Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net revenue	$ 998,763	$ 1,058,816	$ 1,039,169
Cost of revenue	704,535	717,118	731,453
Gross profit	294,228	341,698	307,716
Operating expenses:
Research and development	77,982	82,416	71,893
Sales and marketing	138,150	152,569	138,679
General and administrative	49,432	64,857	54,346
Other operating expenses, net	2,476	3,142	245
Total operating expenses	268,040	302,984	265,163
Income from operations	26,188	38,714	42,553
Interest income, net	2,539	3,980	2,114
Other income (expense), net	844	510	1,557
Income before income taxes	29,571	43,204	46,224
Provision for income taxes	3,780	25,878	57,357
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	25,791	17,326	(11,133)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(35,655)	30,569
Net income (loss)	25,791	(18,329)	19,436
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest in discontinued operations	0	(9,167)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	$ 25,791	$ (9,162)	$ 19,436
Net income (loss) per share - basic:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 0.83	$ 0.55	$ (0.35)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	0	(0.84)	0.96
Net income (loss) attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	0.83	(0.29)	0.61
Net income (loss) per share - diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	0.81	0.52	(0.35)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	0	(0.80)	0.96
Net income (loss) attributable to NETGEAR, Inc.	$ 0.81	$ (0.28)	$ 0.61
Weighted average shares used to compute net income (loss) per share:
Basic	30,936	31,626	32,097
Diluted	31,965	33,137	32,097