Netgear Inc. is a multinational computer networking company based in San Jose, California, with offices in about 25 other countries. It produces networking hardware for consumers, businesses, and service providers. The company operates in three business segments: retail, commercial, and as a service provider. Netgear's products cover a variety of widely used technologies such as wireless, Ethernet and powerline, with a focus on reliability and ease-of-use. The products include wired and wireless devices for broadband access and network connectivity, and are available in multiple configurations to address the needs of the end-users in each geographic region and sector in which the company's products are sold. Netgear products are sold in approximately 30,000 retail locations around the globe, and through approximately 25,000 value-added resellers, as well as multiple major cable, mobile and wireline service providers around the world.
Product range
Netgear's focus is primarily on the networking market, with products for home and business use, including wired and wireless technology.
ProSAFE switches
Netgear markets network products for the business sector, most notably the ProSAFE switch range., Netgear provides limited lifetime warranties for ProSAFE products for as long as the original buyer owns the product. Currently focusing on Multimedia segment.
Network appliances
Netgear also markets network appliances for the business sector, including managed switches and wired and wireless VPN firewalls. In 2016, Netgear released its Orbi mesh Wi-Fi System, with models for business as well as household use. The system uses a Tri-band architecture, similar to the traditional dual-band, but with a dedicated 5 GHz connection between the router and a provided satellite. The addition of a second 5 GHz channel allows the network to distribute its traffic, easing congestion caused by the increasing number of 5 GHz compatible wireless devices present in many household networks. In September 2017, Netgear exited the VPN firewall product category.
Network-attached storage
Netgear sells premium NAS devices to small businesses and consumers under the product name ReadyNAS. With this storage hardware line, Netgear vies with competitors like Buffalo, Zyxel and HP. Netgear entered the storage market in May 2007 when it acquired Infrant. In March 2009, Netgear began to offer an integrated online backup solution called the ReadyNAS Vault.
Netgear outsources all manufacturing to other electronics companies, including Askey Computer Corporation, Cameo Communications, Delta Networks, Flex, Foxconn, Taicang T&W Electronics, Pegatron Corporation, SerComm, Wistron Neweb Corporation and USI Electronics. Netgear Inc., primarily founded in San Jose, California, United States of America on January 8, 1996 has its offices in about 25 other countries. Manufacturing occurs primarily in mainland China and Vietnam, with pilot and low-volume manufacturing in Taiwan on a select basis. To maintain quality standards, Netgear have established their own product quality organization based in Hong Kong and mainland China. They are responsible for auditing and inspecting process and product quality on the premises of ODMs and JDMs.
Security concerns
Various Netgear products that were manufactured by SerComm were found to contain a backdoor that allowed unauthorized remote access to the affected devices. Netgear, along with other companies with products manufactured by SerComm that were affected by the aforementioned backdoor, issued firmware updates for some affected products. However, it was shortly found that the updates merely hid the backdoor but did not remove it. A backdoor also existed on the DG834 series. Any person who can access the router using a web browser, can enable "debug" mode using and then connect via Telnet directly to the router's embedded Linux system as 'root', which gives unfettered access to the router's operating system via its Busybox functionality. Additionally, a 'hidden' URL also allows unfettered access. There is no user option provided to disable this. On default Netgear firmware Telnet access lacks password or other control; on ISP modified versions a Telnet password exists based on the MAC address which can be found via online websites. In January 2017, various Netgear products were found to be vulnerable to an exploit that allows third-party access to the router and the internal network and to turn the router into a botnet.
