Netgear Router Vs Belkin Router- Which router performs better
The primary function of a router is to connect multiple networks and forward packets that are either destined for its networks or others. The forwarding decision is usually based on the information on the layer 3 IP packet.
Your router needs are the primary reason for settling with a specific router brand and series. So, after setting up my home office, I had to get a reliable and budget-friendly router for the long haul. To which end, I had two brands in mind, and these were the Netgear and Belkin routers. Both of the above-mentioned routers are high performers and come integrated with advanced features.
The below excerpt will therefore, dig into the different functions of both the routers and find out, which one has the best functionality options thus reliable for a busy business environment.
What are the differences between the Netgear Routers and the Belkin Routers?
Model |
Netgear Routers (Winner) |
Belkin Routers |
Speed |
450mbps upload speeds
1300mbps download speeds |
300mbps at 2.4GHz
300mbps at 5GHz |
Coverage range |
1500sq ft accommodates 24 devices |
Covers 30ft and accommodate four devices only |
Dimensions |
11.22 x 7.20 x 2.44 (Bigger) |
10.38 x 3.00 x 9.00 (Smaller) |
Wireless communication standard |
802.11ac |
802.11bgn |
Netgear routers vs the Belkin Routers- How do they compare?
Speeds
To effectively utilize your router speeds, you first have to ensure that it matches with your ISP speeds if you invest in a router that offers high upload and download speeds and you get a package that doesn’t match to that speed then your router will perform just as slow as the package that you are subscribed to. The Netgear router therefore, will furnish you with up to 1300mbps for the uploading tasks in your network and 450mbps for the download tasks.
Most routers normally feature high download speeds because many people carry out more downloading tasks than they upload. You will therefore, find them downloading music, movies, and games, uploading tasks are rarely carried unless the router is being utilized in an office environment.
The Belkin router therefore, offers high networking speeds at 300mbps for both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, but cannot compare to the high performing Netgear router that offers high download speeds at 1300mbps and high upload speeds of 450mbps.
You must have noticed that there is a big difference between the speeds offered by Netgear and Belkin, now the reason as to why we consider them as high is because the FCC recommends that a router should at least offer download speeds of 25mbps and 3 Mbps upload speeds. Concerning the above, you will proceed to get a router with regard to the number of users and the online activities that are to be engaged.
Performance
About performance the Netgear R6700 router can accommodate at least 25 devices while covering up to 1500sq. ft. The Belkin on the other hand can comfortably accommodate 4 networking devices while only covering 30 feet. If you therefore, want a router that you can use in an office or a business setting then the Netgear should suffice, because of its large capacity. The Belkin router can therefore, be adopted for home use as it doesn’t offer extensive coverage and accommodates few devices.
The Netgear router utilizes the 802.11ac wireless communication standard which is backward compatible with 802.11b,g, and n, meaning that it can use the interfaces and data from the above-mentioned versions or other systems. Ac Wi-Fi is therefore, much faster, and offers long-range speeds thus makes the Netgear router better than the Belkin, because it still features the traditional standards.
Important to note however, is that the 802.11ac Wi-Fi will not exceed the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard communication speeds because the latter uses both the 2.4 GHz and the 5GHz frequencies, while the former only uses the 5GHz frequency.
Design
The Netgear router features a rather bulky design when compared to the Belkin router, the latter has a small oval like structure, while the former is big flat and features external antennas. Deployment of the Netgear router might be a head-scratcher because of the external antennas, you can however be sure of the router not experiencing problems because of overheating because the sides feature a ventilation detail.
For external connections the Netgear router offers four high-speed Ethernet ports, one WAN port, and a 3.0 USB port at the front part. The latter enables the Netgear router faster data transfer speeds of up to 5.0 gigabits per second thus making the USB 3.0, 10 times faster than the USB 2.0, which then makes it a better option when compared to the Belkin. With its oval shape the Belkin N600 wireless dual-band router has integrated about four Ethernet ports at the back of the router complete with one WAN port for your other external connections.
Netgear vs Belkin routers- A comparison overview
Netgear routers Overview
NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700)
- Maximum Range : 1500 Sq Ft
- Recommended for up to 25 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
Netgear routers mostly feature the latest technology in the industry and this particular unit has been configured to be able to integrate with the smart home systems such as the Amazon’s Alexa, The router also offers extensive coverage at 1500sq ft. and is fully loaded with advanced technology such as the Dynamic QoS, and the smart connect among others.
NETGEAR Nighthawk X4S Smart WiFi Router (R7800)
- Fast wifi performance: Get up to 2500 square feet wireless coverage with AC2600 speed (Dual band up to...
- Recommended for up to 45 devices: Reliably stream videos, play games, surf the internet, and connect...
The R7800 is also an advanced router that will provide you with dual-band speeds of up to 800mbps + 1733mbps, meaning that the unit can comfortably cater to the bandwidth-intensive applications. Apart from the wide coverage at 2500sq. ft. the router also accommodates 45 devices making it a good option for a business setting.
Connectivity on this router has been enhanced by the incorporated four networking routers and the innovative technology features that have been integrated to enhance the performance of the router, such as the Dynamic Qos and MU MIMO technology.
What we like
· Equipped with advanced applications such as the Geo filter and the Qos
· Most of the units work with Amazon Alexa
· Offers high upload and download speeds
What we don’t like
· Have unstable connections occasionally
· Problems with a firmware fix
Belkin router
Belkin AC1200 Dual-Band AC Wireless Router (F9K1123)
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The Belkin Ac1200 is a dual-band router thus offers high networking speeds for multiple devices, the unit offers varied alternatives when it comes to usage thus it is backward compatible with the wireless G and N., What’s more, is that the setup process is easy and direct via your tablet and smartphone or with your computer via the smart app.
Belkin AC1600 Dual-Band AC Gigabit Wi-Fi Router (F9K1119)
- Optimized AC Wi Fi performance for fast, reliable downloading and streaming to your devices
- Dual band speeds of up to 1600 Mbps 300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) + 1.3 Gbps (5 GHz)
The Belkin Ac1600 has been optimized for fast and reliable Wi-Fi speeds, the unit will therefore, furnish you with up to 1600mbps at 2.4GHz and 300mbps at 5GHz. Setting up the unit is pretty easy and parents have been provided with a parental control option powered by Norton.
What we like
· Incorporated intellistream prioritizes video
· Wi-Fi coverage has been expanded by the multi-beam technology
· The units are compatible with older devices
What we don’t like
· Software not very convenient
· Firm ware updates not very effective
Conclusion
Routers are configured for different applications, so while others will offer wide coverage, some are for small applications or home use. Besides the functionality features of a router will also match the prices, therefore, the ones equipped with many advanced features will be a bit costly while the one with few features will be fairly priced
Verdict; so which is the better router? The Netgear or the Belkin router
The Netgear router turns out to be the better option because it has been equipped with the latest Wi-Fi communication standard that enhances the routers performance, can accommodate up to 24 networking devices while offering expansive coverage at 1500sq ft. The router has also been equipped with high upload and download speeds meaning users can engage the bandwidth intensive applications with low latency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it important to have the latest Netgear firmware updates
Yes, it is important to have the latest Netgear firmware update because it will make the router more stable, functional and offers high performance?
What speed will my Belkin router reach when I connect the wireless G and the wireless N devices?
The maximum link speed that you should expect is 54mbps.
