Leases (Supplemental Cash Flow Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows relating to operating leases	$ 8,990	$ 8,982
Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets:
Operating leases	$ 9,198	$ 834

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities.

No definition available.

Name:	ntgr_CashPaidForAmountsIncludedInTheMeasurementOfLeaseLiabilitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ntgr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ntgr_LeaseLiabilitiesArisingFromObtainingRightOfUseAssetsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ntgr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow from operating lease, excluding payments to bring another asset to condition and location necessary for its intended use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918643-209977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasePayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for operating lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121568110&loc=SL77918982-209971

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration