| Netgear WGR614 54 Mbps 2.4 GHz Cable or DSL Wireless Router |
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Model: WGR614
Brand: Netgear
Manufacturer: Netgear
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 712
Operating system: Windows
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Router
WGR614
4 port
54 Mbps
Wireless |
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| Description: |
| Netgear WGR614 802.11g Wireless Router with 4-Port Switch - The amount of homes with high-speed Internet access and multiple computers is growing steadily. Wouldn't it be nice to share that high-speed Internet connection with all of the computers in your home? Wouldn't it be great to also share files between your computers? And wouldn't it be amazing if you could do all of that wirelessly!? Well you can, with this 802.11g Wireless Router. Just add optional 802.11g, or 802.11b, adapters to each computer, connect your modem, run through the easy installation process, and you're ready to go. It even supports the slower 802.11b wireless protocol for increased compatibility. VPN pass-through |
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| User Reviews (712 total): |
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Hidden Features, December 6, 2007
By Chirag Sanghavi (Atlanta, GA)
The Netgear Router works as advertised by the vendor. But the router has more features which are not available (as the UI built by Netgear is limited in functionality).
The router can be used as a repeater or a wireless client (to extend range of your wireless network). This does not require any firmware change, but just one utility from Netgear to enable shell access and to execute few commands (may sound like Geeky, but simple enough for a 10th grader to do).
The advertized features work for all the versions of this router (this router has version 1 to 7 till date), but the hidden features may work with specific set of versions only.
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The Worst POS Router Ever, December 5, 2007
By davige (USA)
I am an IT professional. I have installed many different routers over the years but this is by far the worst. 2 for 2 have failed in the field. They are basically throw aways because off-shore tech support is helpless. I'd give them 0 stars if I could. Linksys is a bit more reliable but their tech support is just as bad. Netgear's ProSafe line is much better but much higher priced. Stay away from these POS consumer routers.
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Netgear WGR614, December 1, 2007
By pc tech
The router is good when it works. If you are going to buy a netgear product, call support as if you bought this and needed support or to return.
Dumb phone support selections, called several times and every time I when I reached someone they who spoke bad english. You may need to repeat the simpliest question several times. The phone connection always seemed bad. The service/return policies are stupid, even with a warranty. Try this and you will see why any netgear product is worth 1 star, maybe.
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Do not buy. It keeps dropping DSL connection unless you turn off the wireless feature., November 29, 2007
By scutpuppy (houston, TX)
I bought this router without checking reviews here and got DSL connection drops just like many other people on day 1. Firmware update did nothing and tech support is a joke. It also interfered with my cordless phone with clicking noise if I used the phone away from the base. I decided to test it by going into the advanced wireless setting in the configuration page at netgearrouter sign in page and disable the wireless transmission. Lo and behold, the DSL connection drops stop and my cordless phone noise disappears. But now I don't have wireless connection which I wanted when I bought this router in the first place. I think this router wireless transmission frequency somehow interferes with the telephone line which, in turns, drops the DSL connection. I just want to post this for the people who could not return the router so they know that they can still use it for a wired network if they have internet connection drops. For those who is thinking about buying it, my advice is to buy another router instead.
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Good, Inexpensive Wireless Router, November 28, 2007
By SEB (Alpharetta, Georgia USA)
This is a good no frills wireless router. Pop in the CD and follow the Setup Wizard and 95% will get what they want - a working secure wireless router. Netgear makes good stuff. I have been using it for years. If you have a choice, Netgear is a good choice.
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Useable, poor software, no software support for MAC, November 26, 2007
By Soulsurfer (San Francisco, CA)
It's hard to believe that's its 2007 and they would make router software without support for MAC. Also, there is no download, the software runs from the CD, which means you have to load the CD when you want to inquire, run help, etc.
They also charge for customer service after three months!!! The cost is $69! Almost twice the cost of the router. I owned a Linksys before buying this router and have nothing but praise for Linksys hardware and support.
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Odds are 50/50..skip this router, November 25, 2007
By Jay Whitaker
I have two, one works perfectly and the other is buggy, hence the 50/50.
The bad one needs unplugged/replugged as it appears to lose power and all associated connections, wired/wireless. It may go a day, week or hours, but it is a consistent PAIN.
You get what you pay for...and don't even think about installing this for somebody else unless you want to be THEIR tech support when the inevitable issues occur.
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PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT, November 24, 2007
By Venkat (Austin, TX)
I bought this router six months before and struggling to get this work for me. I have tried all means to get this work(firmware updates, re-installing the router many times, all the options available in the internet) but no luck. I would not recommend this product to any one. PLEASE DO NOT BUT THIS PRODUCT.
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Bueno, Bonito y Barato, November 22, 2007
By Cecilia Sole
Those are the 3 "B" words we use for good, nice and cheap. Easy to install for any user. Wifi in a minute.
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Great signal , great price!, November 20, 2007
By ~Safari Babe~ (USA)
The price was the main reason I bought this Router. I was also influenced by the reviews here. The signal is always "EXCELLENT" which is a big change from my old wireless router.
I have only one con, the setup cd is pretty easy until it wants an Ip address. At this point it could not automatically find the Ip address. If your not familiar with manual router configuration, You may need to call tech support at this point or look at the other persons review help. Other than that , I really love this Router!
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Mac OS install without CD, November 17, 2007
By Geek (Los Angeles, CA USA)
Okay, I'll add that I really like this router. The tips from some of the other folks here were really helpful, but there's a couple things that kept me from giving all 5 stars. I went the cheap route and got a refurbished router that shipped without the installation CD. The netgear website DOES have product manuals online for this router, but they depend upon the CD for the initial setup. You should download the manual before adding the router. Also, copy and paste the Tech Geek (from Los Angeles) notes into a document and save it too. So, here's how to manage this without the CD:
1) Write down your current settings for the internet. Windows folks are on their own. OSX users should open system preferences, click Network, double click whatever is highlighted (mine was "built in ethernet") and that should take you to the TCP/IP settings. My provider gave me a static IP, so all that info was Manually entered (rather than DHCP or BOOTP). You'll need this info to set up your router or to set your maching back properly.
2) At the top of the Network preferences, there's a Location pop-down menu. Select "New Location..." from the bottom and name the new profile something like Netgear. This should preserve your old settings and let you tinker with the router all you like.
3) In the Netgear location, make sure the TCP/IP options are selected. The 'Configure IPv4:' menu should be set to DHCP. Set it to that if not.
4) Now, open up the manual, find the place where it tells you to type "http://routerlogin.net/" into your browser. Do it, and you're off and running. The router will ask for the admin account and password, the default is "admin" and "password" respectively. The router configuration website should pop right up. Follow instructions from there.
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Keeps dropping connection, November 17, 2007
By JoeMan (Hamilton, NY)
Received one free, worked for several months, then it kept dropping the connection. Worked with their support, did everything they recommended, but still kept happening. Silly me, went and bought a new one, then it started the same thing after a month. Support still no help. Could not recommend to anyone. One star because I have to give one.
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A Piece Of JUNK, November 17, 2007
By Kent J. Smythe (Glendale, CA USA)
All seemed fine with this at first and then getting up one morning a year after buying this thing,nothing worked and none of my computers could get on line. I phoned their "tech support" and discovered how worthless the 3 year warranty was. If I wanted this thing fixed I had to shell out the Money to get it working again. I put it in it's box and ordered one made by a different company. I keep it around so I'm reminded to NEVER buy anything from Netgear ever again
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Don't buy it!!!, November 12, 2007
By Chrissie A.
this product is a waste of money. after it wouldn't work, I called customer service, which is out of India, and not only was it hard to understand them, they only made the problem worst by messing up my laptop's configuration. they couldn't fix it, and asked I called my manufacturer - even though they messed it up. after 1 hr on the phone, I asked to speak to a supervisor, and the tech guy told me that he was perfectly capable of helping since he had '1 whole year of experience'. then, he hung up on me. by the suggestion of my manufacture, I'm returning this worthless router and getting a different brand. -- do yourself a favor and don't buy it!
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Sometimes needs rebooting, November 12, 2007
By Software engineer and amateur musician (Santa Clara, California)
I have had this router for 6 months. It never drops the wired connection to which most of my computers are hooked up. But the wireless has issues. Sometimes my laptop can't connect anymore. I haven't figured out why, except that rebooting the wireless router fixes the problem, so I'm pretty confident it's an issue with the router.
I have also had problems doing large file transfers (>100 MB) from one of my LAN machines to the laptop over wireless. The file kept getting corrupt and couldn't be unpacked, despite having been transferred entirely. Comparison between the source and destination showed errors. I'm not certain if the router was at fault, Vista, or the wireless driver on the laptop. But I do know that when the laptop was hooked up to the LAN via Ethernet directly, the file transferred properly - not to mention much faster.
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I really hated this router., November 11, 2007
By Jessida225 (NYC)
I bought this router on the advice of an employee at an office supply store. I was pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive it was. We have Verizon DSL and two laptops, and this should have met our needs -- basic wireless internet in a medium-size apartment. And I'm sure it would have met our needs... if it wasn't cheap and broken. Several of the reviews here mentioned that it worked for awhile; in our case, it worked for 30 minutes, and then never again. Set up and installation were not at all easy -- I had to call tech support almost immediately because the set-up screens kept freezing. After about an hour, I managed to talk to someone at Netgear, and we got it running. Yay!
BUT! Success was short-lived. The next day, when I turned on the modem, router, and laptop, we no longer had a wireless internet connection. I then spent a total of 8 hours (over 2 days) on the phone with tech support at Verizon, Dell, and Netgear, with each of them blaming the others for a problem in our set up, in spite of the fact that our DSL and laptops work fine together. Finally, the 4th Netgear rep I talked to concluded that our particular Netgear device was defective and should be exchanged for another (identical) model. Apparently, it was incapable of retaining the IP address settings that I kept entering with all the tech support people, which is why it stopped working after that first time. I was told that "this happens sometimes", and that "sometimes there is a problem during the manufacturing process". Everyone I spoke to at Netgear was perfectly nice and polite, without actually being helpful or solving my problem. Ultimately, we got a Linksys instead, and so far it works perfectly, with simple installation and on-screen instructions. AVOID THIS NETGEAR ROUTER -- you get what you pay for.
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decent value for what it is, November 10, 2007
By DG (USA)
It's not a high end product, so my expectations aren't high. I bought this unit intending to use it for a wireless access point on my wired network at home.
It meets that need very well. Fast, easy to set up for a passive access point, and no problems with 128 bit encryption.
I do notice that it gets a little hot with use, so I stood it upright in the stand that came with it, and it seems to run cooler that way. I wonder if that's the root of some of the service problems people are seeing.
I'll see what kind of service it gives over the long term, since it will get intermittent use when the kids are home from school with their wireless notebooks.
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Router, November 7, 2007
By Dan (Illinois)
This is a great Router. It works very well and was so easy to setup. and the best part was it didn't cost much.
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works well without lots of fiddling, October 31, 2007
By archi-freak (Portland, OR)
I have been impressed with how well this works. I don't have to constantly re-set it like certain other manufacturer's routers. Usually, if i have a problem, it's because my cable modem supplied by Comcrud has flipped out, so I have to power cycle both this and the modem to get the network again, but it works once I do that. It has NEVER been the source of my problems.
I have not used the wireless functions much at all so I can't comment as much on that.
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Its a cheap and best product..., October 29, 2007
By Vijay (USA)
Its really cheap and best product, good coverage in 2BHK, stabilize speed, good looking, but installation was bit difficult for me.
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