Netgear AC1750 Review

As gaming and streaming are an integral part of how the internet is being used these days, the Netgear AC1750 is considered being the best suitable smart WiFi router available. We took it to the test.

Here is our Netgear AC1750 review

Over the past 20 odd years American Netgear Inc. has slowly but consistently been building on its reputation of being a supplier of reliable, high-tech connectivity solutions. Netgear uses various proven technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline to deliver easy to use products and unrivalled gaming and viewing experiences.

The Netgear AC1750: the new kind on the block

The Netgear AC1750 is the latest router Netgear delivered. We were challenged to write a Netgear AC1750 review, which we do wholeheartedly after testing it for a week.

The AC1750 router is perfectly suitable for gaming and streaming. Its powerful dual core processor allows for speeds up to 450+1300 Mb per second. Netgear claims this is the fastest WiFi speed currently available worldwide. Thanks to the technical capabilities of the Netgear AC1750 router, gaming characters no longer freeze and players can enjoy lag-free gaming. The router delivers its best in 11AC speed and performance.

Technical features

The router works the 2.4 and 5 GHz band simultaneously. High powered amplifiers and antennas contribute to providing WiFi for a range that exceeds those of any router currently available: 12 devices can be connected to the router simultaneously. Its top speed is measured at 1750 megabits per second. This also makes the Netgear AC1750 router the perfect solution to enjoy unlimited streaming in HD. The router has a 128 MB flash and 256 MB RAM memory. Features like downstream QoS, Beamforming+ to boost speed and reliability and a built-in iTunes server enable the router to provide uninterrupted streaming. The router also prioritizes bandwidth for streaming videos and music.

The AC1750 has five Ethernet, 1 WAN and 4 LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports. It also comes with 1 USB 3.0 port to allow you accessing media that is stored externally.

Completely secure

Users can rest assured that the Netgear AC1750 is safe to use. Free automatic backup software for Windows PC and Time Machine, compatible for Apple Macs, guarantee no data will get lost. The system is supported via VPN, allowing for secure remote access. The Netgear AC1750 is protected by a double firewall and DoS attack prevention systems.

Diehard technicians eager to convert the router into a personal FTP server can use the customized free URL to set up such server. They can also establish a separate and secure guest network access. An airtime fairness feature prevents a network lag when slower devices are connected.

Netgear AC1750 Best use

Answering the question; ‘what is the best use for the Netgear AC1750?’ turned out to be a bit more of challenge. The router allows for connecting up to 12 different devices simultaneously. That makes it perfectly suitable for connecting an average household or even small offices. Personally, I would advise to use it exclusively in a domestic environment, unless you are a really small business. Using the Netgear AC1750 at home will perfect suit your needs and allow for playing online games or streaming movies while somebody else’ surfs the web. It can become a bit more of a challenge when all this is attempted in a business environment. Especially when several people are connected, reliability is key. Having multiple people testing the Netgear AC1750 capabilities to the limit, might result in a drop of connectivity or inability to deliver. Few companies have the patience or can afford such drop in quality these days.

Small package - Netgear Nighthawk AC1750

Although the Netgear AC1750 router is a powerful machine, its dimensions and weight make it very modest. Its modesty is supported by its appearance. The Netgear AC1750 is only available in black. The unit measures 285 x 184.5 x 50 mm and only weighs 750g. However, the dimensions are clearly not a reflection of the power that is packed and stored within. Its modest appearance will, nevertheless, certainly be appreciated over the large units Netgear routers previously would compete with.

Netgear AC1750 Cons

Although the old saying goes that one ‘should never judge a book by its cover’, it is impossible to deny that its small and modest appearance actually works against the Netgear AC1750. It simply is impossible to understand or believe how this device is capable of delivering, but reality is that it does. Some would call it a bulky machine but compared to other routers available on the market, I must admit that I believe the unit is rather slim.

Something that Netgear has to consider is, however, the parental controls parents can set. Netgear calls it the Netgear Genie app but truth of the matter is that it takes more than softly rubbing the machine before the genie becomes active. When the controls are set correctly, it should be possible to restrict or limit the access to the internet or certain internet content. The current problem with the Netgear AC1750 is that the ease of setting these restrictions is a far cry from the ease with which the device is set-up and connected.

Netgear AC1750 Pros

Apart from the ease with which the Netgear AC1750 is set-up, particularly the speed and signal strength of the Netgear AC1750 have to be acknowledged. With the AC1750 Netgear has truly delivered a router that outdoes every competitor in terms of speed and signal strength. Netgear is also hailed for the range it provides; from 2g all the way up to 5g.

To be challenged to write a Netgear AC1750 review was, in fact, far from being a challenge; it was more an experience. We were allowed to test the Netgear AC1750 for only one week. As the unit is truly a plug-and-play solution we managed to start testing it immediately, much to the dismay of the occupants in the office next door. Hearing people playing games, watching movies and streaming audio, all at the same time can be upsetting when you are tasked to do an audit and crunch some numbers. We were pleased that we were tasked to audit the Netgear AC1750 and we enjoyed it every single minute.

Pros

Cons