CNET router reviews

Here are a few excerpts from CNET's reviews of the g routers from
Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, and D-Link. They're pretty hard on Linksys,
wonder if the firmware revisions have taken care of this stuff...



Linksys WRT54G

Unfortunately, the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G router doesn't quite live
up to expectations. While real-world wireless performance seems to
hover around 50 percent of what almost all wireless-device
manufacturers claim, the Linksys Wireless-G router delivers even less
than that. Also disappointing is the operating range of the Wireless-G
router, which is considerably shorter than that of an 802.11b router.
Worst of all, connect the Linksys WRT54G to both Wireless-G and
802.11b network adapters simultaneously, and its speed bumps down
closer to 802.11b levels. Linksys claims this last problem has been
fixed by a firmware revision, but when we tested the new firmware, we
noticed only moderate improvement. Given the slow throughput, we
experienced when connecting to both types of clients simultaneously,
you'd be better off setting the router to G-Only and forgetting about
backward compatibility. The range of the WRT54G in our testing was
similar to that of 802.11a: 76 feet in a typical office setting.
That's roughly 25 percent shorter than a typical 802.11b device's. As
with all Linksys products, tech support for the WRT54G has its pluses
and minuses. On the downside, there's a short, one-year warranty. On
the upside, you get toll-free, 24/7 phone support.



Netgear WGR614

The WGR614 is basically an 802.11g version of Netgear's MR814, perhaps
the best 802.11b router ever made. In most respects, the WGR614 lives
up to this legacy, delivering not only effortless setup but also the
fastest performance and longest operating range of any 802.11g router
we've tested. Only two sticking points keep the WGR614 from earning a
CNET Editors' Choice: its laggard performance in our mixed-mode test
(when both 802.11g and 802.11b devices are running) and Netgear's new
policy of forcing users to register in order to activate their
warranty. Through one wall and at a distance of 25 feet, the WGR614
pumped out 22.2Mbps, higher throughput by a couple of megabits than
that of any other 802.11g router we've tested. Between 25 and 50 feet,
it dipped steeply to around 14Mbps, but otherwise, this router
provided consistently high performance--not to mention long range.
Only two other routers we've tested have managed to stay connected at
175 feet in our indoor distance tests. The only flaw with Netgear's
service and support for the WGR614 is the stipulation that you must
register to get it. Once you you've divulged your personal information
through Netgear's online registration form, you get a three-year
limited warranty that includes 24/7, toll-free phone support, which is
pretty standard for most routers.



Belkin 54g Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway Router

So far we've been disappointed with the industry leaders' first round
of 802.11g products, which have come up short on range, bandwidth, and
compatibility. Enter the Belkin 54g wireless cable/DSL gateway router.
Though it costs about $50 more than the competition, its easy
installation, top-notch throughput, reasonable range, and perfect
compatibility with old and new data radios put the established leaders
to shame. The Belkin 54g delivered 19.1Mbps of throughput in 802.11g
mode on CNET Labs' tests. That's about 20 percent faster than the
Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G broadband router, but it's only marginally
faster than the Apple AirPort Extreme. When we moved 5 feet away from
the router, however, the Belkin 54g occasionally demonstrated
inconsistent behavior, and its throughput dropped off dramatically. At
25 feet, its speed fell to 12.5Mbps, slower than both the Linksys and
the Apple. At 75 feet, however, it regained its advantage over its
competitors with an impressive 7.1Mpbs of throughput. With its
limited lifetime warranty and toll-free, 24/7 phone support, Belkin
puts other companies to shame.



D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DI-624 wireless router

The DI-624 AirPlus Xtreme G wireless router falls far short of
expectations. Despite excellent compatibility with older 802.11b
devices, and a novice-proof start-up routine, the DI-624 delivered
disappointing wireless-g performance in CNET Labs' tests, even after
we updated the router's firmware several times. Worst of all, if the
DI-624 connects to both wireless-g and 802.11b network adapters
simultaneously, the speed bumps down to 802.11b levels. If you
absolutely must have the latest technology, take a look at the Netgear
WG602 54Mbps wireless access point or the Belkin 54g wireless
DSL/cable gateway router. D-Link backs the DI-624 with a respectable
three-year warranty. However, read the fine print, and you'll notice
that the company covers the power adapter--the item most likely to
fail--for only one year. This makes the warranty only slightly better
than the one-year plan offered by Linksys. Netgear, on the other hand,
offers three years of full coverage on everything.