Netgear N900 Vs Airport Extreme – A battle of two routers

Routers form larger internetworks by connecting two or more networks, but must be configured to pass packets between two adjacent networks.

Many of our customers complain of having to reboot their routers from time to time just so that it gets to work again. Others complain of overheating, which is a major concern to us because; constant overheating will impact the router negatively in the long run and it might possibly fail to work completely.

While some of the problems can be solved by troubleshooting, permanent damage due to overheating calls for the installation of a new router, the reason why we prepared an extensive excerpt on the Netgear N900 and the Airport extreme to help you find a new reliable networking router.

What are the differences between the Netgear N900 and the Airport Extreme

Model	Netgear N900 (Winner)	Airport Extreme
Speeds	450mbps at 2.4GHz 450mbps at 5GHz	15.00mbps download speeds 0.54mbps upload speeds
Product dimensions	11.57 x 9.45 x 4.02 inches (Bigger)	3.85 x 3.85 x 6.6 inches (smaller)
Data transfer rate	450mb per second	1.3GB per second
Range	At 2.4GHz, 80 Mbps at 5feet At 5GHz, 70mbps at 150feet	3200 sq. ft
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The Netgear N900 vs Airport Extreme- How do they compare?

Speeds

The speeds of a router are enhanced by the incorporated wireless communication standard, for example, routers that utilize the 802.11a use the 5GHz frequency band and support a data transfer rate of 54mbps. While the data transfer rates might still lag behind, the 802.11n tends to be faster than both the 802.11b and the 802.11g.

Therefore, routers that have been equipped with the 802.11n wireless communication standard offer more range, have enhanced performance, and offers users improved reliability. Airport Extreme does not operate the 802.11n standard thus not a high performer; the Netgear N900 on the other hand is backward compatible with the 802.11a/b/g/ and n devices.

Netgear N900 router tends to offer faster networking speeds at both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies, while the Apple Airport extreme offers significantly low networking speeds, at 15mbps download speeds and 0.54 upload speeds. The above therefore means that the apple router can only be used for the basic networking applications while the Netgear router will reliably cater to the network-intensive applications and can cater to more devices without compromising on speeds and range.

Performance

Higher performance means the ability to connect more devices without compromising on range and speeds. However, when the devices connected to a network run the higher bandwidth applications, low internet signals might be experienced by the devices that are into the low bandwidth applications.

Airport extreme has, therefore, been determined to reliably accommodate 50 devices concurrently, while its brother the airport express only caters to 10 extra devices. The Netgear router, on the other hand, is highly functional and will cater to about 32 devices per wireless band; meaning 32 devices for 2.4GHz and 32 devices for the 5GHz raising the bar quite high for the Airport Extreme.

Data transfer rates can also be used to measure the performance of a router, to which end the Netgear N900 offers up to 450mbps data transfer rates, which is a bit low when compared to Airport Extreme 1.3GB per second. The latter then makes the Airport extreme router highly functional in a business or school environment as it offers the best real-time communication.

In terms of coverage, the Airport Extreme router provides users with a range of up to 3200sq. ft, well this is quite large and can, therefore, be adopted for use in a large office and when utilized at home the router will offer strong internet signals to the devices that are located in the basement. Netgear offers 80mbps at 5 feet and 70mbps at 150 feet, the thing about routers is that you need to operate within the recommended speeds, because going beyond will lead to high latency.

Additionally, for enhanced performance, you have to ensure that your ISP matches your router speeds, failure to which your router will not enhance the low speeds provided by your ISP. So in case you have low internet speeds, you can subscribe to a speed that matches your router and enjoy faster connectivity.

The Netgear N900 vs the Airport Extreme- A Comparison Overview

Netgear N900 Overview

Getting both the router and modem in one unit is not very common, and that is what you will get from the N900 Netgear router. Important to note though is that a separate modem and router, gives users an easy time when they need to upgrade their in house networking capability, meaning that you only get to upgrade the router.

The modem router combination also has its advantages that might work to your benefit, for one is that you are going to use less space to accommodate the router, you will need fewer wires and only one power outlet. Even better is that this type of router is easy to set up.

The incorporated 900 Mbps Wi-Fi speeds are fast enough to offer you the best HD gaming experience, while the Gigabit Ethernet allows users to expand their networks by connecting the wired networking devices.

Pros

• Equipped with USB ports that allow connectivity to external hard drive devices or printer
• Set up and installation is on the fly with the Netgear genie app
• Has combined the router and modem in one unit
• Offers high networking speeds at 900mbps

Cons

• Wi-Fi not reliable
• Deployment not easy because of design

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Airport Extreme Overview

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The Apple Airport Extreme is an intelligent networking router that utilizes a simultaneous dual-band, and the good thing is that the router caters to up to 10 networking devices. So while it might not be adopted for a busy environment it will work perfectly in the home or a small home office. The router has also been equipped with the next generation Wi-Fi the 802.11ac.

The latter uses the 5GHz radio, which then frees up bandwidth for the devices that can only connect to the 2.4GHz. The 802.11ac also allows improved wireless connectivity at a distance and delivers high performance for the wireless devices.

Pros 

• Offers a simultaneous dual-band support
• Equipped with the Next Generation Wi-Fi technology
• Complements different home décor
• Best router for reliable networking performance

Cons

• Price does not match functionality
• Not convenient for the long haul

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Conclusion

The Netgear N900 and the Airport Extreme cater to totally different clients, and this is because of their performance in terms of speeds and coverage. You will, therefore, pick then one that best caters to your needs, if you are looking to connect many devices; Netgear will suffice and if you want a basic home networking router then the Airport Extreme will be reliable.

Verdict; so which is the better router? The Netgear N900 or the Airport Extreme

The Netgear N900 is the better router because it offers high networking speeds at both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands, making a good unit for both the large and small homes or offices. And as a plus, you have be furnished with up to 450mb per second data transfer rate, which then means that the bandwidth intensive applications such as online gaming and HD streaming will not only be clear but will stream in a seamless fashion.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is my Netgear N900 not connecting to the router?

Check on the signals provided by your ISP, and if they are working well then you will have to turn off the wireless function and connect your router to a computer using an Ethernet cable and proceed to reboot the router to check for internet connection.

2. Is the Apple Airport extreme outdated

Information reveals that Airport’s extreme Wi-Fi routers haven’t been updated since 2013.