Apple, Linksys make the best wireless routers

The big news in wireless routers is that after six years, the 802.11n Wireless-N standard has been finalized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Nothing has changed about the technology -- if you own a "Draft 802.11n" router, it's the same as the final standard -- but experts say older technologies like Wireless-G will fade away now.

The Apple AirPort Extreme earns praise for being simple and reliable, with a powerful whole-house range. Experts say this sleek white box delivers great range, and Apple routers are the most reliable in owner surveys at PC World and PCMag.com. The Linksys WRT610N is just as technologically advanced, and some experts like it better for all-PC networks. Both the Linksys WRT610N and the Apple AirPort Extreme use Wireless-N technology and allow wireless external hard drive sharing. The Linksys has one more Gigabit Ethernet port than the AirPort Extreme does -- four, instead of three -- so you can hook up one more device. Linksys dominates in the budget category as well.

The big question is when you should upgrade from Wireless-G to Wireless-N. We explain the differences between the two technologies and just about everything you'd ever want to know about wireless in our report on wireless routers.