Which is the best SOHO router for use with a DSL subscribtion based on these 
requirements:

1. Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
2. have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
3. be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
4. support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features
5. use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
6. have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
7. extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features. 

and finally is ranked the higest by USER COMMUNITIES, EXPERTS and TRADE PRESS 
based on things like price/performance ration, reliability, throughput speed, 
compatibility and future proofing.

Regards /Mikael Thorson

p.s. My own research has focused on items like D-Link, Netgear, Linksys and 
similar products.

Dear Mikael,

Thank you for your inquiry.

In researching your request I went to epinions.com, cnet, zdnet, amazon.com and 
pcworld.  I have taken into account both editorial and user reviews.  Where I 
could, I provided prices just to give you a rough idea of where the pricing for 
each product falls.  For price comparisons on the products you can go to 
pricing bots like computershopper.com, dealtime, mysimon, pricegrabber or you 
can just go to buy.com, outpost.com or whoever is your favorite hardware store.


6 wireless routers from ratings from users, trade and the internet in general.
These are not listed in any sort of preferential order but simply in the order 
as I gathered information on them.

==Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless 4-Port Cable/DSL Router

Price: $169.99 

Ratings
Epinions: 4.5 stars from 12 reviews
Amazon: 3.5 stars from 315 reviews
PcWorld: 4 star PC world rating

Ratings References
epinion.com: 
http://www.epinions.com/Linksys_Group_BEFW11S4_EtherFast_Wireless_AP___Cable_DSL
_Router_w__4_port_Switch__Bridges___Routers_BEFW11S4

amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005ARK3/ref=pd_sim_electronics
/102-9206313-4545758

pcworld.com
http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/search_prodsummary.php/masterid=405978/ut=d8ef2c
7b657efbe6/

Technical Data:
ftp://ftp.linksys.com/datasheet/befw11s4ds.pdf

How it meets your requirements:

·	Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
·	have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Yes has 4 ports: Ports: 1 10Base-T RJ-45 port for cable/DSL modem, 4 10/100 RJ-
45
·	be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
Yes – supports IPSEC pass thru and PPTP
·	support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features 
Supports DHCP, NAT firewall, Techsheet does not mention DMZ or SIP support
·	use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – capable of up to 128-bit WEP
·	have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes - Wireless operating range (indoors): 100 feet at 11 Mbps, 165 feet at 5.5 
Mbps, 230 feet at 2 Mbps, 300 feet at 1 Mbps
Wireless operating range (outdoors): 500 feet at 11 Mbps, 885 feet at 5.5 Mbps, 
1,300 feet at 2 Mbps, 1,500 feet at 1 Mbps
·	extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar 
features
Not mentioned

==D-Link DI-713P Wireless Broadband Router and Access Point with 3-Port Switch

Price:  $152.99

Ratings
Amazon: 3.5 stars from 81 reviews

Ratings References
amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-
/electronics/B00005KB24/tech-data/ref=e_de_a_smtd/102-9206313-4545758

Technical Data
http://www.dlink.com/products/broadband/di713p/pdfs/di713p.pdf

How it meets your requirements:

**Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
**Have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Yes has 3 ports: Ports: 1 x 10 Base-T WAN, 3 x NWay 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Fast 
Ethernet
**Be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
Yes – supports IPSEC pass thru, L2TP and PPTP dependent on platforms used
**Support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features
Supports Protocol: TCP/IP, NAT, DHCP, UDP, PPPoE, Virtual Server 
use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – 64-bit, 128-bit WEP Encryption
**Have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes - Wireless data rate: 11 Mbps and 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps and 1 Mbps, Auto Fall-
Back
Wireless operating range (outdoor): 100 to 300 meters
Wireless operating range (indoor): 35 to 100 meters
**Extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features
Not mentioned

==Netgear ME 102 802.11b Wireless Access Point

Price: $134.95

Ratings
Amazon: 4 stars from 19 reviews

Ratings References
amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005B8HU/ref=pd_sbs_e_1/102-920
6313-4545758


Technical Data
http://www.netgear.com/product_view.asp?xrp=11&yrp=35&zrp=119


How it meets your requirements

**Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
**Have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Cannot tell from data or picture
**Be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
unclear from documentation 
**Support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features 
unclear from documentation 
**Use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – 40- bit (64- bit) WEP encryption, 128- bit WEP encryption
**Have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes 
**Extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features
Not mentioned

NetGear HE102 802.11a wireless AP

Price: $389

Ratings
CNET Editors: 8.0 out of 10
CNET Users: 90% out of 29 votes

Ratings References
cnet.com
http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-7052-404-8459776.html?tag=topfive

Techncial Data
http://www.netgear.com/product_view.asp?xrp=11&yrp=35&zrp=119


How it meets your requirements

**Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
**Have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Cannot tell from data or picture
**Be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
Unclear from documentation
**Support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features 
Unclear from documentation
**Use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – hardware-based 64,128,152 bit WEP 
**Have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes - - Closed Environment  
@ 54 Mbps 60 ft. (18.3m)  
@ 6 Mbps 300 ft. (91.4m)  
Open Environment
@ 54 Mbps 100 ft. (30.5m)  
@ 6 Mbps 1200 ft. (366m)
**Extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features
Not mentioned

==SMC Networks SMC7004AWBR Wireless 4-Port Broadband Router with Print Server

Price: $199.99

Ratings
Amazon: 4 stars from 155 reviews
PcWorld: 5 star of 1 user review
PC Magazine: Editor’s Choice according to SMC website

Ratings References
amazon: 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005ARK4/ref=pd_sbs_e_3/102-920
6313-4545758

pcworld.com
http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/rating_getprodrev.php/product_id=423941/id_type=
M/ut=d8ef2c7b657efbe6/


Technical Data
http://www.smc.com/drivers_downloads/library/7004AWBR_DS.pdf

How it meets your requirements

**Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
**Have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Yes – 3 ports
**Be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
Yes – supports PPTP, IPSEC pass thru, L2TP
**Support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features 
Yes – NAT, DHCP, 
**Use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – 64/128 bit WEP 
**Have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes - Wireless operating range (line of sight): 11 Mbps: 160 m; 5.5 Mbps: 270 
m; 2 Mbps: 400 m; 1 Mbps: 457 m 
Wireless operating range (no major obstructions, such as cubicals or walls): 11 
Mbps: 50 m; 5.5 Mbps: 70 m; 2 Mbps: 90 m; 1 Mbps: 120 m 
Wireless operating range (closed environment, with floor to ceiling 
obstructions between access point and users): 11 Mbps: 25 m; 5.5 Mbps: 35 m; 2 
Mbps: 45 m; 1 Mbps: 55 m
**Extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features
Not mentioned

==Siemens SpeedStream wireless DSL/cable router

Price: $240

Ratings
Amazon: 3 stars from 5 reviews
CNET Editors: 8.0 Editor Pick
ZDNET Editors: 8.0
ZDNET Users: 7.7

Ratings References
amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000631YJ/qid%3D1015344492/sr%3D2-3/ref%
3Dsr%5F2%5F3/102-9206313-4545758
cnet:
http://computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-7052-405-8655075.html?tag=box
zdnet:
http://www.zdnet.com/supercenter/stories/overview/0,12069,552352,00.html


Technical Data
http://www.speedstream.com/products.html#wireless

How it meets your requirements

**Support both fixed ethernet and wireless lan (802.11b or faster)
Yes
**Have at least 3 ports RJ-45 switched 10/100 Mbits
Yes – 3 ports
**Be able to support VPN connections (IPSec or more standards)
Yes – supports PPTP, IPSEC pass thru, L2TP
**Support for firewall, NAT, DHCP, DMZ (port forwarding), stateful packet 
inspection or other security features 
Yes – NAT, DHCP, DMZ
**Use at least 40 bit WEP (ideally 128 bit)
Yes – supports 128 bit WEP 
**Have a range of at least 300 feet wireless
Yes - Max range indoors / Outdoors 390 ft
**Extra options are printer port, analog WAN port (modem) or similar features
According to CNET “the back panel harbors a serial port for connecting to a 
dial-up modem. The modem connection is a convenient backup-access feature in 
case your broadband connection fails. As a bonus, the rear panel has a parallel-
port connection, which lets you share a printer with the rest of your home 
network. “


From these 6 wireless routers, your choice seems to be the Siemens Speedstream 
($240) because it has just about everything you want and it has some really 
good reviews behind it.  However, at the same price point, if you are in an 
office area that has many obstructions or is large, perhaps the SMC is a better 
choice due to its farther range.

For less expensive alternatives, your choices are pretty evenly split between 
the Linksys or the D-Link but the Linksys may be a “safer” choice if you are 
usign ratings as guidance.

I hope this information has helped make some the information overload clearer.

Dear Mikael, you should take a look at the 2Wire product line.  The product 
line are sold through all RBOCS today and have passed RBOC internal test 
requirements.  Go to Google and type in 2Wire, there are numerous industry 
articles.

After much competitive analysis, the SMC Barricade wireless product 
(integral 4 port switch, WAN port, printer server port, BNC connected 
antennas, DMZ host, web admin, etc.) bubbled to the top of our 
spreadsheets.

Also, www.practicallynetworked.com can provide more info.

I've a lot of problem with ADSL and Belkin wireless router and windows XP.

regards