n600

Top five Wi-Fi routers with built-in network storage

Generally, for network storage needs, I would recommend getting a dedicated NAS server, such as the Synology DiskStation DS1511+. However, if your needs are limited to casual usage, such as sharing documents and streaming music and photos, then a router with built-in network storage capability -- one that comes with internal storage or can host an external storage device and shares that with the rest of the network -- fits the bill better.

While much inferior to a NAS server in terms of features and especially performance, some routers actually have more to offer, in terms of storage, than one might expect and may just be what you need. In any case, getting a router of this type plus an external hard drive is a lot cheaper than a dedicated NAS server.

Following is a list of five top routers with built-in support for network storage that I've reviewed in recent years. … Read more

Top five N600 routers: Advanced home Wi-Fi doesn't have to be expensive

N600 routers are the first true dual-band routers on the market, capable of delivering 300Mbps Wi-Fi speed -- based on the dual-stream (or 2-by-2) setup of the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard -- simultaneously on its two frequency bands, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The marketing term "N600" basically means "Wireless-N standard with a combined bandwidth of 600Mbps."

In layman's terms, an N600 router comes with two built-in Wireless-N access points. Wireless clients connected to one of these access points (a client can only connect to one access point at a time) will have a ceiling speed of up to 300Mbps. In reality, the real-world sustained speeds of wireless routers vary a great deal, depending on the environment, distances between router and clients, and the frequency band.

In my experience, N600 routers generally offer about 60Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and about 140Mbps on the 5GHz band, within 75 feet or less. And while these seem much lower than the 300Mbps ceiling speed, they are more than fast enough for most applications, including high-definition media streaming. In fact, 140Mbps is about 50 percent faster than a wired Ethernet connection. Farther out, from 150 feet or more, a Wi-Fi connection is generally only good for accessing the Internet and mild networking needs. You can find out more about the basics of home networking here.

Since the dual stream is currently the most popular standard of Wi-Fi used in clients, getting an N600 router is probably the best value for your money. This is because the speed of a network connection is determined by the slowest speed of any party involved, so if you get a faster Wi-Fi router (such as an N900 router), you might not see any benefits at all if none of your clients support the higher tiers of Wi-Fi speeds.

Below are the top five N600 routers among those I have reviewed in recent years.… Read more

Amped Wireless R10000G router gears to redefine Wi-Fi coverage

LAS VEGAS--Most of us live in an apartment of about 1,000 square feet or less; Amped Wireless says it new router can cover an area 10 times larger.

The company showed off at CES 2012 the new R10000G High Power Wireless-N 600mW Gigabit Router. Powered by a 620MHz processor, dual high-power Wi-Fi 600mW amplifiers, and dual high-gain 5dBi antennas, this new router is set to deliver up to 10,000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage.

To put things in perspective, most regular routers have a wireless output power of 50 milliwatts (mW); the R10000G is 600mW.

Amped Wireless says … Read more

Netgear WNDR3800 N600 router review: Unintentionally top-notch

The WNDR3800 N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router isn't intended to be Netgear's top-of-the-line wireless router for homes. That's the role of the WNDR4500, which makes no compromises and offers 450Mbps wireless speed on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

However, in our testing, we found that the WNDR3800 is arguably the best router among those recently announced by Netgear. For one, despite the fact that it only supports the 300Mbps standard, its real-world data rates on the 2.4GHz band are better than the WNDR4800's.

Furthermore, the WNDR3800 offers something that its big brother doesn't: it can host a USB external hard drive as a personal cloud storage option. It even comes with a piece of software called ReadyShare Cloud PC-Agent, which enables VPN-like access for the remote computer, as though the remote computer were in the same local network as the router.

On the other hand, the WNDR4500's storage capability is limited to that of a local network.

The router also offers great range and signal stability. It comes with a helpful Netgear Genie desktop application and a very easy-to-use and robust Web interface that both help novice and advanced users alike to set up and manage a network.

At a street price of around $150, it's a good choice for homes and home offices.

For more information on the WNDR3800's features and performance, check out CNET's full review of the Netgear WNDR3800 N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router.… Read more

Netgear DGND3700 router

The Netgear DGND3700 is essentially the same as the Netgear WNDR3700 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (Premium Edition) with only one difference: it has a built-in DSL modem. This means, DSL subscribers can forgo getting a modem from their Internet provider (and hence save some money) and plug the DSL phone line directly into this device.

For more information about the DGND3700's features and how it performs as a wireless router, check out the full review of the WNDR3700.

Netgear overhauls its ADSL wireless router combo solution

LAS VEGAS--Two years ago, Netgear announced its first dual-band Wireless-N router with built-in DSL modem, the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router + DSL Modem DGND3300, offering DSL consumers a high-end alternative to modem/wireless router combo solutions offered by service providers, which tend to be slow and lacking.

Now, here at CES 2011, the company is kicking this solution up a notch, by announcing today the N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit ADSL Modem DGND3700 Router, which it calls "the ultimate home gateway."

The new DGND3700 differentiates itself from the old DGND330 via a long list of new features. Apart from the fact that it also has a built-in DSL modem, supports concurrent dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz), and other usual networking and security features, it also offers:

Two USB ports to support external storage. These ports are compatible with Netgear's ReadyShare network storage functionality.

Gigabit Ethernet and DLNA compliance that allows for network digital media streaming to any DLNA-compliant TV, game console, or media player within the network.

Live parental controls that enable comprehensive Web filtering functionality.

Guest networking, which allows for giving separate Internet access to guests while keeping them from accessing local resources, such as file or printers.

A broadband usage meter that automatically tracks broadband usage notifies if a set level is reached.… Read more

Netgear upgrades its premium wireless router

LAS VEGAS--If you like Netgear's premium WNDR3700 router, you'll likely love what the company announced today. It's the upgraded version of the company's flagship router, now called N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router--Premium Edition, model number WNDR3800.

This is Netgear's high-end, noncompromising consumer wireless router that has two USB ports to host printers and external storage devices. The router offers what the WNDR3700 had, plus a handful of new features, including:

Readability Remote: a feature that allows users to access their data on a USB external storage device attached to the router from any Mac, PC, … Read more