Netgear, founded in 1996, is a US manufacturer of computer networking equipment and other computer hardware. The company was incorporated January 8, 1996 as a subsidiary of Bay Networks, to "focus on providing networking solutions for small businesses and homes." In August 1998, the company was purchased by Nortel as part of its acquisition of Bay Networks. NETGEAR remained a wholly owned subsidiary of Nortel until March 2000 when it began transitioning to third-party ownership, and became fully independent from Nortel as of February 2002.

Netgear sells primarily through a sales channel network, which includes traditional retailers, online retailers, direct market resellers, value added resellers, and broadband service providers in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Its main retail competitors are Linksys and D-Link. In 2007, the United States (38% of revenue) and the United Kingdom (52%) were the company's two largest markets, but EMEA and Asia Pacific were the fastest growing with growth rates of 28% and 34%, respectively.

Product Range

ProSafe Switches

Network Appliances

Manufacturing

Netgear outsources some of its manufacturing to other electronics companies, including Askey Computer Corporation, Asus, Cameo Communications, Delta Networks, Foxconn, Senao and SerComm. Netgear believes by outsourcing its manufacturing means it is able to deliver a better cost price to consumers as well as keeping the quality to their expected standard.Summary of Netgear, Inc - Annual Report 2008

Quality

Some internet enthusiast sites reported buggy products in consumer wireless routers during 2003. For example, there was a class action lawsuit against the Netgear WGT624, claiming it contained faulty hardware or software.

Platinum II Enclosure

NETGEAR's Platinum II Enclosure (a case design used in most of NETGEAR's consumer products) was winner of a 2004 Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum.

External links

• Official website
• Netgear profile on Wikinvest