Netgear Intros Nighthawk RS100 Wi-Fi 7 Router

[Nomad76]

NETGEAR, Inc., a global leader in secure and high-performance networking solutions, is making next-generation Wi-Fi more accessible with the launch of the Nighthawk RS100—its most affordable Wi-Fi 7 router yet. Delivering ultra-fast speeds, robust security, and reliable performance, the RS100 makes it easier than ever for households to upgrade to the latest in wireless technology.

Why Wi-Fi 7 for Households?
As internet speeds surge and more smart devices connect to home networks, households need stronger, faster, and more reliable connectivity—not just for today, but for the future. Wi-Fi 7 delivers smoother streaming, lag-free gaming, and more stable connections across every corner of the home. With speeds up to 2.4x faster than Wi-Fi 6, it supports high-bandwidth activities like 4K/8K streaming, cloud gaming, and AI-powered applications—no buffering, no slowdowns.

"For nearly 30 years, we've been at the forefront of home networking, empowering families and businesses to stay ahead of the connectivity curve," says Sandeep Harpalani, VP of product management "With the Nighthawk RS100, we're delivering next-gen Wi-Fi 7 speeds and industry-leading security at a price point that makes upgrading more accessible than ever."

Stronger Security, Safer Browsing
Cyber threats continue to escalate, with home networks facing an average of 10 cyberattacks every 24 hours—and IoT devices like smart TVs, plugs, DVRs, and routers are among the most vulnerable. The RS100 is equipped with next-generation encryption, automatic firmware updates, VPN support, and cutting-edge WPA3 security. Access control and guest Wi-Fi options help further secure your network.

For an added layer of protection, the RS100 includes a 30-day trial of NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender, delivering real-time threat detection and AI-powered alerts for every connected device—no extra software required.

Your Data, Your Privacy
A recent study found that 67% of smartphone users worry about data security and privacy on their phones, and 62% of smart home users worry about the same on their smart home devices. NETGEAR addresses this concern head-on with a strict privacy policy: your personal data is never stored on NETGEAR servers. From browsing activity to device usage, your information stays under your control—so you can enjoy the benefits of a truly connected home without sacrificing peace of mind.

Simple Setup and Smart Parental Controls
Using the Nighthawk App, it's easy to optimize your network for peak performance, test internet speeds, pause connectivity, monitor data usage, and configure guest networks—all from your smartphone. For families, the RS100 also includes NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls, offering an intuitive way to create safer online experiences and manage screen time. Basic parental controls come free, with the option to upgrade to a Premium Plan after a 30-day trial.

Nighthawk RS100 Technical Specifications:

• Wi-Fi 7 from the Leader in Wi-Fi Innovation - Nighthawk Wi-Fi 7 is built on 25+ years of pioneering innovation and precision-engineered to NETGEAR's exacting quality standards, so you can enjoy all the benefits Wi-Fi 7 has to offer.
• Multi-Gig Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi 7 delivers 1.2x faster speeds than Wi-Fi 6 to maximize performance across your connected devices. Experience speeds up to 3.6 Gbps for smoother gaming, streaming, video conferencing, and entertainment, and less interference from neighboring networks.
• More Capacity for Data-Intense Activities - Connect up to 50 devices, including security cameras, smart home devices, and speakers, while enjoying stunning video streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing.
• Multi-Gig Speeds with 2.5GbE Internet Port - Use the 2.5GbE internet port for cable and fiber plans up to 2.5 Gbps. Compatible with any internet service provider.
• 4x 1 Gig Ports - Plug in wired devices to improve performance via the four 1 Gbps Ethernet LAN ports.
• Expansive Coverage - Ultra-powerful antenna array provides coverage up to 2,000 sq. ft.
• Do It All with the Nighthawk App - Configure your Wi-Fi for peak performance on priority devices. Easily manage your network from anywhere.

Available Now
The NETGEAR Nighthawk RS100 is available on NETGEAR.com/uk and at other major retailers soon for £129.99.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[bug]

Could be a decent upgrade over my R8000. Problem is, the R8000 is still working just fine and it's slow at all. Still, nice to see a WiFi option at a sane price.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Could be a decent upgrade over my R8000. Problem is, the R8000 is still working just fine and it's slow at all. Still, nice to see a WiFi option at a sane price.

Read the fine print, this thing isn't worth £130.
Your current router has three 3x3 radios, this thing has two 2x2 radios.
Yes, you can push more data with 802.11ax/WiFi 7 than 802.11ac/WiFi, but some of that is only theoretical and it only helps if you have WiFi 7 devices as well.
Also, single 2.5 Gbps port is useless.

 

[bug]

Read the fine print, this thing isn't worth £130.
Your current router has three 3x3 radios, this thing has two 2x2 radios.
Yes, you can push more data with 802.11ax/WiFi 7 than 802.11ac/WiFi, but some of that is only theoretical and it only helps if you have WiFi 7 devices as well.
Also, single 2.5 Gbps port is useless.

View attachment 389187

Yes, I'm not particularly concerned about top transfer speed.
Single 2.5Gbps port may not be that useless, that's the uplink. It can service two wired 1Gbps devices at the same time for example. Of course, the router my ISP gave me has zero 2.5Gbps ports, so I wouldn't be able to use that, but that's another story.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Yes, I'm not particularly concerned about top transfer speed.

I think you misunderstood, as it's not about speeds, it's about using multiple devices, as when you connect multiple WiFi devices to a router and you have something like this, with a single 2x2 radio, you're going to end up with devices that will have to wait to use the network, since things like MU-MIMO won't really work. Ideally you want at least one 4x4 radio in a router so two devices can share it properly, as today, most WiFi devices, be that a phone, tablet or laptop, have 2x2 radios in them.

Single 2.5Gbps port may not be that useless, that's the uplink. It can service two wired 1Gbps devices at the same time for example. Of course, the router my ISP gave me has zero 2.5Gbps ports, so I wouldn't be able to use that, but that's another story.

Can you get faster than 1 Gbps internet where you live and if so, why wouldn't you want your wired devices to be able to take advantage of that speed?
Imho, a single fast port on a router is useless.

 

[bug]

I think you misunderstood, as it's not about speeds, it's about using multiple devices, as when you connect multiple WiFi devices to a router and you have something like this, with a single 2x2 radio, you're going to end up with devices that will have to wait to use the network, since things like MU-MIMO won't really work. Ideally you want at least one 4x4 radio in a router so two devices can share it properly, as today, most WiFi devices, be that a phone, tablet or laptop, have 2x2 radios in them.

Ah, I see. I don't have that many devices, but I guess with guests and stuff, the number can shoot up to a dozen at times.

Can you get faster than 1 Gbps internet where you live and if so, why wouldn't you want your wired devices to be able to take advantage of that speed?
Imho, a single fast port on a router is useless.

A quick scan says no, the to main providers only offer up to 1Gbps.

 

[Epaminombas]

Could be a decent upgrade over my R8000. Problem is, the R8000 is still working just fine and it's slow at all. Still, nice to see a WiFi option at a sane price.

Routers last more than 10 years without any problems.

But it is an absurdly high upgrade to go from Wifi 5 to Wifi 7.

WPA3 security
More stability
Lower ping and jitter

It is also a good idea to change the cables to CAT8

 

[TheGeekn°72]

Routers last more than 10 years without any problems.

Doesn't mean one should maintain the same router for 10 years if they need more bandwidth

But it is an absurdly high upgrade to go from Wifi 5 to Wifi 7.

WPA3 security
More stability
Lower ping and jitter

true that, plus applications such as VR are barely supported by wifi 6 non-E's bandwidth, wifi 5 is real old by now, 6 is cheap but 6E is basically priced the same and even more widespread, if W7 costs too much, AXE routers are the way to go

It is also a good idea to change the cables to CAT8

in regards to RJ45, cat 7/8 is a myth
maybe you'll get genuine cat 7/8 but that serves absolutely no purpose other than maybe raise the price, 6A supporting basically 99% of all RJ45 use cases
I mean, I run 10G over 10m of cat6A, I really don't see why would anyone purposefully look out for 7/8 when getting new cables...

 

[Epaminombas]

CAT8 cables are very cheap, I used CAT6 for over 12 years and I changed my cables to CAT8 for less than $50 and I noticed that the ping and jitter improved...

So yes, I think it is worth the investment, they are better shielded against interference.

If you have many devices connected wirelessly, it is mandatory nowadays to have at least Wifi6, if you have money to spare, go for Wifi7.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Routers last more than 10 years without any problems.

In theory yes, but the hardware doesn't always last that long, my R7800 died after seven years.
On top of that, many routers don't get updates even after a couple of years, so it's not safe to use them, even if the hardware is still working.

WPA3 security

That is available on some/many(?) 802.11ac routers as well.

It is also a good idea to change the cables to CAT8

Sorry, but no, this is a waste of money. Cat 6 or Cat 6A is plenty fine for 10 Gbps, so no need to get anything fancier.

CAT8 cables are very cheap, I used CAT6 for over 12 years and I changed my cables to CAT8 for less than $50 and I noticed that the ping and jitter improved...

This is all in your head, there are no benefits, you're just wasting money.
Also, do you have any cables in your walls? Then those are the longer cable runs anyhow and your short patch cables wouldn't make any difference.

However, there's a difference between cheaply made cables that are sold as Cat 6 or Cat 6A, that technically are only Cat 5e and proper certified cables, as then you might see some difference.

 

[bug]

In theory yes, but the hardware doesn't always last that long, my R7800 died after seven years.
On top of that, many routers don't get updates even after a couple of years, so it's not safe to use them, even if the hardware is still working.


That is available on some/many(?) 802.11ac routers as well.

You can say that again. Netgear has my business simply because the R8000 I got 9 years ago still seems to get updates every now and then.

 

[TheLostSwede]

in regards to RJ45, cat 7/8 is a myth
maybe you'll get genuine cat 7/8 but that serves absolutely no purpose other than maybe raise the price, 6A supporting basically 99% of all RJ45 use cases
I mean, I run 10G over 10m of cat6A, I really don't see why would anyone purposefully look out for 7/8 when getting new cables...

Cat 7 isn't even a recognised by the TIA/EIA for use with standard Ethernet, so it's indeed a myth.

 

[Epaminombas]

I had a ping of 5~6ms with CAT6.

When I changed the entire network to CAT8 it dropped to 2ms~2ms, even the jitter improved.

And you guys are only concerned about speed. I'm not talking about speed, I'm talking about other factors that none of you take into account.

3 CAT8 cables cost less than $50. Very cheap. They will last more than 20 years.

You guys are very cheap

 

[TheLostSwede]

You can say that again. Netgear has my business simply because the R8000 I got 9 years ago still seems to get updates every now and then.

Yeah, my R7800 was also seeing updates until it died. Not all of their models get that long support though, but it seems like Netgear and Asus are the only two companies that offer really good support with regards to firmware updates, on some of their more premium models at least.

I had a ping of 5~6ms with CAT6.

When I changed the entire network to CAT8 it dropped to 2ms~2ms, even the jitter improved.

And you guys are only concerned about speed. I'm not talking about speed, I'm talking about other factors that none of you take into account.

3 CAT8 cables cost less than $50. Very cheap. They will last more than 20 years.

You guys are very cheap

Sorry, who're you? Let's see some credentials that you have some working experience in the networking world.
I've worked for a router manufacturer and actually tested these things for a living.

If your LAN ping is 5-6 ms, you have some serious issues, even 2 ms isn't particularly good on your LAN, you should see pings of 1 ms or less on your LAN.

This is between my desktop and router, as you can see, sub 1 ms.

Pinging 192.168.50.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.50.1:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

 

[bug]

I had a ping of 5~6ms with CAT6.

When I changed the entire network to CAT8 it dropped to 2ms~2ms, even the jitter improved.

And you guys are only concerned about speed. I'm not talking about speed, I'm talking about other factors that none of you take into account.

3 CAT8 cables cost less than $50. Very cheap. They will last more than 20 years.

You guys are very cheap

It's physically impossible for that to happen. Lightspeed through copper is about 200,000km/h. How many miles of cable were you running?

 

[Epaminombas]

I'm talking about ping going from 5~6ms in internet connection tests. To 2ms.

As websites speedtest.net / www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat

And also in online games the ping decreased.

Only by changing from CAT6 to CAT8 cable.

I'm just saying what I did and I've already recommended to other people to buy CAT8 and they bought it without any problem and they also felt the difference.

 

[Steevo]

I swapped to a CAT 8 cable, but it was just Wifi connection before that. I however did test the system coupled to my old computer and the difference between a cheap old 100MBps and 1000MBps and the ping was always 1ms even with a broken old piece of garbage cable.


This looks like the WiFi 7 router my ISP gave me, the 2.5Gb port is meaningless for all purposes as the 1G service only needs 1G. I may eventually move the router/WAP to a more central location since the wifi service in the far corners of the house is still a bit meh...

 

[TheLostSwede]

I'm talking about ping going from 5~6ms in internet connection tests. To 2ms.

As websites speedtest.net / www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat

And also in online games the ping decreased.

Only by changing from CAT6 to CAT8 cable.

I'm just saying what I did and I've already recommended to other people to buy CAT8 and they bought it without any problem and they also felt the difference.

No, that has nothing to do with you changing your cables, as again, that is impossible, the change of cable in your home, could under no circumstances have this much of an affect on your ping times out on the internet. What most likely happened, is that you pinged a different server that was closer to you, or your ISP made some changes around the same time.

 

[Epaminombas]

I'm just saying, I couldn't get an A, only a B with the CAT6 cable

And in the speedtest the ping was 5ms with CAT6

 

[TheGeekn°72]

Cat 7 isn't even a recognised by the TIA/EIA for use with standard Ethernet, so it's indeed a myth.

I thought there was a DC version of RJ45 called GG45 and that was what cat 7/8 was for ?
It's been a while since I looked up that stuff so maybe I'm misremembering ?

 

[TheLostSwede]

I thought there was a DC version of RJ45 called GG45 and that was what cat 7/8 was for ?
It's been a while since I looked up that stuff so maybe I'm misremembering ?

No, that's right, there's also ARJ45 for Cat 7, but none of those are part of the generally accepted Ethernet standard.
Cat 8 is part of it though, but serves no purpose for anyone using 10 Gbps or slower hardware.