What wireless router would you recommend?

I've never had a router, always used cable. Could anyone suggest any models that would be good for home use? What do i need to consider and what pay attention to?
Thanks!

 

In order to get a good answer, we need good information. We don't know what equipment you have already so we cannot answer your question.

Start with your wireless adapter. 802.11G? 802.11B? 802.11N?

Will any other computers be connecting and if so, what type (see above)

There's little point in recommending a wireless 802.11n router if your adapter and no one else's adapter supports it, but if one does and one does not, you should be thinking dual band

Also, most "what do you recommend" questions result in people recommending their router if they don't have trouble with them, but most people do not have experience with multiple routers so these kind of threads don't achieve good results.

Truthfully, most routers are pretty much the same as they use the same couple of basic chips to achieve connectivity. Some manufacturers scrimp on the parts that go around these chips and that is wear you have issues.

Basic rules of thumb:

While wireless standards are the same, you often have better results if your adapter and router are made by the same company--but this is not as critical as it once was.

Don't buy the cheapest router for a given class (802.11b, 802.11g...)--they made it cheaper by putting sub-par parts in it.

Try to read some reviews on a SPECIFIC model before buying on tech sites, and on retailer sites like newegg

If you don't like to mess around with tech things, and want trouble free operation, don't buy a router that just came out recently. There will be several firmware patches needed to get the router working properly--let other people beta test for the manufacturer.

If you don't like to mess around with tech things, stick to main brands like linksys and dllink...other brands are equally good, but if you don't know how to hunt or what to hunt for you could end up with a clunker. Linksys and Dlink should always be "acceptable" unless you got a bad unit.

Avoid Belkin products. I've rarely met someone who was happy with Belkin routers.

 

What gerryf19 said, with doubles on the bit about avoiding Belkin products.

 

Ohh, a double! On ice please! ohh, wait, had too many of those last night and didn't like the way I felt this morning...skip it.

 

You're absolutely correct. But that's not gonna stop me from recommending the DLink DIR-655.

Really a terrific router that has been around for a long time now, and for good reason. I had one of these for two trouble-free years. It just died on me after a close lightening strike and power surge, but that's not the router's fault. Unless you need a dual-band router you can't go wrong with that one.

But I agree that you should spend some time looking through the user reviews at someplace like Newegg. Once an item gets 20 or more reviews you'll have a big enough sample size to get some sort of accurate picture of the product. But really, once you filter out the actual lemons (like say, Belkins) they're all pretty much decent.

 

I have this one and i play online games and it PWN's: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127215 and it also gets far reception...

 

DIR-655

No other choice if you want the best.

 

Here ya go - hair of the dog that bit ya!

 

amen to that!!!