Customer Ratings & Reviews

With a home filled with technology, it's super important to protect our family and the devices we use online. The Norton Core Wi-Fi Router is easy to set up and use. I highly recommend it for every home.

I've had this for over 6 months now and I'm thoroughly impressed. I'm a gamer so I was worried about lag, but I can say my internet connection has been fast and stable. No lag during gaming at all. Most importantly it has stopped 748 threats on the devices in my house. I purchased this because our computers at work got encrypted with ransomware, and when they didn't pay the ransom a couple hours later we started getting the calls from our banks about fraudulent charges. They some how got to our credit cards and charged thousands to all the employees personal cards. After pulling my hair out for days trying to get my money back which I ended up getting back and assess what other damage the hackers caused, I decided to purchase this. I was horrified to even go online after that happened, but so far I haven't been hacked and no one has stolen my money since. I run this along with Norton Antivirus on my computers and phones now. I'm so happy with my purchase, it has already paid for itself and I sleep much better knowing my network is secure. Thank you Norton! P.S. The company I worked for was using Kaspersky when our computers got encrypted with ransomware. I still have no idea how they got my credit card.

The Norton Core router replaced my old router, my network security device, AND my WiFi extender. It does a better job than all three of those devices combined and takes up less space than my old router. It was easy to set up and has required very little input from me since the initial set-up.

Norton Core is a high performing wifi router, secure home network device and beautiful piece of technology all in one. As a mom of four, I especially appreciate the parental controls that allow moms and dads to manage each child's screen time and usage.

One of the coolest features is that all of our electronic devices can be connected through NortonCore to the online world and protected from any viruses, malware and phishing.

Here it is...the best Router out there. One that will finally protect all your devices with 1-price. Setup is easy with access to all IOT Devices. A quick way for you to shut off any wi-fi access to any or all connections. If a child needs to be in bed instead of on their tablet, a quick push of a button and they lose internet connectivity. I love it.

Firstly, I have to say seeing the Norton name associated with a router was at first a little confusing, but seeing the news on attacks and hackers targeting devices in my home, it made way more sense. In fact, I would say the Norton name even swayed my decision to buy a new router. It's a stunning looking device, and all I had to do was download the app. It started to flash orange and told me it was thinking, and 5 minutes later, I was set up. The last time I set up a router, I didnt even have a password (for 3 months) cos it was too much of a pain in the A**, this literally couldn't be any simpler. The only downside, I had to spend some time to change my existing modem/router into modem only setting, so a modem/router option would make this better for me.

Being abel to control internet access in any device in my house is great, no more trouble with the kids, but if core is bought in store prepare yourself to call support for the activation proces, took me 5 days to get it working. BTW: some apps in my cell phone has trouble contacting siense core is up

I had to return 1 of these units as it was not able to connect to the internet. I called Norton and they were able to ID the issue. When I plugged in the second unit it connected immediately. Security and parental controls are great. I like the added security.

I am by no means tech oriented but I wanted a new router for my home dsl use that is fast, reliable and safe to use. This is an unusual looking unit that doesnt scream "router" and just looks like a small sculpture in my office. It was very easy to set up and use and so far has done an excellent job of protecting my data. Wifi service works consistently through my small home and the app makes controlling access to the network easy and I can monitor what is going on and which devices have access. I should mention that I already had a Norton security subscription in place so it will be interesting to see what happens at the end of the complimentary Norton Core coverage, and how/if the two will combine.

Could not ask for more from Norton. Peace of mind for the extra security

The Norton Core router by Symantic is an interesting device. Even though it operates as a router, it's real purpose is to serve as a network security device.  As a router, it's decent, albeit not great. Download speeds are strong, but upload speeds are a little sluggish for the price range.  One of the first things you'll notice is the unique look of the Core. It looks somewhat like a small soccor ball. It is attractive but not a great fit for all environments.  The second thing you may notice is that setup is via app. You cannot set it up without downloading the Norton app. I know that's the way a lot of mesh systems are going these days, but this isn't a mesh system. I generally prefer a web setup process; however, the process went very smoothly and quickly.  The third thing you notice is that the ports are pretty cramped and hard to access. They are in a recessed cut-out at the bottom rear of the Core. Getting human-sized fingers in place to manipulate the cables was a bit of a frustrating experience.  In terms of performance, download speeds were strong, paralling a premium router I use as my performance benchmark. Upload speeds, however, were less than half as fast as the benchmark router.  I set the Core up in a 2600 sf two-story house. It was placed in a central location on the second floor. Coverage was consistent on the second floor and about 3/4 of the first floor, but one corner on the first floor (a bedroom) had a significantly degraded signal. The drop-off in speed was roughly 66%, which is a bit concerning. My benchmark router shows no degradation at that location and distance. Overall, the performance as a router is acceptable, but not much to write home about. I should note it cannot setup a VPN, nor does it allow you hide your SSID broadcast. In terms of connections, it has 3 GB LAN ports, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and 1 GB WAN port.  Spec-wise, the Core has a 1.7GHz processor and comes with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of eMMC Flash memory. There is an internal fan that tries to mitigate temperature, but it doesn't have any venting. It has 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band radios, and supports MU-MIMO streaming and broadcasts in dual-band 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi. It's only a 4x4 AC 2600 router, which isn't bad, but isn't near the top, either. Where the Core sets itself apart is the wide-ranging security options. It scans every packet of information that is exchanged. It constantly monitors network and device security. The main screen in the app even shows you a security score for your network. The Core also gives you a lot of control in terms of security. You can pause the internet connection for everyone or for a single device. You can set parental controls for different devices.  In these days of hackers, it's nice the Core also monitors internal traffic on your network. For instance, if your smart TV is trying to communicate with another device, it could be a hack designed to exploit a routine. The Core will detect it and quarantine it. This will only happen if the infected device tries to communicate on the network; it does not scan the devices themselves, only their traffic. However, if you're running a smart home, that added layer of security could be extremely valuable. Also, the Core includes a one-year subscription to Norton Security for every device on your network. I should note that many of the included security features - such as packet monitoring, parental controls, and internal traffic - expire when the subscription expires, but it can renewed for about $10/month. Still, the fact it is included with the purchase is impressive. The Core is an interesting device and a good concept. I would have loved it had the specs been a bit better and controls included a few more network options. I think they got too enamored with the physical design and then had to deal with certain limitations. I'd rather have a big, hulking beast with better range and upload speed, along with VPN and the ability to disable my SSID. As it is, though, the Core is an excellent network security device and a decent router. As such, it fills a need for those of us who have lots of smart devices throughout our homes. 

I've used quite a few routers - none of them have offered such a seamless experience to viewing and understanding Internet traffic like the Norton core. At the core (haha, pun intended) of the experience is the app. The app lets you view and see traffic, test your internet speed, review bandwidth consumption, manage users, etc. Setup is really easy, and while most routers can just plug and play, the core goes an extra step to help you setup your network properly. The wizard is intuitive and is easy enough I bet my dad could figure it out :-). The app will notify you when a new device connects to your network, so this alone is a pretty rad feature in my book. It keeps you involved and understanding what is 'connected'. You can take each device, and assign it to a person/group. This then allows you to limit bandwidth, and do content filter per person. For instance, if you have a teenager with a phone and tablet, you can limit/set schedules for their WiFi access at any given time. The app presents each user w/ their time remaining, which is an awesome help to parents. You pop open the app, and let your child know: "you have 40 minutes of Internet left today!". My children are small, so I used the feature to a limited degree, but as they grow I can see that tool becoming more and more important to a balanced life. I like the fact that the Core can run speed tests - which is a valuable tool - since it removes the 'WiFi' interference excuse (the speed test runs on the router directly to the internet). Another awesome capability is the per device bandwidth usage. If you are on a capped or metered connection this could be a really useful feature in determining if you have a device downloading large updates, or your kids are using too much data. Luckily my ISP doesn't cap me at the moment, but this feature might get more important as ISPs talk about limiting total bandwidth. Filtering is a big feature here, and I appreciate the granularity, while still being easy to configure. You block groups of traffic, and you do rely on Norton's curation of these lists. Other reviewers have mentioned some of the issues of managed curation, but I think it's still pretty early in the lifecycle of the product and Norton appears to be listening. There is also a choice of DNS, and some other advanced settings that I really appreciated. You get 1 year of Norton's Core Security Plus subscription - which is $99 a year after that. It offers unlimited device protection, and 25GB of cloud backup. It's a nice plus to have with the router. I bemoan the idea of a router that has a subscription fee (well, you can use it without the subscription still, you just lose many of the features), but it's hard to argue that you aren't getting valuable services. I've tried implementing blocking, and to stay current on your own is a lot of work. Also - while Windows Defender does a decent job, Norton has been doing this for a long while - and is still quite an effective antivirus for Windows. As far a core router competencies go - it kept up with my 250Mbs Cable internet service without breaking a sweat. My 802.11ac clients flew on the 5GHz network (I did setup separate SSIDs which allow me to force AC clients to using AC). I recorded 263Mbs from my iPhone X, so the WiFi is not the bottleneck here. It's a 4x4 antenna array, which might be helpful for bridges/extenders that can utilize 4 antennas, but the fastest clients I currently own are 2x2 866 clients. I saw extremely fast file copy, getting close to about 75% of the theoretical maximum for the WiFi, which isn't bad (it's just about best case scenario). The range, like most next gen AC routers, is excellent. I was able to maintain above 60Mbs all over my 3100sqft house. That's pretty impressive, especially since I used to run 2 routers all the time just to offer better WiFi coverage. The device is a bit oddly shaped. It reminds me of a Doppler radar station. My wife thought it was a large dugeons and dragon's die. Kidding aside, it seems effective, so I won't knock it. It has a light ring at the bottom that offers a status indication. It really is pretty unobtrusive, and you can customize it from high/low/off which is welcome. It includes 4 network ports and a pretty cramped WAN port (you'll want to use the included network cable for this one). There is a USB 3.0 port, but at the moment it appears to be limited to printer sharing. It's got a nice rubber bottom to prevent it from slipping and marking up a surface. It's a nice touch. All in all, the device looks quite modern, and would blend into a modern/technology living room. Mine sits in my office/upstairs family room, and so far the wife hasn't complained about it's prominent position in the room. If there is one complaint I can lodge at it, it's that while the device offers deep packet inspection for blocking/filtering, you can't see per device usage by traffic type (i.e. like Living Room TV consumed 8GB of Netflix yesterday). I think the complexity of reporting might be too much for a router alone to manage, but it would be really nice to be able to dig into the traffic types in use. All in all the Norton Security Core does certainly feel like the future of routers. An application that lets you manage it in detail is much better than a web based utility, and more immediate. There are so many features here it's hard to touch on them all. Realize that you're buying into Norton's ecosystem with this router, and if family security is important to you, this is probably a great decision. I highly recommend checking this router out!

Norton's is a name you can always trust. Set up is a little difficult and a little time consuming. But if you follow their picture direction step by step every thing will work just perfect. speaking from experience I thought I could rush a connection process and had to start over. Why is the step by step not sure a technical person may be able to explain. all I know if you take the time to do the Set up everything else will fall into place and from your phone you can manage your network. The best router with security I've seen so far.

This router makes me feel more secure about all my devices. You can view the status of all devices and make changes to those not recognized by Norton Core... very easy to set up

I was hesitant to buy this device but it's been well worth the money. It was easy to set up. I use it with my existing router because my phone company was very difficult about wanting to do an override. It has still blocked many threats. I like the phone app as it tells you when, what and on whose device a threat was blocked. It's an extra security measure that I find invaluable.

This is a very fast router compared to my 3 year old netgear. I love the added protection and privacy this router provides. It is based on a subscription, but the first year is free. After that it will still work, but it will no longer have the built in virus protection--I plan to continue using my regular Norton Subscription. I will still have a very fast and strong router.

Easy set up. Covers entire house. No complaints. No hacking.

Replaced a Netgear which I was happy with but was very pleasantly surprised with the improvement in signal strength from the Norton Core . Full signal strength where I previously had half to three quarter .No delay in a device connecting when turned on . Setup was easy via an Android phone .

Great features for security of the entire family. Like being able to customize for different members and the guest option for logging in is perfect. Stay secure and helpful at the same time. Haven't used temporary guest usage yet but sure it will be useful.