz band (300 Mbps) slightly above average. The 5 GHz band is equipped with 3×3 stream antennas while the 2.4 GHz band uses the 2×2 antennas which means the 5 GHz band can handle intense bandwidth tasks. On the other hand, the Netgear ac1200 is also a dual-band router that is capable of max. theoretical speeds of 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. AC routers use dual-band systems which means it can support more devices without affecting the overall performance of your network.
Netgear ac1200 is a better performer with greater speeds on the 5 GHz band and can support more devices.
Netgear n750 vs Netgear ac1200 – A comparison review
Netgear n750
- Faster WiFi speed 300 + 450 - up to 750Mbps
- Improves WiFi range for medium to large homes
The n750 is a dual-band router with fast throughput on its 5 GHz band with a close-range throughput on the 2.4 GHz band and a more comprehensive guest network feature. It has a sleek design and doesn’t need a lot of space on your shelf or wall. The 4 LAN ports for your wired devices and the WAN port for your internet source are all gigabit Ethernet that has speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The USB port at the back can host your external hard drive. The genie setup software will take you through the setup process which takes you to the router web interface on your computer where you can configure the settings. It can support two guest networks, one on each band so you’re able to give internet access to your guests without them having to access your entire network.
The n750 supports hard drives formatted in FAT32 and NTFS file systems which makes it easy to share the data with other connected devices in your network. The traffic meter will allow you to control the router’s bandwidth and the OpenDNS-based live parental controls will make it safe for your kids to use the internet. Other features include content filtering, QoS, port forwarding, and universal plug and play. It also supports all wireless encryptions (WPA, WPA2, WEP) to protect your data and network. The consistency throughput on the 5 GHz is quite impressive where it scored speeds of 89 Mbps at close range and 63.9 Mbps at long range. On the 2.4 GHz, the router delivered speeds of 67.8 Mbps at close range but dropped significantly to 23.9 Mbps at long range.
Pros
- The web interface is pretty good
- Excellent speeds and range for the 5 GHz band
- Great internet connectivity without any buffering
- Quality built
Cons
- Limited USB support for storage
Netgear ac1200
- AC1200 WiFi-300+867 Mbps speeds
- External antennas for improved Wi-Fi coverage
The a1200 is a budget-friendly router with great features and can deliver reliable internet performance. However, it may not provide stable wifi coverage to large homes with many rooms which makes it better for smaller homes and apartments. It’s a big boxy router with 2 antennas you can rotate to get better coverage. It’s capable of theoretical speeds of 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. The genie wen console or mobile app will allow you to install and configure the settings. The 2 guest networks will give your guests access to your internet but not your entire network. The parental controls rely on the OpenDNS while the traffic meter allows you to monitor and allocate bandwidth.
You can set up your internet connections, change the wireless settings, and view the attached devices on the basic menu while the advanced settings give you more in-depth wireless settings like port forwarding and triggering, VPN service, QoS service, and many others. The ac1200 uses SPA2 security protocols that have NAT and SPI firewalls to protect your network and data. On the 2.4 GHz band at close range, it scored 74.1 Mbps and 48.3 Mbps at 30 feet. On the 5 GHz band, it delivered 331 Mbps at close range and 104 Mbps at 30 feet.It has quite impressive throughput numbers for a budget router.
Pros
- Excellent performance on the 5 GHz band
- Very affordable
- Perfect for small apartments
- Lots of features
Cons
- The interface is slow
- Has on one USB 2.0 port
Conclusion
The Netgear n750 is very easy to use and delivers good performance on the 5 GHz, but not so good on its 2.4 GHz. However, it’s a very good router for your home or small office. Netgear ac1200 is an affordable dual-band router with lots of management settings and solid performance.
So which one is better Netgear n750 or Netgear ac1200?
Netgear ac1200 is better because it’s affordable, can deliver excellent performance on its 5 GHz, and comes with plenty of useful settings.
FAQ
Are Netgear routers good?
Netgear routers have superior speeds and coverage which makes them great for your home or office. They will deliver reliable performance to all your connected devices.
How far does Netgear n750 reach?
The router’s performance will not be affected if it’s within 100 feet on the 5 GHz and 70 feet on the 2.4 GHz.
