Netgear Announces Three New Nighthawk Wi-Fi 7 Routers

Netgear has added three new Wi-Fi 7 routers to its Nighthawk range, an innovative line of fast routers designed for gamers and general home use. The three new standalone routers are the new RS600, RS500, and RS200. The sales pitch of Nighthawk routers is to deliver the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology combined with powerful Wi-Fi performance and secure connectivity for homes of all sizes.

Since the launch of Netgear’s first Wi-Fi 7 router—the Nighthawk RS700S—multi-gig internet speeds have been rolled out to more locations and at more affordable prices. Added to this is the advent of more smart home automation with IoT devices that require extremely low latency and higher throughput, there’s never been more demand for Wi-Fi that supports more devices and at higher speeds.

The new Wi-Fi 7 standard is 2.4x faster than Wi-Fi 6 and offers a performance boost that addresses the growing demands for fast connectivity in the home. This next-generation technology supports increased capacity across multiple connected smart home devices, providing faster speeds, near-zero latency and the ability to handle the demands of high-quality video streaming as well as advanced computing, including AI-driven applications and AR/VR experiences.

“Wi-Fi 7 represents a monumental leap forward in wireless technology, and adoption has quickly picked up momentum with more and more Wi-Fi 7 devices coming to market, including the recently announced iPhone 16,” said David Henry, president and GM of Connected Home Products and Services at Netgear.

“Netgear’s latest Nighthawk RS600, RS500, and RS200 routers give more households access to the connectivity benefits of Wi-Fi 7 while also delivering robust network security to protect their homes and digital lives.”

The new standalone Wi-Fi 7 routers join the Nighthawk RS700S and RS300 to deliver high speed, low latency and high-capacity wireless networking with robust router security.

Each router has a new and sleek case containing patented omnidirectional internal antennas that can push signals even further than previous generations, providing 360 degrees of coverage around the home. There is now a Nighthawk router to suit most homes depending on budget and whether the user has multi-gig internet speeds of 2.5 Gig or 10 Gig.

The Nighthawk app can be used to configure a wireless network for peak performance on priority devices. The network can be managed from anywhere, including pausing internet access, running internet speed tests, tracking internet data usage, setting up separate guest networks and more.

Although the advanced technologies being adopted by many families bring many benefits, they also come with an increased threat of cyber-attacks that could compromise privacy and security. Netgear says that home networks see an average of 10 attacks every 24 hours. In 2023, the highest number of IoT device vulnerabilities were mostly found in TV sets (34%), smart plugs (18%), digital video recorders (13%), and routers (12%).

To help protect networks and the data on them, innovative encryption protocols and advanced threat detection mechanisms have been developed. Netgear claims its routers can work as the first line of defense against evolving cyber threats by using security features such as automatic firmware updates, VPN support, WPA3 security, access control and guest Wi-Fi network options.

For added protection, the RS600, RS500, and RS200 all come with a 30-day trial of Netgear Armor Powered by Bitdefender, a service that provides an extra layer of security for connected devices and added privacy with VPN. Unlike traditional endpoint antivirus products, Armor is hard-baked into the router as a security solution that protects any devices connected to the network.

This approach virtually eliminates the need for multiple security subscriptions or security software. Backed by cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence, Armor provides real-time alerts when any threats are detected and then blocks them and provides customized recommendations to boost security and privacy.

Each router also comes with Netgear Smart Parental Controls to easily manage children’s time online on any connected device, promoting good online habits. Basic features are available free of charge with a subscription fee applying to the Premium Plan after a 30-day trial.

Pricing & Availability: The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS600, Nighthawk RS500, and Nighthawk RS200 are available now on netgear.com and at other major retailers. The RS600 router costs $499, the RS500 is $399 and RS200 provides entry-level Wi-Fi 7 at $229.