OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
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REVIEWS
Scored using Routers Methodology v1.0
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Products in this category are evaluated mathematically under Frontumo Routers Methodology v1.0 using verified laboratory benchmarks, technical specifications, and authentic consumer ratings with 0% commercial bias.
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Netgear WNR3500L Review | 77 Data compared

Avg. price:~£90Wi-Fi version:Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)Wi-Fi speed:300 MbpsLAN port speeds:1 GbpsMesh Wi-Fi:no

Netgear WNR3500L Review: Compare 77 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Routers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.4

Overall score

Score
6.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the router's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best routers on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Score components

90%

6.2

Technical score

10%

8.4

User score

â–¼Worse than 73% of routers
6.2

Technical score

Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 78% of models
Score components

26%

4.9

Wireless

20%

5.8

Ports

18%

7.9

Networking

14%

9.3

Security

12%

3.5

Hardware

10%

6.2

Management

â–¼Worse than 78% of routers
8.4

User score

User score
8.4/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 74% of models
Score components

70%

8.3

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on 1,818 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
â–²Better than 74% of routers
  • netgear-wnr3500l
netgear-wnr3500l

Best prices

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Best rankings

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of router Netgear WNR3500L

Technical score
Technical score
6.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the router's technical performance, covering key areas such as Wi-Fi performance, wired connectivity, security, software features, coverage, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare routers based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 78% of models
Score components:

26%

4.9

Wireless

20%

5.8

Ports

18%

7.9

Networking

14%

9.3

Security

12%

3.5

Hardware

10%

6.2

Management

6.2
User score
User score
8.4/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 74% of models
Score components

70%

8.3

User ratings

30%

8.4

Number of reviews

Based on 1,818 buyer reviews from online shops.
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →
How we calculate this
User ratings – average star rating across all shop listings, weighted by how many reviews each has, on a 1–10 scale.
Number of reviews – how many buyer reviews the product has, on a logarithmic scale; the 8% most-reviewed models in the category get 10.
8.4
Popularity
Popularity
8.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the router.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose a router reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 73% of models
Popularity:
Netgear WNR3500L has a popularity score of 8.4 points, which is higher than that of 72.8% of products in this category.
8.4
Value for money
Value for money
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the router's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a router with a good balance between network performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
Score components:

60%

6.4

Overall score

40%

10

Price

7.5
Brand name
Netgear
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
This router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), which is less advanced than 60.8% of routers and equal to 37.3% of routers.
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz
Wi-Fi bands
2.4 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
This router supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which are less versatile than 75.4% of routers and equal to 22.4% of routers.
Wi-Fi speed
300 Mbps
Wi-Fi speed
300 Mbps
â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
This router delivers 300 Mbps Wi-Fi speed, which is lower than 73.7% of routers and equal to 16.8% of routers.
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz
Channel widths supported
20 MHz + 40 MHz
â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
This router supports 20 MHz + 40 MHz channel width options, which is fewer than 59.3% of routers and the same as 35.1% of routers.
Show more
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA, WEP
Wi-Fi security protocols
WPA2, WPA, WEP
â–² Better than 41% of models
This router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP Wi-Fi security protocols, which are more advanced than 40.9% of routers and equal to 17.7% of routers.
DoS protection
yes
DoS protection
yes
â–² Better than 13% of models
This router includes DoS protection. 12.8% of routers include DoS protection.
SPI intrusion protection
yes
SPI intrusion protection
yes
â–² Better than 6% of models
This router includes SPI-based intrusion protection. 6.1% of routers include SPI-based intrusion protection.
MAC address filtering
yes
MAC address filtering
yes
â–² Better than 2% of models
This router supports MAC address filtering. 2.2% of routers include MAC address filtering.
URL filter
yes
URL filter
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router supports URL filtering. 3.4% of routers include URL filtering.
Show more
IPv6 support
yes
IPv6 support
yes
â–² Better than 12% of models
This router supports IPv6. 11.5% of routers are IPv6-ready.
Dynamic routing
yes
Dynamic routing
yes
â–² Better than 48% of models
This router supports dynamic routing. 47.8% of routers support dynamic routing.
Inter-VLAN routing
no
Inter-VLAN routing
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not support inter-VLAN routing. 23.5% of routers support inter-VLAN routing.
VLAN tagging
no
VLAN tagging
no
â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
This router does not support VLAN tagging. 62% of routers include VLAN tagging.
QoS
yes
QoS
yes
â–² Better than 3% of models
This router includes QoS controls. 3.2% of routers include QoS controls.
Show more
N. of LAN ports
4
N. of LAN ports
4
â–² Better than 24% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 4 LAN ports, which is more than 23.7% of routers and the same as 69.2% of routers.
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
LAN port speeds
1 Gbps
â–² Better than 27% of models
This router offers 1 Gbps on its LAN ports, which is faster than 27.1% of routers and on par with 59.9% of routers.
N. of WAN ports
1
N. of WAN ports
1
â–¼ Worse than 9% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 WAN ports, which is more than 1% of routers and the same as 90.1% of routers.
N. of USB ports
1
N. of USB ports
1
â–² Better than 39% of models
Market range: <0 – >5
This router has 1 USB ports, which is more than 39.5% of routers and the same as 39.5% of routers.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
no
Category Benchmark
This router does not support Power over Ethernet (PoE). 0.5% of routers can be powered over Ethernet.
Show more
Management interface
Web UI
Management interface
Web UI
â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
This router uses Web UI for management, which is less advanced than 72.2% of routers and equal to 27.3% of routers.
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
Firmware upgrade method
Web UI
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
This router supports Web UI firmware update methods, which are less convenient than 69.5% of routers and equal to 29.7% of routers.
Traffic monitoring
yes
Traffic monitoring
yes
â–² Better than 18% of models
This router includes traffic monitoring. 18.1% of routers include traffic monitoring.
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
Guest Wi-Fi network
yes
â–² Better than 9% of models
This router offers a guest Wi‑Fi network. 8.6% of routers offer a guest Wi‑Fi network.
Captive portal
no
Captive portal
no
â–¼ Worse than 24% of models
This router does not offer captive portal features. 23.5% of routers offer captive portal features.
Show more
CPU clock speed
0.453 GHz
CPU clock speed
0.453 GHz
â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
This router runs at 0.453 GHz, which is slower than 82.4% of routers.
RAM capacity
64 MB
RAM capacity
64 MB
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
This router has 64 MB of RAM, which is less than 69% of routers and the same as 14.3% of routers.
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
Internal storage
0.007812 GB
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
This router has 0.007812 GB of internal storage, which is less than 72.7% of routers and the same as 20.6% of routers.
Hardware acceleration
no
Hardware acceleration
no
â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
This router does not offer hardware acceleration. 68.9% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
N. of external antennas
0
N. of external antennas
0
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Market range: <0 – >10
This router has 0 external antennas, which is fewer than 59.6% of routers and the same as 40.4% of routers.
Show more

Netgear WNR3500L vs the average router

246810TotalWirelessSecurityNetworkingPortsManagementHardware
  • 61.3% wider wireless coverage
    Wireless coverage
    300 m²
    â–² Better than 85% of models
    Market range: <100 m² – >400 m²
    This router has wider wireless coverage than the average router (300 m² vs 186 m²). The average router offers wireless coverage of 186 m².
    300 m² vs 186 m²
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA2, WPA, WEP
    â–² Better than 41% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA2, WPA, WEP, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA2, WPA, WEP vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • 4.4% higher user score
    User score
    8.4/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Netgear WNR3500L
    the average router
    Netgear WNR3500L has a higher user score than the average router (8.35 vs 8.000).
    8.35 vs 8
  • 4.4% higher user score
    User score
    8.4/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the router.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how a router performs in daily use and how reliable it is for speed, coverage, and stability according to user feedback.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Netgear WNR3500L
    the average router
    Netgear WNR3500L has a higher user score than the average router (8.35 vs 8.000).
    8.35 vs 8
  • 61.3% wider wireless coverage
    Wireless coverage
    300 m²
    â–² Better than 85% of models
    Market range: <100 m² – >400 m²
    This router has wider wireless coverage than the average router (300 m² vs 186 m²). The average router offers wireless coverage of 186 m².
    300 m² vs 186 m²
  • Stronger Wi-Fi security
    Wi-Fi security protocols
    WPA2, WPA, WEP
    â–² Better than 41% of models
    This router supports the Wi-Fi security protocols WPA2, WPA, WEP, while the average router supports WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS.
    WPA2, WPA, WEP vs WPA2, WPA, WEP, WPS
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Older Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    This router uses an older Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • Fewer Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
    This router supports fewer Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • 79.7% slower Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    300 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a lower Wi-Fi speed than the average router (300 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    300 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • Weaker management tools
    Management interface
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
    This router uses the management interface Web UI, while the average router uses Web UI, App.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App
  • 12.9 W higher power consumption
    Power consumption
    21 W
    â–¼ Worse than 95% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses more power than the average router (21 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    21 W vs 8.1 W
  • 4.3% worse value for money
    Netgear WNR3500L has worse value for money than the average router (7.5 vs 7.8).
    7.5 vs 7.82
  • Older Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi version
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
    â–¼ Worse than 61% of models
    This router uses an older Wi-Fi version than the average router (Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)). The average router uses Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac).
    Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • Fewer Wi-Fi bands
    Wi-Fi bands
    2.4 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 75% of models
    This router supports fewer Wi-Fi bands than the average router (2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The average router supports 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.
    2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz
  • 79.7% slower Wi-Fi speed
    Wi-Fi speed
    300 Mbps
    â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
    Market range: <0 Mbps – >6k Mbps
    This router has a lower Wi-Fi speed than the average router (300 Mbps vs 1475 Mbps). The average router reaches Wi-Fi speed of 1475 Mbps.
    300 Mbps vs 1,475 Mbps
  • Narrower channel widths
    Channel widths supported
    20 MHz + 40 MHz
    â–¼ Worse than 59% of models
    This router has a lower supported channel width than the average router (20 MHz + 40 MHz vs 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz). The average router supports channel width of 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz.
    20 MHz + 40 MHz vs 20 MHz + 40 MHz + 80 MHz
  • 1 fewer spatial streams
    N. of spatial streams
    2
    â–¼ Worse than 50% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer spatial streams than the average router (2 vs 3). The average router has 3 spatial streams.
    2 vs 3
  • No band steering
    Band steering
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
    This router does not support band steering, while the average router does. 51.8% of routers support band steering.
  • No beamforming
    Beamforming
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 57% of models
    This router does not support beamforming, while the average router does. 56.7% of routers support beamforming.
  • No VLAN tagging
    VLAN tagging
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 62% of models
    This router does not support VLAN tagging, while the average router does. 61.9% of routers support VLAN tagging.
  • 10,892 fewer NAT sessions
    NAT concurrent sessions
    4,096
    â–¼ Worse than 74% of models
    Market range: <0 – >300k
    This router has fewer concurrent NAT sessions than the average router (4,096 vs 14,988). The average router supports 14,988 concurrent NAT sessions.
    4,096 vs 14,988
  • Limited firmware updates
    Firmware upgrade method
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
    This router supports the firmware update methods Web UI, while the average router supports Web UI, App, Automatic.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App, Automatic
  • Weaker management tools
    Management interface
    Web UI
    â–¼ Worse than 72% of models
    This router uses the management interface Web UI, while the average router uses Web UI, App.
    Web UI vs Web UI, App
  • Less capable NAS services
    Built-in NAS services
    SMB, FTP
    â–¼ Worse than 51% of models
    This router includes SMB, FTP NAS services, while the average router includes SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access.
    SMB, FTP vs SMB, FTP, time machine, NFS, web access
  • No DLNA support
    DLNA support
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 54% of models
    This router does not support DLNA, while the average router does. 54% of routers support DLNA.
  • No hardware acceleration
    Hardware acceleration
    no
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    This router does not offer hardware acceleration, while the average router does. 68.7% of routers offer hardware acceleration.
  • 12.9 W higher power consumption
    Power consumption
    21 W
    â–¼ Worse than 95% of models
    Market range: <3 W – >18 W
    This router uses more power than the average router (21 W vs 8.1 W). The average router uses 8.1 W power.
    21 W vs 8.1 W
  • 75% less RAM
    RAM capacity
    64 MB
    â–¼ Worse than 69% of models
    Market range: <0 MB – >1k MB
    This router has less RAM than the average router (64 MB vs 256 MB). The average router has 256 MB of RAM.
    64 MB vs 256 MB
  • Lower CPU clock speed
    CPU clock speed
    0.453 GHz
    â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
    This router has a lower CPU clock speed than the average router (0.5 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz). The average router has a CPU clock speed of 2x0.5 GHz.
    0.453 GHz vs 2x0.5 GHz
  • 93.8% less internal storage
    Internal storage
    0.007812 GB
    â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
    Market range: <0 GB – >0.5 GB
    This router has less internal storage than the average router (0 GB vs 0.1 GB). The average router offers 0.125 GB of internal storage.
    0.007812 GB vs 0.125 GB
  • 2 fewer external antennas
    N. of external antennas
    0
    â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
    Market range: <0 – >10
    This router has fewer external antennas than the average router (0 vs 2). The average router has 2 external antennas.
    0 vs 2
  • 6 older release date
    Release date
    2009
    â–¼ Worse than 94% of models
    Market range: <2k – >2k
    This router is an older model than the average router (2009 vs 2015). The average router release year is 2015.
    September 2009
    2009 vs 2015

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

S
smallnetbuilder.com
25/05/2010
Summary of the review
NETGEAR WNR3500L Rangemax Wireless-N Gigabit Router with USB Reviewed
S
smallnetbuilder.com
03/06/2010
Summary of the review
Lots More Features, Lots Less Performance: NETGEAR WNR3500L with DD-WRT Reviewed
E
eve.gd
18/02/2011
Summary of the review
Open Hardware: the Netgear WNR3500L
T
tweakers.net
10/01/2011
Summary of the review
Netgear WNR3500 Review op Tweakers(tweakers.net) | 26 november 2010 | Netgear WNR3500L specificaties en gebruikerservaringen(nl.hardware.info) | 12 me...
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

Based on 1,818 buyer reviews from online shops.
Reviews last updated: October 2026 · How we calculate this
Read buyer reviews on Amazon →

What we like about Netgear WNR3500L

  • Open-source friendly: Officially supports third-party firmware like DD-WRT, Tomato, and OpenWRT.
  • Reliable wired connectivity: Features four Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed wired networking.
  • Hardware value: Includes 64MB RAM and 8MB Flash, which was considered substantial for its class at release.
  • Integrated USB port: Supports ReadySHARE for basic network-attached storage (NAS) functionality.
  • Sleek and cool operation: Users noted an attractive design and that the unit generally runs fairly cool.

What we don't like about Netgear WNR3500L

  • Software stability issues: Users reported routing throughput drops of up to 70% and potential lock-ups when using certain firmware.
  • Limited wireless performance: Range and speed are often described as undistinguished or mediocre compared to newer standards.
  • Single-band only: Lacks support for the 5GHz band, which can lead to interference in congested 2.4GHz areas.
  • Outdated stock interface: The factory user interface is frequently cited as dated and scattered.
  • Setup quirks: Some users found it difficult to flash firmware using modern browsers like Firefox, requiring older versions of Internet Explorer for compatibility.

Verdict

The Netgear WNR3500L is an open-source N300 Wireless Gigabit Router designed for enthusiasts, featuring a 480–500 MHz Broadcom processor, up to 128MB of RAM, and 128MB of flash memory. This single-band 2.4 GHz device includes one WAN and four LAN Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed wired connectivity, alongside a USB 2.0 port for ReadySHARE storage sharing. Its primary advantage is extensive support for third-party Linux-based firmware like DD-WRT, Tomato, and OpenWRT, offering advanced customization and stable routing throughput of around 250–300 Mbps. However, its main drawbacks include the lack of a 5 GHz band, internal antennas that limit physical range compared to external designs, and aging hardware that struggles with modern high-bandwidth demands.

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