Gone are the days where you needed a separate modem, router, firewall, wireless access point and VoIP device. Today's home or small office can take advantage of multitasking devices that can handle all these features and more, minimising the bewildering array of electronic devices we need, cutting down greatly on the spaghetti-like mess of cables, reducing cost, power consumption, wasted space ... and confusion!
Below are the top 10 router or modem/router products we've reviewed recently. Looking at reader comments, it seems everyone has a horror story about the router they've purchased, so perhaps there's still some way to go for the devices to become the one-click set-up they need to be. If you've had a good or bad experience, jump in and leave your comments under each review.
Apple Airport Extreme
If you've got compatible 802.11n-ready gear now, Apple's Airport Extreme takes Wi-Fi speeds up a notch. The USB port for sharing disks is handy, however, network speed takes a hit if you put legacy 802.11b/g devices on your network.
Asus WL-700gE Storage Router
The Asus WL-700gE router features an integrated hard drive and loads of media-sharing features. If you find yourself constantly downloading files from the Internet, it's worth the high cost and the complex setup routine.
D-Link DGL-4500 GamerLounge Xtreme N Gaming Router
The D-Link DGL-4500 GamerLounge Xtreme N Gaming Router almost succeeds for home networking and hardcore gamers.
D-Link RangeBooster N 650 ADSL2+ Router (DSL-2740B)
The DSL-2740B is a modem and router that offers a good balance between price and features, with a slightly shaky performance.
D-Link RangeBooster N 650 Router (DIR-635)
D-Link's DIR-635 sports good performance and features at a reasonable price.
DrayTek Vigor2820n ADSL2+ Router
DrayTek's Vigor2820n offers a vast array of features, but you'll pay for them. Make sure you need everything it offers first!
Linksys WAG325N
Linksys' integrated ADSL2+ modem and Draft-N wireless router gets a lot of things right - including excellent signal propagation - but still doesn't live up to the Draft-N speed hype.
Linksys WRT150N Wireless-N Home Router
The Linksys WRT150N is a great router option for those who want the range improvement of 11N but don't need the other features — or the steep price tag.
NetComm ADSL2+ Wireless Router (NB6Plus4W)
NetComm's NB6Plus4W offers good short range performance and management tools for a very reasonable price.
Netgear WNR854T RangeMax Next Wireless-N Router Gigabit Edition
The Netgear RangeMax Next WNR854T Gigabit is a smart choice for home networks, thanks to its fast throughput and easy setup.
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petergaskin@yahoo.com.au
01/05/2008 07:40 PM
My router was very easy to setup. When I movewd the router and modem from an XP machine to a Vista machine, I had no problems at all. I have even changed modems without a problem! There is one problem - I could not work out how to get an Engin box to work with the router!
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