(Credit: Netgear)

It's been getting more and more exciting in the wireless networking world recently since Trendnet shipped the first 450Mbps single-band Wireless-N router, the TEW-691GR, and announced yesterday the first 450Mbps true-dual-band Wireless N router (model TEW-692GR).

Netgear today joined the party by announcing its first 450Mbps dual-band router, the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (model WNDR4000).

Like those from Trendnet, Netgear's new networking device is based on the three-stream standard (or three by three), in which each stream carries up to 150Mbps, hence the cap of 450Mbps.

The WNDR4000, however, unlike the TEW-692GR from Trendnet, offers the high 450Mbps speed only on the 5GHz frequency band, while the 2.4GHz band remains at the traditional dual-stream 300Mbps speed. According to Netgear, this is because the company believes that for now the requirements of processing power and the congestion of the 2.4GHz band don't translate into a great bang for the consumer's buck.

So who can take advantage of this new speed? Anyone with a laptop that's equipped with Intel's Centrino N-5300 and Centrino N-6300 Wi-Fi adapters. These two Wi-Fi chipsets, also known as Intel's Ultimate N Wi-Fi Link family, can handle all standards of Wi-Fi, including the three-stream standard. In the future, Netgear says it will also release USB adapters that support this higher speed.

Other than this high speed that can handle data-intensive applications, such as HD video streaming, simultaneous downloads and so on, the N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router also offers the following features:

• ReadyShare USB: better, easy support for external USB storage devices
• Live parental controls: comprehensive web-filtering features that help keep internet access under control
• Guest networking: separate wireless networks with access to the internet but isolated from local resources
• Broadband usage meter: a feature that monitors internet traffic and sends customised reports
• Netgear Genie software: a desktop application that helps simplify the task of managing your network

The N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router will be available in the first quarter of the year and will cost around US$180.

Via ces.cnet.com