Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNR3500

Setup and management of the Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNR3500 router ($119.99 direct) is easy enough for networking neophytes to handle. And advanced features, such as its wireless repeating capability (which extends the reach of your Wi-Fi network) could make it attractive to experts looking for a good deal for a small business. But while this 2.4-GHz router's features sound good, digging a little deeper reveals unimpressive performance and an interface that needs work (especially where it concerns security).

Setup

The WNR3500 has a distinctive, black lacquered 8.9-inch-high case, and blue LEDs illuminating both sides of the panel make the device reasonably attractive. On the clearly marked front panel, numbered, multicolor LEDs indicate which ports are connected. Lights for Wi-Fi and WPS encryption are also nicely displayed. The device is a bit large, though, for hardware meant to reside in a home.

The router has four Gigabit Ethernet ports, eight internal antennas, and two control buttons—one in front, the other in back. The first turns on WPS encryption automatically, the second enables the (useless but attractive) antenna lights. Because the WNR3500's antennas are embedded—that is, hidden in the case—there's no way to adjust them, so finding a good location for the box is important. Leaning it on a wall or blocking its sides will likely reduce performance.

Netgear hasn't modified its setup process for as long as I can remember, and I can understand why: It just works. The smart wizard walks you through all the steps needed to get you started with a minimum of fuss. At the end of the process, the wizard prompts you for a username and password. Forcing you to choose a password is a good security practice—too many people leave the default. Unfortunately, first you have to find the default password, which is in the setup manual on the CD. Netgear might want to rethink this unnecessary complexity.

The WNR3500 uses Netgear's familiar user interface, and the layout has remained largely unchanged since the company entered the Wi-Fi router market. While the setup process hasn't needed to evolve, the interface should have—it dates from a time when people were less concerned about wireless intrusions, so, for example, you'll find no dedicated security section. Instead, protection features are scattered throughout the UI. Wi-Fi security and filtering settings live in the workspace panel, but the access-control button sits in the advanced wireless settings pane

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