Wireless ADSL Modem Shootout

Hi,

I'm (just like everyone else on the planet) in the market for wireless
router with built in ADSL modem. This group is great for getting the
low down but there are so many opinons it's hard to see the wood for
the trees. Has anyone seen a good side by side comparison of the most
popular boxes that I can go and look at? I'm hoping some popular
review site has done a good shootout where they have compared range
and speed in a bunch of different environments with linksys, Belkin,
Netgear, USR et al.

cheers,

Jim

> Hi,
>
> I'm (just like everyone else on the planet) in the market for wireless
> router with built in ADSL modem. This group is great for getting the
> low down but there are so many opinons it's hard to see the wood for
> the trees. Has anyone seen a good side by side comparison of the most
> popular boxes that I can go and look at? I'm hoping some popular
> review site has done a good shootout where they have compared range
> and speed in a bunch of different environments with linksys, Belkin,
> Netgear, USR et al.
>
> cheers,
>
> Jim


Don't hide your light under a bushel, anchor a new thread.

Graham.

On 20 Aug 2004 08:52:53 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) (Jim Three) wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I'm (just like everyone else on the planet) in the market for wireless
>router with built in ADSL modem. This group is great for getting the
>low down but there are so many opinons it's hard to see the wood for
>the trees. Has anyone seen a good side by side comparison of the most
>popular boxes that I can go and look at? I'm hoping some popular
>review site has done a good shootout where they have compared range
>and speed in a bunch of different environments with linksys, Belkin,
>Netgear, USR et al.

I'm looking for the same thing, but haven't found one yet :-(

Looking at the Misco site, for a combination 802.11g router/adsl
modem/network switch, to include a bundled PCMCIA or USB card (I have
two desktops which will use ethernet connections, and two laptops one
with built in wireless, one without), there are a choice of 5 between
£70 and £87 (all exc. VAT), from 3Com, Buffalo, Linksys, Netgear, and
US Robotics.

Not much difference in features, so how does one decide?

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 00:41:15 +0000 (UTC), Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On 20 Aug 2004 08:52:53 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) (Jim Three) wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I'm (just like everyone else on the planet) in the market for wireless
>>router with built in ADSL modem. This group is great for getting the
>>low down but there are so many opinons it's hard to see the wood for
>>the trees. Has anyone seen a good side by side comparison of the most
>>popular boxes that I can go and look at? I'm hoping some popular
>>review site has done a good shootout where they have compared range
>>and speed in a bunch of different environments with linksys, Belkin,
>>Netgear, USR et al.
>
>I'm looking for the same thing, but haven't found one yet :-(
>

Hah!

Found one now :-)

<http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=456>

It includes four of the five I listed above, plus 6 others.

The prices they show are presumably RRP, they can actually be had very
much cheaper.

On 20 Aug 2004 in uk.telecom.broadband, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>I'm hoping some popular review site has done a good shootout
>where they have compared range and speed in a bunch of different
>environments with linksys, Belkin, Netgear, USR et al.

when you find it, please post the URL for us. I've seen a dearth of new
reviews in recent times. Some comments can be had from actual users (eg
the Ebuyer reviews) but nothing in depth and certainly no 'round up'.
--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.
Depends on account that is opened by new customer, but good value ISP IMO.

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 00:55:09 +0000 (UTC), Alex Heney <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Hah!
>
>Found one now :-)
>
><http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=456>
>
>It includes four of the five I listed above, plus 6 others.
>
>The prices they show are presumably RRP, they can actually be had very
>much cheaper.

An interesting review - but curious results. Before buying mine I
read a number of similar reviews on other sites. Each and every one
put the Netgear at or near the top of the list for wireless
performance. Curious that this one review found it to be so poor.

There is inconsistency in the test as well - the review for the
Netgear complains that it does not support WPA with a radius server,
but it does (to my knowledge) and on the stat sheet they provide it
says it does.

Even so, it seems like a reasonable review - and seriously makes me
glad I didn't buy some of the other units on it!

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 03:28:19 +0100, poster <us-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On 20 Aug 2004 in uk.telecom.broadband, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
>>I'm hoping some popular review site has done a good shootout
>>where they have compared range and speed in a bunch of different
>>environments with linksys, Belkin, Netgear, USR et al.
>
>when you find it, please post the URL for us. I've seen a dearth of new
>reviews in recent times. Some comments can be had from actual users (eg
>the Ebuyer reviews) but nothing in depth and certainly no 'round up'.

The problem with user reviews is that they are written by people who
have generally only used one unit and so have nothing to compare it
to. I prefer a review where the same person has used several and can
therefore make a more valid comparison between them, notwithstanding a
certain amount of reviewer bias.

Internet Magazine issue 118 had a decent review of five of these
routers but I have no way of posting it.