Bearing the same futuristic, compact design, the WRT610N is slightly larger than the previous models of the same design.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)Linksys announced its latest router today, the WRT610N, and it might just be the first router that offers everything you would want and then some.
First off, it's a true dual-band wireless router. This is important because I've run into not-so-true dual-band wireless routers before, like the D-Link DGL-4500 or the Netgear WNDR3300. The D-Link can only work in either 2.4Ghz frequency or 5ghz frequency at a time making it not so much of a dual-band router. The Netgear, on the other hand, can work in both frequencies at time, however, in dual-band mode only its 5Ghz frequency access point offers Draft N 2.0 performance, while the 2.4Ghz access point works at the old school 802.11g speed (maxed out at 54 Mbps). The Linksys WRT610N is the first I've got my hands on that offers simultaneous Draft N 2.0 dual-band. It has two separate Wireless-N access points, one uses the 2.4Ghz frequency while the other uses the 5Ghz frequency, and both can be set to operate at the same time.
The WRT610N comes fully loaded with gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB port for its network storage capability
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)Bearing the same sleek, internal antenna design as previous model the WRT310N and WRT110, the WRT610N has a slightly larger footprint, though overall still very compact. The little increment in size allows for a better ventilation solution, presumably to address the heat issue that I noticed in the WRT310N. The biggest improvement of the WRT610N, apart from the dual-band feature, is its USB port on the back. This port when hosts an external hard drive turns the WRT610N into a full feature network attached storage device that supports FTP server and UPnP Media Server. The router also supports high-speed wired connection with all of its ports being gigabit-capable.
The WRT610N comes with Linksys popular Linksys EasyLink adviser (LELA) software for both PC and Mac. It supports WiFi Protected Setup for quickly adding wireless clients to the network. Most impressively, it's also Linksys's attempts into "green" tech. The device is mostly made of recycled materials. For this reason, the WRT610N bears the Energy Star certification and cost only only $149, a great deal for such high-end router.
Now that's probably more than most of you would look for in a router. For me, though, I am not entirely satisfied. First, the WRT610N doesn't have a built-in print server. And secondly, I really wish they had chosen a better name for it. The device's official full name is "Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router WRT610N," and calling that a mouthful is a gross understatement. Try saying it and you will agree!
The Trendnet TEW-637AP Easy-N-Upgrader is probabaly one of the most compact Draft N 2.0 access points on the market.
(Credit: Dong Ngo CNET Networks)
It's hard to find laptop that doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi these days. As a matter of fact, if you buy a new and relatively high-end model, such as the Dell XPS M1330 (which I have and really like), chances are your laptop even has built-in 802.11n card.
Even though the new N specification (officially called Draft N 2.0) is not yet ratified as a standard, more people are taking advantage of this specification for throughput gain. In theory, the N specification can offer speed up to 300Mbps, that's three times of the regular wired connection. In reality, it is just faster than 802.11g standard. Draft N is backward compatible with 802.11g, meaning your existing Wi-Fi equipment should work with the specification, albeit at a slower speed.
However, for the high speed to be achieved, your access point or wireless router has to support the specification. If you are about to setup a new network, it makes sense to buy a Draft N 2.0 router, such as the Trendnet TEW-633GR or the D-Link DIR-655. However, if you already have an 802.11g network, it could be a lot of work (not to mention the extra cost of equipment) to port the existing network settings from the old router to the new one. This is especially true when you have network with a lot of different advanced functions being used, such as port forwarding, VPN, remote access, and so on.
This is the situation where I would recommend the Trendnet TEW-637AP Easy-N-Upgrader. This is an access point that is easy to setup and manage. You just have to hook it to your existing router, turn it on, and run the installation wizard on the included CD. In a few minutes, your wireless network will be upgraded to the Draft N 2.0 specification.
I tested the TEW-637AP anecdotally and it offered basically the same throughput and range as the Trendnet TEW-633GR router. The best thing about the TEW-637AP is that it's very small, about 40 percent the size and weight of Draft N 2.0 access points from other vendors. For about $60, I think it's worth it.
Linksys's all-new futuristic design for wireless routers.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze, CNET Networks)
Linksys has launched a completely new design for its upcoming routers, and today I got my hands on the first one: the RangePlus Wireless Router (WRT110).
Out of the box, I loved it! It immediately reminded me of a flying saucer (not that I remember the last time I saw a real one), though the router is not exactly round. The new design boasts a sleek and futuristic look. It also has a much smaller footprint and is lighter than the previous models. Still, it feels solid and the thin plate-like shape makes it stay more grounded on the surface, reducing the chances of flopping around like Linksys' other bulky routers. The best of the new design is the omission of the external antennas. While internal antenna design is not new and has been found in Netgear's RangeMax routers for a while, this is the first compact router design that has this. The result: it's truly compact.
The RangePlus Wireless Router WRT110 port layout.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze, CNET Networks)
The WRT110's layout is very simple, straightforward yet very effective. On the back, there are four 10/100 LAN ports, a WAN port, the reset button, and the power port. On the front, or should I say on the top toward the front--as the front of the router is flat--you'll find the LED indicators that show the status of the LAN/WAN ports, the wireless connection and the connection to the Internet, as well as the power. In the middle of those LEDs is the button to initiate Wi-Fi Protected Setup. WPS is a feature that allows for quickly adding a WPS-enabled client to the wireless network without having to manually type in the encryption key.
The WRT110 is based on Linksys's new RangePlus technology that's, in terms of throughput speed, somewhere between 802.11g and 802.11n. Though not as fast as the Draft N standard, the WRT110 promises significant improvement in both range and throughput, compared with other 802.11g routers. RangePlus is the successor of Linksys' old-school SpeedBooster (which is Linksys's answer to the RangeMax technology of Netgear or the RangeBooster technology of D-Link). The main difference between the two is that while the proprietary Speedbooster requires a special adapter to take advantage of the potential throughput gain, the RangePlus is said to work well with any 802.11n-compatible wireless adapters. This means a computer with an 802.11n wireless adapter will enjoy near 802.11n throughput speed with the WRT110. For this reason, I am going to make an exception and do an in-depth review of this one. (Starting in 2008, we generally do performance analysis on 802.11n routers only). Come back to CNET reviews site soon to see how the WRT110's performance stacks up against other 802.11n routers.
If you can't wait to see how it performs, and are already sold merely by the design, the WRT110 is available to purchase now for about $80, which is a pretty good deal in my opinion.
You are sitting at the airport and hooked up to the Internet via T-Mobile's Hotspot service that you've been paying $39.99/month for. It's great, and you can afford it. Well, good for you! What about your traveling companions though? You know, the ones who can't afford an extra Internet service and just sit there trying to make conversation with you while you surf through the latest stories at TMZ? Now there's a solution to the guilt of not talking to your companions, and it comes in a tiny package called the Windy31 Wireless Broadband router.
The Windy31 is about the size of a USB thumbdrive and can be plugged directly into a computer's USB port.
(Credit: Dong Ngo)The Windy31 hooks up to a Windows PC's USB port and can create a wireless network by sharing the computer's existing Internet connection with up to 32 other wireless users. There's virtually no set-up involved. The little router, which is about the size of a regular thumbdrive, also has a small built-in storage that contains all the software necessary for it to work. The software launches itself when inserted into a USB port and does the entire configuration process. You then can choose to customize it further, adding encryption, changing the SSID, etc.
Windy31 configuration application allows for customizing a variety of wireless networking options
(Credit: Dong Ngo)Personally, I really like the idea. Even when I travel alone, I always have other devices that could use Internet access: PDAs, VoIP phones, smartphones, portable game consoles, etc. The Windy31 allows for customizing the connection so that it works with any of these devices, especially my Vonage portable IP phone because it doesn't support Wi-Fi services that require logging in via a Web browser.
The Windy31 also comes with a USB docking cradle.
(Credit: Dong Ngo)Even when there's no need for the Internet, the Windy31 allows for creating a wireless LANs instantly on the go. There is so much you can do with a network, including playing games between friends and sharing documents.
The Windy31 Wireless Broadband router supports the 802.11g standard and can work in one of three modes: as a router (by default), an access point, or as a regular USB Wireless adapter. The best part is it costs about the same as a regular USB wireless adapter. At only $60, you can't go wrong with it. Check back on CNET's Web site for a review of the product once I am done putting it through our performance tests. Normally, starting in 2008, only routers supporting the Draft N or later standard are reviewed by CNET, but I'll make an exception this time. That's how cool this little device is.
(Credit:
TrendNet)
This post is brought to you by the letter G--as in 802.11g. No broadband-infused home is complete without a router, which lets Wi-Fi-equipped notebooks, cell phones, Zune players, and the like roam free within the walls. Now's your chance to scoop up a TrendNet 802.11g router for just 5 bucks (after $35' worth of mail-in rebates).
Granted, TrendNet's not exactly a household name, but the router appears to have all the prerequisite features and security goodness: four wired LAN ports, virtual server support, 64/128-bit WEP WPA/WPA2 encryption, and so on. And it scored 4.1 stars (out of 5) from a whopping 787 users, so it's pretty likely to satisfy your Wi-Fi needs. Alas, you've gotta send in a pair of rebate forms, but it's well worth the effort to get that Ethernet cord cut once and for all. The offer expires Dec. 8.Thanks to my brother-in-law Steve for sending in this Cheapskate-worthy deal!
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