Wireless Router Review

Comparing reviews of wireless routers

The best reviews of wireless routers are in computer magazines and on specialty websites devoted to networking. Among magazines, InformationWeek, Government Computing News, PC World, Australian PC World and CRN publish roundup reviews that directly compare a number of current routers. Performance and use are impressively evaluated. Long-standing computer technology website Ars Technica also conducts the same types of tests. SmallNetBuilder.com probably has the most reviews, and they are certainly the most comprehensive, but they are only suitable for those who already have a high level of understanding of networking technology. The wireless router reviews by Wi-FiPlanet.com and X-bit Labs are also most useful for the technically savvy.

Even the best review sources update their roundups infrequently, only as new (usually higher-end) wireless routers are made available. Since our last update, we've found new individual reviews, which refer to routers from older roundups for comparison, but few new roundups.

Mainstream computer magazines such as PCMag.com generally have good, easy-to-understand reviews, but the quality of their coverage depends on how up to date they are. ConsumerReports.org ranks three wireless routers in its June 2007 issue. The article says to buy one of the three leading brands, but the ratings chart does not provide enough information, nor are enough wireless routers tested for this to be a useful review.

Buying considerations for wireless routers are constantly evolving. The context for reviews changes dramatically from year to year. From reading hundreds of reviews, we determined that a single test is inconclusive. Instead, in the best reviews, wireless routers are tested in several locations, including the type of home environment typical of most users' situations.

Another new trend in routers since our last update is that manufacturers seem to be focusing on providing more budget routers; we see the most change in routers under $100. The price of basic wireless-N routers has come down, and consumers have more feature sets and options to choose from.

Hewing to this trend, reviews say that the most advanced routers may not be the best value for you. If you use the Internet for online gaming, multimedia applications, frequent downloading of large files or peer-to-peer file sharing, you will benefit from the fast speeds of an 802.11n router. Similarly, if any of the computers in your network are far from where your router will be located, you will benefit from a late-model 802.11g router, some of which are capable of broadcasting over more than 120 feet. However, if neither of those considerations applies, an older 802.11g wireless router could serve your needs just as well. Although it will be slower, an 801.11g router uses a well-established standard, which means getting it to work might be easier (plus most are relatively inexpensive). Reviewers do not ordinarily test wireless routers with bandwidth simultaneously shared by several computers. If that situation is common in your home, it could also be a reason to buy a faster wireless router.