Netgear debuts WiFi 6E router

During this week's virtually-hosted CES 2021 show, Netgear introduced its Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band WiFi router. Billed as "the world’s first all-purpose WiFi 6E router," the new product promises to elevate the WiFi experience by providing speeds up to 10.8 Gbps, via "the new 6 Ghz band, free of interference and congestion."

According to Netgear's product announcement: 

A CES 2021 Innovations Award Honoree, the Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band WiFi router is designed to provide the fastest WiFi speed possible with higher-capacity, lower latency, and the latest WPA3 security. With cutting-edge technology, the new WiFi 6E router from Netgear expands WiFi for more capability, capacity, and experiences for a new world of uninterrupted connectivity while simultaneously conducting distance learning, video conferencing, and 4K/8K video streaming. With the new 6GHz band, this Nighthawk performance router delivers the faster speeds, smoother streaming, less interference, and improved latency for devices and WiFi-hungry applications for an overall enhanced experience.

“Our mission at Netgear is to provide products with cutting edge technologies to enable people to work, learn, stream and game more effectively in a connected world,” said David Henry, senior vice president of Connected Home Products for Netgear. “We are pleased to be recognized by the Consumer Technology Association for our commitment to this mission with the introduction of the industry’s first all-purpose WiFi 6E router. The Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band WiFi Router will capitalize on the available bandwidth afforded by the new 6Ghz channel, delivering an increase in speed and capacity that has never been experienced up until this moment.”

Per Netgear, a summary of the router's technical specifications is as follows:

• New 6GHz Band— "With up to 200% more available spectrum than dual-band (5GHz and 2.4GHz) WiFi alone."
• Ultra-Low Latency—"Very few devices on new 6GHz band means lower latency for gaming and real-time traffic."
• More High-Bandwidth WiFi Channels— "Blazing-fast speed and less interference with 3X more high-bandwidth 160MHz WiFi channels."
• 12-Streams Tri-Band WiFi— "Four streams of 6GHz, four streams of 5GHz, and four streams of 2.4GHz equates to more available bandwidth and less congestion for all devices on WiFi."
• WiFi 6E Optimized Powerful Processor— "Ideal for Gigabit Internet speeds, a 64-bit 1.8GHz quad-core processor ensures smooth 4K/8K UHD streaming and gaming."
• Multi-Gig Ethernet Port 2.5G— "2.5X the wired speed of a typical Gigabit port, to be used for LAN or Internet connectivity."
• Five (5) Gigabit Ethernet Ports— "Connect more wired devices for faster file transfer and uninterrupted connections. Aggregate two Gigabit LAN ports and two Gigabit WAN ports (configurable) concurrently."
• Pre-optimized Antennas— "Unfold and set antennas on the router; no further adjustment required. The Nighthawk RAXE500 antennas come pre-optimized for the best WiFi performance."
• Netgear Armor Cybersecurity for your Home— "Advanced cyberthreat protection for home networks and an unlimited number of connected devices." 
• Automatic firmware updates— "Latest security patches delivered to the router without the need for user intervention."

“The proliferation of Wi-Fi over the last few decades first stressed the 2.4 GHz band and then eventually the 5 GHz band with Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6,” asserts Phil Solis, research director at IDC. “As regulatory bodies around the world open up the 6 GHz band, Wi-Fi 6E networks will provide enabled devices with the breathing room to use large channels even in dense and congested areas with higher average data rates and lower latency.”

The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 Tri-band WiFi router includes a free 30-day trial of Netgear Armor cybersecurity service to protect the connected home from online threats. The router is currently planned to be available within the first quarter of 2021 from NETGEAR.com and other online resellers for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $599.99 USD.