The Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 ($599.99) has the distinction of being the very first router we’ve tested that can tap into the 6GHz radio spectrum, making it the first true tri-band router we’ve seen. Powered by the latest Wi-Fi 6 E technology and an optimized CPU, this unique-looking router is loaded with features including multi-gig LAN and WAN capabilities, link aggregation, a beefy quad-core processor, and cyber threat protection powered by Bitdefender. At $600, it’s one of the most expensive consumer routers out there, but it’s also one of the fastest. Granted, Wi-Fi 6E client devices are few and far between, but if you’re an early adopter looking to future-proof your network, the RAXE500 won’t disappoint.
Wi-Fi 6E Is Here
The RAXE500 shares the same unique design as the RAX80 and RAX120 Wi-Fi 6 routers we reviewed back in 2019. The metallic black enclosure has two wings that unfold to give it a look that conjures up images of a B-2 stealth bomber. Each wing holds four internal antennas.
The router measures 3.1 by 11.7 by 8.7 inches (HWD) with the wings folded, and 6.7 by 13.5 by 8.7 inches with them fully extended. There are twelve tiny LED indicators on the top of the router for power; WAN connectivity; LAN connectivity (5); 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz connectivity; and USB connectivity (2). Around back are four gigabit LAN ports (two of which can be configured for link aggregation), a 2.5GB LAN port, a gigabit WAN port that can be paired with one of the gigabit LAN ports to provide multi-gig internet connectivity, two USB 3.0 ports, an LED on/off switch, a reset button, and a power on/off switch.
The RAXE500 is the most technically advanced router we’ve tested. It’s the first we’ve seen that supports Wi-Fi 6E technology, allowing it to operate on the newly liberated 6GHz band that offers wider channels, faster speeds, and less congestion for network clients. Of course, client devices must support Wi-Fi 6E to connect to the 6GHz band and take advantage of its benefits.
This is an AXE1000 router powered by a 1.8GHz AX optimized CPU designed to handle 8K video streaming and heavy traffic loads. A true tri-band device, the RAXE500 can achieve maximum (theoretical) speeds of up to 1.2Gbps on the 2.4GHz band, up to 4.8Gbps on the 5GHz band, and up to 4.8Gbps on the 6GHz band. It also supports all of the latest 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) technologies including 160MHz channel bandwidth, 1024 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation), WPA3 encryption, OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple-Access), MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, and direct-to-client signal transmissions (beamforming).
You get a 30-day trial subscription to Netgear Armor, a cyber security solution powered by Bitdefender that protects the network and its client from viruses, phishing attacks, spyware, hacking, and other malware. Once the trial period expires, the service will cost you $69.99 per year. Parental controls are limited: you can block access to specific websites and create access schedules, but you don’t get the robust age-based parental controls that you get with the TP-Link AX11000 and the Asus RT-AX88U, nor are there any QoS settings for assigning bandwidth priority.
The RAXE500 can be managed using the web console or from your phone via the Netgear Nighthawk mobile app for Android and iOS, but you need the web console to access advanced settings such as Port Forwarding, Link Aggregation, Static Routing, NTP settings, and Readyshare (USB sharing) settings. You also need the web console to do things like block access to certain websites, create access schedules, enable Smart Connect, configure multi-gig WAN, and view administrative logs.
The app’s home screen displays a picture of the router and its current status (online, offline). Tap the router to open a screen where you can view MAC and IP addresses, DNS settings, the firmware version, and the serial number.
Below the router are panels labeled Device Manager, Security, Internet Speed, WiFi Settings, Guest WiFi, and Traffic Meter. The Device Manager panel displays all connected devices. Each device has an on/off button that enables or disables internet access. Tap any device to view its IP address, what kind of security it uses, and its current link rate. Use the Security panel to view Bitfender notices of threats found, vulnerabilities, and your overall security score. Here you’ll also find recommendations to help secure your network. The Internet Speed panel takes you to a screen where you can run the Ookla Speedtest utility, and the WiFi Settings panel opens a screen where you can enable Smart Connect (the router decides which band to use), edit Wi-Fi passwords, and configure security settings (WPA2, WPA3). Use the Guest WiFi panel to enable/disable guest networking for each band, and the Traffic Meter to view graphs of daily and average data transfer rates.
RAXE500 Installation and Performance
Installing the RAXE500 was quick and easy in testing. I downloaded the Nighthawk mobile app, tapped New System Setup, and selected Wi-Fi router from the list of devices. I scanned the QR code on the sticker that came with the router and followed the instructions to unplug my modem and plug it back in. I connected the RAXE500 to the modem using the included LAN cable, powered it up, and waited around 45 seconds for it to start up. After another 30 seconds it was recognized by the app and I was prompted to join the network. The router was immediately recognized and I was instructed to create a network name and password, as well as an admin name and password. I answered two security questions, waited a minute for the app to personalize the router and save my settings, and the installation was complete.
Since the RAXE500 is the only Wi-Fi 6E router we’ve tested, there are no 6GHz throughput scores to use for comparison. Additionally, we were unable to get a laptop equipped with the Intel AX210 6E chip to see the 6GHz band. According to a Netgear spokesperson, this is a Windows 10 compatibility issue and not a router issue. Indeed, we had no trouble connecting a 6E-ready Samsung S21 Ultra 5G phone to the 6GHz band.
With that in mind, we ran our usual 2.4GHz and 5GHz tests using our standard Wi-Fi 6 test laptop in order to see how the RAXE500 stacks up against other Wi-Fi 6 routers that we’ve tested. We also ran a few throughput tests using the S21 phone in order to compare throughput across all three bands.
As shown on the Wi-Fi 6 throughput chart, the RAXE500 turned in excellent speeds on our 2.4GHz and 5GHz performance tests. Its 2.4GHz speed of 149Mbps is among the highest we’ve recorded, and topped the TP-Link Archer AX11000 (133Mbps), the Linksys MR9600 AX6000 (111Mbsp), and the Netgear RAX120 (125Mbps). Its speed of 60Mbps on the 30-foot test came in right behind the TP-Link Archer AX11000 (67Mbps) and the Netgear RAX120 (63Mbps), and was 22Mbps faster than the Linksys MR9600 AX6000 (38Mbps).
The RAXE500’s 5GHz performance was also impressive. Its speed of 924Mbps on the close-proximity test was nearly 100Mbps faster than the Netgear RAX120, as well as the TP-Link and Linksys routers. At a distance of 30 feet it managed 301Mbps, beating the Linksys MR9600 AX6000 and trailing the TP-Link Archer AX11000 by a hair. The Netgear RAX120 led with a speed of 417Mbps.
For the Wi-Fi 6 vs. Wi-Fi 6E chart, we used the above-mentioned Galaxy S21 Ultra to test 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz throughput. The RAXE500 showed slightly faster close-proximity throughput on the 5GHz test, as well as on the 30-foot 2.4GHz and 5GHz tests, but its 2.4GHz close-proximity speed was a bit slower. Its speed of 961Mbps on the 6GHz close-proximity test was faster than its 5GHz speed, but at 30 feet it took a 103Mbps hit. It’s important to keep in mind that 6E technology is still in its infancy and will likely improve over time as more client devices emerge and drivers are tweaked.
To measure file-transfer performance, we move a 1.5GB folder containing photos, video, music, and office document files back and forth between an external USB 3.0 drive and a desktop PC (both connected to the router) in order to measure write and read speeds. The RAXE500’s write speed of 85MBps was the fastest of the bunch. Meanwhile, the TP-Link Archer AX11000 delivered 68MBps, the Linksys MR9600 AX6000 turned in 73MBps, and the Netgear RAX120 managed 69MBps. The RAXE500’s read score of 85MBps shared top honors with the TP-Link Archer AX11000, while the Linksys MR9600 and Netgear RAX120 scored 64MBps and 69MBps, respectively.
To test router signal strength, we use an Ekahau Sidekick Wi-Fi diagnostic device and Ekahau’s Survey mobile app to generate heat maps that show the router’s 2.4GHz and 5GHz signal strength throughout our test home. (Note: Ekahau is owned by J2 Global, the parent company of Ziff Davis, the publisher of PCMag.com.)
The white circle on the maps above represents the location of the router and the colors represent signal strength. Dark green indicates the strongest signal, yellow is weaker, and gray indicates no measurable signal reception. As shown on the heat maps, the RAXE500 did a good job of delivering strong Wi-Fi signals throughout our test home, with only a slight drop in 5GHz range in the far corners. We were unable to provide 6GHz signal strength as it is not yet supported by the Ekahau Sidekick.
Are You Willing to Pay a Premium for Wi-Fi 6E?
If you’re ready to make the move to a Wi-Fi 6E network, the Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 is one of the few routers available that offers 6GHz connectivity, although there will be plenty more 6E routers hitting the shelves any day now. The RAXE500 delivered fast throughput on all three radio bands in our tests and showed good signal strength. It also handled our transfer tests with aplomb and is equipped with high-speed ports and a powerful processor. That said, it comes with an extremely high $600 price tag and its security software requires a paid subscription. It’s a solid router, but if you don’t have a pressing need to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E, you might want to wait and see how other models compare as they become available.
