RouterChart.com

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 router review

460 + 960 + 4800 Mbps
IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Broadcom BCM6755 @ 1.5 GHz
512 MB / 256 MB

Netgear introduced the Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 router in 2020. It is powered by Broadcom BCM6755 @ 1.5 GHz chipset, 512 MB of RAM, and 256 MB of flash memory.

Curious if this Netgear router is a real gem? Keep going!

Table of Contents

  • Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 specifications
    • Body, dimensions, weight
    • System, chipset, RAM, flash, power supply
    • Network, protocols, WAN and LAN ports
    • Wireless, antennas, speed, security
    • Connectivity
    • Administration, user interface, login information
    • Links
  • Verdict, Pros and Cons
  • Photos
  • Comparisons

Our personal experiences and opinions form the basis of this article. We aimed to share insights on a topic, and we hoped others would find it useful and inspirational. If you noticed any mistakes or missing details about the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6, please let us know.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78

The Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) for faster wireless speeds. Netgear is known for being a respected and well-known maker of networking equipment.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 specifications

BrandNetgear
NameNighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6
TypeRAX78
Rating
Rated 3/5 based on 1210 user votes.
Launch2020

Body

Dimensions301 x 208 x 82 mm
Weight1.17 kg

If you plan to move a lot and need to take your router with you, the size is important. Otherwise, the size isn't too crucial. The weight of the router is not typically a critical factor for most setups.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 (RAX78) / 4

System

ChipsetBroadcom BCM6755 @ 1.5 GHz
RAM512 MB
Flash256 MB
OSNetgear
Power supply19 V / 3.5 A

The Broadcom BCM6755 @ 1.5 GHz CPU provides processing power. You cannot expand the router's memory (512 MB). When selecting a router, it's essential to think about the RAM specifications.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 (RAX78) / 2

Network

ProtocolsIPv4
IPv6
LAN ports4 x 10/100/1000 Mbps
WAN ports1 x 10/100/1000 Mbps
Mobile networkno
VPN supportOpenVPN

The router also supports IPv6. This allows you to use the latest Internet Protocol. The router has Gigabit Ethernet ports. They allow for faster communication between devices on your local network. A Gigabit WAN port is useful when your internet plan supports high speeds. OpenVPN is popular for VPNs. This is because it's strong, flexible, and works on many devices.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 (RAX78) / 3

Wireless

Antennas6 x 5 dBi
internal
2.4 GHzyes
5 GHzyes
6 GHzno
60 GHzno
StandardsIEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
ClassAX6200
Speed460 + 960 + 4800 Mbps
Transmit power24 dBm
SecurityWEP
WPA
WPA2
WPA3
WPS
Guest networkyes

The router supports the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The 5 GHz band provides faster data transfer speeds compared to the 2.4 GHz band. This AX Wi-Fi router provides much faster data transfer rates. It is faster than older Wi-Fi standards. The introduction of WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) improved upon WEP. It provides stronger security. The WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3) is the latest Wi-Fi security protocol. The Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) lets you join a safe wireless network with the push of a button or a simple PIN entry.

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 (RAX78) / 1

Connectivity

USB ports1 x USB 3.0
Print serveryes
File serveryes

The USB 3 ports provide a fast interface for external storage with data transfer rates of up to 4.8 Gbps. By connecting a USB printer to the Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 router, you can make it accessible to all devices on your network. This router has a USB file server. It lets you connect external storage devices to your network.

Administration

Default IP192.168.1.1
Default usernameadmin
Default passwordpassword

Changing the password often is a good security practice. It protects your network and devices from unauthorized access. Changing the default password improves your router's security. It reduces the risk of unauthorized individuals controlling your network.

Official sitehttps://www.netgear.com/

Pros and Cons

Every router, including this Netgear one, has its good sides and not-so-good sides. Let's take a closer look at both to get a full understanding of what this router can do. Just remember, this is just what I think, and you might see things differently.

Pros

  • generous memory
  • plentiful flash
  • IPv6 capable
  • high-speed LAN port
  • high-speed WAN port
  • supports OpenVPN
  • works on 5 GHz band
  • 802.11ax certified
  • lightning-fast Wi-Fi connection
  • WPA3 compatible
  • WPS friendly
  • USB 3 compatible
  • printserver functionality
  • fileserver operation

Cons

  • too weighty

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 photos

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78 photo
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78 photo
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78 photo
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78 photo
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78 photo
Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 / RAX78

Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 comparisons

We've noticed that many of our visitors like to compare the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 router with these popular models.

If there’s information about the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 8-Stream Tri-Band WiFi 6 that you would like to see on this site, then write to us.

Updated: June 6, 2024

Robert Miller
For over 15 years, I've immersed myself in the world of networking devices as a tech aficionado. I've dedicated myself to thoroughly testing and analyzing routers and other networking gear. I aim to provide thorough reviews. They will give you the knowledge needed to improve your network.