Shopping for wireless routers....

[Fountain79]

I would like to find one under $80 that is reliable. Anyone have any suggestions?

[lizziegrace]

1. I have a Linksys

that I bought through Amazon with free shipping last fall. So far, so good.

[1awake]

2. I bought a Lynksis

about 4 years ago at the local radio shack. It's still functioning perfectly. I think I spent 50 on it.

[ghostsofgiants]

3. Avoid Netgear like the plague.

[Fountain79]

8. Why is that? n/t

[ghostsofgiants]

9. I do home networking tech support and my company offers both Netgear and Linksys devices...

And the amount of trouble people have with the Netgear routers and gateways is absurd.

[Fountain79]

10. What about D-Link? n/t

[ghostsofgiants]

11. I use a D-Link at home and I have no complaints about it.

[CatholicEdHead]

4. Linksys WRT54G2

Or search for any WRT54G models that may be still around either at some stores or online.

[Wcross]

5. I have a Linksys wrt160N router.

I think you can pick one up for under 80 bucks on sale. The N router has better range & speed. If your laptop has built in wireless make sure it is "N" capable before you buy though!

[Fountain79]

6. How do you know if it is "N" capable? n/t

[Wcross]

12. It should tell you in the manual.

If you don't have the manual you can always google the model you have & look at the specs. If it is a newer laptop it ought to handle the N router.

[Fountain79]

13. I bought it last year n/t

[Fountain79]

15. This is what the specs said about the wireless techonologies

Wireless Technologies 802.11b/g WLAN

[Wcross]

18. That is a G capable machine.

There is nothing wrong with a G router, the range is just slightly lower than an N router but they also cost less than the N. I believe you can get an N router & you will still be able to use your computers wireless with it. It might be a good idea to get an N router so you are "future proofed".

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C1&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1118181591233&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=9123377241N01

Learn more at the above link.

[CatholicEdHead]

14. Your computer also has to be N capable

Or there will be no speed boost. It is often built into the new laptops and you can get draft-N desktop cards, otherwise you can buy a PC card and stick it in the side if your laptop if it only does the slower g.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. If the laptop is rated "G", does it still benefit

from the extended power/distance of the "N" router?

:hi:

[Maddy McCall]

7. Linksys.

Can't go wrong.

I live in a rural area, and I never unplug during thunderstorms. It's been banged around, dropped, etc. and it still works as well as it did the day I got it.

[realisticphish]

16. i have a belkin

i've had one or two small problems, but generally an unplugging and replugging fixes it

[SeattleGirl]

17. Same here.

Very few problems with it.

[Phentex]

19. Comcast told me NOT to use a Comcast modem...

suggested a Linksys instead and we've had no problems with it.