Netgear Media Storage Router to Backup PCs and Macs

NETGEAR, Inc. announced that the new Media Storage Router (WNDR4700) has received the CES 2012 Innovations Design and Engineering Award.

It combines the features and sheer speed of the NETGEAR N900 router (WNDR4500) with integrated storage functionality that offers consumers a backup, storage, streaming and wireless networking solution in a single package.

In a first for the consumer networking industry, the NETGEAR Media Storage Router also offers the ability to run downloadable applications from the NETGEAR Smart Network App Store. This enables the company to offer a broader portfolio of home networking services and features for consumers down the road.

The NETGEAR Media Storage Router comes with a 2TB hard drive that is upgradable. It also provides two USB 3.0 ports for adding more storage capacity or for converting existing external USB hard drives into networked drives.

Backup Solution for Mac and PC Users
A recent US study of Internet usage conducted by NETGEAR found that 43% of consumers have mixed environments at home and use both Apple Mac computers and Windows PCs. For Mac users, the Media Storage Router supports Apple Time Machine backup software and Apple Bonjour automated networking technology. Bonjour enables Macs, PCs and other Bonjour-compatible devices to automatically discover each other on a home network and share USB printers, storage devices and other resources. For Windows PC users, the NETGEAR Media Storage Router integrates continuous backup software with the READYSHARE Vault, for robust backup capabilities. In the event of loss or failure of the storage disk or memory on a PC or Mac, this automatic backup functionality helps preserve both Apple iTunes music and video collections and family photos and movies. The product can also be used as a simple file storage system.

To remotely access files stored on the hard drive, the NETGEAR Media Storage Router also includes NETGEAR’s READYSHARE Cloud solution, which enables remote access from connected devices. With READYSHARE Cloud, consumer can securely access data stored on the Media Storage Router’s internal hard drive or connected USB drive from their computers, tablets or smartphones, no matter where they are.

NETGEAR has also announced a media app for iOS and Android devices that enables consumers to use their smartphones or tablets to manage and stream media files stored on the router to any DLNA-enabled device in the home. DLNA is a set of media sharing standards and guidelines developed by the Digital Living Network Alliance – an association of consumer electronics and technology companies focused on making sharing of digital media between consumer devices, such as the latest TVs, disc players, media players, tablets, computers, printers, cameras, smartphones and more, as simple and effortless as possible. DLNA certified devices can find and play any digital media stored on any other certified device on a home network.

The NETGEAR Media Storage Router delivers up to 900 megabits-per-second of combined WiFi speed and greater WiFi range across both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels for performance.

Other features:

• READYSHARE Vault/Apple Time Machine Support: Provides continuous backup to the integrated hard drive for Windows PC, Mac or mixed households with support for READYSHARE Vault and Apple Time Machine.
• READYSHARE Cloud: Enables remote access to its internal hard drive, enabling consumers to retrieve or edit files from any Internet-connected device.
• READYSHARE Printer: To turn any existing USB printer into a functional networked printer that is compatible with Macs and PCs.
• NETGEAR Genie: This free utility for PCs and Macs enables home users to control, monitor, repair and manage their home networks easily through a dashboard. Customers can download the utility. The Mac version is available as a public beta.
• Guest network access: The Genie utility makes setting up a guest network simple. Guests and visitors can go online through the router without the need for secure login information. The guest network also prevents users from seeing and accessing a household’s computers, printers, storage devices and other home network devices.
• Media Server-DLNA: It is DLNA certified and can act as a functional digital media hub and server. Just store digital media on the Storage Router’s internal hard drive to enable automatic recognition and streaming of your media to any other DLNA compatible device in your house, including the TVs, disc players, media players, game consoles, handheld devices, tablets and more.
• Advanced Quality of Service: By prioritizing video streams over other home network traffic, advanced QoS provides the best possible viewing experience for online video.
• Gigabit wired Ethernet: Four gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections are included.
• Security: The router supports WPA and WPA2 protocols for WiFi, has double firewall (SPI and NAT) protection against Internet threats, and provides Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack prevention.
• Broadband usage meter: Enables users to monitor their Internet data consumption and sends customized alerts when usage is close to monthly bandwidth limits to help consumers with metered service plans avoid costly overage fees.
• NETGEAR Live Parental Controls: Centralized, flexible, and parental control solution for all the devices on the network, including Macs, Windows PCs, smartphones and tablets, for a safe online environment for children and teenagers. No subscription is required.
• Automatic WiFi security: Comes with wireless security turned on out-of-the-box, complete with a pre-configured network name and password, protecting home WiFi networks by default.

"More and more, consumers expect a premium HD streaming and wireless connectivity experience at home. But with the rapid proliferation of devices and content, consumers are asking for better ways to back up and secure the data, media and other content across all computers and devices in the home," said Sandeep Harpalani, Senior Product Line Manager for Wireless Networking, NETGEAR. "Consumers also want the ability to access their data anywhere and stream or share their media to any screen in the home. The NETGEAR Media Storage Router offers all of this capability and much more in an easy-to-use, highly integrated, power-packed solution that delivers the best wireless networking experience, the fastest backups and a richly immersive streaming experience for today’s connected users."

The NETGEAR Media Storage Router (WNDR4700) will be available this summer from retailers, in stores and online. Pricing will be announced later.