Best Wireless Routers

Fastest and most reliable routers

The most advanced routers now feature dual-band, dual-radio technology. Dual-band means they can operate in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (to increase range, and reduce interference and dropped connections). Dual-radio means they can do this simultaneously (so you can run devices that are compatible with either frequency at the same time). All of the routers discussed in this section are dual-band and dual-radio.

Mac owners -- and experts who use both Macs and PCs -- say the Apple AirPort Extreme (*Est. $175) is the best wireless router you can buy. The Apple Time Capsule is a similar router with a built-in external hard drive, in 500 GB (*Est. $270 for 500 GB) or 1 TB (*Est. $290) versions. 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.

Unlike a lot of rivals, the Apple AirPort Extreme offers guest networking (so you can let guests onto your network without telling them your password) and the ability to share printers and external hard drives wirelessly. It's an Apple, so it's easy to set up and use, says Dong Ngo at CNET; he recommends it for all novices, whether they use Macs or PCs.

But tech-savvy Windows users -- or all-PC networks -- can get more for their money elsewhere, both CNET and PCMag.com conclude. The Linksys WRT610N (*Est. $165) is the company's flagship home router. After the Apple AirPort Extreme, the Linksys WRT610N gets the most consistently good ratings from owners and experts. It's the top pick at Laptop Magazine, which finds it "trumps every other premier model from D-Link, Netgear, and Apple in both speed and price."

Both the Linksys WRT610N and the Apple AirPort Extreme allow wireless external hard drive sharing. The Linksys WRT610N has one more Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) port than the Apple AirPort Extreme does -- four, instead of three -- so you can hook up one additional device. However, the Linksys WRT610N doesn't have the Apple AirPort Extreme's printer-sharing or guest-networking capabilities. Although it's Mac-compatible, Macworld testers find the Linksys WRT610N "Mac-challenged" and give it a mediocre rating.

Flagship routers from Netgear and D-Link get less consistent reviews. The Netgear WNDR3700 (*Est. $170) had just hit the market at the time of this update. It beats the top-rated Linksys WRT610N in a speed test at the highly reputable SmallNetBuilder.com, and the handful of owner ratings it has collected at Newegg.com and Amazon.com are very good. But few sources have tested this new router.

The D-Link DIR-855 (*Est. $270) wows testers at PCMag.com with its extra features, including an LED menu that tells you whether your Internet connection is down, which clients are connected, etc. But Laptop Magazine doubts any of it is worth the D-Link DIR-855's whopping price; the tester there says the Linksys WRT610N is "a better buy for those who crave the fastest Wi-Fi speeds." SmallNetBuilder.com calls the D-Link DIR-855 "ridiculously expensive" and doesn't test it. When experts do test it, some find it fast and others find it slow. It gets mediocre ratings from owners at Amazon.com and Newegg.com.