PC Magazine - 2009 11.pdf - Libertad Zero

SolutionsThe Truth AboutWi-Fi RoutersDual-band versus single-band, N versus G. What does it all mean?Here’s what you need to know about Wi-Fi routers before you buyyour next one. By Mario MorejonAlmost every broadband routerdestined for the home marketthese days has Wi-Fi capability.In fact, it’s been ages sincewe reviewed a router thatdidn’t include radios for wireless networking.That means you have a ton of choiceswhen it comes to selecting the right routerfor your home or small business.How to choose the right one? Well, don’tgo by the makers’ advertised speeds, whichseldom have much to do with reality. Somevendors go as far as using the “300” megabits-per-secondspeed in the names of routersthat can’t achieve anywhere near thatthroughput in the real world. Your best betis to avoid any pitch that tells you aboutthe speed of the router. Instead, you shouldlook at many features that you might needand that might be buried deep down inthe feature chart. Fortunately, the marketis flooded with Wi-Fi routers, so finding agood one is simpler than you might think, ifyou know what you’re looking for. Here areten things to consider.Is 802.11n (N) really that much betterthan 802.11g (G)?Yup. Believe it or not, the 802.11g Wi-Firouter, which uses a technology that hasbeen around for seven years, is still popular,especially in the corporate world. Smallbusinesses buy G routers because they arecheaper and perform adequately. Some802.11g routers include specialized functionsthat are essential in business, such as powerfulpolicy-based firewalls and threat-managementfeatures. But in the home, speedis far more important, and there the 802.11nWi-Fi router is king. N routers often deliveras much as five times as much throughputas G routers in real-world testing.66 PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION NOVEMBER 2009