When we reviewed an earlier version of the Belkin N router in 2006, we loved everything about it except its performance. But various manufacturing revisions and firmware updates have fixed that deficiency, and the speed and range of the latest Belkin N are more than acceptable for a budget router. In fact, even with one less antenna, the Belkin performed almost as well as the pricier Netgear RangeMax Next Wireless-N Gigabit Router WNR3500 in our tests.
The unit's design, usability, features, and customer service remain stellar. And the out-of-box experience is second to none--from the numbered cables, to a step-by-step install wizard that connected perfectly, to a great user manual. The Belkin has a lifetime warranty, whereas the five competing models that we tested at the same time carried one-year warranties.
The Belkin N supports many key router features, including UPnP, WMM, WPS, and DDNS. (For details about these and other useful router technologies, see "Wi-Fi Buzzwords: Features to Look For.")
Missing are automatic channel selection (which enables a router to choose the least crowded of the 11 available 2.4-MHz channels so it can improve performance in busy areas) and DHCP reservation (which enables a router to set fixed IP addresses for specific computers or peripherals)--useful for networked printers, NAS drives, media servers, and the like.
Like most low-end routers, the Belkin doesn't support WPA/WPA2-Enterprise encryption. But if you don't need gigabit ethernet or high-definition streaming-media performance, the Belkin N Wireless Router is a great value.
Rss FeedRss Feed
The Leader in Network Knowledge
Partner Content
www.bmc.com
Gartner 2009 Magic Quadrant for Job Scheduling
Gartner has positioned BMC CONTROL-M in the Leaders Quadrant of their "2009 Magic Quadrant for Job Scheduling." The report assesses the ability to execute and completeness of vision of key vendors in the marketplace. Read a full copy today, courtesy of BMC Software.
Download whitepaper
Dell's SMART Approach to Workload Automation
Read a compelling case study by EMA, Inc. to learn how Dell uses BMC CONTROL-M to cut cost and increase productivity with workload automation.
Download whitepaper
Workload Automation Cost Savings 2 Minute Video
A major computer manufacturer uses BMC CONTROL-M and just four people to schedule and run over 85,000 jobs every month. By switching to BMC CONTROL-M, they more than quadrupled the workload without adding a single staff member. See how in this 2-minute video overview.
Go to video
Comment