Netgear - RangeMax WPN824 Wireless Router - WPN824NAR - Refurbished
4 x 10/100Base-TX LAN, 1 x 10/100Base-TX WAN - IEEE 802.11b/g - 108 Mbps

Set-up was a breeze, I had heard horror stories of wireless networks, but didnt have any problems at all. Only thing I noticed, as an Xbox 360 player is the NAT. Sometimes when the router auto-updates, Ill have problems getting on LIVE, and the problem is with the NAT. It takes ~2min to fix. Just need to switch the NAT from Open to Secure and back to Open. I have connected to this router, a desktop PC, xbox 360, and an all in one printer. On the wireless are two laptops.
 
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I am very disappointed in the Netgear Rangemax router. At first, it was great - it does have much better range and did reach into all corners of my house. It failed after about 100 days of service. Just outside of the warranty for a refurbished item. I thought it might have been an issue with the refurb, and I bought an identical new router from a local retailer. It failed after 10 days! Fortunately I could return that one for a refund. Upgraded to a new Linksys and I am very happy. Avoid the Netgear Rangemax router.
 
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This must be the most disappointing purchase I have ever made!! The customer service of NetGear literally told me "RETURN THIS ITEM"!!!! plus they cannot help you unless you have the serial, which these units do not! I most recommend not to buy this product!!!
 
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I have owned several routers Over the past years. From the good ole days of 802.11a this one has the best range never a low signal or lost packet. Home networking is an ease. It also looks grate on any desk or entertainment shelf. No antennas hanging all out. This Item just works..... period
 
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Bought this refurb product as it was highly rated by computer testers. It was a steal and has worked flawlessly for 3 months now. It is hooked up to my cable modem. The only negative is that it comes with no installation cd software. You get a paper instruction with the company e-mail link for downloading the software. It was very simple and installed easily. You should save a copy and burn to cd if you have to install it on a different computer with no internet access. I also bought the USB wireless adapter and it works great. Get an 85% signal in my basement. The download wizard made it simple to install, just follow the instructions. My router has a switch to turn off the flashy leds.
 
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great product great price ... Works right out of the box no problem
 
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I bought this router in order to upgrade from my old DLink ethernet router which I used in conjunction with a Netgear RangeMax WAP (Wireless Access Point WPN802). Now I only have this unit on my desk instead of two. It works even better than my old WAP. It works great with my new Slingbox (highly recommended but that's another review), it just took a few minutes to completely set it up. This router has an outstanding range and speeds are awesome. I wanted to buy it for a long time but didn't want to pay $100 for it. Finally I saw it at Buy.com and quickly order it. Haven't looked back since.
 
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This is my first refurbished product. In the beginning I was little bit worried about buying a refurbished product. But after using it and I found that this was a great product with excellent coverage. No problem in 3 months. Never need to reboot and change any setting.
 
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I bought this router hoping to get better range than my existing router. I did not. Also it would not connect to my HP printer via the wireless network and my other router (Airlink) works flawlessly. I tried to get customer support from Netgear and they wanted my serial number. There was no serial number on the unit. Then I found out Netgear does not put any serial number on re-furbished units and therefore would not provide any kind of support. I then tried to return it to Buy.com but they would only replace it. I would not buy this router again because of no support.
 
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Works great... had lots of issues with installation... no documents where available.. Since it was a refurbished product it had only txt support... took almost a week to setup..
 
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I bought this for two reasons... The price and the name. In the area where terminolgy is defined it states what "REFURBISHED" stands for and at the end mentions that warranty often applies. In my case, after downloading the instructions from Netgears website, I still had some difficulty with one of my laptops connecting correctly so I called Netgears tech support. The first thing they asked for was the model and S/N. On my model THERE WAS NO S/N... IT WAS BLANK! When I mentioned this to the tech agent he correctly stated that this must be a refurbished unit, to which I confirmed. He then told me Netgear does not offer ANY support for refurbished units. The bottom line is I got a friend to help resolve my issue. All works as it should, although I thought the signal might be dramitically stronger than my old "G" router. That said, the unit for the price was unbeatable and I would not hesitate in recommending it. My caution to anyone considering the refurbished unit is to verify who will stand behind it for tech assistance, and for how long.
 
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Bought the Refurbished Netgear RangeMax to improve the wireless range of my laptop. Signal strength is great. I had to use the Netgear site to obtain the user's manual and setup instructions. The site was user friendly and I had no problem with the router setup. It's a refurbished unit and operates as new. I highly reccommend this router.
 
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I thought that the internal antennas would yield a good connection but it was less than desired that I had to go back and use another router which had a normal antenna stick. So if your wireless PC is close to the unit you are okay or else choose one with one or more stick antennas.
 
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Besides this unit being a good buy pricewise, I haven't really seen any performance increase over my old D-Link wireless-G router. It was a great price though.
 
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The refurbished one I bought kept rebooting itself after about a 5 days of use. Every 60 seconds, it would lose all connections, all lights would flash, and it would go through the self-test again. I ended up returning it but the new one I got at Staples has been working great for about a month now.
 
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I now have two of these referbished routers. They work great and for the price, you cannot beat them.
 
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The refurbished router was is great shape and set-up was a breeze. Also enabling the wireless security was easy. I'm using the router without the RangeMax wireless USB or card and the range is pretty good. On my model there is a button on the back to turn on/off the blue blinking lights. I hope this one last longer than my last router (Dlink) of 4 months!
 
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I am very pleased with this product. It was a refurb, but it arrived with all of the components and setup was very easy. I was able to notice an increase in data transfer speed on a couple of my wireless devices and the range also increased as compared to my old wireless router (Netgear WGR614 v1).
 
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I am very happy to have the Netgear RangeMax 108 router compares with the Linksys WRT54GS. Signal is much stronger. Easy to setup. Very good help tips. The best part I like this router is the website blocker. You have only enter the keywords, the router blocks all web addresses with the keywords. Good for parents block all bad websites for their kids. Router can also block the AIM port as well. Allow remote admin.
 
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The RangeMax feature uses multiple internal antennas (so you don't see a sea of stalks) to increase coverage and (at least in my home) it works really well. I live in an old house with masonary internal walls, so whole home coverage is difficult but this device delivers. I've not tested speeds, but have found solid connections from anywhere in the house. The lights showing which antennas are in use is an interesting feature and actually seem to correspond with the direction of use. So, I can often guess where someone is using the network.
 
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The bottom line with this router is ease of use. Take it out of the box, plug it in and you're cooking. Running cable internet through it and it's speed is just blowing me away. I expected some loss of quality going to a router, but if anything (and I'm not sure how it would happen) it's gotten faster. Highly recommended.
 
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<p> I haven't restarted it since I upgraded the firmware (the first day I got it). It's never locked up yet and has been extremely reliable. For me, that's the most important thing. </p> <p> I would happily recommend this to anyone who wants a reliable, fast wireless router. </p> <p>The only complain I would have is that the "range" of this unit is not as great as advertised, but for me, it's not an issue whatsoever. I feel like the range is on par with any standard wireless router, having owned several over the last 5 or so years.</p>
 
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From its cool array of LEDs across the top, to its awesome price point and performance, there is very little about this router that I can complain about. The only minor qualm I've had was the difficulty in setting it up to function with Halo 3 on xbox live...but about a hour of trial and error had me up and running. If you're looking for great performance, a great price and a crazy light-show, check this router out!
 
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Nice range and fast throughput when using IEEE 802.11g. It got even better after installing the latest firmware. No as good when using IEEE 802.11b technology, since speed and range decreases considerably. Installation and setup is very easy and straightforward, it should take a couple of minutes. Even though there is a CD with a setup wizard, the setup wizard could also be access by typing the router’s URL on a browser. This wizard can be bypass by typing a URL available on the manual… good for users that like setting the router manually. The blue lights on the router’s dome could be quite annoying, especially in a dim room. The version I got (v2) has an on/off button just for those lights.
 
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I bought this router approximately 2 months ago. It's working as it was at the time I purchased. If your concern is to buy a router that doesn't drop from time to time, then this is a great purchase. The downside is that I can not use bit comet torrent program with this router. Whenever I try to use it the router prevents me having internet connection.(I can use another torrent problem without any problem though) Recently a friend of mine bought another router ( a cheap 54 Mbps router from NEtgear) and it works fine with any torrent program. Also I should mention that the connection quality drops to 65% after a wall (a thick one). Overall I am satisfied since the price was very cheap.
 
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This router is an upgrade from the Belkin that I previously had -- good range and no resets.
 
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All I did was follow the instructions and it works like a champ after setting it up. It also has a button that allows you to turn the bright blue light on or off.
 
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I purchased this as a secondary wireless access point in my house. I use a linksys router as my network backbone. The signal strength with Netgear's wireless access points and routers always beat the linksys products I had previously. The setup interface is nice also, however every time you make a change it needs to reboot the router. If anyone is connected to it when you make a change cuts their connection. Linksys doesn't require a reboot when making minor changes on the router. For this reason I use the netgear router for the wireless access only and linksys for the router.
 
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Have had this for a few months and the range is great and worked right out the box with no problems just followed the directions and was up and running. Great price too!
 
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While somewhat more complicated to set up than the standard router, it offers a great price for a great range.
 
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WOW. I connected this baby 5 minutes ago. got it set up in no time through my browser with the http://www.routerlogin.net/basicsetting.htm address. The lights are not that annoying honestly. i think they painted an extra layer of color over it. Oh and did i mention the speed? 3 words: ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!! i love this baby. and it doesn't have ugly antennas sticking out of it! Even though it's refurbished, it came in the net gear packaging. looked/smell good as new! definitely recommended.
 
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I needed a router and I saw this one for 20$. What a steal, great router, have 1 desktop connected, then wirelessly I have 1 desktop, 1PS3 and a laptop.. Great router no problems. Don't be scared because its a refurb, and also I was hesitant about buying this because some1 complained about the flashing lights but theres a button on the back to turn it off idiots.. Any ways, great router no problems, cheap.. and always great shipping with buy.com
 
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I ordered this product, recieved it 3 days later, had it set up in under 10 minutes, and a month later it has not had a hiccup yet. two story house, full strength wireless signal everywhere. I recieved version 2 of this router. Now the bad news. I say, "wow! this is great! everyone should have one of these babies for this price!" So my girlfriend orderes one for her appartment... It shows up... version 1, dead or arival! So, i cant in good concious recommend this particular method of purchase if Buy.com is going to send you a mystery purchase. Version 2 is vista compatible for instance, version one, not. You cant turn the led's off in version one, you can in version 2. There are too large of differences for Buy.com to not mention which one you are going to get.
 
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The refurbished unit does not include the installation disc, which you need for the drivers. The note buy.com places in the box states: "The current installation guide and software may be downloaded from Netgear..." Netgear does not offer good support. They also have a website that is difficult to navigate. Not sure if I can even use this, unless I find an installation disc.
 
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Great router. Only problem is that the blue LEDs on the top are very bright and keep flashing. The lights just tell you which of the 7 internal antennas are being used. I think it's stupid because they all flash very fast and don't really tell the average user anything useful. This version of the router doesn't come with an on/off switch (I've heard V2 does). Just unscrew the two screws at the bottom and the 4 under the rubber feet. It's real easy to pull the board up once inside. There's a flat cable inside (the only cable). Just disconnect it at either end and the lights are gone. It's only purpose is to power the lights, so it's safe to disconnect. Now you have a great router that isn't annoying.
 
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Unless you bought 802.11n cards and a router, and in matching sets (since no standard exists) and keep them close, you're slower than this, actual measurements reveal. WPN824NAx only router with "Video 54" spot-beam antenna array (like the rotating dish on military ships). Placed high up, covers whole neighborhood, even further using "SuperG 108" cards (many brands) they combine all 11 channels, uncompressed, rather than compressing on one (that "125 High Speed Mode", that makes multi-media files slower, since they're already compressed).
 
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The other reviewer is right, this "MIMO-Rangemax" bundle is a steal. At $22 with California's preposterous state tax, this was a bargain for me. Even though it's a refurb, unlike computers and mp3 players, routers function as good as new even when months or even years old. Mine came without the manual and drivers, but that was no biggie... When I got this router, I thought it was too good to be true...and indeed it was, until I finally got it hooked up. Just some advice if you have DSL 1. know your username/password with your ISP. You'll need it to connect to router properly and relay internet to it...unless u use cable 2. Set your connection as "bridged" when you log into your MODEM. After changing this setting, your modem's "internet" light will turn off permanently until you unset this 3. Log into your router (should be through http://192.168.0.1) or so I think. Research, answer "yes" when it asks you whether your ISP requires a username/pw to log in. This is how dsl does it. Then, enter the usernam/pw. 4. Set up your router's name and pw...make it a good key. I set it as WEP. Make sure your wireless card (on receiving computer) 5. Save settings, might need to reboot. ---oh, and make sure to upload latest firmware. As for me...I had to contact customer service for SBC/AT&T DSL for help on all this. But as soon as I got this baby up and working...man...even from upstairs, this baby ran so fast, I might as well have drilled a hole through the ceiling of my living room to my room just to connect via an ethernet cable...because my connection was FAST. I've been able to download music, surf the web, and play youtube stuff easily. This is DEFINITELY more powerful than my roommate's old Linksys 54g router...it's 108mbps for goodness' sakes!! Cons? Just 1. Occasionally, I got disconnects...2 so far in past 2 weeks. Router caused connection on host and receiving computers to die. Had to manually set up connection via "new connection wizard," once again using my ISP's username/password. After doing a reboot, it would be fine...just had to delete the "new connection" to stop the annoying connection login window from popping up after that. Feel free to contact me at my email: zeth06@hotmail.com
 
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Purchased this router and had a problem getting it to work.After downloading and installing the latest firmware update it installed very easy and works perfectly. Range is extended and is much better than my old Netgear Router
 
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All, I bought one now. I wanted a wireless router and I saw this for $19 (free shipping ) after Google checkout. I asked my colleague and he said - Go for it. Looks like RANGEMAX, MIMO combo - works great. Above all - $19 for a wireless router..It is a steal. Thanks BUY. Bye Bye BUY.
 
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I have owned this router for well into a year now and it has performed flawless. My range with MIMO improved over my previous G router and with the matching G-plus MIMO cards I achieve speeds of 108Mbp. Great product easy to set up. :-)
 
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