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. |
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