Budget Wireless Routers

Linksys E2000: Fast speed at a low price

Experts say budget wireless-networking routers are a minefield. Manufacturers cut costs by slipping in inferior technology and then slapping an N onto the name, so you're fooled into thinking you're getting true Wireless-N.

But the Linksys E2000 (*Est. $90) really is solid technology at a budget price, reviews say. It's got two things experts say you should look for -- Wireless-N and dual-band capability -- for about $75 less than the top-rated wireless routers. And it's fast. Both CNET and Expert Reviews (U.K.) say it's the fastest home router they've tested. It even beats the top-rated Netgear WNDR3700 (*Est. $165) in CNET's speed test.

Unlike most budget wireless routers, the Linksys E2000 boasts four Gigabit Ethernet ports (so you can attach Gigabit-enabled gaming consoles, computers, etc). Reviewers like its sleek flying-saucer shape, shorn of any sprouting antennas. And experts (and most users) find this Linksys wireless router extremely simple to set up in just a couple of minutes thanks to included Cisco software that takes care of most tasks automatically. If you want to set up access for guests or parental controls, testers say that's easy, too.

"Fast and hassle-free," CNET's Dong Ngo says in his video review of the Linksys E2000. "A router that most home users are going to be happy to have." It's a top pick at PC World (Australia), where tester Elias Plastiras appreciates its "stellar" speed, great range (115 feet away from the router, he could still use the Internet) and rock-solid reliability; the Linksys wireless router never once dropped its connection during the whole week-long test. "We think it will perform well in a mid-sized house for streaming video in addition to sharing a fast Internet connection across many computers," PC World (Australia) says.

Two drawbacks: First, the Linksys E2000 lacks a USB port, so you can't attach a USB printer or hard drive to share. Second, although the Linksys E2000 is a dual-band wireless router, you can't use both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands at the same time -- you have to pick one or the other. And since many smartphones, printers and other devices work only with the 2.4 GHz band, "this leaves you with a difficult choice," the U.K.'s Which? magazine says in its review of the Linksys E2000. "Do you opt for optimum performance [with 5 GHz] or stay compatible with all your PCs, laptops and other devices?"

If you want to be able to use both bands at the same time, check out the simultaneous dual-band wireless routers in our section on best wireless routers.

Single-band Wireless-N routers cost less, but performance drops

The best budget wireless router, the Linksys E2000, can operate on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands -- but that's unusual in the budget category. Most inexpensive routers still operate only on the 2.4 GHz band, which may suffer interference from cordless phones, baby monitors, microwave ovens and your neighbors' networks -- and that can mean more dropped connections. You'll still find plenty of reviews recommending these single-band routers, but owners aren't as happy with their performance.

For example, the Buffalo Nfiniti WZR-HP-G300NH (*Est. $90) earns praise at SmallNetBuilder.com for its unusually strong transmitting power, which makes it perform well in weak-signal spots in a house. It includes Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and USB external-hard-drive sharing, but owners repeatedly complain of bugs, dropped connections and unhelpful tech support. The cheaper D-Link DIR-615 (*Est. $55) is one of the least expensive Wireless-N routers you can buy, with no GbE -- "but you'll hardly notice," Laptop Magazine says. Owners disagree, with plenty giving it the lowest ratings at Newegg.com, a site that attracts tech-savvy customers.

One budget wireless router that has generated some buzz is the Cisco Valet Plus (*Est. $105). Taking a cue from its new subsidiary, Pure Digital, maker of Flip camcorders (those foolproof, one-button pocket shooters that have taken over the market), Cisco decided to build a wireless router that's "Flip easy," says David Pogue at The New York Times. "Imagine if you could press one big red button to set the thing up, instead of spending a weekend futzing with S.S.I.D., WEP-2 and D.H.C.P." SmallNetBuilder.com calls it "the mommy-focused Valet line … all about simplicity and just getting connected."

Did Cisco succeed? Not entirely, most testers say. True, CNET's Dong Ngo sets up the Valet Plus wireless router without a hitch in just a few minutes thanks to its included "Easy Setup Key" (aka USB key) that automates most of the setup and walks him through the rest. But at both MaximumPC.com and Laptop Magazine, testers wind up calling tech support when the wireless router won't connect to their computers. And Gizmodo.com's tester discovers that "anything beyond basic tweaks requires a deeper dive into the purple monstrosity that is the Linksys router system menu we've known and loathed for years." (Cisco also owns Linksys.)

Pogue agrees: "Unfortunately, tragically, the Valet router is nowhere near Flip easy." Meanwhile, the Valet Plus has omitted a major feature; it lacks a USB port, so you can't hook up a USB printer or external hard drive to share on your network. The Valet Plus does have GbE ports, including four LAN ports. There's also a cheaper Cisco Valet (*Est. $75) that lacks Gigabit. The Linksys E1000 (*Est. $60) is a hardware clone of the Cisco Valet, but excludes the Easy Setup Key.

Wireless-G: Some owners stick with the older technology

Manufacturers have discontinued most 802.11g wireless-router models and replaced them with Wireless-N routers, which reviews say are much faster but nowhere near as fast as first claimed. You'll still find plenty of Wireless-G models for sale, and -- although Wireless-N routers have come down in price -- a really good Wireless-N router still costs about twice as much as a really good Wireless-G router.

The venerable Linksys WRT54G-series router is revered by owners at Amazon.com and Newegg.com, where hundreds of reviews describe it as "stable" and "solid." The series has been on the market for years, and owners say the latest version, the Linksys WRT54GL (*Est. $60) works fine right out of the box. It includes a four-port Fast Ethernet switch and up-to-date encryption and firewall protection.

But owners really love it because it's the "most hackable of routers," as Eric Griffith of PCMag.com puts it. Unlike most routers, the Linksys WRT54GL is based on Linux -- so Linksys had to open source the model's firmware by law. As soon as developers got their hands on the code, they came up with all kinds of replacement firmware that you can download to make the Linksys WRT54GL perform better and do extra things, including advanced QoS (quality of service), access restrictions, bandwidth usage monitoring, etc. Note that Linksys supports only its official firmware, so if you change it and run into problems, you'll be on your own. When shopping for this router, be sure the model name has an L at the end -- Linksys also made a nonhackable version, the Linksys WRT54G, which you'll still find on some store shelves even though Linksys has quit making it.