Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Retained Earnings	Total NETGEAR Stockholder's Equity	Non-controlling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adoptions of new accounting guidance, net of tax	$ 92		$ 327		$ (235)
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		32,958,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016	796,819	$ 33	566,307	$ 1,938	228,541
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	(35)			(35)
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	(1,501)			(1,501)
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	15,994				15,994
Stock-based compensation	5,128		5,128
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(38,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(1,936)				(1,936)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		246,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	5,100		5,100
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)		(213,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(11,631)				(11,631)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Apr. 02, 2017		32,953,000
Ending balance at Apr. 02, 2017	808,030	$ 33	576,862	402	230,733
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		32,958,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016	796,819	$ 33	566,307	1,938	228,541
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	51,370
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	$ 0
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)	(127,000)
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(1,800,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (86,600)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2017		31,731,000
Ending balance at Oct. 01, 2017	776,515	$ 32	594,215	(4,762)	187,030
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Apr. 02, 2017		32,953,000
Beginning balance at Apr. 02, 2017	808,030	$ 33	576,862	402	230,733
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	(18)			(18)
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	(5,194)			(5,194)
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	14,582				14,582
Stock-based compensation	5,701		5,701
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(81,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(3,713)				(3,713)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		315,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	1,534		1,534
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)		(929,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(45,000)	$ (1)			(44,999)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Jul. 02, 2017		32,258,000
Ending balance at Jul. 02, 2017	775,922	$ 32	584,097	(4,810)	196,603
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	26			26
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	22			22
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	20,794				20,794
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	0
Stock-based compensation	5,583		5,583
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(8,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(368)				(368)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		163,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	4,535		4,535
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)		(682,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(29,999)				(29,999)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2017		31,731,000
Ending balance at Oct. 01, 2017	776,515	$ 32	594,215	(4,762)	187,030
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adoptions of new accounting guidance, net of tax	8,593				8,593	$ 8,593
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		31,320,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017	730,485	$ 31	603,137	(851)	128,168	730,485	$ 0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	(49)			(49)		(49)
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	631			631		631
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	5,590				5,590	5,590
Stock-based compensation	8,150		8,150			8,150
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(38,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(2,271)				(2,271)	(2,271)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		252,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	4,590	$ 1	4,589			4,590
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Apr. 01, 2018		31,534,000
Ending balance at Apr. 01, 2018	755,719	$ 32	615,876	(269)	140,080	755,719	0
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		31,320,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017	730,485	$ 31	603,137	(851)	128,168	730,485	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	10,309
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	$ (799)
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)	(129,000)
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)	(200,000)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (15,000)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018		31,746,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	934,479	$ 32	785,694	(36)	124,488	910,178	24,301
Beginning balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Apr. 01, 2018		31,534,000
Beginning balance at Apr. 01, 2018	755,719	$ 32	615,876	(269)	140,080	755,719	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	53			53		53
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	109			109		109
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	(5,230)				(5,230)	(5,230)
Stock-based compensation	8,970		8,970			8,970
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(85,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(4,897)				(4,897)	(4,897)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		332,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	1,012		1,012			1,012
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Jul. 01, 2018		31,781,000
Ending balance at Jul. 01, 2018	755,736	$ 32	625,858	(107)	129,953	755,736	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Change in unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	31			31		31
Change in unrealized gains and losses on derivatives, net of tax	40			40		40
Net income attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	9,949				9,949	9,949
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	(799)						(799)
Stock-based compensation	8,612		8,612			8,612
Stock-based compensation expense for subsidiary shares	942						942
Sale of Arlo's common stock	170,246		146,088			146,088	24,158
Restricted stock unit withholdings (in shares)		(6,000)
Restricted stock unit withholdings	(414)				(414)	(414)
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans (in shares)		176,000
Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation plans	5,136		5,136			5,136
Repurchases of common stock (in shares)		(205,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(15,000)				(15,000)	(15,000)
Ending balance, shares outstanding (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018		31,746,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 934,479	$ 32	$ 785,694	$ (36)	$ 124,488	$ 910,178	$ 24,301