Netis MW5230 2.4 GHz router review, is it worth it?

The Netis MW5230 (MW5230) router released in 2016. It is powered by Realtek RTL8197D @ 660 MHz chipset, 64 MB of RAM and 16 MB of flash. The N300 router is compatible with IEEE 802.11b/g/n standards, and the maximum speed that you can get with MW5230 is 300 Mbps. The router has 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN and 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN ports.

Operating on the 2.4 GHz frequency band, the MW5230 router offers decent wireless coverage and compatibility with a wide range of devices. You can connect supported USB devices to the MW5230 router. The external storage devices such as USB flash drives or external hard drives add file-server functionality to this router. Netis provides a range of affordable networking solutions, making them accessible to a wide range of users.

Table of contents:

• Netis MW5230 specifications
• Netis MW5230 pictures

Netis MW5230 (MW5230) specifications

System

The Netis MW5230 router is equipped with Realtek RTL8197D @ 660 MHz processor. The 64 MB of RAM enables the router to handle multiple tasks and processes concurrently. It allows for the efficient switching and allocation of resources among different processes running on the router, facilitating multitasking and ensuring smooth operation. The flash memory in a Netis router is different from the volatile memory (RAM) that is used for temporary storage of data while the router is powered on. Flash memory of the MW5230 retains its data even when the router is powered off, allowing the router to maintain its firmware and configuration settings across reboots.

To upgrade the firmware of the MW5230 router, you typically need to visit the manufacturer's website, locate the specific model of your router, and download the latest firmware version provided. The firmware upgrade process may vary depending on the router model, but it often involves accessing the router's web-based administration interface and uploading the downloaded firmware file. The Netis MW5230 router comes with 12 V / 1 A PSU. This unit is responsible for providing electrical power to the router, and if it becomes faulty, it can be replaced with a new, compatible one.

Network

Like many modern routers, the Netis MW5230 supports a variety of features and technologies to enhance your network connectivity and security. The IPv4 is the fourth iteration of the Internet Protocol (IP) and is the most widely used version of IP on the internet today. The Netis MW5230 has 4 x 10/100 Mbps LAN and 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN ports. LAN or Ethernet ports (RJ-45) are used to connect devices to the local area network (LAN).

WAN ports are used to connect the router to your internet service provider (ISP). They typically use Ethernet cables or fiber optic connections to establish a high-speed link between your local network and the wider internet. The WAN port on the MW5230 router is a Fast Ethernet port, not a Gigabit Ethernet. The Fast Ethernet ports are capable of supporting speeds up to 100 Mbps, which is still suitable for most internet connections. The MW5230 router supports 3G or 4G dongles, allowing you to connect to a cellular network. This feature can be useful in areas with limited wired internet access or as a backup option in case of an internet outage.

Wireless

This router has 3 x 5 dBi, fixed antennas. Antennas play a significant role in Wi-Fi performance and coverage. They are essential components of wireless routers that transmit and receive radio signals to establish wireless connections with devices. This router is 2.4 GHz compatible. The 2.4 GHz band is widely supported by a wide range of devices, including older devices that may not be compatible with the 5 GHz band.

The MW5230 is a Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) router. Wi-Fi 4 improved the range and coverage compared to previous Wi-Fi standards. The use of MIMO technology and other enhancements help to mitigate signal degradation and provide better coverage in larger homes or office environments. This allows devices to maintain a stable connection even when located farther away from the Wi-Fi router. The N300 is a performance indicator that represents the router's theoretical maximum speed.

The theoretical maximum speed (300 Mbps) represents the highest data transfer rate that the router is capable of achieving under ideal conditions. The TX power (20 dBm) of a router refers to the transmission power or signal strength at which the router broadcasts its Wi-Fi signal. It determines the range and coverage area of the wireless network. The MW5230 router offers several security protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPS.

The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first security protocol for Wi-Fi networks but is now considered weak and easily compromised. It uses a static encryption key and has known vulnerabilities, so it is no longer recommended for securing Wi-Fi networks. The WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) was introduced as an improvement over WEP and provides stronger security. If WPA3 is not available, WPA2-Personal with AES encryption is still considered secure. The MW5230 router offers WPS. The WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) provides a simplified and convenient method for connecting devices to a Wi-Fi network. Instead of manually entering the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password, users can use the WPS feature to establish a connection with the push of a button or by entering a PIN.

Connectivity

USB ports can offer additional functionality depending on the router's capabilities. The USB 2 port has a maximum theoretical data transfer rate of 480 megabits per second (Mbps), which is equivalent to 60 megabytes per second (MB/s). You can attach a compatible USB printer to the Netis MW5230 device. USB print servers allow you to connect a USB printer to your network, making it accessible to multiple devices. This eliminates the need for each device to have a direct USB connection to the printer. It has built-in NAS functionality. You can connect external storage devices such as USB flash drives or USB hard drives to your router. This allows you to share files, documents, photos, and media across devices on your network. It can be convenient for accessing and sharing files without the need for separate file servers or cloud storage.

Administration

The default IP addresses of the Netis MW5230 device is 192.168.1.1. These address allows you to access the router's console login page. Regularly changing the password is a good security practice to protect your network and devices from unauthorized access. It is also recommended to use strong, unique passwords for other devices and online accounts connected to your network for enhanced security. By changing the default password, you improve the security of your router and reduce the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining control over your network. It helps prevent unauthorized access to your router's settings, network configurations, and sensitive information.

The specifications above are based on the official data published by the manufacturer, but we also take user reviews into consideration. If you found an error or something lacking in the specifications above for the Netis MW5230, then don’t hesite and signal the problem to us.

Netis MW5230 (MW5230) pictures

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