Everything you need to know about the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 [A Review]

Most of the time we find ourselves gambling for public hotspots when we live our house. Sometimes this may be a hassle especially when you begin having challenges with dropping Wi-Fi signals. To help you deal with these problems, NETGEAR developed its Nighthawk MR1100 that allows you to carry your own Wi-Fi wherever you go.

Working from home consecutively gets really monotonous for me so I find myself going to a nearby café by the mall to work. However, at times through the day my connected devices would drop Wi-Fi signals and I am forced to start switching cafes so as to fins stable network. I mean, I would often suspect that it’s a problem with an overloaded connection log on the public hotspot. With time, I came across the Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router by NETGEAR which allows me to carry my own Wi-Fi anywhere I would like to go. I am impressed by its performance and would certainly recommend it for you too.

NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 Review and Breakdown

NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot (MR1100-100NAS) – Up to 1Gbps Speed, Works Best with AT&T and T-Mobile, Connects Up to 20 Devices, Secure Wireless Network Anywhere

• Share WiFi internet access with up to 20 devices
• Unlocked to accept all SIM cards (excluding Sprint legacy network); works best on AT&T and T-Mobile....

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The NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 is a hotspot mobile router that allows you access Wi-Fi when you are on the move. It has an intuitive color display on an LCD screen. The LCD screen provides you with information on your data usage, allows you to monitor your mobiles signal strength and allows you to access your network management information. It gives you a chance to create your own secure WLAN and also allows you to share your network with others. Simply put, it replaces your DSL coverage at home and you are able to use it when you are travelling for business.

With the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 you are able to share your internet with a maximum of twenty Wi-Fi devices. This way you are able to remain productive simultaneously. It works pretty well on T-Mobile and AT & T networks. Also, it is an unlocked device that has been developed for 3G/4G LTE internet access all over the world and uses your provider’s SIM card. It comes with one USB port that gives you a chance to share storage for data. Apart from that, you are able to stream your media with your connected wireless devices. It has a rechargeable battery that works well for most of the day and it also allows you to charge other USB devices while you use it.

When you charge its battery, it is able to last for 6-10 hours of continuous streaming. Its maximum charging time is ten hours however you should not charge it beyond this because it may damage your battery. It does not come with a SIM card, so you would need to get in touch with your network provider to help you acquire a complimentary SIM card for your Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router.

What we liked;

• It has a decent battery life
• It is portable
• It has workable access controls
• It is a fast hotspot

What we didn’t like;

• It does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• Its LCD screen display is not touchscreen

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NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 Specifications

NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 Features

Design and Structure

The NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 has its size dimensions at 4.15 x 4.15 x 0.8 inches which makes it small and portable. You are able to slip it into your bag when you are on the move. However, you cannot slip into your pockets because it may be slightly big for that. It has a hard plastic material and it weighs about 0.24 kg which also adds to its portability. The bottom of this mobile router is cohesive and adherent to the surface that you would place it on which keeps it intact.

Aside from that, it has an LCD screen at the top which displays the SSID and password of your network, lets your know the load on your connection log and lets you know the amount of data your connected devices are using. The screen also shows the battery level of your router.

It is fitted with USB Type-A and Type-C ports which allow you to connect NAAS drives and media servers. The USB Type-C port is the one that you use to charge your NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router. It comes with TS-9 connectors which allow you connect external antennas to help strengthen your Wi-Fi signal. It has a micro SD card feature that supports different file systems such as the NTFS, FAT 16/32 and HFS.

Speed and Performance

The NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router is equipped with the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands. It operates on Telstra’s 4G LTE network and it has throughput speeds of up to 1 Gbps. This way you are able to access the web seamlessly, download content within a short period of time. With upload speeds of 150 Mbps, it also gives you a chance to upload content in the shortest time possible. Aside from that, this speedy router allows you to have lag free video and conference calls on Facetime, Zoom or even Skype.

Even better, the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router gives you a chance to create a media hub and you are able to steam different content to multiple devices at the same time. It is optimized with up to four times carrier aggregation and supports LAA in future firmware upgrades. It is further equipped with MU-MIMO technology that lets your devices receive multiple data streaming simultaneously. It supports IPV6 as well and works with a QUALCOMM MDM9X50 chipset for better network efficiency.

Security and Network Control

With NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 mobile hotspot router, you are able to securely share your network without having to worry much about an unsecured network connection. Yu are able to connect your hotspot router to the NETGEAR mobile app that lets you manage your router using your mobile device or tablet. However, you should acknowledge that the NETEGAR mobile app does not work with Air card USB modems.

On this app, you are able to track the data usage of your connected devices by month and session. Also, it allows you to check through the status of your Wi-Fi connection and the battery life of your NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router in real time before it goes off. Here, you are also able to view your connected Wi-Fi devices and turn off/on your hotspot. Aside from that, you can enable dual-band Wi-Fi based on your connection log. You can also view and play media files as you offload to Wi-Fi or Ethernet. This makes it very convenient to have this router.

Who is it best suited for?

If you are a frequent traveler or often work from malls and cafeterias, you should consider purchasing the NETEGAR Nighthawk MR1100 to avoid connectivity problems associated with public hotspots. Its portability allows you access Wi-Fi on the go.

Are there any alternatives to the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100?

Yes. The alternative hotspot mobile routers to the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR100 are theInseego SprintMiFi 8000 Mobile Hotspot which is best for Sprint users, Verizon Jetpack MiFi 880L which is suitable for Verizon users and the Alcatel LinkZone 2 which is ideal for T-Mobile users.

Verdict: Should you get the NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100?

Yes, you should. The NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router is promising of a fast and reliable network. It also has a decent battery life and its portability levels allow you to carry it around everywhere you go. However, you should always ensure to keep your connected devices closer to your mobile hotspot router so that you can get the most out of its Wi-Fi range coverage.

FAQs

Is it possible for me to access the WPS functionality when I’m setting up my NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100?

The LCD screen on your NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router display the Wi-Fi password and SSID. To access the WPS functionality you can log on to the web browser or turn off the wireless functionality on the NETGEAR app.

Will my NETGEAR Nighthawk MR1100 hotspot mobile router work on sprint brands?

No, it will not. It is a GSM only device so it may not work sprint brands.