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The NETGEAR Nighthawk app is the latest app developed by NETGEAR. The app allows users to control and monitor their NETGEAR devices from a mobile device. The newly designed Nighthawk dashboard offers NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls and NETGEAR Armor, guest WiFi configurations, router settings adjustment and more under one place. The aim is to enable users to enjoy better WiFi and have more control from the palm of their hands.

In total, 122,246 reviews are found in Google play store with 4.4 stars rating. There has been 5,000,000+ installs. While in Apple app store NETGEAR Nighthawk - WiFi Route App is ranked No. 64 in Utilities category with 4.7 stars rating by 571.9K users. The app is rated as 4+ on Apple iOS App store and “Everyone” in Google Play store.

All along, NETGEAR Nighthawk - WiFi Route has been meeting the constant stream of new requests and expectations from a wide range of users through constant iterations of updates. In the latest update, the development team behind NETGEAR Nighthawk - WiFi Route has fixed and optimized the app as a whole based on the latest comments from users and complaints about the recent bug issues encountered, as well as added some more useful features.

NETGEAR Nighthawk App enables user to install router and get quick access to the network information. Key features include device manager, network map, parental control, internet speed, security, wifi setting, guest wifi and traffic meter, all those features are accessible via the management dashboard. You can view network status, receive notifications anytime and anywhere. You can even setup Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands for your network using the new remote management feature.

Despite all those new features promised, the Nighthawk app is created and catered to the newer, more expensive Nighthawk series routers, regrettably transition from previous NETGEAR Genie app to NETGEAR Nighthawk is not a smooth one. App users are forced to download the Nighthawk app and their routers must get connected to the modem in order for the app to access it, it will not progress past that step otherwise. This app support is so restricted and no option at all for manually accessing.

Not to mention that some key features are also missing from the app even after user struggled to get the connection sorted out. Firstly, the app should support all NETGEAR WiFi boosters and not limited to a Nighthawk booster only. Secondly there should be pre-set times to allow guest WiFi without input it manually, preferably a drop-down menu where user can select time increments of 15-30 minutes. Other problems reported includes smart connect constantly causes multiple devices to drop WiFi connection constantly and it takes about 5 min to reconnect.

Pros:

•       A lot of information and configurable settings available

•       Easily access your features using dashboard

Cons:

•       Devices names/list are NOT saved and displayed in some instance

•       App is not that user friendly with the pricy hardware

•       Flawed functionality and multiple issues around updating and refreshing information / synching with the router

•       Access control feature is unusable or unstable

•       Setting SSID and password might be a hassle if the system starts looping

•       Can’t turn off the notifications and ads when open the app