Netgear announces new 802.11ac Wi-Fi router and USB adapter

Today at a press event in San Francisco, Netgear announced a new next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi router, the R6200, and a USB adapter for PCs and notebooks called the A6200. Both will fall alongside the R6300, which Netgear touted as the world’s first 802.11ac router back in April, though Buffalo’s WZR-1800H beat it to market earlier this month. For those unfamiliar, the 802.11ac standard is the successor to 802.11n, offering increased speeds of up to 1.3Gbps and greater range and energy efficiency. The R6300 will remain Netgear’s the flagship router in the range, sporting speeds of 1.3Gbps and two USB ports, while the R6200 will offer slightly reduced throughput of 900Mbps and one USB port. The R6300 will retail for $199.99, while the R6200 will cost $179.99. Both will come standard with AirPrint support with Apple products, DLNA connectivity, parental controls, and Netgear’s Genie router management software.

Despite Netgear’s early adoption of the 802.11ac standard, most current devices are still running 802.11n, and the company is using its A6200 USB adapter to bridge the gap. The adapter will cost $69.99 and features an adjustable antenna and an optional docking station for notebooks and desktops. Netgear’s 802.11ac range will be available online tomorrow with retail availability starting later this week.