3 most wanted wireless router

The Netgear WGR614

is a standard entry-level 802.11g wireless router. Folks often choose this model for its sleek design. The WGR614 also has fared well in tests of wireless signal strength, having a potentially longer range than other products in this category. Unfortunately, some reliability and technical support issues may also exist with this product.

Description :

Date of Introduction - 15 April 2003

Wireless Standards - 802.11g (and 802.11b)

VPN Pass-Through - PPTP, L2TP, IPSec

Security - WPA-PSK, WEP (128-bit)

Wireless Transmitter - 15dBm +/- 2dB

Dimensions (inches) - 6.9 x 4.6 x 1.1

Warranty - 3-year limited

Guide Review - Netgear WGR614 Wireless Router

The Netgear WGR614 contains the features one would expect from an entry-level wireless router. Expect a noticeable drop in performance across the whole network if connecting any 802.11b devices to the WGR614.

For security, the WGR514 offers the Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall together with Network Address Translation (NAT) support. It also includes some support for content filtering (e.g., blocking inappropriate Web sites from being accessed).

Netgear has revised the WGR614 several times since its introduction. Be sure to acquire a recent one (version 5 or higher) for best results.

Pros

• Compact design with good aesthetics
• Netgear 3 year warranty

Cons

• Some owners report difficulty in installation
• This unit may perform slowly in mixed 802.11b / 802.11g environments
• Some owners have reported occasional failures possibly due to overheating
• Some owners have reported quality of service issues with Netgear tech support

Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G

The original WRT54G was first released in December 2002. It comes with a 4+1 port network switch (the Internet/WAN port is also in the same internal network switch, but on a different VLAN). The devices have two removable antennas connected through Reverse Polarity TNC connectors

Description :

Ethernet - 10 Mbps Twisted Pair (10BaseT),

Ethernet - 100 Mbps Two-Pair (100BaseTX),

Wireless Ethernet - 11 Mbps IEEE802.11b,

Wireless Ethernet - 54 Mbps IEEE802.11g

Pros:

• Some owners of this Linksys router have reported a clean installation
• Good performance and signal range.

Cons:

• Power consumption higher than necessary without sleep mode

Belkin F5D7230-4

The F5D7230-4 supports Macintosh and Linux/Unix systems in addition to PCs. Belkin's Easy Install Wizard is designed to get F5D7230-4 owners wirelessly connected to the Internet in just a few minutes. Included with this product is a free six-month subscription to a Parental Control service that filters Web content. Belkin also provides their Lifetime Warranty for the F5D7230-4.

An integrated, 4-port 10/100Base-T Ethernet switch also allows you to connect wired computers to the network. 802.11g technology is the easiest wireless network to implement. The Router uses the wireless 802.11g 2.4GHz standard to offer you 400 feet of wireless coverage. 802.11g technology is backward compatible with the 802.11b Wi-Fi networking standard, so it allows you to implement faster wireless technologies in combination with existing 802.11b Wi-Fi networks.

Description:

Ports 4-10/100Base-T auto-sensing and auto-uplink RJ45 ports

LAN 1-10/100Base-T RJ45 port

WAN Protocols supported CSMA/CD, TCP, IP, UDP, PPPoE, UPnP, and DHCP (client and server) Range Up to 400ft

Security WPA, WPA2, 64-bit/128-bit encryption

Specifications Standards IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , IEEE 802.3u 100Base-T Fast Ethernet