Though it has plenty of features and impressive performance in its proprietary turbo mode, the Netgear WGR624 has a setup that's less intuitive than that of other routers in its class, such as those from D-Link and Linksys.

Initial Configuration and Documentation

Because this product lacks a wizard-driven installation utility, you must feel comfortable manually changing your PC's network configuration. The printed documentation is limited and lacks detail. Once the WGR624 is installed and accessible, a helpful integrated wizard assists with the remainder of the configuration, including setting up your broadband connection.

Management and Features

We like the router's three-pane management interface. Clean and easy to maneuver, it constantly displays help and explanations in the right-hand pane. This router does provide all the basic functions you'd need, such as a DHCP server, NAT, and an SPI firewall.

Security

In addition to WPA, the product includes the ability to schedule the browsing times of client PCs on your network by filtering on MAC addresses. The router also includes NAT support and an SPI firewall. Unfortunately, the parental-control functions on the WGR624 are limited. You must manually enter keyword and URL entries to create a blacklist. But the unit can be set up to send alerts via e-mail if suspicious browsing activities should occur.

Performance