Virtually every internet service provider will supply you with some kind of free or cheap modem when you sign up with them. However, unless you're paying a premium for your internet service, 'cheap' is likely to be the most important word: the quality of the hardware, software and performance isn't likely to be stunning.

If you want to maximise your net connection, then, or if your old device simply gives up the ghost, a decent quality modem/router is a worthwhile purchase. And there's no bigger name in network equipment than Cisco.

The Cisco Linksys X3000 is the higher-end model in a new range of routers. Supporting both cable and ADSL 2+ connections, it's a sleek-looking thing. It's thin and small, yet comes with a full complement of four Gigabit Ethernet ports, support for 802.11b/g/n, and a USB port that lets you connect and share storage.

Setup is simple. Cisco has created some configuration software specifically for the Mac (dubbed Cisco Connect) which actually works really well.

Performance, too, was good. We compared the Wi-Fi strength using 802.11n with an Apple Time Capsule, and the X3000 consistently delivered higher signal strength and therefore speed. Connection speed over ADSL 2+ was always solid and reliable, with no line drops.

Overall, the X3000 is a well-made, easy-to-use router with all the features you're likely to need. Its one issue is that it's a little on the pricey side, but you can at least see the quality you're paying for.

If you live in a house that's shared by a number of heavy downloaders and online gamers, your wireless router is going to come under some serious strain, with a big impact on internet performance.

Not only will downloads take longer to complete, streamed videos from one device to the other will stutter and - worst of all if you take your gaming seriously - you'll begin to notice some serious lag when playing online.

Buffalo's solution is the powerful and feature-packed AirStation N-Technology HighPower ADSL2+ Modem Router.

If you're a light Wi-Fi internet user, then this isn't for you. The AirStation N-Technology HighPower ADSL2+ Modem Router's headline feature is the brand's Nfiniti technology. This essentially creates a number of bands that wireless devices can connect to without interference.

There's also VPN support, built-in BitTorrent downloading, four gigabit Ethernet ports and Quality of Service features for streaming movies and media.

Verdict

Performance is superb, with two wireless N antennas ensuring that the range of the wireless network is wide and strong.

Overview and performance

The D-Link DIR-645 (or the Whole Home Router 1000 as it's called in the US) is the latest D-Link push on injecting style into its home routers. Every networking company goes through this at some point, in an attempt to avoid yet-another-box syndrome. D-Link has done a good job of making this black totem of wireless technology look like it could have apes pawing at it seeking enlightenment.

On the face of it, this 2.4GHz-only device doesn't seem all that, with 802.11n technology dating back to the ìancientî but fondly-remembered D-Link DIR-655.

More recent routers such as the unstoppable Netgear DGND3700 and feature-packed Fritz!Box 7390 offer the sexy-sounding dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz capabilities.

As it happens, 802.11n speed isn't simply about the frequency - more important are the number of spatial streams a router can provide, and the D-Link DIR-645 comes with an epic six-element antenna array. So perhaps those pawing monkeys are onto something after all?

Benchmarks

We test wireless networking in a controlled but real-world and repeatable environment. Competing wireless networks are eliminated, a standard Intel-based dual-band laptop is used as the receiving machine and the router is set as optimally as possible.

The average continuous transfer speed is noted in three separate usage scenarios being in the same room, a wall and floor away and a 25m line-of-sight distance test.

Same room average transfer speed
File copy - Mbps: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz: 12 Mbps
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz: 24.5 Mbps
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz: 12.4 Mbps
Linksys E4200 5GHz: 17.5 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz: 17 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz: 18.9 Mbps
D-Link DIR-645 2.4GHz: 19.6 Mbps

One room away average transfer speed
File copy - Mbps: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz: 10.7 Mbps
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz: 17.6 Mbps
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz: 11.7 Mbps
Linksys E4200 5GHz: 10.6 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz: 15.6 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz: 17 Mbps
D-Link DIR-645 2.4GHz: 16.9 Mbps

25m line-of-sight average transfer speed
File copy - Mbps: higher is better
ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz: 1.1 Mbps
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz: 2.0 Mbps
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz: 3.6 Mbps
Linksys E4200 5GHz: 5.2 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz: 8.9 Mbps
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz: 13.7 Mbps
D-Link DIR-645 2.4GHz: 5 Mbps

Verdict

As a consumer unit, we love the design of the D-Link DIR-645. We had some choice words when we first clapped eyes on it, but its squat Pringle tube-like build stands up well with connections in place.

Four Gigabit LAN ports with a fifth offering DLS WAN connectivity adorn the back, alongside a USB port that brings NAS, iTunes and DLNA/UPnP media streaming to your network.

Set up is straightforward, via a supplied CD or a standard web browser. D-Link sticks with its snappy orange browser interface that we're more than happy to use. The wireless internet router is IPv6 ready, and like previous units doesn't provide any repeater features. D-Link says you should buy a repeater.

The wireless 802.11n standard at its heart has always embraced multiplexed data streams - it's like multithreading the data transmissions. Make better use of these streams and you're rewarded with faster transfer speeds. 5GHz models can do so because at 5GHz there's less interference and more channels to use. The D-Link DIR-645 waggles its antennas in the face of convention and wipes the floor with any 2.4GHz kit we've tested.

19.6Mbps same-room speeds even challenge 5GHz units for performance, and it even outpaces the excellent Netgear DGND3700. Recorded upstream speeds were even faster. Only at distance did the D-Link lag the Netgear DGND3700, but it still competed well with other 5GHz models.

It's not all good news though, because as soon as a competing 2.4GHz router was turned on, speeds fell back to a more standard 12Mbps with 150Mbps connections, making the D-Link DIR-645's performance nothing more than standard.

We liked

The consumer styling works for us both in form and function - there's even an easily reached illuminated power button. The router's interface also works well, but as a consumer device it could certainly overwhelm or simply confuse novice users.

We also fully appreciated the excellent 2.4GHz performance that can, under the right circumstances, challenge and beat 5GHz dual-band models.

We disliked

At its original full retail price we couldn't recommend the D-Link DIR-645, but most places discount this by over a third. Even so, this is nudging on dual-band territory pricing, and its susceptibility to interference makes us question whether you would be better investing in a 5GHz future.

Final verdict

The best 2.4GHz performing wireless router we've seen both in speed and style, but at this cost it should be.

If you're looking to upgrade your home wireless network then the Edimax BR-6428nS 300Mbps wireless broadband router offers a decent upgrade for a very good price.

Going from wireless G to wireless N offers a lot of advantages, including faster wireless speeds and a stronger signal that covers a greater range.

The Edimax BR-6428nS 300Mbps wireless broadband router gives you all of that for around £20 – a lot cheaper than wireless routers such as the Asus RT-N56U Dual Band Wireless-N Router.

The low cost comes at the expense of features, however. This is a very basic router that lacks features such as USB ports and gigabit Ethernet that can be found on a lot of other routers.

While its speeds are certainly better than wireless G routers, it struggles to compete with its competitors. Its set-up procedure is also more complicated than the ones found on Belkin and Netgear routers.

Verdict

It's a small and cheap no-frills router that does the job – but if you're after a more accomplished router with much better performance, it pays to spend a bit more money.

Netgear DGND3700 review : Overview

The Netgear DGND3700 is the big brother to the Netgear DGND3300 Dual Band router that we recently took a look at here on TechRadar

Describing itself as the ultimate DSL router, it appears to have a lot to live up to, but on the basis of just the specification and its full name - there's no less than nine words in there - it should do a good job.

It's a full ADSL2+ capable dual band 5/2.4GHz wireless gateway with Gigabit Ethernet, a WAN port and two USB sockets.

On offer is a raft of additional features such as NAS, a DLNA streaming media server, the ability to store multiple SSIDs with individual settings, alongside a guest network.

There's a 'more detail' statistics module and a refreshed content filtering section, plus a detailed repeater mode and the usual quality of service and UPnP features.

To help make adding systems as simple as possible there's also full WPS support.

Netgear DGND3700 review: Benchmarks

We tested the wireless performance in various scenarios to see how the Netgear DGND3700 performed in typical real-world situations for both its 2.4GHz and 5GHZ modes.

The first was a same-room configuration transferring a large file from the router to the laptop.

The second involved the laptop being place one brick-wall and a standard wooden floor away.

Finally we ran a distance test at 25m with a direct line of sight, to see how it coped with distance.

Same room average transfer speed

File copy – MB/s: higher is better

ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 12MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 24.5MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 9.9MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 19.3MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 12.4MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 17.5MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 17MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 18.9MB/s

One room away average transfer speed

File copy – MB/s: higher is better

ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 10.7MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 17.6MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 6.3MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 9.8MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 11.7MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 10.6MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 15.6MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 17MB/s

25m line-of-sight average transfer speed

File copy – MB/s: higher is better

ASUS RT-N56U 2.4GHz 1.1MB/s
ASUS RT-N56U 5GHz 2.0MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 2.4GHz 2.3MB/s
Fritz!Box 7390 5GHz 6.4MB/s
Linksys E4200 2.4GHz 3.6MB/s
Linksys E4200 5GHz 5.2MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 2.4GHz 8.9MB/s
Netgear DGND3700 5GHz 13.7MB/s

Netgear DGND3700 review: Verdict

Netgear has slowly revamped its consumer units over the year. The latest addition is what we'd consider a somewhat unsightly lip to its front - so it does seamlessly blend in to an removable vertical stand but it seems at odds with the rest of the case.

What hasn't changed is Netgear's fast and easy-to-use to web-based interface. As we've commented on in the past, this remains a welcoming sight, although it does lack any of the flash touches that Netgear's competitors are now using, and is perhaps a sign it finally needs a refresh.

With WPS in place and a semi-automatic ADSL installation the Netgear DGND3700 is certainly easy to get up and running.

It's primed to accept both 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections both at up to 300Mbps, indicating twin antennas for both frequency ranges.

Usefully, both can have up to four SSIDs assigned to them, with each having their own configuration. Alongside this, there's the option for a guest network, as well. We imagine this should be flexible enough for even small businesses.

Unlike the Netgear DGND3300, this unit sports four Gigabit Ethernet ports for full throughput. Up and running we were happily surprised by the 5GHz performance, while good at short range averaging 18.9MBs and peaking at 21MB/s.

Where the Netgear DGND3700 really came into its own was at distance, being multiple times faster than anything else we've tested.

What most impressed us was the standard 2.4GHz performance, where the Netgear DGND3700 simply romped away - so much so that we had to double check we had indeed turned off the 5GHz antenna.

Lastly, ADSL2+ connection speeds were as we'd expect, matching our standard router for download speed and providing a slightly improved upload speed of 1400Kbps over 1200Kbps.

We liked

This is one of the best-performing 2.4GHz routers we've ever seen: at short distance it manages to rival the 5GHz speeds of many routers.

Balancing this, the 5GHz speeds are equally good, also matching the best we've seen at short ranges but greatly outpacing them at distance.

We can certainly see ourselves using the media streaming and NAS features thanks to the twin USB ports, and the enhanced stats and logging features are also appreciated.

We disliked

We're not convinced on the new lip design. The interface also really needs something of a polish, as even Linksys units from a few years back look better but these are more quibbles.

Just £42 for a superfast modem? Seems fishy. That's the price you'd pay for a standard Wireless G router, not a dual-band Wireless N model.

The TP-Link TL-WR1043ND – one heck of a mouthful – isn't actually a dual-band router; it's just a lowly single-band. Surely that means it has no chance against the dual-band devices in this test.

Well, no. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Although the TP-Link doesn't benefit from the 5GHz transmission band, it has a crude way of making up for this, using three antennas to ramp the standard 2.4GHz signal to its maximum. And it works, with the fastest recorded transmission speed of the 1GB test file over wireless.

There wasn't much different between this and the other routers at short range, but at the 10 metre range with two walls separating each laptop, it took just four minutes 20 seconds.

Aside from being the fastest router in the test, the TP-Link TL-WR1043ND doesn't really have all that much to offer – not that it really needs to.

The installation proved to be one of the trickiest of the test, which is probably what you get for paying just over £40 for the privilege. After scouring TP-Link's simple but extensive web interface trying to figure out why it wouldn't connect to the internet, we pinpointed it to a conflicting IP address. A beginner would have given up long before we did.

Other than an additional USB port on the back, which can be used to attach storage devices and access media on them, the TP-Link doesn't really have any other features that help it rise above the others.

But then again, not everyone wants all the gimmicks under the sun – there are plenty that just want a no-frills router that delivers what they're really interested in – fast wireless internet.

Looks aren't normally important when you're choosing a router, but the Draytek Vigor 2830Vn is a bit of monster. Then again, it's not designed to be propped up next to a home hi-fi – this device is intended for small business use.

This is made clear by the fact that the ports are located on the front for ease of access, and because the Vigor 2830Vn is bursting at the seams with features.

As well as being ADSL and cable internet compatible, there's the option of having up to three different internet connections active at once: the main ADSL one, an Ethernet port for connecting another modem and a port for adding a 3G modem – which would be useful as a backup if your primary or secondary internet were to fail.

The inclusion of a hardware firewall is good news if you're a regular gamer, because your PC doesn't have to use precious power to process attacks on the software side. It's a fast firewall too, rated at 50MB/s.

You can also create up to four wireless connections, so different groups of people can access it, and set up the router so users can have their own internet access, which can be restricted by time or the websites they can view.

The installation was one of the least intuitive in this test, with no automatic setup to speak of. You have to choose the router settings you need manually, and in our case, finding the right settings from our ISP took a huge amount of time.

Performance is good, although not quite as good as some cheaper routers. Our 1GB test file took two minutes 40 seconds to transfer between PCs at two metres, and six minutes 40 seconds at the 10-metre test point.

It might be feature-rich, but the average person isn't going to see the benefit, and there are better and faster options for the money.

Although the award for cheapest router of the day sadly can't go to the Belkin Play Max N600 HD – the TP-Link TL-WR1043ND has most other routers licked in that regard – it nevertheless offers the greatest range of features and the best performance for its price tag.

Its nearest competitor, the Asus RT-N56U, costs over £30 more and doesn't seem to offer many more features to justify the expense, even if it does look somewhat more interesting.

For example, Belkin's router supports cable connections, unlike the Asus. The N600 is easier to set up too. Simply pop the CD into your PC and you're presented with a giant 'Setup' button that takes up practically the entire screen. It couldn't be clearer what you need to do.

Once setup is completed, simply enter the SSID and password provided on the card included with the N600, and your wireless router is ready and protected. It's remarkably easy.

The only thing the N600 lacks is a range of status indicator lights for different criteria – instead, you either have a green light (for good) or red (for bad).

To increase the appeal of its router, Belkin has included a range of apps that give you instant access to features like backing up or downloading torrent files. They're easy to use – just install them and open them when you need to.

When it comes to performance, the Belkin doesn't disappoint – at least from a short range. At the 10-metre test range with a couple of reasonably thick walls separating each PC, however, the N600 turned in one of the slowest performances.

This aside, the N600 is an excellent router given its price – it's easy to set up and its built-in features are easy to access, so it's a fantastic option for beginners wishing to upgrade their wireless internet connection.

Netgear N150 Wireless Router review: Overview

Overview

A perfect upgrade to an aging ADLS router like the TP-Link W8961ND, this Netgear N150 Wireless ADSL2+ Modem Router DGN1000 is firmly aimed at the budget ADSL market, but hopefully without any of the horrible shortcomings the TP-Link suffered from.

Despite its budget credentials, the Netgear N150 Wireless Router provides basic but limited 802.11n Wireless-N networking along with a full ADSL2+ modem and four 100BaseT Ethernet LAN ports.

It's also relatively well styled, taking the more popular shiny black chassis approach, has a small footprint and a useful array of cool-blue status lights.

As is Netgear's way, the unit comes with an on/off switch and the usual external power supply. In the box you'll also find a single ADSL filter plus a network and telephone cable so you can easily get started.

Netgear N150 Wireless Router review: Benchmarks

Benchmarks

We tested the wireless performance through file transfer speeds in three distance tests to see how the Netgear N150 Wireless Router performed in the real world.

We conducted same room, one room away (one brick-wall and a standard wooden floor away) and a 25m line-of-sight distance tests. The following results are the average transfer speed for a single large file compared to a number of other units.

Same room transfer speed

One room away transfer speed

25m line-of-sight transfer speed

Netgear N150 Wireless Router review: Verdict

Verdict

If you've ever used a Netgear product before, you'll be utterly at home with the Netgear N150 Wireless Router's web-based interface.

It's the same basic blue and white design that Netgear has always used.

While this is good in a 'we'll always enjoy egg and chips' way, it's starting to look somewhat long in the tooth and provides little extra beyond ease-of-use and a friendly old face.

ADSL configuration is handled automatically with the modem detecting the settings for you, only requiring the username and password to be entered by your good self.

For extra ease-of-use, wireless connections can be established via the standard WPS key or button press, which has become a much appreciated addition on most new routers. To help enhance this as a home unit there's basic keyword filtering of websites and URLs. This is hardly perfect but it's a start.

This means you can be up and running very quickly.

The system uses a single antenna, which does limit the maximum throughput to a single spatial stream of 150Mbps. In the same room this limited transfers to just over 5.2MB/s, which is still useable.

We found this speed extended to our one-room away scenario. Even at 25m the speed only dropped to 1.5MB/s, which is relatively impressive for a budget unit, though it can't touch more half-decent 802.11n units for throughput.

At its full retail price we'd say avoid it. But since the router is available for around half this price, it is certainly competitively priced considering its feature set.

We liked:

The Netgear N150 DGN1000 has a suitably suave design, which for a budget ADSL router goes a long way.

Despite its wireless handicap of a single antenna, it manages workable speeds, good enough for basic HD streaming, and a usable distance.

Alongside the performance it offers a fast, easy to use interface that, while not the most user-friendly, shouldn't keep the novice baffled for too long.

We disliked:

The initial price for what is ultimately a slower 802.11n ADSL router is somewhat off-putting. However, the street price seems to be half that, making this a good buy for basic home uses.

Final word:

An entry level ADSL2+ router that provides base Wireless-N capabilities, if you can pick this up for less than £35 it's worth the investment.

Cisco Linksys E4200 review: Overview

Overview

Staking its claim in the dual-band 5GHz/2.4GHz world, Cisco has released the Linksys Maximum Performance E4200 Dual-Band N Router.

Unlike the Netgear Dual Band DGND3300, the Linksys Maximum Performance E4200 Dual-Band N Router is just a DSL router, so in the same vein as the Asus RT-N56U.

Again unlike the Netgear DGND3300 it offers four full Gigabit LAN ports, alongside the DSL port. For optimum performance it uses a 3x3 antenna array and so can offer 450Mbps connections at 5GHz.

We also spied a single USB port to provide NAS and UPnP services from a USB drive and there's an actual power switch, which we always like to see. A WPS button is tucked at the back to make adding supported devices a one-push affair.

Clearly Cisco is trying to up the game with packaging and design, which attempts to ape Apple products such as the iPad 2. It certainly gets close in terms of design but doesn't quite manage the same levels of finesse.

Linksys E4200 review: Benchmarks

Benchmarks

We tested the wireless performance in various scenarios to see how the Cisco Linksys E4200 performed in typical real-world situations for both its 2.4GHz and 5GHZ modes.

The first was a same-room configuration transferring a large file from the router to the laptop. The second involved the laptop being placed one brick-wall and a standard wooden floor away. Finally we ran a distance test at 25m with a direct line of sight, to see how it coped with distance.

Same room transfer speed

One room away transfer speed

25m line-of-sight transfer speed

Linksys E4200 review: Verdict

Verdict

Oddly, Cisco opts for a CD-based installation with the Linksys Maximum Performance E4200 Dual-Band N Router.

We say oddly because shiny MacBook Airs, all netbooks and a host of laptops don't have optical drives anymore. It's doubly odd is there's no explanation of how to set things up without the CD.

That aside, the web interface is a wonderfully corporatised affair lacking almost any colour. Think Netgear with grey-tinted glasses.

But it's cleanly laid out, very fast to use and feature-rich.

Unlike the Asus RT-N56U the Linksys E4200 provides a unified SSID for both 5GHz and 2.4GHz modes, but also allows extensive configuration to enable or disable any frequency range along with 20MHz and 40MHz modes. It can also offer Guest zones for simple public access.

We ran tests at both frequency ranges and were hoping for good results as it's packing a 3x3, 6 antenna configuration. In the same room we got similar performance to the FRITZ!Box 7390 with peaks in the low 20MB/s and a solid average around 18MB/s, but this still lagged the stellar ASUS mid-20MB/s results.

The Cisco box continued to just lag the FRITZ!Box at all distances.

In some ways the 2.4GHz performance was better, managing to pip everything we've tested recently at all ranges, making the most of those three antennas.

We liked

While we couldn't seem to make the most of the fancy-antenna 450Mbps mode at 5GHz, importantly the Cisco Linksys E4200 put in good performances at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency ranges. Especially at 2.4GHz, it managed to keep ahead of the rest, even at 25m, with the same going for the 5GHz range. A solid no-nonsense interface provides solid reassurance.

We disliked

Not making the most of the 450Mbps connection is disappointing and since the cheaper the ASUS RT-N56U outperforms it while offering the same features, it's also hard to recommend. The flawed installation doesn't help things either.

Final word:

All-in-all the Cisco Linksys E4200 is a potentially lightning-fast 5GHz router that doesn't seem to make the most of its expensive abilities.