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Wireless Router Guide
After getting started and
comparative reviews, this page has links to
articles on wireless security,
networking utility and security software,
and wireless router vendors and product reviews.
For information on and tools for wireless hot spots, see our
Mobile Security page.
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Choices
-- Wireless routers with Internet
connection sharing, networking and firewall features are an alternative
to Wired routers or
Networking
Software. Wireless routers are actually wired
routers with wireless access points built in so you can have wired
and/or wireless at the same time. Another choice is a wireless router
with a built-in DSL or cable modem, see the bottom of this page for
examples. Finally, you can consider a hardware/software security combo
box to connect and protect your home network, see our
Broadband Gateways page for more information.
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Security -- Wireless routers are
not as secure as hard wired. If you want wireless
and security, read the security articles on this page and be prepared to spend
some time setting up the security features of your wireless network. To make
this easier, look at wireless
utility software.
Testing
-- We recommend that you test the firewall features of a wireless router after installation
and setup using an online service like
Security Space.
Firmware -- Router
vendors offer updates for their firmware to add new features and to resolve problems
found by their customers. After installing a new router, check for updates.
Prices -- See our custom Wireless Firewall Router Price List
powered by Amazon.com
Getting Started
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The Specs That Matter [and the Specs That Don't], Darren
Gladstone, PC World, August 25, 2008 -- Networking Equipment
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Build a Future-Proof Home Network, Eric Griffith and Oliver Rist,
PC Magazine, July 22, 2008
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How to Buy Home Networking Products, Yardena Arar, PC World,
July 9 2008
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12 Downloads to Make Your Wi-Fi Life Easier and Fun, Preston
Gralla, PC World, May 19, 2008
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Home
Networking 101, Oliver Rist, PC Magazine, May 6, 2008
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How to
Improve Your Home Wi-Fi Network, Eric Griffith, PC Magazine, May
2, 2008
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New
Wi-Fi Technology Maturing While Other Networking Options Emerge,
Edward Albro, PC World, January 8, 2008
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Draft-N
Doesn't Play Nice and
Is
Draft-n Ready? Oliver Rist, PC Magazine, January 7/8, 2008
Comparative
Reviews
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Cheap
Wireless Routers, Oliver Rist, PC Magazine, June 18, 2008 --
Linksys, Netgear, SMC & Trendnet
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Dual-Band Routers, Oliver Rist, PC Magazine,
June 3, 2008 -- Apple, D-Link, Linksys & Netgear
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Wireless Router Reviews,
Consumer Search, updated June 2008, a summary of 26 reviews of 37
products -- D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router,
ConsumerSearch.com, best wireless router overall, TRENDnet
TEW-631BRP 300Mbps Wireless N-Draft Router -- Best value wireless
router, Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with
SpeedBooster -- Best basic router
- New
802.11n Routers: The Best Wi-Fi Yet, Becky Waring & Elliott
Kirschling, PC World, April 29, 2008 -- Apple,
Belkin, D-Link, Linksys, Netgear
- Cheap Draft 802.11n Router Roundup, Tim Higgins,
SmallNetBuilder,
April 11, 2008 -- Belkin, D-Link, Linksys & Trendnet
- Speed 'n'
distance [wireless routers], Greg Crowe, GCN, March 31, 2008 -- Belkin, Linksys, Netgear, SMC
- Draft-n
wireless routers, Jim Martin, PC Authority, March 2008 -- Belkin,
Buffalo, D-link, Linksys, Netgear, Trendnet & Zyxel
Wireless
Security
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Malware Silently Alters Wireless Router Settings, Brian Krebs,
Security Fix, Washington Post, June 11, 2008
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WPA Security Tips, Aaron Weiss, eSecurityPlanet, April 11, 2008
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RSA Conference: Web Page Can Take Over Your Router, Robert
McMillan, IDG News Service, PC World, April 7, 2008
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Secure Your Home Wireless Network for Free, Joel Durham,
ExtremeTech, January 15, 2008
- The easy way
to avoid a Wi-Fi virus, Rik Fairlie, ZDNet, January 4, 2008
- Beyond
WEP: Beef Up Your Wi-Fi Security, John Brandon, PC Magazine,
September 12, 2007
- The Woes
of WiFi, Part 1: Insecure by Default, Jack Germain,
TechNewsWorld, August 11, 2007
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Beginners Guides: Securing A Wireless Network, PCStats, July 30,
2007
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35
easy fixes for network problems: Speed up transfers, Becky Waring, PC World
Canada, March 28, 2007
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Flying under the radar, Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, May
21, 2007
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Say No to WEP, And Yes to WPA, Joseph Moran, Wi-FiPlanet, April
18, 2007
- How
to Secure Your Wireless Network, Becky Waring, PC World, April
9, 2007
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Seven Steps to Safer WiFi, Kelly Higgins, Dark Reading, March
14, 2007
- How To Secure Your Home Wireless Network:
Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3,
Part 4 &
Part 5, Jim Doherty & Neil Anderson, CMP & Information Week, February
7, 9, 12, 14 & 21, 2007
- How I survived configuring and securing a wireless LAN -
Part 1,
Part 2 &
Part 3,
Robert Mitchell, ComputerWorld, February 1, 9 & 20 2007
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I hacked my secure wireless network: here's how it's done,
George Gardner, Tech.Blorge, February 6, 2007
Networking Utility
and Security Software
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SingleClick Systems HomeNet
Manager
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JumpStart for
Wireless, Atheros Communications
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McAfee Wireless
Security 2006, (formerly WSC Guard from the Wireless Security
Corporation)
- NetTrooper, Sereniti
- Practically Networked
review, Joseph Moran, March 14, 2007
- Network Magic
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Network Magic Pro v4.7, Oliver Rist, PC Magazine, June 3,
2008
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Network Magic 4.1, Robert Lipschutz, PC Magazine, February 21,
2007
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Network Magic 4, Joseph Moran, Wi-Fi Planet, February
16, 2007
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Packet Protector is a
Linux distribution for wireless routers, built on top of OpenWrt.
The goal of the project is to transform a router into a
unified threat management device.
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WiTopia.net SecureMyWiFi
Wireless Routers
D-Link
Xtreme N Gigabit Router DIR-655 --
Supports WEP™, WPA™, and WPA2™ encryption security
standards and utilizes dual SPI and NAT firewalls.
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D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router, ConsumerSearch.com, best
wireless router overall, June 2008
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D-Link RangeBooster N 650 DIR-655, Jim Martin, PC Authority Labs
Winner, February 29, 2008
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D-Link Xtreme N Gigabit Router:Draft 2.0 arrives [recommended], Tim Higgins,
SmallNetBuilder, July 09, 2007
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CNet review, Matthew Wood,
April 30, 2007
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PC
Magazine review [editor's choice], Robert
Lipschutz, April 10, 2007
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Practically Networked review [recommended], Craig
Ellison, March 26, 2007
Linksys Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router with Storage Link
WRT600N --
Supports WEP™, WPA™,
and WPA2™ encryption with 256-bit encryption, serve as
your network's DHCP Server, includes an SPI firewall, and supports VPN
pass-through.
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PC World review, superior product, Becky Waring, April 30, 2008
- PC
Magazine review, editor's choice, Oliver Rist, December 17, 2007
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Linksys WRT600N Review: Dual-Band 11n comes to Linky-land, Tim
Higgins, SmallNetBuilder, October 31, 2007
SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N router -- NAT firewall
with Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI), WPA/WPA2 Encryption, and Wi-Fi
Protected Setup™ (WPS).
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PC Magazine
review,
Oliver Rist, May 21, 2008
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CNet review, editor's choice, Dong Ngo, March 13, 2008
Belkin N1 Vision Wireless Router -- Wi-Fi Protected
Setup; WPA, WPA2-Personal, 64-bit/128-bit encryption, and Multiple SSID.
DSL/Cable Modem & Wireless Router Combo Units
D-Link DSL-2640B
ADSL2/2+ Modem/Wireless Router 4-Port Switch includes
SPI and NAT firewalls plus WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption.
Linksys Wireless-G Cable Gateway Cable
Modem with Built-In Wireless-G Router
WCG200: SPI and NAT firewalls, WPA encryption includes parental control features like Internet access time limits and
key word blocking.
NetGear
DG834G Wireless ADSL Firewall Router (54 Mbps)
includes SPI and NAT firewalls, WEP, WPA, WPA2, VPN, intrusion logging
and reporting, denial-service (DoS) protection.
- Thinkbroadband
review, Andrew Ferguson, August 3, 2004
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ZDNet UK
review, Roger Gann, May 20, 2004
Resource Sites
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