NETGEAR ADVANCES WiFi 6 LEADERSHIP WITH NEW ACCESS POINTS, IDEAL FOR WORK-FROM-HOME APPLICATIONS AND SMALL BUSINESSES

San Jose, CA – January 11, 2021 - NETGEAR®, Inc . (NASDAQ:NTGR), the leading provider of networking products that power businesses of all sizes, today announced the availability of the WAX214 and WAX218 wall/ceiling mount WiFi 6 Access Points, expanding the Business Essentials line of powerful, easy-to-deploy, and affordable business networking products. With a combination of high performance and expanded coverage at the right price points for small businesses, these new wireless access points are NETGEAR’s best value WiFi for today and tomorrow.

As newest members of the new Business Essentials product family, the WAX214 and WAX218 provide today’s home office workers, microbusinesses and small retail owners with a cost-effective solution to typical wireless networking challenges. Problems such as spotty connectivity, congestion due to limited bandwidth, dropped connections, low speed, complex installation, and lack of security are all solved thanks to the advanced technology built into the WAX214 and WAX218. These WiFi Access Points deliver what small business owners and working professionals need most to improve the performance and reliability of their work-from-home network.

Better coverage and improved security

In any home or business, getting the best coverage from a wireless access point is key. With professionals and students working and learning from home the performance and security demands of a WiFi network have increased exponentially.  The WAX214 and WAX218 leverage the latest wireless standard, WiFi 6, to deliver more coverage than previous generations of the WiFi technology. This advancement reduces dead zones for a more productive and less frustrating wireless experience.

The WAX214 and WAX218 allow you to establish up to four separate wireless sub-networks each with separate dedicated channels (SSID), thus maximizing performance and security of every connection and user-type. A sheltered-in-place small business owner or working professional  can therefore separate his business/work network traffic from the network traffic associated with his children (who are learning from home) and yet again from his traditional home network traffic; all from a single WAX214 or WAX218.  Additionally, the new access points support WPA3 authentication and encryption for the highest level of WiFi connection security and also support DHCP NAT server for enhanced firewall security. 

“The new WAX214, WAX218 and NETGEAR’s Business Essentials line of products, make it possible for small businesses and working professionals to deploy very reliable, high-performance, extremely secure, and easy-to-manage WiFi networks in their work and home environments at low price points,” said Patrick Lo, Chairman & CEO of NETGEAR.

Higher performance

More and more devices require an internet connection these days. Surveillance Cameras, Smart Lighting, TVs,  audio/video equipment , Digital Signage, IoT appliances, and everyday appliances are competing with your computers, printers, and phones for access to the networkⁱ. According to a 2020 survey by Statista, the average American had access to more than ten connected devices in their householdⁱⁱ.WiFi 6 delivers 40% more speed and supports four times more concurrent devices than a WiFi 5 device with the same radio configuration. A faster combined throughput, (up to 3.6Gbps on the WAX218) on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels, enhances performance of a WiFi network. Also, the 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port on the WAX218 allows a network of WAX218 Access Points to communicate with each other at faster speeds, thus further enhancing the performance and throughput of the WiFi network.

Simple installation

The new WAX214 and WAX218 access points are designed to make installation easier than ever.  The intuitive, web-based interface provides a guided step-by-step setup enabling a quick and seamless installation.  Measuring only 6.3-inches for the WAX214 and 8.1-inches for WAX218, 1.3-inches in depth and weighing a mere 0.84 lbs. for the WAX214 and 1.7 lbs. for WAX218, the wireless access points can be easily mounted on a wall, on the ceiling or even placed on a tabletop if desired. The sleek design blends easily into both home and business environments.

Future-proof your network

The new WiFi 6 standard is deployed on both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands, ensuring future compatibility to all WiFi devices.  And both WAX214 and WAX218 are backwards compatible with devices using WiFi 5.

Additional features

Both models can be powered by Power over Ethernet (PoE) using a single cable for both power and data. This greatly simplifies installation while eliminating the need for an electrical outlet to be located near the access point.  Power adapters are sold separately, for customers not wanting to take advantage of the PoE features of the Access Points.

Support when you need it

The new WAX214 and WAX218 come with an industry-leading 3-year hardware warranty and 90 days of phone and chat support for when you need a helping hand.

The Business Essentials WiFi family

NETGEAR introduced the Business Essentials WiFi product lineup comprising both WiFi 5 (WAC104 and WAC124), and WiFi 6 (WAX204, WAX214 and WAX218) Access Points to deliver high-performance & security, low cost WiFi, ideally suited for small single-site locations. This lineup of wireless access points is ideal for customers who do not require remote management yet need an intuitive user interface to locally manage the WiFi Access Points. The WAX214 and WAX218 can be wall or ceiling mount, and support WiFi 6 capable devices as well as devices that support previous generations of WiFi.

Feature Comparison Chart

Availability

The WAX214 WiFi 6 Access Point is available and shipping in the USA and Europe today. Prices are as follows:  $119.99 (USA), €119.99 (Europe), and £109.99 (U.K).

The WAX218 WiFi 6 Access Point is available and shipping in the USA and Europe today. Prices are as follows:  $224.99 (USA), €229.99 (Europe), and £209.99 (U.K).

For more information about the latest additions to NETGEAR’s next generation of advanced wireless devices, please visit NETGEAR.com/business/wifi6.

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About NETGEAR, Inc.

NETGEAR® (NASDAQ: NTGR) has pioneered advanced networking technologies for homes, businesses, and service providers around the world since 1996 and leads the industry with a broad range of award-winning products designed to simplify and improve people’s lives. By enabling people to collaborate and connect to a world of information and entertainment, NETGEAR is dedicated to delivering innovative and advanced connected solutions ranging from mobile and cloud-based services for enhanced control and security, to smart networking products, video over Ethernet for Pro AV applications, easy-to-use WiFi solutions and performance gaming routers to enhance online game play.  The company is headquartered out of San Jose, Calif. with offices located around the globe. More information is available from the  NETGEAR Investor Page or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR: Twitter, Facebook, Facebook for NETGEAR Business, Instagram and our blog at NETGEAR.com.

©2020 NETGEAR, Inc. NETGEAR and the NETGEAR logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder(s). The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. NETGEAR shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. All rights reserved.

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NETGEAR's products and technology are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the following: the actual price, performance and ease-of-use of NETGEAR's products may not meet the price, performance and ease-of-use requirements of customers; product performance may be adversely affected by real world operating conditions; failure of products may under certain circumstances cause permanent loss of end user data; new viruses or Internet threats may develop that challenge the effectiveness of security features in NETGEAR's products; the ability of NETGEAR to market and sell its products and technology; the impact and pricing of competing products; and the introduction of alternative technological solutions. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect NETGEAR and its business are detailed in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NETGEAR undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Source: NETGEAR-G

U.S. Media Contact: Nathan Papadopulos, (408) 890-3889, NPapadopulos@netgear.com
U.S. Sales Inquiries: (408) 907-8000, sales@netgear.com

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ⁱⁱStatista:  “Average number of connected devices residents have access to in U.S. households in 2020, by device”