Review: Netgear Rangemax Next DG834N router and notebook adapter

In the wait for the new and faster standard for wireless networking, different manufacturers have come up with their own, faster way to ditch wires.

The Netgear Rangemax Next router and wireless card promise a speed hike of nearly five times faster than 802.11g can manage.

The catch is that the router needs to be used with Netgear network adapters to give its best.

Installation was simple, with clearly marked sockets on the back of the router. One curious annoyance is that the router must be installed standing on its side rather than flat, so don't expect to install this router on the wall to save space.

Once connected, setting up the broadband connection is very simple, as the built-in wizard automatically detects all of the settings so that the only information required is the user name and password provided by an internet service provider.

The wireless security settings on the router are not enabled by default. At best, this can lead to the inconvenience of neighbours using your broadband connection but at worst this can be a real security risk. Thankfully all the main standards of security are supported.

The notebook adapter comes with its own software, although it is also possible to use the software that comes built-in to Windows. The Netgear software is good but is more complex than the Windows equivalent. We'd recommend sticking with the Windows default.

If you are willing to experiment with the settings, the router offers several ways to protect both the network and the users. Specific websites or text in web addresses can be blocked. Should anyone try to access a site with this text, a warning will appear on their screen and a note made in the router's log, so that parents or other users can view it later.

A useful bonus for anyone worried about hackers or people trying to access blocked sites is that the router can send an email to a pre-defined address, warning of these events. Whether this email will work will depend on the ISP. AOL, for instance, blocked our test emails as it thought they might be spam.

At over £100 this is quite a high price premium for better performance, so be sure that the extra speed is really necessary. 

Router £116
Notebook adapter £75

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