Wireless Router Reviews

Updated January 2011

Wi-Fi is a great thing - but it's only as good as the wireless router behind it. More than two dozen sources put a variety of routers through the paces, testing them for connection speed and reliability, range and interference problems. The models we name below were chosen based on these rigorous tests. Hundreds of user reviews are also considered.

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Best wireless router for Mac

Apple AirPort Extreme

*Est. $170 Compare Prices

Reviews say the Apple AirPort Extreme is the best wireless router you can buy, especially if you have an all-Mac or mixed Mac/PC network. Experts say it offers great range and is simple for novices to set up and use, and… expandowners say Apple routers are the most reliable. Like our top pick for PC networks, the Netgear WNDR3700 (*Est. $165), the Apple AirPort Extreme uses the latest simultaneous dual-band, dual-radio, Wireless-N technology with Gigabit Ethernet (GbE). It also allows parental controls, guest networking (so you can let friends onto the wireless network without sharing your password), wireless external hard drive sharing, and wireless printer sharing through its USB port. However, the Netgear wireless router below includes an extra GbE port and more Windows-centric features. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

CNET: A revised AirPort Extreme, released late in 2009, delivers faster throughput in the 5 GHz band than the old model in this test.

Which? magazine: The U.K.'s Which? magazine (similar to ConsumerReports.org) tests 16 routers, including the Apple AirPort Extreme.

Macworld: The Apple AirPort Extreme is one of Macworld's favorite routers.

PCMag.com: PCMag.com says the Apple AirPort Extreme is a "solid" choice if you run Macs or a combination of Mac and Windows computers, but if you run all Windows, "you can get better features for less money."

Computerworld.com: Michael deAgonia tests the Apple AirPort Extreme with a variety of Apple devices like iPhones and MacBooks.

Small Net Builder.com: Unlike other sources, SmallNetBuilder.com recommends against buying the Apple AirPort Extreme.

PCMag.com: PCMag.com readers vote Apple AirPort routers the most reliable and best overall in a June/July 2010 survey.

PC World: Apple routers win this reader survey too, beating Buffalo Technology, D-Link, Linksys and Netgear.

Amazon.com: The Apple AirPort Extreme is one of the top-rated routers among owners at Amazon.com, averaging 4.5 stars out of 5 with more than 190 reviews posted.

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Buy from Amazon for $173.26
Amazon for $173.26	PCConnectio- n Express for $164.99	eBay for $199.98

Advanced wireless router for Windows

Netgear WNDR3700

*Est. $165 Compare Prices

Like the Apple AirPort Extreme (*Est. $170), the Netgear WNDR3700 wireless router is compatible with both Windows and Mac -- but PC-centric reviewers are more enthusiastic about the Netgear router. It lacks the Apple… expandAirPort Extreme's USB printer-sharing feature, but the Netgear wireless router does have one more GbE port than the Apple AirPort Extreme -- four, instead of three -- so you can hook up one more device. Both wireless-networking routers use the latest simultaneous dual-band, dual-radio, Wireless-N technology and both allow wireless external-hard-drive sharing. Experts and owners find the Apple router generally simpler and more reliable, with a longer-range signal, but the Netgear gives users more minute control over its settings. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

MaximumPC.com: The Netgear WNDR3700 beats all rivals (including the D-Link DIR-855 and Linksys E3000) in this seven-router shootout.

PC World (Australia): Editors here test 12 of the latest Wireless-N routers, including the Netgear WNDR3700.

Small Net Builder.com: With high-end features (including guest networks on both bands) and "routing speed well above what most of us can use," the Netgear WNDR3700 is one of this website's most highly recommended routers.

CNET: The Netgear WNDR3700 earns a spot on CNET's list of the best wireless routers.

Information Week: The Netgear WNDR3700 "truly is packed with features," which Bill O'Brien lists briefly here, along with five other routers he recommends.

NewEgg.com: With more than 400 reviews posted, the Netgear WNDR3700 earns an overall score of 4 out of 5.

Amazon.com: The Netgear WNDR3700 gets an average overall score of 4 stars out of 5 from more than 350 owners here.

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Buy from Amazon for $99.00
Server Supply for $118.00	eBay for $79.95	Dell for $99.99

Best-value wireless router

Linksys E2000

*Est. $90 Compare Prices

Speedy, simple to set up and less expensive than most wireless routers, the Linksys E2000 impresses experts. It beats the top-rated Netgear WNDR3700 (*Est. $165) in one speed test, and two sources say it's the fastest… expandhome wireless router they've seen. Its easy setup software, sleek shape and four included GbE ports feel high-end, reviewers say. The E2000 has dual bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) but unlike the Netgear router, you have to pick one or the other -- you can't use both at the same time. The Linksys E2000 wireless router also lacks a USB port, so you can't attach a USB hard drive or printer to share on your wireless network. It's compatible with both Windows and Mac. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

PC World (Australia): During this week-long test, the Linksys E2000 never once dropped its connection.

CNET: The Linksys E2000 "is by far the fastest router for home [use] we've seen," says CNET's Dong Ngo.

PCMag.com: Among easy-to-use home routers, Samara Lynn prefers the Cisco Valet Plus to the Linksys E2000.

Which? magazine: Which? magazine tests 16 wireless routers, including the Linksys E2000, in a typical home environment.

Expert Reviews (U.K.): The Linksys WRT320N, the immediate predecessor to the Linksys E2000, earns a perfect 5-star rating at this website.

Amazon.com: The Linksys E2000 gets an overall score of 3.5 stars out of 5 in more than 120 owner reviews here.

NewEgg.com: With more than 90 reviews posted, the Linksys E2000 earns an overall score of 4 out of 5.

Where to buy:

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eBay

for $56.99

Tried-and-true (and hackable) Wireless-G router

Linksys WRT54GL

*Est. $60 Compare Prices

If you have old equipment on your network that isn't compatible with Wireless-N -- and you don't want to upgrade it -- experts say you might be better off sticking with a Wireless-G router for now. The inexpensive Linksys… expandWRT54GL is based on the older 802.11g (Wireless-G) wireless networking standard, so it's not quite as fast as 802.11n (Wireless-N) routers. But reviews say the Linksys WRT54GL wireless router is reliable, easy to set up and secure. Unlike the other Best Reviewed routers, it has 10/100 Ethernet ports instead of high-speed GbE. Linksys says this wireless router is compatible only with Windows 2000, XP and Vista, but thanks to its open-source, Linux-based software, developers have created their own firmware that lets the Linksys WRT54GL router do all kinds of things it was never designed to do such as controlling bandwidth usage and signal power. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Wi-FiPlanet.com: This article explains how and why the Linksys WRT54G-series routers came to be so hacker-friendly, and how to find and use outside firmware for them -- along with some cautions about such firmware.

PCMag.com: PCMag.com's Eric Griffith lists 10 ways to make your home network run faster.

NewEgg.com: Because professional reviews of the Linksys WRT54GL are hard to come by, user reviews are more meaningful.

Amazon.com: Amazon.com has nearly 900 user reviews of the Linksys WRT54GL. Its average score is 4.5 stars, with more than 600 giving it a perfect 5 stars.

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Buy from Amazon for $49.99
eBay for $83.55	TigerDirect- .com for $70.99	ZDTronic.co- m for $99.99

Novatel MiFi 2200 Free with 2-yr contract

5 picks by top review sites.

Linksys E3000 *Est. $165

4 picks by top review sites.

D-Link DIR-615 *Est. $55

3 picks by top review sites.

D-Link DIR-825 *Est. $135

3 picks by top review sites.

Apple Time Capsule *Est. $320 to $475

3 picks by top review sites.

Buffalo Nfiniti WZR-HP-G300NH *Est. $90

3 picks by top review sites.

D-Link DIR-685 *Est. $240

3 picks by top review sites.

Cisco Valet Plus *Est. $105

2 picks by top review sites.

Linksys E1000 *Est. $60

2 picks by top review sites.


	Cisco-Linksys E3000 Wireless-N Router In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	D-Link DIR-615/RE Wireless N 300 Router Refurbished In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	D-Link DIR-825 Extreme-N Dual-Band Gigabit Router In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Cisco-Valet Plus Wireless Router In Stock. Average Customer Review: