Netgear CENTRIA WNDR4720 Review Manual

Brand: Netgear

Model: CENTRIA WNDR4720

Type: Review Manual

Netgear CENTRIA WNDR4720 is an all-in-one device that combines automatic backup, media server, and high-performance N900 WiFi router functionalities. It offers continuous backup for PCs and Macs, a centralized media storage accessible from any Internet-enabled device, and smooth HD streaming and gaming. With SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports and an SD card reader, expanding storage and backing up media becomes effortless.

CENTRIA Reviewer Guide

Model: WNDR4720 with 2TB Hard Drive

Oct 2012

Contents

CENTRIA Reviewer Guide .............................................................................................................................. 1

1. Resources .................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Backup ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Share Easily ........................................................................................................................................... 3

CONNECT QUICKLY ................................................................................................................................ 4

Tech Specs: ............................................................................................................................................ 4

NETGEAR Differences .................................................................................................................................... 5

3. Getting Started .......................................................................................................................................... 5

To experience all the CENTRIA Product features: ......................................................................................... 7

4. Wireless Speed and Range ........................................................................................................................ 7

5. Advanced Features .................................................................................................................................... 8

ReadySHARE USB .................................................................................................................................. 8

ReadySHARE Vault ................................................................................................................................ 8

Time Machine Backup ......................................................................................................................... 11

ReadySHARE Cloud .............................................................................................................................. 11

Single Click SD-Card Backup ................................................................................................................ 11

ReadySHARE Printer ............................................................................................................................ 11

Guest Network .................................................................................................................................... 11

DLNA ................................................................................................................................................... 12

NETGEAR Live Parental Controls ......................................................................................................... 12

Advanced Quality of Service (QoS) ..................................................................................................... 12

6. NETGEAR genie application .................................................................................................................... 13

Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 17

Technical Evaluation Recommendations ............................................................................................ 17

1. Resources

NETGEAR’s public relations team is ready to assist if you have any questions or problems while reviewing

the NETGEAR CENTRIA. Please contact:

Claudia Oropeza

Weber Shandwick

408-685-0618

coropeza@webershandwick.com

For additional information, including the product fact sheet, visit http://www.netgear.com/Centria

2. Introduction

Simplify your digital home with NETGEAR CENTRIA. Easy to set up, use and manage, CENTRIA is an all-in-

one device with 3 essential functions. It’s an Automatic Back-Up system for your PC & Mac® that

safeguards all of your data; a Media Server that centrally and securely stores your media and is

accessible from any Internet-enabled device; and a high-performance N900 WiFi router.

Available in two models — Model WNDR4720 comes with an internal 2TB hard drive, while Model

WNDR4700 is storage-ready — just add your own hard drive into its internal storage bay. The internal

hard drive can be easily upgraded anytime. Both models come with two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for

adding even more storage, should you need it. An SD card reader affords simple, single-click backup

of media to the internal hard drive.

Backup

Easily safeguard your files & media

With CENTRIA you can effortlessly set-up all your computers—PCs and Macs—to automatically

and continuously back-up to your home network

 Automatic, continuous back-up for your PC & Mac®

 Removable, easily upgradeable hard drive

 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports for expanded storage—up to 10X faster than USB 2.0

 Single-click SD card back-up

Share Easily

Share & stream your movies, music, photos

With CENTRIA you can relax knowing all of your digital media is safe in one place, stored securely on

your home network and easily accessible—at home or away—with any Internet-enabled device, even

your smartphone.

 Find & play your media on DLNA TVs, game consoles and more

 Use your mobile device to control & play your media

 Create a personal cloud for secure, remote access

 Share your USB hard drive and multi-function printer

CONNECT QUICKLY

Enjoy high-performance connectivity throughout your home

CENTRIA is a high-performance 900 Mbps, Dual Band WiFi router that delivers smooth

streaming and gaming and with its extended range, provides connectivity throughout even

the largest of homes.

 High-speed, Dual Band WiFi, up to 450 + 450 Mbps†

 Optimized for smooth HD streaming & gaming

 WiFi coverage for larger homes

 Two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports—up to 10x faster than USB 2.0

Tech Specs:

 Processor: 1GHz CPU to handle multiple tasks simultaneously

 Memory: 128MB Flash, 256MB Memory

 N900 (450+450): Simultaneous Dual Band Router- 2.4 &5GHz

 Ultimate Range: High performance external Amplifiers

 Storage:

o Internal 3.5 inch SATA 2.0 Hard Drive Bay

o Customer Upgradeable Internal SATA hard drive

o 2 x USB 3.0 ports-up to 10x faster than USB 2.0

o SD card reader can support SD, MMC, MS, or MS Pro type card.

 Backup:

o Windows Backup software: ReadySHARE Vault- Single click easy setup for regular

incremental backup

o Apple Time Machine support for Mac computer backup

o Single click SD Card backup to internal hard drive

 ReadySHARE Cloud: for remote access to CENTRIA Internal hard drive or connected USB storage

 My Media: Use your smartphone as remote to stream media on any DLNA enabled device

 ReadySHARE Print: Connect your USB multi-function printer to any of the CENTRIA USB ports

and share printer wirelessly within the home

 Airprint Comaptible: Make any printer in the network Airprint compatible to print from your

iPhone/iPad

 Guest network access. Through the browser interface, it’s simple to set up a guest network, so

visitors can go online without having to be given the home network password and without

gaining access to computers, printers, storage drives and other home-network devices.

 DLNA. A USB hard drive plugged into the router or CENTRIA Internal hard drive becomes a DLNA

media server for sharing its entertainment content – such as video, music, and photos – to

DLNA-certified, Internet-ready consumer electronic devices including televisions, Blu-ray

™

players and game consoles.

 NETGEAR Live Parental Controls. Gives parents a centralized, flexible and reliable way to

establish what websites their children visit and what times of day they can go online for all

devices on the network, including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets.

 Advanced Quality of Service (QoS). By prioritizing video streams over other home network

traffic, advanced QoS provides the best possible viewing experience for online video.

Setting up the NETGEAR CENTRIA is quick and easy with a simple browser-based interface for PCs, Macs,

smartphones, the iPad, and other tablets. NETGEAR Genie

™

is a free application that you can use to

monitor, control, and repair home networks. Visit www.netgear.com/landing/en-us/netgear-genie.aspx.

NETGEAR Differences

 High Performance N900 WiFi Router with integrated storage capability

 1Ghz Processor with 128MB Flash and 256MB Memory

 Backup your PC & Mac with ReadySHARE Vault/ Time Machine

 Customer upgradeable internal hard drive

 Two USB 3.0 ports

 SD Card reader with single click backup

3. Getting Started

This reviewer guide assumes you have received the CENTRIA package. The contents of the package are:

 The CENTRIA router

 2TB Hard Drive

 The power adapter and AC cable

 An Ethernet cable

 The Installation Guide

CENTRIA Installation Video: Please refer to the below video or to the Installation guide (in the Centria

Pakage) to install the 2TB SATA Hard Drive before starting installation.

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/21753

Product Support Page for User manual etc.

http://support.netgear.com/product/centria (wndr4700/4720)

Please contact NETGEAR’s PR team if any of these pieces are missing.

The first step in setting up the CENTRIA is finding an appropriate location. For best results, NETGEAR

recommends placing the router:

 Near the center of the area where computers and other wireless devices will operate.

 Within easy reach of an AC power outlet, as well as the Ethernet cable that provides Internet

access – such as a home cable or DSL modem, or an office network.

 At an elevated location, such as a high shelf, keeping the number of walls and ceiling between

the router and wireless devices to a minimum.

 Away from any large metal surfaces, such as a solid metal door or aluminum studs. Large

expanses of other materials such as glass, insulated walls, fish tanks, mirrors, brick, and concrete

can also affect the wireless signal.

The second step is connecting the CENTRIA to the Ethernet cable that provides Internet access and then

to AC power. Make sure the CENTRIA is turned on – the power button is found on the back of the router,

at the bottom.

The third step is connecting your PC, smartphone or tablet to the CENTRIA. As noted above, setting up

the CENTRIA is quick and easy. The set up process can be managed from any wired or wireless device on

the network that runs a web browser, including PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets.

 To use a wired connection, simply connect the Ethernet cable from the CENTRIA to your

computer.

 To use a wireless connection, connect to the CENTRIA’s default WiFi network. The WiFi network

name (SSID) and network key (password) are shown on the router’s label.

The fourth step is configuring the CENTRIA.

1. Open a web browser on any device connected to the router. The browser is hijacked to the

installation page. Please follow the installation steps.

2. If the browser is not hijacked, check connection to the router or alternatively login directly to

the router by going to http://routerlogin.net.

3. Enter the user name admin and the default password (the word password). You’ll then see the

home screen, from which you can customize the CENTRIA’s wireless networks and advanced

features.

To experience all the CENTRIA Product features:

- Use NETGEAR genie to go through the CENTRIA installation (step 4 above)

- During the product installation install the NETGEAR genie app and ReadySHARE Vault app (if you

are using Windows PC)

- Set up backups for your

o Windows PCs using ReadySHARE Vault

- Macs using Apple Time Machine

- Install Desktop Genie and ReadySHARE Vault on every PC in the home and setup to back up your

PC to Centria

4. Wireless Speed and Range

The CENTRIA delivers speeds up to 450 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band and 450 Mbps in the 5 GHz band. Six

highly sensitive internal antennas are connected to the highest-power radio amplifiers allowed by

regulations: transmit power of +28.5 dBm in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (+27 dBM at 5 GHz in

Europe) and receive sensitivity of -99 dBm at 1 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band and -96 dBm at 6 Mbps in the

5 GHz band.

To test this informally, start with your current router before setting up the CENTRIA. Go to remote

corners of your test area with a laptop, smartphone or tablet and look for areas of low signal strength.

Then check the same locations again after installing the CENTRIA. You should see greater signal strength

at many of these points.

For NETGEAR’s recommendations on technical evaluation of wireless performance, see the Appendix.

5. Advanced Features

This section highlights a few of the many advanced features available on the CENTRIA.

ReadySHARE USB

The CENTRIA is ready for instant file sharing – just plug a USB hard drive or flash drive into either of the

router’s two USB ports. Files on the shared drive can then be accessed anywhere on the network, as well

as outside the home through a web browser or via File Transfer Protocol (FTP.). By default only Network

Connection and HTTP are enabled.

ReadySHARE Vault

ReadySHARE Vault lets you back up files from your Windows PC onto the internal hard disk in the router

or to a USB device attached to the router USB port. ReadySHARE Vault uses incremental backup

technology. After the first backup has been completed, ReadySHARE Vault checks to find out which files

have changed since the last backup, and then backs up only the changes.

Single Click Backup:

• Automatically:

o Detects the Centria Internal Hard Drive as Default drive for backup

 Or change backup drive to external USB 3.0 hard drive

o Selects all datafiles for backup using “smart selection”

 or select files/folders to be backed up from windows explorer

o Selects Backup interval as Smart Timeline- incremental backups whenever changes are

made

 or select to do incremental backup in a predefined interval for ex every 3

minutes

• Optional: Setup security by adding a password for your backup

In Windows Explorer- The green dot on the files indicates that the files have been automatically

backed up.

Time Machine Backup

CENTRIA supports backup for Macs using Apple Time Machine.

ReadySHARE Cloud

ReadySHARE Cloud gives you remote access over the Internet to the router’s internal hard drive or a

USB storage device that is connected to your router’s USB port. To enable ReadySHARE Cloud, log in to

the router and select ReadySHARE. Follow the instructions to register your router with the ReadySHARE

Cloud server. Use this feature to invite friends and family members to access the shared contents on the

USB device

Single Click SD-Card Backup

The SD card reader supports SD, MMC, MS, or MS Pro type cards. You can use the Backup button on the

side of the router to backup files and folders on an SD card onto the internal HDD. This is a convenient

way to back up files such as pictures from a digital camera.

ReadySHARE Printer

The CENTRIA makes it possible to share almost any USB printer with PCs and Macs on the home

network, through either a wired or wireless connection. With the CENTRIA, there’s no need to buy a

new printer with built-in WiFi to provide wireless printing to every PC and Mac on the network.

To test this feature, simply plug a USB printer into either of the CENTRIA’s USB ports and make sure the

correct printer driver software is installed on each PC or Mac that will access the printer. Then,

download and install the NETGEAR ReadySHARE Printer utility—available free at

www.netgear.com/readyshare on each PC and Mac. Run the utility on each PC and Mac to complete

the connection.

Guest Network

Through the Genie interface, it’s simple to set up a guest network, so visitors can go online without

having to be given the home network password and without gaining access to computers, printers,

storage drives and other home-network devices.

DLNA

A USB hard drive plugged into the router or CENTRIA Internal hard drive becomes a powerful DLNA

media server for sharing entertainment content stored on the drive – such as video, music and photos –

to DLNA-certified, Internet-ready consumer electronic devices including televisions, Blu-ray

™

players and

game consoles.

NETGEAR Live Parental Controls

NETGEAR Live Parental Controls give parents a centralized, flexible and reliable way to establish what

web sites their children visit and what times of day they can go online for all devices on the network,

including Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets. For details, please go to

http://countries.netgear.com/lpc.

Advanced Quality of Service (QoS)

By prioritizing video streams over other home network traffic, advanced Quality of Service (QoS)

provides the best possible viewing experience for online video.

6. NETGEAR genie application

NETGEAR genie

™

is a free application, available for PCs, Macs, and mobile devices, that presents a

simple dashboard for monitoring, controlling and repairing home networks; viewing devices connected

to the router through a network map; and accessing many router features. NETGEAR genie mobile apps

are also available for iPhones, Android phones, and iPads. To download NETGEAR genie, go to

www.netgear.com/genie.

The NETGEAR genie utility goes beyond the genie interface that comes with the CENTRIA by providing an

in-depth look at network performance and allowing advanced configuration for the router’s many

features. The NETGEAR genie home screen is the starting point:

The Network Map presents a visual image of all devices connected to the home network:

The WiFi Channels feature shows which wireless channels are being used by the CENTRIA and nearby

access points:

The Internet feature shows real-time Internet speed for both download and upload:

Air-print Compatible: Makes any printer AirPrint® compatible to print from an iPad® or iPhone®

My Media—Find and play media files in your network

Mobile

Available on Mobile Genie App

Appendix

Technical Evaluation Recommendations

1. Wi-Fi Speed and Range

The NETGEAR CENTRIA router’s high transmit power and sensitive antennas fine-tuned for each

frequency band provide superior range in comparison to competing routers. Please note WiFi speed and

range always depend on the WiFi adapters in use and the processing power of the network device. In

the case of CENTRIA, as the router is capable of multiple sessions, the computer can become the

bottleneck when testing with only one computer. Also note that it is best to run the Iperf or IxChariot

test programs using multiple sessions instead of single sessions.

 Highest speed is reached with Intel 6300 WiFi cards integrated in notebooks (found in selected

Dell and HP notebooks).

 USB adapter speed (with NETGEAR WNDA3100 v2) at close range is usually less than integrated

WiFi N in laptops as the interface is via USB instead of natively talking to the PC CPU bus. This is

not a limitation of the USB adapter, but reflects the speed at which the PC can interface and

process traffic while driving the USB adapter.

 It is best to use mid channels in 2.4 GHz range (Channel 4 – 8) as they support the highest

power, per FCC/CE regulations, and hence provide extended range.

 For the 5 GHz band, the higher the power, the better the range. NETGEAR recommends using

channel 153 for testing 5 GHz.

 For short-range testing, the router is optimized for maximum throughput when the client is 10

to 15 feet away from the router. At closer distances, speed measurements may lead to some

lowering of performance due to over-saturation, because the client is receiving too much WiFi

power.

Note: Due to the new WiFi Alliance certification rules regarding the 2.4 GHz frequency, the connection is

allowed to channel bond and go to 450 Mbps maximum link rate only where there are no other

interfering access points nearby. In presence of other WiFi access points, the router and the clients will

go down to 20 Mbps mode with maximum link speed of 195 – 217 Mbps.

2. WAN to LAN Speed

The methodology for running WAN to LAN Speed test is explained below. For the CENTRIA, TCP and UDP

performance in both downlink and uplink directions are in the 400-550 Mbps range.

3. Simultaneous Session test

When both Wi-Fi networks (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) are connected to clients and passing network traffic at

the same time, the router CPU is usually the bottleneck as it has to process multiple streams of 802.11n

traffic. This test is recommended at close range, within 5 to 7 feet, to ensure highest throughput in each

frequency bands and measure total WiFi performance and stress test the CPU.

4. Plug and Play USB hard drive access

Accessing a USB hard drive connected to the CENTRIA is plug-and-play – simply connect the USB hard

drive to the CENTRIA and immediately access as if the drive were a Networked Attached Storage (NAS)

device. There is no need for configuration or software installation.

Simply type \\readyshare at Start -> Run when a PC is connected to the CENTRIA, either wired or

wirelessly. The methodology NETGEAR uses to test USB access performance is highlighted below.

5. Links to Download Software

The following section highlights useful content, information and links for reviewing the product.

Iperf, an industry-standard tool for WiFi performance testing, is available free of charge through the

following website:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/iperf/

IxChariot, another industry-standard network analysis tool can be purchased from Ixia:

http://www.ixchariot.com/

6. Suggested Test Setup

The following diagram shows how the router and the wireless clients are set up. To test the different

scenarios, with and without interference, with several clients associated to the router in each mode, it is

advisable to start with one notebook as the destination and set up the Iperf or IxChariot tests. Additional

clients are then added to measure simultaneous operation in the presence of interference and multiple

clients.

7. Required Equipment

 Two fast computers (PC or laptops) such as a Pentium-4 with a 2 to 4 GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, and

Windows Vista/XP/Win7. Use a brand such as Dell, IBM, HP, Toshiba, Fujitsu, or Sony, and avoid

sub-brands. Note that Wi-Fi speed will not just depend on the Wi-Fi router, but also on the

speed of the laptop CPU.

 For testing with IxChariot scripts, use IxChariot software version 4.3 or higher or later from

NetIQ on each of two computers. The IxChariot console should be on one computer and the

IxChariot endpoint on the other computer.

 Standard Ethernet cable from the router to the computer that is running the IxChariot endpoint.

8. Throughput Consistency

Test the throughput variance to see how consistently the client can receive optimum speeds. NETGEAR

advises verifying the throughput in the following scenarios:

 Distance s from short (15 feet with line of sight) to long (for instance, from one corner to

another corner of the house through multiple walls)

 Orientation (0 to 270

)

 Frequency channel 1, 6, 11 in 2.4 GHz. Do a quick site survey on 2.4 GHz and pick up the cleanest

channel, which has other APs at the lowest signal strength.

 Use Metageek inSSIDer for channel scan (http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/).

 Laptop or PC used for the client adapter (IBM, Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc.)

 Level of obstruction (line of site, number of walls, wall composition, residential home floor plan,

etc.)

9. Level of Obstruction in Different Environments

Obstructions to line of sight may be present in a home. To limit the amount of signal loss, check

throughput in several locations within the home, using open space wherever possible to prevent a direct

obstruction. Note any metal sheets or panels, chicken wire inside the walls, etc., that might create

obstructions for wireless signals.

10. Running IxChariot and Iperf Scripts

IxChariot and Iperf scripts are described in the following sections.

 Set TCP or UDP. For experimental purposes, UDP provides a better representation of video

streaming traffic. With UDP, throughput will increase because it does not incorporate an

acknowledgement protocol as TCP does.

 Set Random file. For experimental purposes, send a text file, an HTML file, or a binary or

compressed file. With binary or compressed files, throughput may increase due to effective

compression.

 Set the file size to 1MB for short and medium ranges when throughput is higher than about 3

Mbps. For long range, set the file size to 100 KB to accelerate the response time of IxChariot. If

you use 100 KB files at short to medium range, throughput could be reduced 10 percent due to

poor file packetization.

 Start with 30 to 60 second test time. A good compromise between fast measurement and

providing enough averaging and accuracy is 30 seconds.

 Test the AP to client (downlink), client to AP (uplink) and both uplink and downlink

(bidirectional). Set up and run IxChariot scripts as described below.

Follow these steps:

1. Open IxChariot, and select the “High_Performance_Throughput.scr” script.

2. Set the run time to 1 minute.

IxChariot Download Test

Set up two pairs of the same script.

 Endpoint 1: Use the IP address of the PC connected to the router via Ethernet.

 Endpoint 2: Use the IP address of the computer connected via wireless.

Then run the test.

IxChariot Upload Test

Set up 2 pairs of the same script.

 Endpoint 1: Use the IP address of the computer connected via wireless to the router

 Endpoint 2: Use the IP address of the PC connected to the router via Ethernet.

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Netgear CENTRIA WNDR4720 Review Manual

Netgear CENTRIA WNDR4720 Review Manual

Netgear CENTRIA WNDR4720 Review Manual

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