Netgear’s mobile broadband product stack has a variety of different product offerings mostly targeting the personal hotspot market. However, with 5G, wireless home broadband has become a credible proposition. In gearing up for the widespread adoption of 5G across different markets, Netgear is introducing the Nighthawk M5 5G Wi-Fi 6 Mobile Router at CES 2020.
The M5 is designed to make high-speed broadband available in multiple scenarios – such as in-vehicle, or camping, or even just at home. The device is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 technology, and features a touch UI. It supports up to 4 Gbps on the 5G side. Availability is slated for the second half of 2020, and pricing is yet to be decided. The battery is designed to be removable – this helps in cases where the unit is wall-powered (as is the situation when the M5 is used for in-home broadband). The unit also features a single gigabit LAN port.
Netgear is also introducing the 4G LTE Wi-Fi Orbi Router at the show. The device is mainly aimed at places where fixed broadband penetration is not high such as in rural areas or sites of vacation homes. The Orbi 4G LTE Wi-Fi router is a AC2200 tri-band Wi-Fi device with a 4G LTE Category 18 connection (up to 1.2 Gbps).
Netgear plans to sell the LBR20 router-only package for $400, starting in Q2 2020. Users can expand Wi-Fi coverage by adding any Orbi satellite to the installation. The LBR20 can also be used as a dual-WAN gateway with failover capabilities, allowing for seamless switchover to 4G LTE when the primary Internet service experiences a failure. The LBR20 carries over all the consumer-friendly Orbi features such as painless app-based setup and management, Disney Circle, and Netgear Armor.