The world today has changed a lot. As Leonard Kleinrock found Internet for the first time in 1969, the way people communicate to each other are also changed. Internet makes people in distance connected and communicate each other. They don’t have to wait for weeks or even months to receive a letter from anyone in distance, because the Internet makes it within minutes. Besides, the invention of Internet makes us possible to find and share any information from various interests.
WiFi technology is everywhere. In our house, in public buildings, in corporate environments, in restaurants in school, in University campuses etc. Since WiFi invention in 1991, it has been the de facto standard (based on IEEE 802.11) for implementing wireless LAN networks (WLAN) and for connecting devices to the Internet (mostly) without using physical wires.
The WiFi technology has gone through multiple enhancements and updates both on the protocol standard level and on the actual devices manufactured by vendors.
Nowadays, WiFi Mesh Networks have emerged as the new trend. These mesh systems consist of 2 or more wifi routing nodes creating a wireless “umbrella” (or mesh) that clients connect to it.
If you have a problem with slow internet speeds or wifi black spots, a new router can help to significantly improve your internet experience. In this article I’ll try to explain and compare the differences between The Netgear ac1200 and ac1600 also give you some background info for the meaning of this technical specification.
Netgear ac1200 vs ac1600.
- Design
The Netgear ac1200 has glossy black with rectangular shape and LED indicators at the top with 2 antennas at the rear. At the back panel are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a USB 2.0 port, a power button, a reset button, and a WPS button. Read also: Fujitsu Scansnap ix500 Vs Epson ES 500w.
On the other hand, the Netgear ac1600 has an upright slab look that won’t take up much space on your desk because it’s designed to stand and a glossy finish with good ventilation. The WPS button is on the right side of the router and at the back is the USB 3.0 port, 4 LAN ports, power input port, and buttons for power and reset.
Netgear ac1200 looks better and can operate on a horizontal position which makes it more stable on a desktop.
| Netgear AC1200 | Netgear AC1600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Offer | click here | click here |
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| Package Dimensions | 13.39 x 11.02 x 2.4 inches | 12.02 x 10.13 x 2.84 inches |
| Item Weight | 13.6 ounces | 0.071 ounces |
- Features
The Netgear ac1600 has internal antennas that use advanced beamforming + technology that directs signals to specific devices, increases wifi range, and gets rid of dead spots to increase wifi speeds. It also uses the QoS feature to provide smooth and reliable HD pictures while streaming and gaming. Both the ac1600 and ac1200 have parental control feature which allows you to filter unwanted content and websites as well as restrict access for some devices in your network.
The Netgear ac1600 has better features with internal antennas that use beamforming+ that make it easier to control your network.
- Speeds
The Netgear ac1200 operates on an 880 MHz MediaTek dual-band processor with 128MB of RAM and 128MB of flash memory that delivers speeds of 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band. Meanwhile, the ac1600 operates on an 800 MHz dual-core processor with 128MB of RAM and 128MB of flash memory and speeds of 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band.
Netgear ac1600 performs better with faster speeds on its 5 GHz band than ac1200.
Review Netgear ac1200 vs ac1600
- Netgear ac1200
The Netgear ac1200 considered as a budget-friendly router which surprisingly well-constructed and has fantastic features compare to other routers in its price range. It has a sleek black elegant design with 2 adjustable antennas extending at the back and you can rotate to provide maximum wifi coverage in your home. There are 9 LED lights at the top which shows the status of the wired ports, wifi, power, USB, internet, and WPS. At the back panel are 4 LAN ports, a USB 2.0 port for your printer and hard drive, a WPS button, reset button, and power button.
The AC1200 operates on an 880 MHz MediaTek processor with 128MB of RAM and 128MB of flash storage space. Very simple system but delivers what you need without issues. You will need to update it manually because it can’t update its firmware automatically. However, you can activate the firmware upgrade assistant to automatically search for the correct firmware updates for your router. It has the parental control feature for filtering unwanted content and websites, traffic meter to limit bandwidth usage, and SPA2 security protocols that include NAT and SPI firewalls to protect your data and network.
You can install the AC1200 using the Netgear genie which will allow you to configure your router. This router provide stable wifi coverage in small homes thanks to its 1200 Mbps of connection speeds. On average, this dual-band router can deliver 450 Mbps on its 2.4 GHz band and 1300 Mbps on its 5 GHz band. Most of your wifi devices can only use one type of band so if your device is restricted to 2.4 GHz channel, it can’t use the 5 GHz channel. The AC1200 has very impressive throughput speeds where it will deliver 74.1 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band at close proximity and 48.3 Mbps at 30 feet. When on the 5 GHz band at close proximity it will deliver 331 Mbps and 104 Mbps at 30 feet.
- Netgear ac1600
This is a dual-band router that can deliver reliable speeds for smooth and lag-free HD streaming, surfing, and online gaming. It’s an upright slab with a sheen finish design that may demand more attention than other routers. It doesn’t come with external antennas but has an internal one that uses beamforming + technology to be able to provide reliable internet for your home by increasing the wifi range while eliminating blind spots and extending the signal speed. At the back are 4 LAN ports, a WAN port, a power input port, a reset button, and power button.
There are 2 USB ports, one at the back the other at the side. At the side are the wifi connection button and the WPS button at the bottom side that allows you to add more devices when activated without using a password. At the bottom, front are 4 LED indicators and 2 more on the side. You can easily manage the controls of the r6250 through the Netgear genie mobile app that allows you to connect, monitor, and control your home network from your phone.
The Netgear ac1600 operates on a dual-core 800 MHz processor with 128 MB of RAM and 128 MB of flash memory that enables high-performance connectivity in your home with multiple devices. For security, it uses WPA/WPA2-PSK, SPI and NAT firewall, and DSAP to protect your data and home network. You can set up parental controls to filter unwanted content.
This router can transmit strong signals more than 15 m behind solid walls, rooms, and electronic gadgets that would interfere with the signal. When on the 2.4 GHz band at close range, it can deliver speeds of 96.8 Mbps and 35.92 Mbps at 15 meters. For the 5 GHz band at close range, the speeds clock 224 Mbps and 102.4 Mbps at 15 meters.
Conclusion
The Netgear ac1200 and ac1600 are budget-friendly routers that will deliver good speed performance and ensure there are no glitches in your internet connection.
So, which one is better?
Netgear ac1600 is better because it’s equipped with beamforming + technology that increases wifi signal range to specific devices instead of broadcasting the signal in all directions which increases the connectivity speed and gets rid of dead zones. It also uses QoS to ensure smooth HD streaming and gaming and it has a USB 3.0 port which is a great investment.
