Netgear WNDR4500 N900 Wireless Router Review

Setting up the Netgear WNDR 4500

Setting up our Netgear N900 router was very simple task. After unpacking the router, we dove into configuring it for our local network. Setting up a router was very simple as Netgears Genie User interface walks you through the whole process so you wont end up on the phone trying to find someone to help you.

If you have connected multiple devices to your network there is a map that is displayed to show you what is being used, so you can spot what you no longer need connected.

Computer and network problems arise as normal things of life but those who are not tech savvy can relax as the Netgear Genie software is designed to diagnose and repair many of the common computer errors. When it is time for you to fix the problem, such as network conductivity, the Genie will assist you with easy to follow step by step instructions to rectify the issue.

Like many routers, there are a couple of ways you can initially set up the router. Once an internet connection from your modem is connected, you can then connect your computer to the router via one of the Ethernet ports or via a wireless connection.

Once your computer is connected, all you need to do is open a browser and enter http://routerlogin.net/ in the address bar.

Netgear gives you the ability to tweak and modify network controls, parental settings, and security settings become easy to configure.

The Netgear Genie home networking software is free to download from www.netgear.com/genie.

The Netgear WNDR 4500 N900 also includes two more gems that make this a great router for homes and small offices ReadySHARE. The Netgear ReadySHARE Printer application lets the user connect a USB printer to one of the routers USB port to print from your wireless device.

ReadySHARE Access allows you to connect most USB storage devices so that you can share the contents with other users on your network. You can share thumb-drives as well as large USB hard drives. Both ReadySHARE functions are fairly simple set up and use and the only thing you have to be careful about is the compatibility with certain devices. For instance, if you hard drive requires a driver that you download or load from a CD, it will not work with the Netgear WNDR4500. We plugged a few thumb drives in and our Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex USB drive in and it worked flawlessly. For people who are looking for Network Attached Storage without the huge price, the ReadySHARE Access option is very good.

On the next page we take a look at how well the router does as far as Wi-Fi network speeds.