Software Continued:

With the update in place, the detection process repeats, only this time the settings for the second WNHDE111 were retained, saving me another run downstairs to push the button.

And here we have the finished install; safe secure and way fast!  As you can see from the advanced features to the left, the WNHDE111 offers every feature you would expect from Netgear's top of the line Wireless-N device.  With the firewall and security for the system already handled by the DLink unit, I was able to use the secure bridging with no need for any tinkering.

Testing:

For testing the WNHDEB111 kit I will be comparing the data transfer rate of the Wireless-N bridge against both my 1000MHz land line and my current remote office solution linking a Lite-On 802.11 b/g adaptor to my DIR-655.  This should give us a typical wireless setup and the fastest common wired network for comparison.  To measure the results I will be using Passmark's Advanced network test.

PassMark Advanced Network Test
'Almost all computers these days have a network connection of some description. Whether it be a modem connection to an ISP, or an Ethernet connection to a corporate intranet, sending and receiving data to and from other computers is an essential part of day to day operations. A myriad of applications use TCP/IP networking technology - Email, Web browsers and games to name a few popular applications. In most cases, there is one performance factor the user is most concerned with - the speed or transfer rate.

The PassMark Advanced Network Test (which is part of PerformanceTest) is designed to test the data transfer rate between two computers both of which must be running PerformanceTest. One of the computers must act as the server and will sit waiting for a connection. The other computer acts as a client. It connects to the server machine and sends data to it for the duration of the test.

The network benchmark test will work with any type of TCP/IP connection. Including ethernet, dial up modems, ADSL, cable modems, local area networks (LAN), Wide area networks (WAN) and wireless networking (WiFi). The software has been optimized to use a minimum amount of CPU time, allowing even high speed gigabit ethernet connections to be benchmarked.' ~ Passmark

My wife uses her PC primarily as a work PC and despite my gentle hints, she is still using the built in Wireless adaptor.  Maybe this chart will change her mind!  The connection averages a solid if not impressive 17892.6 average KBits/sec.

With the land line running a clean CAT5 rated cable using two gigabit (1000 Mbit) connections we get a lightning fast 65442 average KBits/Sec.  That's a nice clean steady transfer compared to the 802.11G connection.  Most of us are still using a more typical 100 base-T connection and would be experiencing speeds more like 100Mbit peak.

And finally we have the WNHDEB111 Kit running the same distance.  With no manual configuration at all, I am getting a much cleaner 32837.7 average KBits/sec.  That's way faster than I had expected nicely doubling the old network and coming in at just under half of the Gigabit setup. 

The StreamEngine technology identifies and prioritizes delay-sensitive applications over a home network to optimize the viewing experience of media-rich content such as streaming HD video and online gaming.  This not unlike the typical QoS technology, only the StreamEngine uses a unique multithreaded processor to perform real-time application level optimization.  The StreamEngine prioritizes latency-sensitive data, such as voice, gaming, and video over less sensitive traffic.  This means that wireless lag is completely eliminated for both gaming and multimedia streaming.

To get an idea of the real world speed I setup my PC as a media server and watched some DIVX video using the streaming capabilities across the bridge.  Playback was so smooth you would have no idea the gigabyte LAN was disconnected.  I also used the setup to download a large firmware upgrade for the Playstation3.  Usually a painful hour of waiting was over in just over 10 minutes using the Netgear bridge and I was soon playing a lag free game of Warhawk with my friends.

Conclusion:

I have to say the Netgear HD/Gaming 5GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit is an absolute breeze to setup.  True one button setup provided me with a fast secure wireless network the first time.  No need to remember passwords or all those finicky wireless settings at all.  Both my Playstation and my DirecTV immediately detected the bridge and treated it like any other seamless wired setup.  The speed may not replace a top end gigabit setup but it sure can replace your current wireless setup and any 100 MBit setup in one easy step.  Really it is almost more of a compliment that the streaming and prioritization is so seamless you don't even notice the wireless is wireless!

I can't stress enough how easy it was to get the entire system up and running wireless.  Sure you can setup each device using just about any wireless setup you can imagine from ad-hoc to WISH prioritization, but why?  The WNHDEB111 Kit sets up so easy with just a single button push.  It automatically sets up Quality of service (QoS) packet prioritization with the StreamEngine®, enables system security and runs up to two wired devices using six internal antennas.  That's practically a wish list of features for any high speed wireless device.  No more wires needed for your home networking, wireless gaming or home theater PC needs juts setup the WNHDEB111 Kit and you are ready to go in minutes.

Note: Club Overclocker is now using a new rating system based on a score of 1 to 5.
Please go to our rating system page for more information.

Performance:	5 out of 5
Innovation:	4 out of 5
Quality:	5 out of 5
Stability:	5 out of 5
Aesthetics:	5out of 5
Software/Drivers Pack:	N/A
Overclocking:	N/A
Value:	4 out of 5
Project Skill Level (5 being most difficult)	2 out of 5