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Cheap Wireless Routers, Best Cheap Wireless Router Reviews
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Cheap Wireless Routers Buying Guide
You may love using your computer, but that doesn't mean you want to be tied to your desk when checking email or updating your Facebook page. A wireless network lets you connect from anywhere in the house; to do that, the first piece of equipment you'll need is a wireless router.
Many companies make wireless routers, but four in particular are worth noting: Linksys, D-link, Netgear, and Belkin. These companies offer quite a few different wireless routers as well as a large selection of other networking equipment.
A few words about wireless adapters:
Speaking of other networking equipment, wireless routers are, naturally, only one part of a wireless network. They transmit data, but in order for your other devices to receive that data, those devices will need a wireless adapter that is compatible with your router. Laptops typically include a built-in wireless adapter that is compatible with 802.11b/g networks, but desktops usually do not include a wireless adapter. However, you can buy and install a wireless adapter card, or, if you order a new PC online, you can usually add a wireless adapter when you place your order, and the manufacturer will install it for you.PCs aren't the only devices that can tap into a wireless network. Some console game systems, such as Sony's PS3, have a built-in wireless adapter. Microsoft's Xbox 360 has an external adapter that you can buy and plug into the game console. Some hand-held devices also include a wireless adapter. For example, Apple's iPod touch has a built-in 802.11b/g adapter so you can connect directly to your wireless network to download podcasts or access the Internet.
Back to top »What To Look For: Cheap Wireless Routers Features
A budget wireless router seems like a pretty simple device. Once you set it up, you'll hardly notice it's there, so long as it's operating properly. But not all routers are the same. There are a couple of different wireless standards in use right now, and not all routers support all the current standards. Also, some manufacturers outfit their routers with extra features that you may or may not find useful. Here are some things to look for when you go shopping for a budget wireless router.
Bargain Wireless Routers Standards.
All budget routers support a specific wireless standard or standards, which are a set of specifications that govern how the router operates. There are four wireless standards: 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, and a draft version of the latest standard, 802.11n. The 802.11a standard is obsolete these days. It never really caught on with consumers, so it's very unlikely you'll see an 802.11a wireless router when you go shopping. Let's take a closer look at the other three.The 802.11b standard was very popular with early wireless users. It could transfer data up to 11Mbps (megabits per second), and had a decent range. This standard is several years old, so you won't find new 802.11b wireless routers on the market. However, the standard was so popular that many wireless networks still use 802.11b devices, so the newer standards (802.11g and 802.11n) are backward-compatible with 802.11b equipment. Wireless routers based on the 802.11b specification can transfer data as fast as 11Mbps (megabits per second) in ideal conditions, although in real-world settings the actual transfer speed is closer to 6Mbps-8Mbps.
The somewhat newer 802.11g standard can transfer data as fast as 54Mbps, again, in theory. Manufacturers are still making 802.11g-based wireless routers, like the Linksys WRT54G2 (starting at $34, Amazon
The latest wireless standard, 802.11n--the TRENDnet TEW-652BRP (starting at $30, Amazon
Budget wireless routers based on the 802.11n specification tend to be more expensive than their 802.11g counterparts (usually $15 to $20 more, although feature-rich wireless-n routers can cost around $100), but we still found a handful of 802.11n wireless routers for less than $50, including the bargain-priced TRENDnet TEW-652BRP. We wouldn't rule out buying a wireless router that was based on a draft version of 802.11n if the price is right, but keep in mind that a finalized version of that specification is right around the corner, so we're sure to see a wave of new wireless-n products appear in the next few months.
Cheap Wireless Routers Security.
Once you've decided which standard you want your budget wireless router to support, the next most important thing to consider is the router's security features. If you leave your wireless network unprotected, anyone within range could tap into your network. This is especially important for apartment dwellers, as nosey neighbors could tap into your wireless network and peak at your private files.Budget wireless routers typically support two security standards: WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). Laptopmag.com's wireless router guide recommends using WAP, and the router guide from popular computer radio show host Kim Komando suggests you avoid using WEP. Almost all wireless routers still include support for WEP, even though it's an outdated standard. Some routers, including the Asus WL-520gU (starting at $50, Amazon
Some budget routers, such as the Rosewill RNX-EasyN400 (starting at $28) and the Linksys WRT54G2, also include a hardware firewall, another security feature that's great to have. Hardware firewalls monitor data as it flows through your Internet connection. Firewalls let the data you want pass through to your PC while blocking attacks from malicious hackers, protecting your system and your network. One user posting on the Walmart website notes the excellent firewall in his Linksys WRT54GS2 Wireless-G router.
Most wireless router manufacturers include documentation or CDs to help you set up your budget router's security features, and according to many customer reviews we've read, setting up a router is generally quick and easy. For example, several users posting on Best Buy's site comment on the straightforward set up for D-link's DIR-615 wireless-N router (starting at $50, Amazon
Budget Wireless Routers Range
. Ideally, you'll be able to connect your laptop or Wii or iPod touch to your wireless network from every corner of your home at maximum signal strength, but in practice this often turns out not to be the case. Wireless routers typically have a range of 150 feet, but Laptopmag.com's wireless routers guide says you may be able to connect from as far away as 600 feet or more.The range of your wireless network is only partially dependant on the router itself. The environment in which your wireless network operates has a major impact on its range, and the more walls, floors, and ceilings your wireless network has to fight through, the shorter the effective range of your router will be. Also, most routers transmit their wireless signals at a frequency of 2.4GHz, which also happens to be the same frequency other electronic devices, including cordless phones, use to send their signals, which can cause more interference. Furthermore, the farther away you are from the wireless router when you connect a device to it, the weaker the signal becomes, which can reduce the speed of your connection significantly.
You can maximize the range and strength of your wireless network by setting up your budget router in a central location of your home, if that's practical, or you can boost your network's signal strength by installing an antenna designed for wireless networks. Note that antennas often cost nearly as much as the routers themselves, with prices ranging from around $20 to as much as $50.
Inexpensive Wireless Routers Connectivity and Ports.
Just because you're buying an inexpensive wireless router doesn't mean you have to connect to it wirelessly. If you look on the back of the router, you'll notice it has several Ethernet ports, typically four of them. You can use these ports to connect devices, such as a network-enabled printer or external storage drive, to your network via an Ethernet cable. Wired connections don't have the range issues or signal strength problems that can occur with wireless connections, so you may, for example, want to connect an extra desktop PC to your network with an Ethernet cable.Some budget wireless routers also include a USB port. If so, you can attach other USB devices to the network using the router's USB port -- an external USB hard drive, for example, or even a portable flash drive, such as the SanDisk Cruzer Micro 16GB flash drive (starting at $35, Amazon
Cheap Wireless Routers Additional Features.
When you're shopping for a cheap wireless router, you may come across some strange acronyms. Although some of these features are more common to expensive routers than inexpensive ones, we think they're worth explaining.Let's start with QoS, which stands for Quality of Service. Most of the wireless routers guides we saw didn't mention QoS, but Digitaltrends.com's wireless router's guide notes that QoS helps ensure that high-priority data transmissions, such as Internet phone calls (called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP) and video streams, aren't degraded. It's a nice feature for those who use Vonage and the like to make long-distance calls online, or for those who love to watch online video streams or play online games, but it's not essential if you're not into those kinds of activities. D-link's DIR-655 Xtreme wireless router includes an “Intelligent QoS” feature, but at $99 it falls outside of the Cheapism price range.
Another popular trend in wireless routers is the use of Mimo (multiple input/multiple output). Mimo wireless routers use several antennas to strengthen the wireless signal and perhaps increase its effective range, but this feature isn't as common in less expensive routers. The TRENDnet TEW-652BRP does include Mimo technology, however.
Finally, there's VPN, or Virtual Private Network. A VPN lets you set up your own little private network that you can access from any PC connected to the Internet, anywhere in the world. For example, if you're sitting in a café with your laptop, and you want to grab a digital photo album that you left on your home PC, you can use the café's wireless network to access the Internet, then connect to your home network's VPN to download the album. It's a pretty slick feature, but it's typically more useful for businesses that may have employees in several locations than it is for home users.
Back to top »What To Expect: Budget Wireless Routers Performance
Wireless routers aren't devices that users spend a lot of time interacting with, unlike PCs or MP3 players. You know your budget wireless router is working as it should when you don't notice it's there. Often, it's only when problems arise that users have to fiddle with their routers. So, reliability and ease of use are the features that consumers seem to care about most when shopping for a budget wireless router.
Budget Wireless Routers Ease of Setup.
When wireless networks first became available, they were often frustratingly difficult for home users to set up, even if they were fairly tech-savvy. Manufacturers have gone to great lengths to simplify the setup of inexpensive wireless routers, and we found that the majority of consumers are pleased with how quickly and easily they can set up their routers, even if they don't have a lot of experience using networking devices. For example, several cheap wireless routers reviews on the Walmart website praise the simple setup of Belkin's N150 wireless router; likewise, several Radio Shack customers note how easy it is to set up Netgear's WGR614NA wireless g router (starting at $39, Amazon
).
Bargain Wireless Routers User Interface.
In order to set up a router, you'll have to access the router's graphical user interface (UI). A nice, clean, easy-to-use interface makes setting up a budget wireless router a breeze, but a clunky or confusing UI can make setup a real chore. A user posting on Circuit City's website makes a point of mentioning the simple interface on the TRENDnet's TEW-652BRP Wireless N router. At Buzzillions.com, a post commenting on the Linksys WRT54G2 wireless-g router notes how easy it was for him to follow the router's programming interface. On the other hand, we noted several users complaining on PCWorld.com that D-link's WBR-1310 wireless router (starting at $36, Amazon
) would occasionally reset the password to the interface, preventing users from accessing it. Users also like to have good documentation to go along with the UI. Many cheap wireless router manufacturers forego including paper documentation with their routers and put all the setup information on CDs instead. Although some users don't mind using CDs only, other users clearly prefer having an instruction booklet included with their wireless router. A user posting on Buy.com writes that the paper and online documentation for the D-link DIR-615 Wireless N router aren't helpful and require a lot of determination to get things working.
Cheap Wireless Routers Range/Connectivity.
A router with a good range and fast, strong connection is essential to a good wireless network. We found that users who purchase budget 802.11n routers often have very good range, with the routers providing coverage for their entire homes. A CNet review of the D-link DIR-615 notes that it maintains a stable connection up to 230 feet. A Walmart.com reviewer writes that his Belkin N150 wireless router provides excellent coverage throughout his 1,400 square foot home.The biggest complaint consumers have about their routers, by far, is dropped connections. Many wireless router reviews on PCWorld.com hammer D-link's WBR-1310 Wireless-G router for dropping connections. And postings on Newegg.com similarly criticize Rosewill's RNX-EasyN4 (starting at $40) for lost connections and difficulty re-establishing connections. Still, we found that in most cases, once the router is properly set up, users don't have trouble maintaining a connection to their router and the Internet.
Our final word.
Wireless networking is a popular way to get connected at home, and it's no wonder why. Most home users don't want to string dozens of feet of Ethernet cables all over their homes but want the freedom to access a network from anywhere in the house. Clearly, a wireless network is the way to go, and if you choose the right equipment, you can get plugged in pretty cheaply. Back to top »
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Products Mentioned in This Review
Rosewill RNX-EasyN4D-link WBR-1310
Linksys WRT54G2
D-link DIR-615
TRENDnet TEW-652BRP
Belkin N150
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