Top 10 Wirless Routers

A wireless router can be one of the hardest pieces of technology to purchase. Sifting through all of the vendor noise and choosing which router is best suited for your purposes is a daunting task. Do you need a lesser expensive single-band router or a more expensive dual-band? Do you need to upgrade or purchase an 802.11n router? What benefits do 802.11n give? Does a higher-end router mean better Internet connectivity? These questions as well as factors like security, parental controls and extra features such as the ability to connect USB printers and external storage drives to a router for sharing in your personal network, are all considerations to weigh when deciding to purchase or upgrade a router.

On top of the problem of just selecting a router is the complexity of Wi-Fi technology itself. Wi-Fi is a tricky beast and subject to so many varying factors and environmental fluctuations. A lot of other wireless routers in your proximity, and you are facing lots of potential signal interference, especially on the more crowded 2.4 GHz band, a frequency that wireless routers use to transmit and receive data. Certain building materials, multi-level homes, glass partitions and household devices that operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency like microwaves, baby monitors, and cordless phones can all degrade wireless performance.

For your convenience, we've gathered a listing of the top routers we've tested, sorted by single-band and dual-band. Check the individual reviews of each router for details on unique features, capabilities and pros and cons of each.

Dual Band Routers

Cisco Linksys E4200 v2 Maximum Performance Dual-Band N900
 
$200 MSRP
Cisco Linksys' E4200 v2 Maximum Performance Dual-Band N900 has excellent throughput with a setup process and software that can't be beat. This is a future-proof router with support for IPv6 and is an excellent choice for the home with lots of data demand and lots of wireless gadgets whose users don't want any hassle with setup and maintenance.

Netgear N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR4500

$180 MSRP
Netgear's big beefy dual-band router delivers the fastest throughput we've seen on the 2.4 GHz band, which many of your consumer electronics devices probably use.

D-Link Amplifi HD Media Router 2000 (DIR-827)

$170.00
The DIR-827 is without question a speedy router, especially for its hardware specs. Some issues include retaining that throughput at range and some software flakiness.

Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Router ADSL2+ Modem Router (DGND3700)

$151-$175 street
Netgear's DGND3700's best feature is it can work as a DSL modem and a router. It's also got good performance, if not the best we've seen from a Netgear router. But users looking for a DSL modem/router combo will be satisfied.

Netgear N750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router (WNDR4000)
 
$130 street 
Netgear's N750 is a throughput thoroughbred in the 5 GHz band. Performance at the 2.4 GHz band is slightly above average with other top 2.4 GHz routers on the market. Advanced features and easy setup makes the N750 a router to easily recommend, despite anemic NAS capabilities.

Cisco Linksys E3200 High Performance Dual-Band N Router

$160
The E3200 features Cisco's so-simple router setup Cisco Connect software, plus superb throughput at the 2.4 GHz band and good performance at 5 GHz.

Single Band

EnGenius ESR9855G Multimedia Enhanced Wireless 300N Gaming Router

$100 street
Engenius' ESR9855G has excellent throughput for a single-band router. It also offers lots of features, a sharp, well-designed interface, and easy setup. It's a real eye-catcher, with a black, glossy top and a bright orange chassis.

D-Link DHP-1320 Wireless N PowerLine Router

$119
D-Link's DHP 1320 Wireless-N Powerline Router's saving graces are very good throughput and powerline capability. A clumsy setup process is likely to frustrate networking novices, however.

Cisco Linksys E1200 Wireless-N Router

$60

The E1200 is a solid, reliable choice for simple Internet connectivity needs— at a great price.

Asante Smart HotSpot Wireless N Router AWRT-550N

$109
Asante's AWRT-550N is a single-band 802.11 b/g/n router suitable for either a home or small business, thanks to easy setup, enterprise-level features and better than average throughput. The only annoyance? No Gigabit Ethernet ports.