Netgear Nighthawk RS300 WiFi 7 Router Review

The Nighthawk RS300 is the latest WiFi 7 router from Netgear and is priced to target mainstream users who want the high-performance benefits of WiFi 7 while keeping the price reasonable.

The Nighthawk RS300 is less than half the price of the flagship Nighthawk RS700S, but for most people, the performance difference will be negligible, especially if your only goal is to get the best WiFi speeds possible for your Internet connection (rather than WLAN).

Preview	Product	Rating	Price
	NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 7 Tri-Band Router - (RS300) Gaming...	No ratings yet	£299.99	Buy on Amazon

Related Content

• Netgear Orbi 770 Mesh Router Review vs Orbi 970
• Netgear Orbi RBE973 Review 
• Netgear Armor Review
• Netgear Nighthawk RS700S WiFi 7 Router Review
• Netgear Nighthawk A8000 AXE3000 WiFi 6E USB 3.0 Adapter Review

Netgear Nighthawk RS300 vs Nighthawk RS700S Specification

Features

WiFi 7 Features

As a WiFi 7 router, the RS300 brings several new technologies to the table:

320 MHz Channel Width: This wider channel allows for increased data throughput, particularly on the 6 GHz band.

4K-QAM: This advanced modulation technique enables the router to transmit more data in each signal, contributing to higher overall speeds.

Multi-Link Operation (MLO): This feature allows devices to use multiple frequency bands simultaneously, potentially improving both speed and reliability.

Connectivity Options

The RS300 offers a good selection of wired connectivity options:

• Two 2.5 Gbps ports
• Two 1 Gbps ports
• One 2.5 Gig WAN port
• One USB 3.0 port

This port configuration allows for flexible setup options, including the ability to aggregate two ports for faster wired connections. The inclusion of 2.5 Gbps ports is particularly welcome, as it future-proofs the router for faster internet connections and local network transfers.

360° WiFi Coverage 

Sleek new body offers smaller footprint and high-performance antennas for up to 2,000 sq. ft. of 360-degree WiFi coverage

Secure and Private

Netgear routers are secure out of the box and built to stay that way with automatic firmware updates, and industry-leading safety features to help protect you and your family

Essential All-In-One Internet Security

Netgear  Armor software provides an automatic shield of security for your WiFi and connected devices (PC, phone, camera, TV, etc.) for real-time protection against hackers. 30-day trial included

Easy Set Up with Any Service Provider

Simple to plug Nighthawk into your modem and set it up with the Nighthawk app

Unboxing

The Nighthawk RS300 comes in a sleek, black box emblazoned with the router’s image and key features. Inside, you’ll find:

• The Nighthawk RS300 router
• Power adapter
• Ethernet cable
• Quick start guide
• Safety information

The router itself has a modern, understated design. Its vertical orientation and relatively small footprint make it easy to place on a shelf or desk without taking up too much space. The matte black finish helps it blend into most home environments.

Set Up

One common feature with Netgear products, including the RS300 is the ease of setup. Netgear’s Nighthawk app guides users through a simple installation process, making it accessible even for those without much technical knowledge. Whether you’re connecting to a cable or fibre internet service, the app handles the setup seamlessly. The app also allows for basic network management tasks, such as setting up guest WiFi, managing connected devices, and monitoring network usage.

For users who prefer more control, the web interface provides advanced settings for customising the network. While the app works well for basic tasks, power users will likely want to access the full range of features through the web UI, which is user-friendly and responsive.

Nighthawk App Settings

The Nighthawk app provides a user-friendly interface for managing your router. Some key features accessible through the app include:

• Network monitoring: View connected devices and their data usage
• Speed tests: Check your internet connection speed
• WiFi settings: Adjust network names, passwords, and guest network options
• Device prioritisation: Set bandwidth priorities for specific devices
• Parental controls: Set up basic content filtering and access schedules
• Security: Monitor network threats and access Netgear Armor features

While the app offers convenient access to common settings, more advanced users may find it somewhat limited compared to the full web interface.

Web UI Settings and Features

The RS300’s web interface provides more in-depth control over the router’s settings, and you have greater control than the Orbi range of products like the Orbi 770, which I recently reviewed.

• Detailed WiFi configuration: Fine-tune channel selection, transmit power, and other advanced wireless settings
• QoS (Quality of Service): Set up traffic prioritisation rules
• Port forwarding and VPN settings
• Advanced security options
• Network storage configuration for the USB port
• System logs and diagnostics

The web interface has a somewhat dated look compared to the mobile app but offers the depth of control that networking enthusiasts and power users often require.

Test Set Up

Devices I tested the router with include:

• My main work PC, which has the MSI Herald-BE NCM865 WIFI 7 PCIe Adaptor
• Acer Switch 14 AI – A Qualcomm-powered Windows laptop with WiFi 7
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Pixel 9 Pro XL
• Honor Magic V3

To test WiFi over the LAN, I used iper3 and OpenSpeedTest, which I have installed on Proxmox with the Geekom Mini IT13 and the TerraMaster F2-423, which has 2.5GbE and is running Unraid.

For my Internet, I have Virgin Media Gig1.

WiFi 7 Throughput

Netgear claims the RS300 can cover up to 2,000 square feet, which should be sufficient for many homes. However, as with any router, actual coverage will depend on the layout of your space and the materials used in construction.

In real-world testing, the RS300 demonstrates impressive performance, particularly when paired with WiFi 7-capable devices.

Close-Range Performance:

• Pixel 9 Pro XL: 1656 Mbps
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 2074 Mbps
• Acer Switch 14 AI: 1912 Mbps

These speeds are excellent, showcasing the router’s ability to leverage WiFi 7 technology effectively.

Looking back at my Nighthawk RS700S review, I had fewer WiFi 7 devices to test with, but I was able to achieve over 3.5Gbps when connected to 10GbE using the iQOO 12. The range was good, but the results were not significantly better than those of the RS300.

WiFi 7 Range

To try and provide some context for the WiFi performance, I live in a traditional British Accrington brick-built 4-bed semi, which has rooms quite a bit larger than modern homes. Our internal walls are all solid brick, creating a challenging WiFi environment.

To test the range I stuck with mobiles to simplify things:

Living Room (across the hallway into the far side of the next room):

In this test, the Pixel didn’t change bands when the signal dropped. While many people say 6GHz is only useful in the same room, I have found this not true in the slightest. While it doesn’t do as well as 5GHz in the below scenario, it is still a decent speed and achieved through two solid brick walls.

• Pixel 9 Pro XL:
  • 6GHz: 679 Mbps
  • 5GHz: 829 Mbps
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:
  • 5GHz: 941 Mbps

Kitchen (next room after the living room):

• Pixel 9 Pro XL:
  • 2.4Ghz: 20 Mbps
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:
  • 5GHz: 229 Mbps

The kitchen is quite a long way from the router and through 3 solid brick walls, so it is good that all devices still have usable connectivity, even if the Pixel performs far worse than the Samsung.

Office (directly above the living room):

• Pixel 9 Pro XL: 81 Mbps
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: 195 Mbps

Similar to the kitchen, my office is a decent distance from the router. If the router was located central to my house, I think it would provide good speeds for every room.

 USB NAS performance

The RS300 is equipped with two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports and two 1Gbps Ethernet ports, making it a suitable option for users who want to connect devices directly for faster, more reliable speeds. It also includes a USB 3.0 port for sharing files over the network, though it’s worth noting that the performance here is not top-tier compared to some other models in this price range.

During testing, the USB NAS performance was adequate but not exceptional. While it offers decent speeds for everyday use, those who frequently transfer large files may find the performance slightly lacking compared to more expensive routers like the RS700S.

Security and Parental Controls

Security is a key concern for any router, and the RS300 comes with the usual WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 encryption standards, along with a 30-day trial of Netgear’s Armor software. This software provides real-time protection against online threats for all connected devices. While useful, the fact that Armor is only available as a 30-day trial is a downside, as users will need to subscribe to continue using it.

For families, the RS300 includes parental controls through the Netgear Smart Parental Controls suite. Like Armor, this comes with a 30-day trial, after which users will need to subscribe. The parental controls allow parents to manage screen time, filter inappropriate content, and monitor usage across devices. However, other routers at this price point, such as the TP-Link Archer BE550, offer more free security features out of the box.

Price and Alternative Options

Preview	Product	Rating	Price
	NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 7 Tri-Band Router - (RS300) Gaming...	No ratings yet	£299.99	Buy on Amazon

The Nighthawk RS300 has an RRP of £299.99. It has only been out for a couple of month so there has been no discounts on Amazon yet.

The Netgear RS700 is priced at £799.99 and has been as low as £649.99.

The TP-Link Archer BE550 is the same price as the RS300 and has a fractionally better specification with:

• Slightly more free features, including basic security and parental control, but it also has a premium security solution with HomeShield Pro.
• It is compatible with EasyMesh and they are releasing the BE9300 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Range Extender (though the price is unknown). For Netgear you would have to pair it with a second RS300.
• All ports are 2.5GbE, whereas two of the Netgear ports are gigabit.

Beyond that, nothing is competing at the £300 price point.

Overall

The Nighthawk RS300 is a solid mid-range WiFi 7 router that offers good performance at a reasonable price.

When looking at the flagship Netgear Nighthawk RS700S, the results were more impressive, largely due to the 10GbE port. The vast majority of users will gain very little from this until Internet speeds in the UK go beyond 2.5Gbps (which is already rare) then the only benefit of the 10GbE port is for LAN transfers, and most NAS devices, PCs, and laptops are still only 2.5GbE.

Overall, for most people, the Nighthawk RS300 is the most sensible option if you want a WiFi 7 router. It provides all the benefits of WiFi 7 while keeping the costs relatively affordable.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.

Last update on 2024-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API