How To Buy a Wireless Router: The Short Version [Archive]

Unregistered

08-25-2009, 12:17 PM

Very nice article. Thank you! One observation...

The advice to use channels 1, 6 and 11 is good for people located in the US. For people in countries where channels 1-13 are available, channels 1, 5, 9 and 13 might give sufficiently small overlap, so should the advice be to use these where available?

thiggins

08-25-2009, 01:04 PM

As noted here (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/30182/228/1/1/), even the "non-overlapping" 1, 6, and 11 do have signal overlap. So, sure, go ahead and use 1,5,9 and 13 in regions where Channels 12 and 13 are allowed.

jotapesse

08-25-2009, 01:18 PM

How about channels 1, 7 and 13? :)

thetoad30

08-25-2009, 01:38 PM

Tim,

Excellent article. I have one request: Can you elaborate more on the SPI portion of the firewall?

I'm asking because I currently have an Apple Airport Extreme Dual-Band (I was surprised this wasn't on the list) and as you know it doesn't have SPI. I am currently in negotiations to get a refund on my DIR-855 which is my main router right now, and was curious if I need to setup my previous WRT350N in its place or if I can just put the Airport right in and not worry about it. I have FIOS, so I've been doing a lot of research regarding switching speeds and the like, as well as reading this article to help point me in the right direction.

thiggins

08-25-2009, 02:04 PM

I did not get into any routing features in the article.

In my opinion, SPI has no bearing on router choice. In consumer routers, it's primarily there to give marketing more buzzwords to throw at consumers.

thetoad30

08-25-2009, 02:33 PM

Thanks, Tim.

So in your experience, NAT is perfectly fine for security on a consumer network connection such as FIOS or cable?

I ask because I'm looking at the Cisco RVS4000 as a cheap, yet seemingly high-performing, high-feature-set security router. If I can save the money, though, I will and use your recommendation and throw the Apple in place, disregarding the lack of SPI.

I apologize if this got more off-topic than intended... I was mainly interested in SPI use.

thiggins

08-25-2009, 04:09 PM

NAT provides the primary protection. SPI provides only a bit more protection for traffic forwarded through the firewall.

What you're buying with the RVS4000 is VPN capability. That has nothing to do with basic firewall protection.

thetoad30

08-25-2009, 06:12 PM

Great! Thanks for the info.

Osamede

08-26-2009, 04:10 PM

The articles says: "I've stuck with the "big three" vendors because they are what you're most likely to find on store shelves. So please, no whining because you don't see other vendors listed here."

How are we every going to get anything else on store shelves if you dont bring forward the good but lesser known products.

And honestly its a bit bizarrre that your reviews consistently draw the conclusion that the "big three" tend to offer products that dont do what they say on the tin, are slyly gutted from what otherwise should be industry standards - and now are even flat out being sold under duplicitous and misleading terms.

And you "punishment" for this is to only recommend products from that same deceitful bunch of folks? Wow...ok. With this approach, I'd recommend that you save yourself - this will only guarantee that they remain the leading sellers year after year.

If you actually find their tactics bothersome, them you and other review sites better start bringing forward some new candidates who dont lie or cheat consumers- and direct people to their products.

DaveMcLain

08-28-2009, 09:50 AM

Nice article Tim thanks. Now if friends or family ask me what router they should buy I'll at least be able to send them a link to a story with some really good straightforward information.

After my post about there being so many Linksys models(at least 5) when I was at a retail store I decided to go to the Netgear website where I found a similar array of confusing, overlapping and difficult to understand specs and models. Linksys is not alone.... I'm not sure about D-Link but I bet they have a similar thing happening. Hopefully this will all be over soon and each of the "big 3" will weed out their selection and focus on one or two models.

thiggins

08-28-2009, 10:52 AM

Yes, Dave, all vendors have a jumble of models. As I said earlier, some of this is reluctance to discontinue older models. But the option of 10/100 or 10/100/1000 ports is another factor that raises the number of router models.

DaveMcLain

08-28-2009, 10:08 PM

Wouldn't it or will it be less expensive to just have 10/100/1000 ports on every box that the make? It seems like it wouldn't cost more at least not for very long anyway. I just wonder if as you've said earlier that they don't just have tons of unsold items which will take time to get sold off and then they won't be restocked again....

thiggins

08-29-2009, 07:26 AM

I have asked the Gigabit question many times. Manufacturers tell me that there is still enough of a price difference between 10/100 and Gigabit switches to justify separate products.

I'm sure that there is a price difference. I just don't think it is that big. But on the other hand, margins are pretty thin on routers, so they claw for every penny they can get.

Anyone out there have pricing info on switch chips?

tipstir

08-30-2009, 03:09 PM

Example Belkin N Wireless Router $69 10/100 switch add $10 dollars give you gig ports and USB Storage with Belkin N+ Wireless Router $79.

permka

09-09-2009, 07:36 AM

Really nice article and I learned a few things!
I have just one question that I would like to make 100% clear.
Dual-band dual-radio N routers, can serve PCs with both G and N capabilities, simultaneously?
And if yes, the setup will be different for each band (two different settings, etc) or there is just one setup and each PC will just connect to either G or N depending on available hardware?

thiggins

09-09-2009, 10:10 AM

Any 2.4 GHz draft 11n router will simultaneously support both G and draft 11n clients as long as it is set in its default mixed mode.

Any draft 11n router that supports the 5 GHz band will support both 802.11a and draft 11n clients, too.

Dual-band dual-radio routers do not allow both radios to be set to the same band.

permka

09-09-2009, 02:12 PM

Dual-band dual-radio routers do not allow both radios to be set to the same band.

Copying pasting from the article
"Another way to separate the client types is to use a dual-band, dual-radio N router. You would connect your G devices to the 2.4 GHz radio and your dual-band N devices to the 5 GHz radio. But this has the downside of shorter range for the 5 GHz band devices."

So I assume that if I set them to different bands, the N in 5 Ghz, the G in 2.4 Ghz will they work simultaneously without problems and each one at full speed.

Is my lacking-grey-matter-ignorant brain, understanding this correctly?

Tnx!:p

thiggins

09-09-2009, 02:20 PM

So I assume that if I set them to different bands, the N in 5 Ghz, the G in 2.4 Ghz will they work simultaneously without problems and each one at full speed.
Yes, the clients in each band will operate simultaneously.

jalyst

09-18-2009, 01:33 AM

Thanks for the wonderful work again Tim,

Do you think the revised 610n due out soon may be able to earn a spot in your "best picks" for dual-band dual radio?

I guess there's no way of knowing until you can get hold of a unit... :-(

thiggins

09-18-2009, 08:32 AM

I guess there's no way of knowing until you can get hold of a unit... :-(Correct. No plans right now to review it.

jalyst

09-18-2009, 09:27 AM

no worries, entirely your call :)

Unregistered

10-13-2009, 11:14 AM

Thanks so much for this version. It's wonderful for the average person like me who needs to set up a new network. I had a Netgear RangeMax draft N and wanted to upgrade (going to get a couple of new computers and Windows 7) and Netgear recommended the WNR2000 just as you recommended. My daughter still has an older Dell desktop that uses XP and I have the same desktop with XP that the route is attached to. I also have a new laptop that runs Vista Ultimate 64 bit.

I had no problem connecting to the RangeMax network from the back of the house. But, when I connected a D-Link Dual Bank DIR 825 I couldn't connect from the same area of the house, and the laptop only recognized the 5 GHz band not the 2.4 GHz band. What you wrote in the article about not being able to connect from the same distance using the 5 GHz band makes sense. Since I just bought this D-Link router on Saturday I am hotfooting it back to MicroCenter and replacing it with a Single Band N router, probably the Netgear.

For some reason, I was under the mistaken impression that my daughter could connect faster if I bought a Dual Band router. She is a gamer whose computer is in the next room from the router.

Thanks SO much. Sorry for the long diatribe.

johnw91498

11-18-2009, 01:41 PM

Silly question, but where is the article?

jdabbs

11-18-2009, 01:43 PM

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/30905/228/

johnw91498

11-18-2009, 01:48 PM

Thanks for the link :)

thiggins

11-18-2009, 02:01 PM

Search also would have found it.

Unregistered

12-10-2009, 11:55 AM

I love this shorter version. I was confused about how they work and which one to buy with my G network. Now I feel alot more confident about what I need. Thank you so much for the info.

Cole

01-08-2010, 05:13 PM

Am brand new net neophyte and really liked article! Since I am starting from scratch think I will stick with a single or dual radio N system.(?)

Am trying to set up my first net for home office base (desktop) and 3 laptops (me, wife, daughter all on Windows 7) and saw a schematic of a "typical" net somewhere in my meandering that showed Internet connection, several computers and a printer all connected to the router; can a router also connect a printer? Or do I need a seperate server? Or?

TIA

ssl11

01-08-2010, 07:56 PM

Hi,
First of all, thank you for this great site!

30905-how-to-buy-a-wireless-router-short-version (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30905-how-to-buy-a-wireless-router-short-version) is a very important article for all N-Wireless newbies, like me :)

"Example Products" section lists some products, and the comment below:
I debated adding the WNDR3700 since it's just hitting the market as I write this. Proceed at your own risk and I'll update this once I test it
Looks like it's time to to update WNDR3700 :), because you've tested it.

Also, I'd highly appreciate if you add a page with feature-set matrix and list all reviewed products and their major features, like Bands, Max Connections, Performance under different loads, SPI firewall, VPN/PPTP, VPN/LTP
Perhaps, this page will be hit#1 on your site.

Also, didn't hear about new products. Looks like D-Link is going to push 665 model based on 1GHz CPU (MIPS?).

Any news about non-draft models?

Please keep us informed.

-jv

thiggins

01-09-2010, 10:57 PM

Thanks for your suggestions. Glad you like the site.

All N routers are non-draft now. Draft N routers were grandfathered to release status when the N spec was finalized.

weedoggies

03-13-2010, 12:46 PM

HI I am new to this and trying to learn about routers so i can set up computer for grand kids to play games on. what all do i need for D S L and a vista machine?

DaveMcLain

03-13-2010, 07:43 PM

thiggins

03-14-2010, 01:57 PM

So in your experience, NAT is perfectly fine for security on a consumer network connection such as FIOS or cable?That is correct.

thiggins

03-14-2010, 01:58 PM

HI I am new to this and trying to learn about routers so i can set up computer for grand kids to play games on. what all do i need for D S L and a vista machine?Any router will work.

weedoggies

03-15-2010, 04:57 PM

It all depends on how you want to use your DSL connection. If you only have one computer and you don't mind using a wired connection because it can sit close to the DSL modem and it's a desktop PC then you can get by without using a router to manage the connection. If you're planning a more elaborate setup using wireless which is still quite simple any G or N router can handle the job without any trouble.

thanks Dave i have two computers mine is by the modem i am setting one up for grandkids in play room so i need a simple router to connect that one too wireless would be best is what i was told what will i need for that?

IBMS514

03-17-2010, 11:15 AM

My ISP provider has made a new product available; it is the modem/router. They have both a N and a G model. I use it because now if I have a problem with my Internet they can not blaim it on the router and tell me to call D-Link...

My ISP is Rogers in Canada.