Cisco Linksys WRT54GL

Bottom line

The Linksys WRT54GL is a compact unit that uses the older wireless-G technology. It can be a good choice if your laptops and desktops aren't compatible with newer wireless standards such as wireless-N or wireless-AC, and you don't want to upgrade them or you don't mind sacrificing some speed to save money. The venerable WRT54G-series router is revered by tons of owners at Amazon.com and Newegg.com for its "hackability."

Ease of use

Works straight out of the box. Reviews say this wireless-G router is reliable, easy to set up and secure. The series has been on the market for years, and users say the WRT54GL works fine from day one.

Performance

Solid long-term capabilities. As an 802.11g wireless router, the inexpensive Cisco Linksys WRT54GL simply can't compete with the speeds of an 802.11n or 802.11ac unit. Still, thousands of owners swear by the Cisco, saying it delivers solid performance over the long haul.

Features

Hackable, wireless-G technology. Unlike our other Best Reviewed routers, the WRT54GL has 10/100 Ethernet ports instead of high-speed Gigabit Ethernet ports. It includes a four-port Fast Ethernet switch, and up-to-date encryption and firewall protection.

Because of its open-source, Linux-based software, developers have created their own firmware that lets this router do all kinds of things it was never designed to do, such as control bandwidth usage and signal power. Linksys supports only its official firmware, however, so if you change it and run into problems, you'll be on your own.