Actually, this is a tale of FOUR (4) different routers.
Two of these four are VERY old style routers (an old [very old] NetGear AC1600 [R6250] and a Apple Extreme [AC] router [see below], which I "retired" to a NetGear AC3200/R8000 [the third] then, lastly, to the MOST RECENT NetGear AC5300/R8500 [the forth].
Here is the 1st part (the 2nd/3rd part, to follow):
I must admit, that the NetGear guys/company always seems to AMAZE (when you see my 2nd/3rd part of this [below] then you'll know what I'm talking about).
But, let me give you a [quick] preview (of 3 & 4):
> I had the older model (a year or so ago), the AC3200/R8000 - and I must say, it was FAST, but....it had a few "Flaws" (see below).
BUT, the [newer] AC5300/R8500 model performed ABOVE (and BEYOND) the older model. -- It seems like the NetGear guys/Corp there Are INDEED listening!!! - cause they FIXED ALL the main problems/issues that I had with the AC3200.
Specifically, the AC5300 now works FLAWLESSLY with the USB3 (my Drobo, external), and "wakes-up" 100 times faster than the older model, and doesn't lose the connection most of the time when I put it into sleep mode! (This last one was the best, and most important, for me).
So read my two (2nd/3rd) reviews below if you wish. But I can sum it up by saying that I am VERY much [now] pleased with the newer model, and can wholeheartedly recommend the newer AC5300/R8500, or as I stated it (below) the [former] "Ugly Duckling" is NOW a full-fledged SUPER Swan!! ---- Yes, it is a LOT more expensive (than others, and the older model), but it IS WORTH IT - 99.9% ;-) -- Enjoy!
OK, this is now the 2nd part of this:
The "older" story is a tale of a “UGLY duckling” turning into a Beautiful Swan.
That duckling was a NetGear AC1600 [R6250], and the Swan a R8000/AC3200.
When I initially purchased a NetGear product, a few years ago – [see my old review, below] I reviewed it as the BAD piece-of-CRAP due to its vast limitations, as compared to the Apple Airport Extreme (that worked flawlessly).
The NetGear AC1600 was slow, buggy, hard to configure, and didn’t live up fully to its advertised promises or expectations (as an example, it didn’t connect well with my USB device, connect with other network devices, nor stream video content well).
NETGEAR HAS NOW REDEEMED THEMSELVES with this most recent router product (R8000/AC3200).
I cannot say enough good things about the R8000/AC3200, which has completely BLOWN away ALL the prior NetGear routers flaws or shortcomings.
The most MAJOR shortcoming with the prior router was that it didn’t connect properly with my external USB device (specifically, my Drobo 5D).
The NetGear R8000 [now] connects with the Drobo FLAWLESSLY, with its ReadyShare protocol - and even connects very easily with ALL my network shares. As an example, the R8000 connects to my KDLINKS media box (
kdLinks HD680 Extreme Network 1080P HD Media Player w/ Realtek 1185 & Built-In Wifi
), so that I can [now] “see” ALL of my DVD movie collection (on my Drobo). – and streams different movies, to DIFFERENT wireless devices, at the SAME time!! (HOW FREAKEN AWESOME IS THAT!!!).
IT EVEN ALLOWS ME TO DO FLAWLESS APPLE "TIME-MACHINE" BACK-UPS (I almost pee-ed in my pants over this one!! - LOL ;-)
The only [minor] negative or issue I’ve had with the R8000 is that it [sometimes] take a LONG time to “wake-up” (about anywhere from 5 to 20 seconds). The share also either doesn’t show up automatically, or takes a LONG time to do so [as it did [more instantly] with my [prior] Apple Airport Extreme]. I don’t know if this is because of some “sleep” mode within the router itself, or, cause it is waiting for the Drobo to wake up. I fixed this [somewhat] by my making a shared shortcut [with the IP address] on my desktop – this seems to make the old connection issues less of a hassle.
It also doesn’t connect well to the USB3 of the Drobo (will only do so with the USB2), but it doesn’t seem to matter much, and streaming speed is sufficient to be smooth, with no lag (I’m HAPPY ;-)
UPDATE (11/13/2015): I FOUND OUT how to get the USB3 working!!! (WOW!) - Apparently, the USB3 on the router is not "powerful" enough to be driven by the Drobo External drive (by itself) so it needs to have a USB [Booster] Hub (this one worked best
Plugable 7-Port USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Hub with 25W Power Adapter and Two Ports with BC 1.2 Charging Support for Android, Apple iOS, and Windows Mobile Devices
) - Use this if you want to have it see your Drobo - as an EXTRA treat, if you connect ANY USB device to the Hub, the ROUTER WILL SEE IT AS WELL!! (again, WOW!!), I never knew the R8000 is/was able to see "multiple" USB drives - But it DOES!!!!
It also didn’t work well after updating to the most recent firmware (it was slow, buggy, and video streaming no longer smooth) – but it was GREAT that I could “downgrade” to the older firmware, and it worked fine, again.
Anyway, this is all [again] minor, and I can say (without a doubt) that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new NetGear R8000/AC3200 router – so much so, that I got RID of my Airport Extreme router, as of yesterday!!! (APPLE – YOUR STUFF IS NOW CRAP!! [Still, with no USB3, or “true” universal file structure sharing]).
Lastly, the R8000 is a bit more extensive, but with ALL the things this thing now does (with Tri-Band connectivity, and better sharing) – it's WORTH IT!
So GOOD JOB NetGear!!! – THIS time, you hit a HOME RUN!!! (This is an example of a company that LISTENS to customers, and IMPROVES on their products [fix that wake up delay, and the share [auto] connection - and you will be PERFECT!!)
Update (11/10/2015 - First Contact): Just an FYI - Just tried NETGEAR " tech support " - IT WAS TERRIBLE!!!!!!! - 1) The automated system could not understand my speech, so kept on making the mistake of hearing "Z" (Versus "C" --- do we Pittsburgh people have THAT BAD of an accent?!?, 2) Then when I did reach a "person" (it was someone from INDIA [can you say "Outsourcing?!?] - so I could BARELY understand what they were saying (plus, voice muffled). - THEN the ONLY thing they could recommend, was the tech "basic" SLASH and GASH (Reset, ReFlash, Reboot, and the like). If you have had read earlier you can see I already tried to update the firmware (it got WORST). So I will just "deal" with its minor foibles ;-)
************ OLD REVIEW *************
Title - From Apple (Airport Extreme [AE]) ...to NetGear (R6250) ...BACK To Apple...
Disclaimer: If you are Fan of Apple products then this review is for you (if you are NOT a Apple person then PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW [As you will obviously not agree, and be pissed! - so move on! (Seriously!)]).
So let me give you the highlights of my little "experiment" - I initially had the recent Apple Airport Extreme [AE] (Model ME918LL/A -
Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (ME918LL/A)
), which is Apples "AC" version.
I was (and am) PISSED at Apple, for not having the most recent USB (Version 3) technology on their stuff, so I looked at the R6250 as a possible substitution for the AE (besides the fact that the AE, and ALL Apple products cost THROUGH-THE-MOON! (as compared with other products/vendors) -
But.....Apple has also been known for its infamous "plug-n-play" (that has ALWAYS been better than Windows - I don't care what ANYone says - it's STILL superior, to this day!)
Anyway, I was willing to try out this product (NetGear R6250) to see if it would/could truly surpass the AE.
Overall, everything mostly worked with the R6250 except for one major thing - The USB drive.
You see, I have a Drobo 5D as my back-up and archive - which has always worked with present, and past Apple (AE, etc) products, so a "replacement" would HAVE to work [with the Drobo], in order to replace the AE.
In a word, it DIDN'T!
The R6250 "saw" the Drobo, but did not let me fully ACCESS it!
Now I know what many of you guys [Geeks] and saying out there - "Well, why didn't you contact tech support," or "Update the Drivers," or something else "Techy."
I didn't do this - and the reason why is "time" (as in, I don't want to WASTE my time, trying to make this thing work [with its "SMB" windows sharing protocol, using paths [//], or some other Mumbo Jumbo) - All I wanted this thing to do WAS "WORK" 100% (and it did not, in a simple [Apple] way)...
....So with that, I'm BACK, with Apple [AE], cause....It Just WORKS!!!
(and for anyone else out there reading this...., pulling out your hair, trying to get this to work - I would STRONGLY suggest that you DROP this R6250 JUNK and go pay a little more, for TRUE plug & play, and get an Apple AE [Airport Extreme] - cause it WILL work!!!).
((( Again, especially if you have a DROBO drive )))
Yes, I'm still pissed about the no USB3, and paying [A LOT] more, but WORKING is the best reward in this "game" of technology - Ciao ;-)
| Wireless Type | 802.11ac |
|---|---|
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
| Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 1 |
