Netgear Nighthawk AX Series
Router security check

Netgear Nighthawk AX Series

NetgearMade in Vietnam

Report IMRS-NET-AX-SERIESMethod: public-record scoring

Verified
Apr 2026
Score72/100
Protections0/8
3 missing5 partly

Is the Netgear Nighthawk AX Series safe?

Solid, with a few gaps.

It has 0 of the 8 protections we check in full and gets regular security updates, but it lacks 3 of them entirely.

Your router passed. Here’s what it still can’t do.
  • Block unknown devices from joining
  • Encrypt traffic for every device
  • Remove guests when they leave

Rio does all 8 protections we check. $179.99 with code CHECKED20.

See what Rio adds, $20 off → Or get free alerts
The risks

What this means for you

The top 3 risks, most serious first.

  1. Moderate

    Its advanced protection costs extra

    Netgear Armor (Bitdefender-powered threat detection) requires a paid subscription. Without it you have standard NAT firewall protection only.

    Do this: Consider Netgear Armor for IoT-heavy homes
    Source: Netgear Armor · ~$100/yr ↗
  2. Moderate

    Netgear has been criticized for requiring public researcher pressure before issuing patches

    Response times have improved since 2022 but the pattern warrants ongoing monitoring.

    Source: Multiple CERT disclosures · 2019–2023 ↗
  3. Minor

    Netgear is US-headquartered with no Chinese government legal exposure

    Vietnam manufacturing does not trigger the FCC foreign manufacture ban for existing models.

The 8 protections

Protections it’s missing

Missing 3 of 8. Has 5 only partly.

We check every router for the same 8 protections. Here is how the Netgear Nighthawk AX Series does.

  • Blocks unknown devices from joining

    Missing

    New devices stay out until you approve them once, even if they have the Wi-Fi password.

    Zero-Trust Device Admission

  • Encrypts internet traffic for every device

    Missing

    Traffic leaving your home is encrypted, even from devices that can’t run a VPN app.

    Router-Level VPN

  • Guest access that expires

    Missing

    Guests are removed when they leave and need your approval to reconnect.

    Guest Auto-Expiry

  • Keeps smart gadgets away from your computers

    Partly

    Devices are kept apart, so a hacked smart TV can’t reach your laptop.

    Network Segmentation (VLANs)

  • Locks a device to approved sites

    Partly

    A device can reach only the sites you approve. Everything else is blocked.

    Domain Allowlisting

  • Separate Wi-Fi passwords per group

    Partly

    Each part of your network gets its own password.

    Granular Password Control

  • Made outside China’s legal reach

    Partly

    Not subject to China’s National Intelligence Law.

    Clean Supply Chain

  • Watches for attacks in real time

    Partly

    Spots suspicious devices, traffic and known attacks as they happen.

    Active Threat Monitoring
Your next steps

Fix it today

  1. Keep firmware updated via the Nighthawk app
  2. Enable WPA3 - supported on AX hardware
  3. Consider Netgear Armor for IoT-heavy homes
    Why: Its advanced protection costs extra.
  4. Disable UPnP if not actively using it
From the team behind this site

Already in good shape. Rio goes further.

Your Nighthawk AX Series
B
Missing 3 of 8
Rio Router
A
Has all 8
  • You approve every device. Nothing new joins your network until you say yes in the Rio app.
  • Rio VPN for the rooms you choose. 3,000+ servers in 110+ countries. First year included.
  • Guests drop off when they leave. They need your approval to come back.
Get Rio for $179.99

$20 off for router checkers with code CHECKED20, applied at checkout. Regular price $199.99.
1 year of Rio VPN included, then $7.99/month or $79.99/year · 30-day returns · 1-year warranty

Rio builds this site and is graded by the same method. See the method

Free router alerts

Get alerts for your Nighthawk AX Series

Get an email if it shows up on the US government's list of actively exploited flaws, or loses updates. Plus the 5-step lockdown checklist now.

By signing up you agree to get router alerts and the checklist by email. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell your address. Privacy

How we scored it70% from who makes it, FCC status and updates. 30% from the 8 protections.

1Scores

Maker, FCC status and updates 89/100 · 70%
The 8 protections 31/100 · 30%

2Calculation

89 × 0.7 + 31 × 0.3 = 72/100, grade B. 85+ is an A, 65+ a B, 45+ a C, 30+ a D, below 30 an F.

3The facts behind it

Who makes it
US-headquarteredNetgear Inc., San Jose, CA - NASDAQ: NTGR. AX-series Nighthawk routers; manufactured in Vietnam or China by model.
Made in
Vietnam
Security updates
Active - firmware updates available
FCC approval
FCC authorized
FCC restrictions
Not in scope
Last verified
April 2026

4Known flaws in Netgear routers

From the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Your specific model may or may not be affected.

  • CVE-2021-34991 · High · CVSS 8.8 · Multiple Nighthawk/Orbi models
    Pre-authentication buffer overflow. LAN-side unauthenticated RCE.

5Sources

  1. Netgear Armor · ~$100/yr ↗
  2. Multiple CERT disclosures · 2019–2023 ↗
  3. FCC Equipment Authorization Database ↗

Every finding traces to public sources: FCC filings, NIST CVE records and US government advisories. Read the full method · Report an error

Other Netgear models

CNighthawk AX12
BOrbi RBK863S
CNighthawk R7000
BOrbi 960
BNighthawk RAXE500
See all 17 Netgear models
BNighthawk RS700
BNighthawk RAX43
BNighthawk RAX50
DNighthawk AC Series
DN600 (WNDR3400)
BOrbi RBK750
COrbi RBK50
COrbi RBK20
BOrbi RBE973S
BNighthawk RS90 (BE3600)
DN750 (WNDR4000)
DNighthawk XR500

See every Netgear model: Netgear brand overview →

Good grade. Want to know if that changes? See what Rio adds
Get free router alerts