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NETGEAR R8500
AC5300 Nighthawk X8 Tri-Band WiFi Router

NETGEAR R8500

Sorry, this product is no longer available, please contact us for a replacement.

Overview:

802.11ac Tri-Band Quad Stream Gigabit

The Next Wave in WiFi

The Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router is the next wave in WiFi. Tri-Band WiFi and Quad Stream performance boosts X8's combined wireless speeds to up to 5.3Gbps. Four external Active Antennas plus four internal antennas amplify WiFi range. Six gigabit Ethernet ports means even more wired devices can connect and with port aggregation 2 ports can combine to double maximum wired speeds. Nighthawk X8 is the next wave in WiFi.

Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router
  • Get fastest speeds available up to 5.3Gbps
  • Tri-band WiFi delivers more WiFi to more devices
  • Quad Stream delivers up to four data streams per WiFi band
  • 4 active antennas and 4 internal antennas amplify and maximize range
  • 6 Gigabit Ethernet ports—aggregate two ports for faster file transfers
  • Smart Connect intelligently selects the fastest WiFi band for every device
  • MU-MIMO capable for simultaneous streaming of data to multiple devices
  • Dynamic QoS prioritizes bandwidth by application and device
  • ReadyCLOUD® USB Access — Secure personal access to USB storage from anywhere
Fastest Tri-Band WiFi Router

The Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router with breakthrough Tri-Band WiFi technology delivers a massive combined wireless speed of up to 5.3Gbps. X8 uses Smart Connect to optimize WiFi performance by intelligently assigning every device to the fastest WiFi band possible and doing so allows devices to connect at their maximum speed. Load Balancing distributes WiFi devices ensuring usage of both the 5GHz WiFi bands. Even if everyone and everything in the home that’s connected to the Internet is streaming, gaming, working, playing, socializing or updating at the same time, the X8 won’t miss a beat—you’ll enjoy seamless clarity and zero lag.

NETGEAR Tri-Band WiFi gets the fastest internet speeds
NETGEAR's built in dynamic quality of service (QoS) automatically prioritizes your bandwidth usage allowing you to get the best performace while multi-tasking on the internet
Dynamic Quality of Service

If you like gaming and streaming videos, then you'll benefit from Dynamic Quality of Service (QoS). Dynamic QoS resolves Internet traffic congestion when you have competing Internet demands at home. Dynamic QoS identifies your online activities by application and device, and then utilizes bandwidth allocation, and traffic prioritization techniques, to automatically allocate more bandwidth to latency sensitive applications like online gaming and video streaming, while ensuring that lower priority applications continue to work.

Industry's First Active Antennas

Each new generation of routers grows more powerful than the last, delivering stronger WiFi signals with greater range. At the same time, the WiFi signals on mobile devices are not getting more powerful. This difference in WiFi performance reduces overall WiFi range and speed.

To meet this challenge, NETGEAR developed the industry’s first Active Antennas technology. NETGEAR moved the WiFi amplifiers from their usual location, on the router’s motherboard, to the top of the antennas. These Active Antennas help improve WiFi performance by amplifying signal in the antenna itself. This allows the router to receive cleaner and stronger signals from your mobile devices, avoiding signal degradation between the antennas and motherboard.

NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 Active Antennas pick up even the weakest WiFi signals
NETGEAR R8500 features
Connect More

Six Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports allows you to connect even more wired devices. Two of six Gigabit Ethernet ports can be aggregated to double the connection speed to a Network Attached Storage device for 4K HD streaming or fast backups of multiple WiFi devices simultaneously.

Powerful Dual Core 1.4GHz Router Processor

Basic WiFi routers use simple single core processors to connect WiFi devices to the Internet.

Nighthawk X8 delivers Tri-band WiFi, quad-stream performance on each band, Multi-User MIMO capable, has 6 Gigabit LAN ports with Port Aggregation, and dual USB interfaces to connect external USB storage. Using a single core processor would cause severe performance issues as various processes compete for CPU power.

That's why the X8 utilizes a powerful 1.4GHz dual-core processor to separate processes and prioritize high performance WiFi connections to get maximum combined WiFi speeds of up to 5.3Gbps.

NETGEAR Nighthawk X8 Dual Core 1.4GHz Processor
Stream on multiple devices with MU-MIMO technology from NETGEAR
Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO)

Using Multi-User MIMO technology, NETGEAR routers can stream data to multiple devices simultaneously. With MU-MIMO, your WiFi network can deliver faster throughput to every MU-MIMO connected device. That means faster downloads and smoother streaming for your devices.

Simple and Secure Cloud Storage via USB

Access and share your files stored on a USB Drive through NETGEAR ReadyCLOUD® USB Access. Simply plug your USB hard drive into your NETGEAR® Nighthawk™ X8 Smart WiFi Router to create secure personal cloud storage. Enjoy the convenience and accessibility of Google Drive™ and Dropbox® without the fees, storage limitations, or privacy concerns. Using the ReadyCLOUD mobile app or web portal, you’ll now have anytime, anywhere access to your USB drive at home… it’s that easy!

Simple & secure cloud storage with ReadyCLOUD by NETGEAR

Features:

Speed

Get the fastest combined WiFi currently available and enjoy a blazing-fast, lag-free WiFi experience for gaming, video streaming or surfing - up to 5.3Gbps.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    5.3Gbps—The fastest combined WiFi speed for uninterrupted streaming

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Tri-Band WiFi—Up to 1000 + 2166 + 2166Mbps†

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Quad Stream—Up to four data streams per WiFi band maximizes connection speed

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Smart Connect—Designates slower and faster devices to separate WiFi bands for best wireless speed

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    MU-MIMO capable—Go faster by simultaneously streaming to multiple devices

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Gigabit WiFi—Next-generation WiFi now at Gigabit speeds

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Gigabit wired—Six Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports with the ability to aggregate two ports for faster file transfers

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Dynamic QoS—Intelligently prioritizes video streaming and gaming

WiFi Range

Got range? Homes come in all shapes and sizes and Nighthawk X8 Smart WiFi Router's 4 external and 4 internal antennas provide WiFi coverage no matter where you connect in your home.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Four Active Antennas —Enhance weak signal and reduce interference with a patent pending design

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Ultimate range—WiFi coverage throughout very large homes

Reliability

There’s nothing more frustrating than lost connections! With NETGEAR’s advanced features and best-in-class technology, you’ll reduce interference and enjoy more reliable WiFi connectivity.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Simultaneous Tri-Band—More and faster WiFi connections to all devices

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Beamforming+ — Focuses WiFi signals for stronger more reliable connections on 2.4 and 5GHz bands

Sharing

Sharing across your network is fun and easy. Anything from accessing stored photos and music to sharing a USB printer and keep everything safe by using the included FREE ReadySHARE Vault software for backing up Windows-based PCs.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    ReadyCLOUD® USB access—Enjoy personal and secure cloud access to USB storage anytime, anywhere

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    ReadySHARE® USB access—Wirelessly access and share USB hard drive and printer via two (2) USB ports: 1 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 port

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    One super speed USB 3.0 port—Up to 10x faster than USB 2.0

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    DLNA®—Find and play your media on DLNA TVs, game consoles and media players

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    ReadySHARE Vault—Free software for automatic PC backup to a USB hard drive connected to the router

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    ReadySHARE Printer—Wirelessly access and share a USB printer

Ease of Use

Start enjoying your new device faster than ever. NETGEAR wants to make sure installation and management is simple and easy, so you can connect quickly and make sure you stay that way!

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Easy install—Easy setup for iPad®, tablets, smartphones and computers

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    NETGEAR genie® App—Personal dashboard to monitor, control and repair your home network. Now includes remote access to manage your network away from home.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Push ‘N’ Connect—Easy push button WiFi connections (WPS)

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    WiFi and power on/off—Convenient power savings

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    VPN support—Secure access to your home network when away from home

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    LED on/off—Easily turn router LED lights on or off

Security

Maintain high security across your network to help ensure your privacy & family is safe while online. Whether it’s preventing phishing or just limiting access for kids & guests, NETGEAR has you covered.

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Enhanced parental controls—Manage web site access by family member and device

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Guest network access—Separate and secure access for guests

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Secure WiFi connections—High level wireless security with WPA/WPA2

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Open source support—Download open source firmware from www.myopenrouter.com

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    Personal FTP server—Customized free URL to create FTP server

  • NETGEAR R8500 features

    VPN support—Secure access to your home network when away from home

Specifications:

Nighthawk X8 AC5300 Smart WiFi Router Specifications
Product Number R8000
Product Thumbnail Nighthawk X6 Tri-Band WiFi Router (AC3200 / R8000)
WiFi Technology
  • 802.11ac Tri-Band Gigabit
Speed and Range
WiFi Performance
  • AC3200 (600 + 1300 + 1300 Mbps)†
WiFi Range
  • Very large homes
WiFi Band
  • Simultaneous Tri-Band WiFi - Tx/Rx 3x3 (2.4GHz) + 3x3 (5GHz) + 3x3 (5GHz)
Beamforming
  • Beamforming+—Smart, signal-focusing technology boosts the speed,reliability, and range of your WiFi connections
Number of Ethernet Ports
  • Five (5) 10/100/1000 (1 WAN and 4 LAN) Gigabit Ethernet ports
Number of USB Ports
  • Two (2) USB ports: 1 USB 3.0 & 1 USB 2.0 port
Key Features
  • AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi
  • WiFi Band 1: 600 Mbps @2.4GHz-256QAM
  • WiFi Band 2: 1300 Mbps @5GHz
  • WiFi Band 3: 1300 Mbps @5GHz
  • Smart Connect intelligently selects the fastest WiFi for every device
  • Dynamic QoS intelligently prioritizes video streaming & gaming
  • High powered amplifiers and six (6) high performance external antennas
  • Implicit & Explicit Beamforming for 2.4 & 5GHz
  • Now with NETGEAR genie® with remote access
  • Powerful Dual-Core 1GHz processor with 3 offload processors
  • Memory: 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM
  • Two (2) USB ports: (1) USB 3.0 & (1) USB 2.0 port
Security
  • Customized free URL to set up personal FTP server
  • VPN support—secure remote access
  • Guest network access—separate & secure
  • WiFi Protected Access® (WPA/WPA2—PSK)
  • Double firewall protection (SPI and NAT)
  • Denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevention
Processor
  • 1GHz dual core porcessor with three offload processors
Processor Technology
Memory
  • 128 MB Flash and 256 MB RAM
Product Diagram
Physical Specifications
  • Dimensions: 11.63 x 8.92 x 2.14 in (295.5 x 226.8 x 54.5 mm)
  • Weight: 2.43 lbs (1.1 kg)
Package Content
  • Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router (R8000)
  • Ethernet cable
  • Quick install guide
  • Power adapter
Standards
  • Two (2) USB ports: 1 USB 3.0 & 1 USB 2.0 port
  • IEEE® 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz-256QAM support
  • IEEE® 802.11 a/n/ac 5.0 GHz
  • Five (5) 10/100/1000 (1 WAN and 4 LAN) Gigabit Ethernet ports
System Requirements
  • Microsoft® Windows 7, 8, Vista®, XP®, 2000, Mac OS®, UNIX®, or Linux®
  • Microsoft® Internet Explorer® 5.0, Firefox® 2.0, Safari® 1.4, or Google Chrome™ 11.0 browsers or higher

†Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE standard 802.11 specifi cations. Actual data throughput and wireless coverage will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network trac, building materials and construction, and network overhead, lower actual data throughput rate and wireless coverage. NETGEAR makes no express or implied representations or warranties about this product’s compatibility with any future standards. 802.11ac 1300 Mbps is approximately 3x faster than 802.11n 450 Mbps. 2.4GHz Performance Mode requires 256 QAM support on WiFi client. Up to 1300 Mbps wireless speeds achieved when connecting to other 802.11ac 1300 Mbps devices.

NETGEAR Warranty

  • This product is backed by a NETGEAR limited 1-year Hardware Warranty.
  • 24/7 basic technical support provided for 90 days from purchase date, when purchased from a NETGEAR authorized reseller

Documentation:

Download the NETGEAR R8500 Datasheet (PDF).