At the IFA in Berlin, Netgear has introduced the new AC785 LTE mobile hotspot (“MiFi Router”). The device looks very similar to its brother models, such as Netgear Aircard 782s and 781s, which can reach up to 150 MBit/s in downlink based on the LTE Category 4 technology. It has a long battery life of up to 10 hours and the ability to connect up to 15 devices via WLAN.
The Modem in the Netgear AC785 supports all major wireless standards, ranging from 2G over 3G to LTE. In the LTE network, the frequency bands are supported on 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz, the UMTS network can use in the region around 850 and 2100 megahertz. But in Europe, UMTS900 band is commonly used, which is not supported by the AC785 unfortunately.
The maximum speed in the LTE network is 150 Mbit/s for downlink and 50 Mbit/s in the uplink (LTE Cat4). In the UMTS network, up to 42.2Mbit/s in the downlink are possible with the data accelerator DC-HSPA+. Netgear AirCard 785 module operates wireless 802.11n in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band. A maximum of 15 devices can connect wirelessly with the AC785.
The Netgear AC785 has a color screen on the front, which displays important information such as the consumption data, battery status, operator name, the reception quality or the online time. And user can see the SSID and WiFi password on the screen. The exact capacity of the battery is not known, but according to Netgear, online time can last around about 10 hours in the LTE network.
The control of the Netgear AC785 takes place either in any browser or via a smartphone app. The AirCard app is available for Android or iOS. Netgear also offers to the docking station DC113A for the AC785 LTE mobile hotspot. This accessory allows not only the comfortable recharge the AC785 hotspot battery, but also offers a Gigabit LAN port to connect wired devices. Furthermore, there are two TS-9 connectors for external antennas available at the dock, so you can operate as a full-fledged DSL replacement with an external antenna to the AC785.
The Netgear Aircard AC785s will be available in European countries according to the manufacturer in September 2014. The docking station DC113A will be available during the fourth quarter. And we also get to know the new LTE Category 6 Netgear 790s will be also available. The new mobile hotspots are really interesting.