Netgear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Router 10.02.2017

Netgear has announced a new mobile router that is more than just a flagship: the Nighthawk M1 is the industry's first device to support 4G networks with downlink speeds up to 1Gbps. The basis of the device is a Qualcomm X16 LTE modem with a 4 x 4 configuration and MIMO support.

Unfortunately, for now the new router will be available only to Australians - users of LTE Telstra 4GX networks. As similar networks appear in other parts of our planet, the same router or its regional versions may also appear on store shelves outside of Australia. The dimensions of the device are small: only 105,5 x 105,5 x 20,35 mm, it weighs only 240 grams, despite the presence of a fairly powerful built-in battery.

Netgear Nighthawk M1 is designed primarily for scenarios where you need to install a high-speed wireless network, including up to 20 devices, where there is basically no wired connection, but the area is affected by ultra-fast mobile network coverage. This is a typical scenario for most suburban places and villages in Australia, where high-speed cable infrastructure is basically absent. The new Netgear can also be used as a regular cable router - it has a Gigabit Ethernet port and two USB ports (one of them is type C), or as a NAS server (content can be placed on a microSD card, fortunately, there is an advising slot).

The built-in 5040 mAh battery ensures continuous operation of the device for up to 24 hours. The device does not require special configuration, but it has a nice integrated 2,4" display, which displays the main parameters, such as connection speed and the amount of downloaded and uploaded data. For fine-tuning, there is a special mobile utility in versions for Android and iOS.

The Qualcomm X16 modem is paired with a WTR5975 RF transceiver from the same manufacturer. This pair supports not only 4 x 4 MIMO mode, but also channel combining from four providers (4 x CA), as well as high-order modulation - 256QAM. This allows you to achieve data download speeds of 1 Gb / s, but, of course, not everywhere, but only where all conditions exist for this. In the 64QAM and 2 x CA mode used for the uplink, the data rate in Telstra 4GX networks can reach 150 Mbps. In addition to the LTE Cat 16 range, 3G mode is supported at 850/900/1900 and 2100 MHz. It is curious that for more confident reception, a pair of additional antennas can be connected to the router. The TS-9 connectors are hidden behind decorative caps on the back of the device.

In the future, the X16 modem will become part of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile processors, but for now it is only available as a separate chip. The wireless Wi-Fi part of the Nighthawk M1 is a Qualcomm Class 2 solution [ 2 with support for 802.11b / g / n / ac standards and simultaneous operation in the 2,4 and 5 GHz bands, which allows you to seamlessly use up to 20 devices simultaneously.

Available this month, Telstra plans to sell it for $360 AUD ($276) as a standalone device, and to accompany the new router with a number of tariff plans for connecting to its high-speed LTE networks.