Netgear
Networking · Last assessed 6/9/2026
Score breakdown
Why this grade
No official spare-parts program or published schematics; board-level repair only. Cases open with screws (no adhesive) and external antennas/barrel-jack PSUs are replaceable, and iFixit hosts teardowns and capacitor/power-supply guides for multiple models, so hands-on repairability is moderate. Firmware freedom is mixed: legacy models (R7000, R8000, WNR series) have OpenWrt support and Netgear publishes GPL kernel source for some, but newer hardware ships SecureBoot that blocks unsigned firmware. Net: openable and partly OpenWrt-friendly, but disposable-by-design with no parts/schematics.
Methodology & version
Five dimensions — parts availability, schematic access, repairability, OEM pricing, and software freedom — are scored 0–100 and weighted equally; the letter grade is the average (A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69, F below 60). This assessment is current as of 6/9/2026 and cites its sources below. It covers the Networking category and is not a claim about every device the maker ships.