The Best Wi-Fi Yet

What a distinction one or two of years makes. In our initial roundup of draft-802.11n Wi-Fi routers (see "Wireless Routers: the reality concerning Superfast Draft-N"), we tend to found such a big amount of issues, we tend to could not advocate any of them: microcode was buggy, ability between vendors was hit-and-miss, and performance wasn't nearly as good as that of some increased, earlier-generation 802.11g routers.
As of this year, we're happy to report, those problems have for the most part gone away. though the quality continues to be technically in draft kind and final commendation of 802.11n by the IEEE is not expected till next year, the Wi-Fi Alliance has been certifying draft-2.0 n routers for ability and compatibility since last year, and therefore the final version ought to for the most part be a formality that at the most might need a microcode upgrade.

And the Wi-Fi certified product ar worthy updates. With link rates--the nominal association speeds, as against real-world throughput--of up to three hundred megabits per second (compared with fifty four mbps for normal 802.11g) and extended vary (thanks to multiple sensible antennas), 802.11n Wi-Fi is that the initial Wi-Fi technology which will rival wired 100-mbps LAN in performance. Upgrading your home router to 802.11n is therefore one in every of the fastest and best ways in which to boost your network.

But selecting a selected 802.11n router has become additional sophisticated than ever as a result of the quality covers plenty of ground that lets vendors issue a dizzying array of product choices, with virtually dozens of models travel in value from $50 to $250. D-Link alone has six 802.11n routers.

To give an inspiration of the choices, we tend to selected 2 wide on the market models in every of 3 categories: under-$90 routers for those that do not want most performance, however United Nations agency will notwithstanding like 802.11n's improved vary and speed; midrange (about $150) models that provide high wireless speeds and gigabit ethernet; and dual-band routers ($180 to $200) that support each the thronged a pair of.4-GHz frequency vary (used by all of the less-Expensive models and their 802.11b/g predecessors) and therefore the comparatively open 5-GHz band, with support for gift 802.11a gear. These top-of-the-line units target users making ready for associate degree expected flow of networked multimedia system devices that require tidy information measure to stream media. (The 802.11n description supports each frequencies.) Up to currently, vendors are that specialize in the two.4-GHz band so as to support the overwhelming majority of gift devices.

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