Netgear today unveiled the WAX220 Wi-Fi 6 Access Point as a major upgrade to its existing WAX214.
Among other things, the new standalone AP now supports the 160MHz channel width to deliver up to 4200Mbps of Wi-Fi bandwidth and incorporates a 2.5GbE Multi-Gig PoE port — up from the Gigabit of the predecessor.
On the inside, though, the new broadcaster remains familiar to its predecessor.
Netgear WAX220 (vs WAX214): A Multi-Gig-ready Wi-Fi 6 standalone access point
Like the case of the WAX214, the WAX220 is a budget-intended standalone access point — part of Netgear’s Business Essentials — and not a member of the company’s Insight Managed family, such as the case of the WAX630E.
And that’s both good and bad.
Good because it’ll work with any existing network and doesn’t cost any extra for ongoing management. You can also manage it locally via a web-user interface without surrendering personal information to Netgear. The device is also simple, and you can get it up and running within minutes.
On the other hand, it should generally be used where a single access point is enough. You can use multiple units but, in this case, still have to manage them individually — it’s not easy, if possible at all, to handle them as a mesh system.
The table below shows the similarity and differences between the WAX220 and the previous model, the WAX214.
Netgear WAX220 vs WAX214: Hardware specifications
| Name | Netgear WAX220 AX42 Wi-Fi 6 Access Point | Netgear WAX214 AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Access Point |
| Models | WAX220 | WAX214 |
| Standard | Dual-band AX4200 | Dual-band AX1800 |
| 2.4GHz Band | 2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
2×2 AX: Up to 600Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| 5GHz Band | 3×3 AX: Up to 3600Mbps (20/40/80/160MHz) |
2×4 AX: Up to 1200Mbps (20/40/80MHz) |
| SSIDs | 4 | 4 |
| Max Clients (estimated) |
256 – 128 per band | 128 – 64 per band |
| Wi-Fi Security | WPA/WPA2/WPA3 | WPA/WPA2/WPA3 |
| Ethernet Port | 1x 2.5GbE (PoE) | 1x Gigabit (PoE) |
| Power Supply | 12V/2.5V (30W) power adapter (included with WAX220PA model) or PoE+ | Netgear PAV12V or PoE (Neither PoE injector nor power adapter included) |
| Dimensions | 7.71 x 7.71 x 1.74 in (196x196x44.4 mm) | 6.33 x 6.33 × 1.31 in (160.9 × 160.9 x 33.28 mm) |
| Weight | 1.15 lb (523g) | 0.84 lb (0.38kg) |
| Operation Modes | Access Point | Access Point |
| US Price | $199 | $99 |
Besides the higher Wi-Fi specs and the faster LAN port, the new WAX220 likely shares a similar web interface and settings as the less WAX214.
The new model also requires a higher PoE+ standard to work. Since an injector is not included, you’ll need to get one of your own, such as this one, or use a PoE+ (or PoE++) switch.
Pricing and availability
Netgear says the new WAX220 Wi-Fi 6 AX4200 Access Point is available today with the suggested retail price of $199.99 — $100 more expensive than the previous model.
The new AP will likely have better performance than the WAX214. But for a general idea of how you can use it for your home or business, the in-depth review of the WAX214 will give you some pointers.