Yes it looks cool. Sort of like an alien spacecraft getting ready to launch when resting on is side. True it feels good to own something that others refer to as the "Ultimate Networking Machine". It's easy to fantasize about the 680MHZ processor under the hood like it's a high performance sports car.
But do you really need one? Let's examine this a little closer before running out and purchasing something just because it's the latest and greatest. Then we can talk about getting the best deals.
If you live alone, own a single computer and printer and spend most of your time surfing and downloading files you don't really need one. A simple wireless-G router will do just fine.
If you do a lot of downloading large files from the Internet and do any amount of gaming on the Internet a Wireless-G router simply won't do. Time to move up to one of the faster and more powerful Wireless-N routers.
Some Wireless-N routers are built for gaming and come equipped with a built-in USB port you can use for sharing out music, video and data files out to the other computers on your wireless network. Still you don't really need a dual band wireless router just yet.
So when does a high performance wireless router like the Netgear WNDR3700 cross the line from luxury to necessity? When you and the other members of your household find yourselves doing all the above from multiple computers in all corners of your house it's time to start thinking about a dual-band wireless-N router.
If you have multiple wireless computers, a game console, iPhones, network storage devices, Internet ready flat panel TVs, printers, cameras etc floating around your house it's time to face it. You are truly a member of the digital age and just any old Wireless-N router isn't going to do. In fact you may be in for a lot of frustration if you don't upgrade to dual bands.
Remember what dual bands gives you. The ability to have two high-speed Wireless-N networks share the same space simultaneously without interfering with each other. You can do all your surfing, printing and downloading on one band and all your gaming and video on the other. Two totally separate wireless networks each with their own unique SSID and security running from a single high-powered device! Now you will come to realize why they call it the "Ultimate Networking Machine".
Important Update
Netgear has recently renamed the WNDR3700 to the WNDR37AV. The resulting confusion has caused the Netgear WNDR3700 prices to drop and the WNDR37AV to become scarce even though they are both the same router. Now a good time to take advantage of this!
access point vs router
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