NETGEAR WGT624 Super-G Wireless Router Reviews

• No Issues - Great router

  
  By A2L90RS4B7YLLS on 2004-08-30
  I bought this router to replace a Netgear MR814 v1 that I outgrew.
  
  Right out of the box, this router worked without changing any settings at all! I turned off all pc's and my cable modem, connected the router, turned on my cable modem, then the router, then the pc's. Everything worked like a champ.
  
  Next I went into the web interface (which you can get to by opening Internet Explorer and typing 192.168.0.1 into the address bar, then type in the user and password) to setup the security settings. I was very impressed to see all of the latest security features included. Probably the one feature that I like the best was the auto firmware upgrade feature. The firmware of the router is what tells the router how to work. New versions of firmware can fix problems as well as give you new features. On many other routers the process of upgrading the firmware can be quite difficult for "normal" people that aren't techies. With this router, you just click "Firmware Upgrade" and it will go out to netgear, find new firmware if available, and install it all automatically for you. Great feature.
  
  Range was also a big deal for me as the house it was being installed in was a split 3 level house with the router being in the 2nd floor. I never used to be able to go outside at all with my old router and the signal in the bottom floor was always very weak. This router lets me have full coverage throughout the house and venture off into my backyard to the edge of my property! Amazing improvement. I am using the Netgear WGT511 card in one laptop, the 802.11b pci card in a desktop downstairs, and a wired card in a desktop upstairs, all with no problems at all.
  
  

• Easy setup, poor quality

  
  By AIPXIMXWYAS0N on 2005-05-01
  A month ago I bought the Netgear WGT624 Version 2 wireless "Super G" router, on the basis that it was affordable and that Netgear had always given me good service. Having professionally installed networks in the past, I have always been happy with Netgear's commercial products and was expecting this one to be the same quality. The router was super easy to install and set up, their setup wizard was great, and when it worked, the router was blazing fast. I only got to use the cable connections, never got time to setup a wireless connection. As other reviewers have said, it was setup and running within five minutes of plugging it in.
  
  ***CAVEAT*** - It worked GREAT for two days, then began to randomly drop the LAN connections, resulting in the dreaded "Network Cable Unplugged" message (search for "netgear wgt624 network cable unplugged" or search Netgear's forums for pages of similar complaints with no resolutions). This got worse, beginning at a few times per day, finally getting down to every few minutes - it now only worked a few times per day! After a week of swapping NIC's, cables, and confirming settings, I finally broke down and e-mailed Netgear tech support - who was kind enough to reply after two days with the same things I had already tried (confirm settings, hardware reset, update firmware, etc.), and a request for more detailed system info if the problem persisted. Even with the most current firmware release, it would not work reliably - so I sent them back every detail they had requested but got no response after a week.
  
  When I finally called them, I got their tech support department in India who confirmed that I was eligible for free tech support (they only offer it for 90 days from purchase, then you have to pay) and then began to go over the e-mails we'd swapped. After 10 minutes with no luck, he suggested that I try the Beta version of the firmware release, AND that this beta version would void my Netgear warranty. After making this suggestion, he said goodbye and hung up in the middle of the conversation. When I immediately called back to India, I got a different tech and was told that I was already out of the 90 day free tech support period (I bought the router a month ago mind you) and that I would have to pay for any support or to get the router replaced under the warranty. After some argument, he finally agreed to help me, but found that the router was indeed defective - and pointed out that there is a known problem with these particular models and he could not guarantee that a replacement would work any better.
  
  In order to get the router replaced under the warranty, I would have had to fax or mail my receipt to India (not a toll free #), and wait a week for them to confirm that my Router was within the warranty. After this was done, I would have to call them back and PAY for the "Extended Tech Support," since their computer showed that my router was out of the 90 day free support period (again, it was only a month old). If this return call to tech support proved that my router was defective, I would then get an RMA and have to either ship the defective router to India at my expense and wait three weeks for them to ship a refurbished replacement unit back, or pay them $30 to have a replacement shipped to me first, then ship the defective unit back to them at my expense.
  
  ***SOLUTION*** - I returned the router and bought another brand. In searching the Internet, I found that the equivalent D-Link model (the DI-624) has strikingly similar problems so I bought a Linksys and have been happy thus far. I agree with the reviews that the Linksys is not quite as foolproof to set up, but it's worked great for two days now. We'll see.
  
  

• Good Super G Router

  
  By on 2004-05-08
  I bought Netgear WGT624 Super G from Amazon for $85-$25 rebate and the corresponding WG511T from Best Buy for $89-$40 rebate.
  Actually, I like Linksys because it is reliable. So, I bought Linksys WRT54G first from Fry's, but they sent me an old version of WRT54G which was reviewed having a lot of problems. I returned Linksys and bought Netgear because it says it can go up to 108 Mbit and it is cheaper than Linksys. Hopefully, they really send me the rebate.
  Installation to replace my old wired Linksys router was relatively easy (with Comcast and RCA modem). However, for some reasons, I can not make my laptop to work at 108 Mbps. The fastest it can go is 54 Mbps. This is after firmware refresh (both the router and the card) and using channel 6.
  I can not say that the signal is great, since from about 10 feets distance in the same house, the speed drops to 24-36Mbps.
  I have not try with 11 mbps b card, so I can't say anything about this.
  Few things to remember when installing the router:
  1. Do not rush opening the box. You need to check if the router you have is firmware upgradable. Netgear was reviewed to have some rotten apple in their batch that do not allow firmware upgrade. Go to their web site: http://kbserver.netgear.com/support_details.asp?dnldID=592
  and enter the serial number of the product to see if the one you have is firmware upgradable. If not, you should return it.
  2. You want WGT624G version 2 or later. This later version uses a better chip set. However, I think there is no way of finding the version without opening the box. I order from Amazon because according to reviews Amazon ships version 2; although mine has a low serial number.
  3. They have a URL that describes the setup for various ISP: http://www.netgear-support.com/ts/doc/ispguide.htm.
  It would be a good idea to check it before installing.

  I rate this as a good product althought I am not quite satisfied since I can not make it to work up to 108Mbps as advertised.
  -- bens
  
  

• no complaints - Toshiba Satellite match in heaven

  
  By A1KD8NJPZ01R37 on 2004-02-03
  It's fast, easy to set-up and fun to sit on the couch and browse. For two or more people living under one roof with lap-tops, it definitely makes sense. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner.

  For those of you not router savvy (myself included), connect the computer you intend to be wireless through the router FIRST with a hardline, make an internet connection and THEN make a wireless connection. You may have to adjust settings in (XP) control panel. ...
  
  

• Performance problems with SPI?

  
  By A3LYVA77EVMAPA on 2003-10-28
  That's my observation. Ever since I installed this as a replacement for my D-Link DI-764, I noticed a drop in performance - downloading web pages and such. I thought it might just be some slowness to my cable provider but the problem persisted - Upon tinkering, I noticed that performance went from 1300-1700 to 2600-2900 Kbps when I disabled the router's Stateful Packet Inspection. That's a pretty big performance hit for SPI (in my book). Other than that, it's delightful and the wireless works great, can't use 108 much since it only works on channel 6 and my neighbor laid claim to channel 6 a long time ago.
  
  
• WGT624 802.11G - 108Mbps mode works well, but...
  By A1F7PQ2F58AGC6 on 2003-10-24
  I purchased this product after Netgear posted its long-promised 2.0 firmware for the WAG511 card, finally giving it 108Mbps support.

  The good:
  The product works as advertised; Turbo G mode gives me excellent speeds even at a modest distance from the router.

  The not so perfect:
  Netgear's Turbo mode support is incompatible with b/g mode. You can either set the router to b/g mode (max 54Mbps) or you can set it to 108 mode (any wireless device that does not support 108 mode will not see the router). By comparison, on October 13 2003 competitor D-Link announced firmware upgrades to add "Dynamic Mode" to their products, supporting 108Mbps mixed with b/g mode. Netgear's website states: "A firmware upgrade will be available allowing mix mode (802.11g and 108Mbps turbo) operation in the near future," so hopefully Netgear will match D-Link's features soon.

  Also, there is no way to disable NAT on the WGT624 with the current firmware (rev 1.1.1). This annoys me, as I really just wanted a Wireless Access Point, but Netgear has no WAP with 108Mbps support, and 108Mbps support is why I bought the WGT624.

  **Update**: I wrote the above originally on October 23 2003. In January 2004, Netgear finally provided mixed mode support across all versions of the original WGT624 (apparently different firmware is required for different serial numbers). Also, there is now a newer version of the hardware, dubbed the WGT624v2. Newer firmware for the WGT624v2 allegedly improves SPI performance if you use it (I don't). No hardware upgrades are available if you have the original WGT624. Unfortunately, Amazon.com doesn't have a separate ASIN for the v2 model so it is difficult to tell if you will receive an original WGT624 or a v2 when you purchase on Amazon.com.
  
  

• Good...but not without problems
  By A9WKY8SA8DUN4 on 2004-07-01
  I purchased my WGT624 v2 from amazon.com. As soon as I pulled it out of the box it was constantly rebooting (dropping me off the internet both wired and wireless). I was able to fix it though and I will tell you how and what happened. When I had this problem out of the box, I called for netgears free 90 day support. They were horrible! They answered the phone without a long wait, but they knew very little about this product. They gave me an RMA and I received the new router. Unpakced the replacement and same problem. Updated firmward to latest, and followed all the troubleshooting on the netgear site and I still coudln't fix it. Just when I was ready to return it to amazon I found out how to fix the problem. There is a setting on the router for preamable and it is set to auto by default. Auto is supposed to detect if the card(s) support short preamable (short is usually only useful when there is a lot of interference from other wireless devices in and around the home and most cards don't even support it). I changed the setting from auto to long and that fixed the reboot problems. I have gone around to as many forums as possible to try and post the solution so that others can cure themselves of this problem. It works great now that I found out what the problem was. This is not a router for a novice computer user. If you are a novice I suggest you get a linksys product. This netgear has a lot of features for the price though, and this is just a stupid problem with the firmware.

  Hrd2k
  
  

• Good Range, Good Speed, Better than Linksys G
  By A39M1VLKHWD3EO on 2003-12-19
  I have set up Linksys and the Microsoft Router and this was by far the easiest. For the main PC, I pluged in the router to the pc and the cable modem then turned on the pc. It was instantly connected. I did not install any software. For the laptop using the Netgear 108Mbps card, I installed the software then pluged in the card and was on the internet in less than 2 minutes.

  Comparing to the Linksys I own, I am able to go further in the house using Netgear's own 108Mpbs setting. You have to have their card to get to the 108 otherwise it will go to regular 56Mps.

  The web browser interface is easier to understand than Linksys and seems better for someone who is trying this out for the first time. I set up a Microsoft for my brother and that was a pain for some reason.

  The signal strength is good at places that the Linksys wasn't but this is probably due to the gact that it is using all of the available channels that typical G doesn't. So far no problems, only time will tell.
  
  

• Works Well!
  By A23QNJQ0MLGA5Z on 2003-10-19
  This router when paired with the Netgear WG511T does a very good job. The range is significantly better than other access points I've used (like the DLINK 614+ and 713P). I have the WAP in a corner of the house downstairs and I can use it at the other corner of the house, upstairs, and on a waterbed with nearly a full speed connection (a claimed connection speed of 96Mbps). A file copy transfer speed was about 40Mbps, which is close to copies done on a wired LAN and really is 10x faster than when using the DLINK 802.11B routers (This is not a shot at DLINK which in fact does have good products IMO).

  The router contains the usual set of configuration options including dynamic DNS support and a port forwarding. There is also "block sites" list by domain and/or keyword. I don't really see much this because IMO nobody is going to type in all the bad sites into a router.

  One very nice feature is one can update the firmware with literally one button click. All these routers update the firmware after the product is released and feature makes the update pretty painless. My new router was apparently already several updates behind they day I bought it. After clicking the button it connects to a Netgear server to do the update. You can also update it from a disk file if needed.

  The router does UPnP as all of them do now, but you have to explicity turn it on via one of the setting pages. Seems like most people would want that on.

  One of the goodies on the install disk is some kind of 'special edition' "Freedom" brand firewall program from Zeroknowledge. It seems to be at least adequate but I've never heard of them before. It contains an 'ad blocker', but the ad list is poorly populated (they claim to update this list). You appear to get free updates to this software so there may be some potential here, especially if they did a better job with that ad list.
  
  Overall this is a good product for the price and highly recommended.
  
  

• Abysmal Support Policy - A letter to Netgear
  By A2IAB9NHNEN8R1 on 2005-04-16
  The following is is a letter sent to Netgear regarding their policy of refusing technical support unless private, personally identifiable information is provided.
  
  To whom this should concern,
  
  As I look around my server room and count numerous Netgear products, I'm sad to say that as much as I feel your products are good quality, these will positively be my last purchases from your company. Your policy of extorting personal information from your customers by refusing support unless personal information is provided is absolutely reprehensible. Releasing private information such as address, phone, and email, etc. should always remain a personal choice! If, as a corporation you feel that filling your mailing list is more important than serving your paying customers, then I will under no circumstances continue to serve you with my dollars.
  
  Let me understand this train of thought. I purchase devices from your company to secure my privacy, yet you feel I should relinquish my privacy as a requirement to receive support on a product I've paid for. Not in this lifetime! How arrogant? Someone over there must be prepping for a career in politics. Every company touts the same story, "We Don't Sell Your Personal Information". You know as well as I, that many do exactly that. Registration information is a huge market. Our information is sold in direct conflict with Privacy Statements every day. After all, who's to know? Certainly not the consumer! We, of course are left to pay the price with annoying spam and junk mail or worse. Since as a consumer I have no control over this information once it has been transmitted, the only safe course of action for me is no action. KEEP IT PRIVATE! This is a rule to which I strictly adhere and I'm pleased to say that after 20 years in the computer industry my tech related junk mail is ZERO. I've performed my part and paid for your product. What gives Netgear the right to my personal information? Are you that out of touch with privacy issues today?
  
  So Here it is. You value my name, address, phone number and first born male child. Like many others, I value my privacy enough to include it in my daily purchasing decisons as should all of us. I hold posession of my finances and as a consequence your router has gone back to the retailer and has been exchanged for a Linksys of similar features and price. I'm happy to say that my support questions to them were answered without incident and I'm more than pleased with that purchase and the service which followed.
  
  Finally, let me be up front. This letter will be posted to every relevent usenet tech forum, not as a flame but as a pre-sale public service notice. If you don't wish to give up your privacy, DON'T PURCHASE NETGEAR. Those who feel as I do may be spared the lost hours of a second trip to the store for refund or exchange. If only a small percentage of the thousands of people who will read this document walk up to a person in a store holding a netgear box and relay these concerns, maybe you'll get the message. You spent good money in marketing to bring us to your products. It's a shame to waste it with policies that serve little purpose but to alienate us as consumers.
  
  
  Sincerely
  Richard S Fay
  Former Netgear Customer
  
  
• JUNK, JUNK, JUNK
  By A2Y3BXGXYLKKK9 on 2005-04-06
  Do not under any circumstances buy this router without first Googling to see all the problems reported on it and related Netgear products, including unsolved ones on Netgear's very own forum site!!!
  
  In the first month or two your support is free, but limited to a support desk overseas where they can do little more than read from basic scripts. After that it becomes extremly expensive paid support.
  
  On my first Netgear (814) the person basically told me that the problem I was seeing was probably a design problem, and that I could send it in (and be without a router), but that the replacement would probably do the same thing. There was no real way to get the problem escalated. He then told me to instead by the WGT624 instead, that it was a very solid, new router and that I would be happy.
  
  So, I got rid of the 814 and bought the 624. I can not go more than 2 days without having to power reset the 624 because it freezes up due to the DHCP renewal problem it has. Being on Vonage, this means I lose PHONE service too.
  
  I ditched the 624 last week and purchased a Linksys WRT54G, and so far it is solid as a rock, no reboots, nothing. Works great. And because it does not insist on being your DHCP proxy, my Internet surfing is substantially quicker. Finally, if you are technically minded and want to play around, there is plenty of custom firmware (www.linksys.org) that you can use in the router because Linksys GPL'ed the code.
  
  
• Horrible Rounter
  By ACGPQPO263FF3 on 2005-08-31
  This product has (like with many other reviews) stopped working around month six, I would also like to confirm that it does drop the connection and require a reboot about every six hours... do yourself a favor and buy a compeditors product
  
  
• Firmware Upgrade?
  By on 2004-03-13
  I just received my WGT624 router from Amazon. Same issues as another reviewer here. I was able to hook it up relatively easily and achieved 54 Mbps from the farthest reaches of my house. In order to reach the coveted 108 Mbps threshold I figured I should try upgrading the firmware. Big mistake. To make a long story short, I found out from tech support that 1-2 out of 50 or 2%-4% have a firmware upgrade issue that basically zaps the unit into uselessness. If you purchase this item, go to http://kbserver.netgear.com/support_details.asp?dnldID=592 and type in your serial # from the bottom of the unit. Supposedly it will tell you if your unit's firmware is upgradeable. Mine wasn't. At least tech support was friendly. Now I am waiting for a new unit and I am cautiously optimistic that this next unit will work as advertised. Just one more word of advice. If you purchase one of these, the serial # is on the bottom of the box. Instead of monkeying around with opening up the box and messing with the packaging, you can check the serial at the above URL. This may also be useful to make sure you're getting an upgradeable unit if purchasing from a local retailer rather than an e-tailer. Well good luck and I'll update this review when I receive my new router (2-3 business days according to tech support).
  
  
• Solid box w/ good features...
  By A1KQVLR71EQ2LR on 2004-05-01
  (...)I actually purchased a Linksys WRT54G just a month before I picked up this netgear unit and am quite pleased that I did. The two reasons why I went the netgear route instead of sticking to my linksys box were (1) the netgear box has the additional SPI firewall in addition to the NAT and (2) the overall transmission range of the unit was significantly greater.

  (...)Although all wireless units have their specific advantages/disadvantages, I feel that this unit strikes a good balance for my needs.

  I would recommend though not to just stick to the default settings that netgear provides (I felt that they did not give adequate instructions as to how to use the robust set of security features they have available). Take the extra 10 minutes or so and actually change the default security settings (they are OFF by default). That is, I would do the following tasks the second it comes out of the box: (1) change the router's password; (2) enable WEP or WPA-PSK (preferred); (3) change the network SSID name from its default; (4) disable the SSID broadcast; and (5) use the Wireless Card Access List to filter MAC addresses. With those tasks accomplished, you should actually feel somewhat secure. (I emphasize this because at my house I can access over 6 wireless networks that are completely wide open and have zero security whatsoever)
  
  

• Easy to setup and very secure to use
  By on 2004-06-11
  This is the first wireless router I ever have. I have been using two wired routers and I am not comfortable with the security of wireless Wi-Fi products for a long time. WEP is a little better than nothing. WPA is the more secure protocol I would like to use.

  It took less than 10 minutes to finish basic setup after I had attached WGT624 (version 2) to my wired router so that my notebook with Windows XP could talk to WGT624 wirelessly. I then tighten up security on WGT624 with the following:

  1. Change admin password from 'Set Password' menu.
  2. Basic Wireless Settings:
  Change SSID Name
  Select 'WPA-PSK' (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key) from Security Options, Enter a Pass phrase. Apply the same settings on the notebook.
  3. Advance Wireless Settings:
  Uncheck the option 'Enable SSID Broadcast' to make my wireless network invisible. Only authorized clients with the correct SSID can connect to my network. Then I add my notebook to the access list.

  It seems that it takes a little longer for WGT624 to update the settings. You should be patient. I change one setting at a time so that I can change it back with a wired connection. Sometimes, I have to reboot the notebook to re-connect to it.

  You can turn off wireless feature whenever you want.

  When everything works, I replace my wired router with WGT624. I update firmware without problems. The security features are great.
  
  

• Be sure you're getting the v3 model...!
  By A1VAEC6YAUGVD1 on 2005-12-28
  My WGT624 replaced a D-Link router that never worked well. Likes: The Netgear unit worked perfectly (at least when new) and was easy to configure. Dislikes: Even using the matching Netgear wireless card for my laptop, it's hard to consistently see 108mb speeds, especially as you get further from the router.
  
  WARNING: I had a lot of problems with my original WGT624 after a month or two of use. It started regularly dropping the IP connections to both my Ethernet-connected desktop as well as the wireless-connected laptop. The client PC never showed a dropped physical connection, but all of a sudden you lost the ability to reach anything -- you couldn't even talk to the router itself via its browser configuration page. The only fix was to either reboot the router or do a 'repair' on the connection within WinXP.
  
  After many frustrating hours with Netgear's India support center, they finally agreed to RMA (exchange) the unit. New one did the same exact thing: Fine when new; problems with dropped connections a few months later.
  
  Back to Netgear support again. With a lot of pushing, the Indians finally escalated my issue to their U.S.-based Level 2 support team -- hurray! It was then that I learned that inadequate cooling had caused MANY WGT624 failures (and mine was sitting out in a wide-open area). They agreed to send me a new WGT624v3 (the "v3" is key!), which had been redesigned for better airflow/ventilation as well as having newer firmware. It looks very similar, but the v3 has holes all the way around the top and bottom edges of the unit and the side band is a very light gray (vs. black on the earlier two units).
  
  The WGT624v3 turned out to be a fine router - works like a charm, and not a single failure since I turned it on six months ago. Just be SURE you're getting a v3 and not one of the older WGT624 models!!
  
  
  
  
• How to make this Router Work
  By AOTSXCTWDV2OA on 2005-02-16
  First, let me preface, like many have posted, the unit can reboot continously. However, this can be FIXED and the unit is rock stable afterwards. The solution: Update the firmware. Unfortunately, the automatic "check for firmware updates" menu function does not do this correctly.
  
  Go to Netgear's website and download firmware V4.2.6_1.0.1. After downloading, manually update the router from the "Router Upgrade" menu.
  
  The link to the firmware is:
  http://kbserver.netgear.com/support_details.asp?dnldID=900
  
  Prior to the upgrade, under heavy load (ie. Bittorrent), the unit would reboot continously and lock up after 6 hours. Since the upgrade, the router now has handled 6+ days of a continous heavy load (300k down, 50k up) without as much as a hiccup.
  
  As for the router itself, it is beautiful and functions perfectly. It has a small footprint than almost every other router available and hosts every conceivable option necessary. The only function it does not have is QoS (quality of service), but I have never encountered a situation where it would be necessary. I've had VoIP for over a year now and not once has heavy downloading affected my phone quality.
  
  
• A once outstanding company now with horrible quality
  By A3VOACB5MOFPNU on 2005-09-05
  In the past I have been a strong proponent of Netgear's products.
  They were always one of the most innovative wireless router companies. Howver, they seem to be yet another company who's quality has been destroyed by outsourcing.
  I bought this modem for its new security features, but it lasted only 5 or 6 months before it failed. I believe it failed after I updated the bios with the built-in upgrade wizard. It now is not able to establish an IP connection with my cable modem.
  I tried installing an old version of the router bios, but this has not helped. I know the configuration settings are correct - I tried every combination that should work.
  Netgear customer support will not honor their warranty because they claim upgrading to their new bios is a "configuration" problem, not a hardware problem.
  
  
  
• Good router, nice firewall features and affordable
  By A25Y3Z654T94HL on 2005-09-17
  Good router, nice firewall features and affordable
  
  I have had this router for about 3 month now, it works great. Excellent firewalls features, and for the price you can't do much better. A lot of bad review on this piece of hardware, most of the complaints is about the dropped connections. I happen to know a lot more about networking then those people, and can tell you how to solve that problem very simply. I too was experiencing a lot of dropped connection, I rebooted the router and changed a few of the setting and now it work perfect. No dropped connections.
  Take the following steps if you are having the same issue:
  
  Access the routers setting through your browser by going to http://192.168.0.1/ , default user name should be Admin, and the password, is password.
  
  Go to the "advanced" category and select WAN SETUP and make sure Connect Automatically, as Required is checked.
  
  Then go to "basic setting" under the SET UP category. Go to Idle Timeout (In Minutes) the default setting will be I believe 10 or 15 min. change that to 0 (ZERO). This will prevent you router from disconnecting when it is not in use.
  
  This should solve you dropped connection issue. It did for me.
  
  Enjoy....
  
  
  
• I don't know where these other reviewers are coming from . . .
  By A1PGOLPH3FLCTE on 2005-12-26
  I'm not a router expert, but I have installed / used many different models and can say the following -
  - This router is much slower than advertised, even at extremely close range.
  - The configuration page is buggy, and has two great big security holes; one having to do with password and user name changing (They ask you to change the user name from Admin to something else, but you can't. There's no place to do it.) and the other having to do with logging out, and remaining logged in.
  - Stupid little things like the configuration page has two tabs titled "Wireless Settings". Right next to each other. Huh?
  - The support is horrible. I have no problem with speaking with a support person for whom English is a second language, as long as he/she knows English and can speak it. "Script Tree" users can't help you if they can't understand your difficulty. I don't speak Farsi, but I don't pretend to either.
  - To get the higher 108 Mbps speed, you need to use a compatible network adapter from Netgear, and THESE ARE HORRIBLE. If you try to use Windows to control them, you can't use the higher speeds, but Netgear's software is just awful, and processor-heavy to boot. Ugh. I realize that this might be the result of Microsoft wanting to in-source yet another aspect of networking control, but these services just don't play well together. The loser - you.
  - Setting up a file and printer sharing network was (and I've never had problems before) like moving the fourth army.
  - If you like things that "just work" then this isn't the product for you.
  I have no axe to grind, and I don't work for the competition, but buy some other router, please. I'll be flabbergasted if Amazon actually posts this review.
  
  
• !!!Great Disappointment!!!
  By ACPB76OVBIW27 on 2003-11-26
  I did my homework via the tech web sites and PC magazines and had high expectations. I carefully purchased all Netgear equipment with the new 108 Mpbs standard, and consulted with a professional during the installation. Reception faded badly beyond 25-30 feet from the router, with no other electronic equipment in operation. I lost the signal entirely once I turned on my 2.4 Ghz cordless phone. I anticipated some interference from the phone, but this is ridiculous.
  After spending over an hour on the phone with Netgear tech support dealing with someone I could not understand for the thick accent and who was clearly reading from a script, I boxed up over $300.00 of equipment and returned it for a refund.
  I am extremely happy with my D-Link ethernet router and hard wired network!!!
  
  
• Buyer Beware...
  By A12QS4ZPYNKVAQ on 2004-06-06
  Got the router, and when it chooses to it work fine. Unfortunately, even after upgrading the firmware from the shipped version 1 to the current 4.1.x, the product still doesn't want to work. So far as I can tell, they put so many bells and whistles on it that they didn't have time to make it all work together.

  It reboots continually, causing you to lose anything you were working on, phone calls to drop, etc.

  Spend your money on a product that works.
  
  

• firmware nightmares, surreal tech support
  By on 2004-06-09
  Firstly I have had my home networked sicne I had ISDN ten years ago. I am quite familiar with all the technical aspects as I have aldso had routers and hardware firewalls for some time.

  The firmware on this unit is problematic, the firmware "upgrade" is even worse. Do not bother calling tech support unless you are willing to have someone wo doesn't know a much at all reading off a scripted card insult your intelligence.

  To top that off range is quite poor. I would wait til the next generation of this product or for them to work out the many bugs.

  It seems like a good price but if you have to spend hours on the phone with bad tech support it wouldn't be worth it if it were free.
  
  

• Firmware bugs and overheating problems
  By A1DMVNB3A02CL6 on 2005-05-15
  If you're thinking about buying this router, take a look in the NetGear support forums first. My own experience with this router was not good. I didn't experience the overheating problems reported by many people, but it was obvious that problem might not happen for months or years after buying the product. Some people had the overheating problem almost immediately.
  
  My problems all seemed to be firmware bugs. I did try the latest firmware, and it didn't correct the problems. The most frequent problem is that it just stops communicating through one or all TCP ports. That happened to me about every 18 hours or so. I had to reset or power cycle the router to get it running. I wasn't even trying to use the wireless feature. People have been reporting that the router reboots randomly when placed near other devices, such as 2 GHZ phones.
  
  I tried to use some of the more advanced features of the router, such as port forwarding, and port triggering, and found that those either didn't work, or had bugs that prevented me from using them.
  
  Probably my biggest complaint about the product is the poor support provided by NetGear. I received no replies to my email messages. I was able to get through to phone support, but they did not have the technical knowledge and experience to help me. After trying to get my problem escalated to someone that could help, I finally gave up and returned the router.
  
  There are some reasons you might want to consider buying this router. It is reported to operate over a longer range than many other routers. The price may be attractive. If you're using the router for very basic applications it may do everything you need. Some people have purchased this router and are reporting no problems.
  
  
  
• Utter junk
  By A3DUZGMK8BA5L6 on 2005-08-23
  This the fourth or fifth wireless router I've used, and it's a worthless piece of junk. It overheats and crashes. It constantly reboots and loses connections. The latest firmware upgrade has destroyed thousands of people's routers, leaving them to try to return them to the company which accepts no responsibility for destroying your equipment. Netgear has outsourced all development and tech support to India, and it really shows in this product. I strongly urge you to buy an 802.11g router from any other manufacturer except Netgear. I'm planning on throwing my Netgear router in the trash and purchasing a different model this evening.
  
  
• BUYER BEWARE
  By A3R4GQIMHE17XR on 2004-12-08
  This is a fast router. WHEN IT WORKS. All the people on this page who think this router is great probably are having the same experience I did when I first got it. It has great range and speed, even in my problem house. However, eventually, it will start to reboot it self constantly (chek google if you think it's just me!). With my first one, this happened every week or so. I called and after several calls and about 2 total hours of listening to obviously wrong suggestions (Netgear has the worst tech support in the industry), they sent me another totally new version of the router. It went for a month or so, then I had the same problem. However, the new one had new sypmpton as well: You could ping it, but the configuration page would not load (Yes, I tried on several computers and browsers). So now I have a brick. I bought a new one (my third) from a local store and after 2 weeks -- reboots all the time. I was able to return that one. But I also have the essentially dead one. Netgear won't replace this one unless I pay for extended support. I use this one as a support for my new D-Link DI-624. I'll never buy another Netgear product. Ever. You shouldn't either.
  
  
• Not reliable
  By A3IBZNN0N3NPCZ on 2004-12-15
  i own a netgear he102+ha501 combo (purchased in 2002). it's been rock solid. not this unit (wgt624+511t). as several reviewers have already mentioned, this unit will reboot constantly. if you read broadbandreports.com's netgear forums, you'll find several workarounds for this problem (setting preamble mode to long, enable broadcast ssid's etc.). i use it only as a wireless access point not a router (i have an older almost 3yr old SMC barricade which works great). since putting in the workarounds (and also the fact this is only an AP), the reboots have decreased in frequency but they haven't stopped entirely. for me the it's my 2.4GHz phone which causes this piece of junk to reboot. not all phone calls, only some, and fairly at random. i don't think i have to get a new phone just for this access point.
  
  in any event the Super G (108mbs) is not really worth all the hassle. besides it's a rare occurence that you will get persistent 108Mbs anyways.
  
  thus unit, even with the latest firmware, is not worth it. so save yourself the trouble and buy a linksys or a buffalo router. Netgear's product quality is so bad, i would give this as a gift to my worst enemy.
  
  oh btw- if you are on linux/*bsd, madwifi+wpa_supplicant works okay with this router and a wg551T card. of course madwifi will only support upto g mode (54Mbps) and not super-g. ndiswrapper+wpa_supplicant works in super-g (108Mbps) but the driver will constantly crash.
  
  on windows, if you have the wg511T cards, you can try the atheros reference drivers (i did), but it doesn't make that much of a difference anyways.
  
  in any event don't let the marketing drivel fool you. if you see this hunk o' junk, run.
  
  
• total junk
  By A2OT2MNS68VWZ on 2005-04-21
  i bought this product (wgt624) and the 108g client PCI card. at this point, i have had to replace BOTH of these in less than 6 months. the wgt624 just died tonight when i let it upgrade it's firmware. it upgraded and never came back.
  
  despite the fact that i spent the extra $$$ to get 802.11g, 108 i have never been able to get those speeds ... even with both products from netgear, of the same generation of product.
  
  i have had a cable running across my house more often than not since i bought this setup. what a waste.
  
  
• Netgear products are not reliable
  By A22PEJBTZLJ1OT on 2005-07-07
  I have to say, after reading the reviews below, I feel a sense of relief...I am not alone. I, too, have been a Netgear customer for a while. The products I have bought from them have always been easy to set up, and have worked well...but they ALWAYS fail...
  
  I own, in addition to this router, the following Netgear products: CM212 cable modem, RP614 wired router, WG111T USB adapter, WG311T PCI adapter. What do they all have in common? They are ALL replacements I've received from Netgear for defective products. Some of these I've replaced more than once. Frankly, I have not had a Netgear product last for a year, and usually they last for less than a few months.
  
  I should note that I have always been able to get RMAs for my products; however, this is in spite of experiencing the stall tactics others have mentioned. If you persevere, you can get replacements from Netgear, but I have come to the point that the hours on the phone with tech support (expect to spend 2 hours before they give you an RMA), and the hassle of returning products is no longer worth it.
  
  Part of my decision to abandon Netgear is due to a recent experience I had replacing a Motorola Surfboard cable modem. I called Motorola expecting the same run-around, but, to my great relief, I had an RMA number in 10 minutes--tops!
  
  Bottom line: Stay away from Netgear products. They are not reliable.
  
  
• Not the best choice. Took it back a day later.
  By A3KOPSB2MP7NSE on 2006-03-19
  So I made the purchase of this router yesterday as an "impulse buy" and I really should have done my homework. Just about the only thing I was pleased with was its aesthetics. After installation, I had to completely disable my Norton AntiVirus software in order to connect to the Internet. After some more problems, I had to call Time Warner cable to make sure my cable was still working (they simply had me remove the router from the configuration altogether). After a bit more progress (and about 2 hours into the setup), I realized that my laptop was finally able to connect to the web via the network. However, my desktop still wasn't. I re-enabled Norton and it kept warning me about a "worm intrusion," pretty much freaking me out. I let it sit overnight and the situation wasn't any better today. No Internet connection on my desktop.
  
  My experience with their customer service was also negative. Their webchat did not work (no one was there) and the rep I got on the phone was clearly in India and talking directly from a script. He didn't know English very well at all which drove me crazy!
  
  Today I went back to BestBuy and (after research, talking to their Geek Squad and asking fellow customers) purchased the Linksys WRT54GS. So much better! Everything is working fine now. Took a little while to set up and logged 1 call into support, but everything worked out. I definitely recommend Linksys over Netgear for a variety of reasons. Bottom line - don't buy this product.
  
  

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
• Nero Liquid TV
• Norton Internet Security 2009
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 7
• Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007

• NETGEAR WG511T Super-G Wireless PC Card
• NETGEAR WG111T Super-G Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter
• NETGEAR WG311T Super-G Wireless PCI Adapter
• Netgear WGR614 Wireless-G Router
• Kingston Data Traveler 4 GB USB Flash Drive DTI/4GB