While the Netgear R6400 scored top performance five years ago, it is clearly inferior to the new WLAN AX competition from today’s perspective. This is mainly due to its WLAN-AC standard, which enables a maximum of 653 Mbit/s in the test.
There is also no integrated modem, MU-MIMO or faster LAN ports, which means that the equipment is somewhat incomplete. The price for around 75 euros is excellent. From a price-performance perspective, in particular, this makes the R6400 an affordable router for everyone who just wants Internet in the house and for whom everything else is secondary.
Test data for Netgear R6400 & Specification
| Product: | Netgear R6400 |
| WiFi standard: | Wi-Fi 5 (AC) |
| Speed index: | AC1750 |
| Maximum theoretical WiFi AC data rate: | 1300 Mbit / s |
| Maximum theoretical WLAN AX data rate (2.4 GHz): | 450 Mbit / s |
| Maximum theoretical WLAN AX data rate (5 GHz): | – |
| Tri-band: | ○ |
| AC-MU-MIMO: | ○ |
| AX-MU-MIMO: | ○ |
| Maximum measured data rate WLAN: | 653 Mbit / s |
| Download data rate (opt.conditions, average, Asus PCE-AX58BT): | 453 Mbit / s |
| Download data rate (practice conditions, average value, Asus PCE-AX58BT): | 457 Mbit / s |
| Download data rate (opt.conditions, average, Intel AC7260): | 413 Mbit / s |
| Download data rate (average, 2 x Asus PCE-AX58BT): | 383 Mbit / s |
| Download data rate (average, 2 x Asus PCE-AX58BT + Huawei P30 (AC): | 377 Mbit / s |
| 1 Gbit / s LAN ports: | 4 ports |
| 1 Gbit / s WAN ports: | 1 port |
| 2.5 Gbit / s WAN ports: | – |
| 2.5 Gbit / s convertible LAN / WAN ports: | – |
| 5 Gbit / s convertible LAN / WAN ports: | – |
| USB-A 2.0 ports: | 1 port |
| USB-A-3.x ports: | 1 port |
| USB-C 3.x ports: | – |
| DSL modem: | ○ |
| Cable modem: | ○ |
| Telephony (analog): | ○ |
| Telephony (VoIP): | ○ |
| DECT: | – |
| Printer server: | ● |
| FTP server: | ● |
| VPN server: | ● |
| Cloud service: | ReadyCloud |
| Power consumption in standby: | 10 watts |
| Power consumption during data transfer: | 15 watts |
| Tested on: | 04/11/2020 |
Netgear R6400 Review: A cheap equipment
As a WiFi ac router, the some years old Netgear R6400 no longer offers the latest WiFi standard in 2020. Our list of the best is dominated by the WLAN AX devices, so the Netgear R6400 has to put itself in the back of the table in terms of performance and assert itself as a cheap alternative. However, even apart from the “outdated” standard, the equipment is not a highlight.
The router not only dispenses with tri-band WLAN and MU-MIMO (“Multi User Multiple Input Multiple Output”), which is used for better synchronization of several end devices, but also offers only a manageable variety of interfaces. Four LAN and one WAN port are offered.
There are also two USB ports for media storage or printers and one of which is only USB 2.0. The LAN ports offer speeds of 1 Gbit/s, the meanwhile common 2.5 and 5 Gbit/s are missing here. The integration of a DSL or cable modem was also omitted here. The handling is easy thanks to the uncomplicated setup and the understandable operating system.
Netgear R6400 in the test: Solid performance of the last generation
The performance of the Netgear R6400 is only average due to the now outdated WLAN standard. While a maximum WLAN AC data rate of 1300 Mbit/s should be possible in theory, we only measured a maximum value of 653 Mbit/s in the test.
Under optimal conditions via an AX interface from Asus, we achieve 453 MBit/s, under practical conditions even 457 MBit/s are possible.
With our AC remote station from Intel, we determine a maximum of 413 Mbit/s and still achieve a value of 377 Mbit/s when two Asus receivers and a Huawei P30 are synchronized. ReadyCloud is used as a cloud service. In addition to normal data transfer, the router can also be used as a printer, FTP and VPN server.
Test Netgear R6400: saves money and electricity
The AC router does not provide excessive performance and can only offer manageable features, but consequently the power consumption of the router is not too high.
In the test, we determine a power consumption of 10 watts in standby; this value increases to 15 watts during data transfer. These are quite good results; our test winner, for example, needs significantly more with 16 and 22 watts.
Advantages:
- Attractively priced
- Good handling
- Relatively low power consumption
Disadvantage:
- Wi-Fi 5 (AC) only
- No MU-MIMO
- No DSL or cable modem