Netgear R6300 Router Delivers Gigabit WiFi

Netgear has today announced the world's first 802.11ac WiFi router, the R6300, capable of speeds over 1Gbit/s on wireless. The new router is powered by Broadcom's 5G WiFi chip, which is backwards compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n. The R6300 is also dual band, with speeds potentially reaching 1300Mbit/s over 5Ghz, and 450Mbit/s over 2.4Ghz.

Netgear say that the R6300 should be three times faster than existing 802.11n routers thanks to the ac standard, although your mileage will vary depending on distance from router and obstacles in the way. The company also says range has been increased, so you'll be able to pipe HD video across the home without too many issues.

On top of the hardware, Netgear is also offering a range of software. The Genie app allows smartphone users to monitor and test their networks, MyMedia plugs into DLNA and allows you to stream video and photos, and parental controls should help to stop kids surfing the nastier parts of the web.

The Netgear R6300 should be available in May in the United States for around $199.99. Head on over to this link for the full router details.