The Bottom Line
The Netgear WGR614 is a standard entry-level 802.11g wireless router. Folks often choose this model for its sleek design. The WGR614 also has fared well in tests of wireless signal strength, having a potentially longer range than other products in this category. Unfortuantely, some reliability and technical support issues may also exist with this product.
Pros
- Compact design with good aesthetics
- Netgear 3 year warranty
Cons
- Some owners report difficulty in installation
- This unit may perform slowly in mixed 802.11b / 802.11g environments
- Some owners have reported occasional failures possibly due to overheating
- Some owners have reported quality of service issues with Netgear tech support
Description
- Date of Introduction - 15 April 2003
- Wireless Standards - 802.11g (and 802.11b)
- VPN Pass-Through - PPTP, L2TP, IPSec
- Security - WPA-PSK, WEP (128-bit)
- Wireless Transmitter - 15dBm +/- 2dB
- Dimensions (inches) - 6.9 x 4.6 x 1.1
- Warranty - 3-year limited
Guide Review - Netgear WGR614 Wireless Router
The Netgear WGR614 contains the features one would expect from an entry-level wireless router. It will support up to 54 Mbps bandwidth as long as all devices connected support 802.11g. Expect a noticeable drop in performance across the whole network if connecting any 802.11b devices to the WGR614.
For security, the WGR514 offers the Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall together with Network Address Translation (NAT) support. It also includes some support for content filtering (e.g., blocking inappropriate Web sites from being accessed).
Netgear has revised the WGR614 several times since its introduction. Be sure to acquire a recent one (version 5 or higher) for best results.
