Netgear Tells Customer to Call Geek Squad -- WTF? Posted

Let\'s not kid ourselves, Best Buy\'s Geek Squad division isn\'t exactly a respected establishment in DIY circles, and referring someone to Geek Squad for tech support is like, well, does this even need an analogy? No offense to any of our readers who may work as a Geek Squad tech, but you know what they say about a few bad apples.

What\'s even worse -- and we thought unthinkable -- is when the manufacturer of one your computer parts suggests calling Geek Squad to diagnose your failing gear before they\'ll replace it. That\'s exactly what one user who wrote into The Consumerist claims happened when his Netgear DGN2200 wireless router with DSL modem went on the fritz.

\"Five calls to [Netgear\'s] tech department and it is still not working,\" the user claims. \"On the fifth and final call they suggested I call the Geek Squad (approximately $139 for them to come to our home) to troubleshoot it and if it proves the modem is bad they will send me a new unit at that time (which I only paid $79 to begin with).\"

It doesn\'t take a math whiz to figure out that\'s a bum deal. Assuming it all went down the way the user claims it did, let\'s hope this was an isolated incident.

Netgear Debuts First Powerline Wireless N Extender

Home networking is almost always a bitch. But Netgear's new (and first of its kind) wireless N and powerline networking combo might simplify the process, adding a high-throughput Wi-Fi bubble, riding along your home wiring, to any free electrical outlet.
Netgear says the AV 200 will extend your existing WiFi network—taking the wireless signal in one room, routing it through copper, and then rebroadcasting where needed—at speeds of up to 200 Mbps. Though, as with any powerline-dependent network, electrical interference might bring down speeds—so mind your torrents when you power on that vacuum cleaner, for instance. [Netgear]

Netgear's Universal Wi-Fi Internet Adapter Connects Consoles and TVs Alike

The Netgear Universal Wi-Fi Internet Adapter can connect anything with an ethernet port to your 802.11n network, be it an Xbox 360 or a TV. But so can many other devices on the market. What's better about this one?

Much like the Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter, Netgear's latest wireless N adapter is tiny, easily squeezing behind components in your home theater. Plus, it runs off USB power, meaning you don't need to ferret around to plug it in to a powerstrip.

Really, taking into account the convenience, the Universal Wi-Fi Internet Adapter might be the most cleverly designed Wi-Fi adapter since Microsoft's high-priced 360 dongle. And it works on anything with a USB and ethernet port, from your TV to your Blu-ray player, without special drivers.

Unfortunately, it's similar to Microsoft's dongle in more ways than one. This puppy will run $80 when it's around this May.

By the way, if you're just looking for a cheap way to connect the 360 to a Wi-Fi network, check out our feature on the matter here.

The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter (WNCE2001) for Home Theater Devices and Gaming Consoles
NETGEAR is also introducing the industry's first compact USB-powered Universal WiFi Internet Adapter (WNCE2001) that works with Internet TVs, game consoles and Blu-ray players. The first of its kind, the adapter is the only affordable solution in a small form factor that delivers optimal Wireless-N performance and works universally with any Ethernet-enabled CE device. This saves consumers from the confusion and expense of purchasing separate WiFi USB adapters for each CE device in their home theater.

The Universal WiFi Internet Adapter is powered by the USB port, avoiding the need for a long wire to the power outlet and making it more visually pleasing in the already congested home theater environment. With NETGEAR Push Connect technology and CD-less set-up, it is truly a plug and play experience.

Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing and impressions

by Darren Murph

Originally announced at CES this year, Netgear's 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router just recently started making its way into stores. Essentially, the MBR624GU enables your USB WWAN stick to become an internet source for multiple computers, handhelds or any other device that understands WiFi. You simply plug your USB WWAN modem into the rear of the unit (or into the bundled USB dongle), fire it up, and connect via WiFi or Ethernet. Sounds good in theory, right? Follow us past the break for a few impressions on how this admittedly promising device performed in the real world.

Gallery: Netgear 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router unboxing

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Frankly, there isn't a whole lot to say for Netgear's WWAN router, and that's a good thing. Cradlepoint is largely credited with starting this fad, but with devices like the MiFi making themselves known, the demand for these boxes is sure to slow. For folks who already own a USB WWAN stick -- or would rather more than five simultaneous users have access to their connection -- it's hard to go wrong with the MBR624GU.

By and large, the unit looks exactly like the rest of Netgear's routers. It's compact, lightweight and ought to travel well. Speaking of, Netgear assures us that a cigarette adapter is on the horizon, but for now, your best bet for using this whilst cruising is to snag a power inverter and use the conventional AC adapter. We used an admittedly overpowered 350W DC to AC Power Inverter from Radio Shack to power the router and our laptop in the car, and we never had any issues maintaining a connection on the go.

Setup was an absolute breeze. We simply plugged in our Sprint U727 EV-DO USB modem, nailed the "on" button, and within seconds a connection was live. The first time you connect via WiFi (at least through a PC), you'll be prompted to establish a router name, password, etc., and a few minutes later you're locked in and ready to roll. As for speed, you won't see a boost by using this over a direct USB connection, but it's the flexibility here that sells it. We connected three laptops and two phones at once, and while simultaneously downloading was obviously sluggish, it worked.

In the end, there's little else to say other than the device simply functions as it's supposed to. Connections are easy to establish and maintain, and there are even a foursome of Ethernet sockets for those who'd prefer to jack in directly. There's also a dedicated WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button and a power on / off button that enables you to keep it plugged in but powered down when it's not needed. Our only real gripe is the omission of a WAN Ethernet jack, which would theoretically allow the device to double as a standard WLAN router. As it stands, you'll only be distributing WWAN signals over this, and unless you're locked into a USB stick for the better part of two years, the $100 asking price might be a bit much. 'Course, we'd probably feel differently if the MiFi didn't exist or if this thing had some sort of dual purpose, but as it stands, you'll need an awfully compelling reason to drop a Benjamin here in order to distribute your WWAN signals.

.http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/netgear-3g-mobile-broadband-wireless-router-unboxing-and-impress/.