Top 10 wireless modem/routers

By Staff writers on 29 September 2009

Gone are the days where you needed a separate modem, router, firewall, wireless access point and VoIP device. Today's home or small office can take advantage of multitasking devices that can handle all these features and more, minimising the bewildering array of electronic devices we need, cutting down greatly on the spaghetti-like mess of cables, reducing cost, power consumption, wasted space... and confusion!

Below are the top 10 router or modem/router products we've reviewed recently. Looking at reader comments, it seems everyone has a horror story about the router they've purchased, so perhaps there's still some way to go for the devices to become the one-click set-up they need to be. If you've had a good or bad experience, jump in and leave your comments under each review.

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Comments (18)

  • BigMamma commented on 06/11/2009 06:12 Report abuse

    I have a question if some 1 can help me out. i have 10 cpus, 3 -4port routers, 1 switch, and modem and i can't get my routers to talk to each other any help ?

  • Gary commented on 21/09/2009 10:12 Report abuse

    Sorry, was talking about the Belkin N+ Wireless Router in my other post.

  • Gary commented on 21/09/2009 10:05 Report abuse

    The wireless performance is great, but there are two massive problems:
    1. You can't use an FTP client through this router (hard to believe but true, and a total dealbreaker if you publish a web site)
    2. It will drop the Internet connection under heavy load. I could not do my iPhone update until I got another router.
    And don't count on any support - they reply quickly but their suggestions are just plain stupid.
    I'm now using it as a wireless access point. Pity.

  • EugeneM1 commented on 14/09/2009 01:29 Report abuse

    Belkin N+ seemed to work great for most things. VOIP in does not work no matter what I do. I have disabled firewall, put phone modem in DMZ etc... phone just won't ring

  • Brother sucks commented on 05/08/2009 22:55 Report abuse

    I have been using a Belkin wireless multi port router modem for some time (g) and this has worked quite well. It seems to now have given up the ghost, and I want to go to a single unit n series modem router which also allows me to access VOIP like the Belkin did. Is there anything like that out there?

  • Steve W commented on 30/07/2009 15:25 Report abuse

    I have just purchased a Belkin N+ and it works well with 3 laptops running Windows XP but keeps dropping out on a third laptop - a Sony Vaio running Vista. Could this be a firewall/anti-virus security issue? Thanks

  • penthius commented on 05/07/2009 12:15 Report abuse

    After recently buying a very expensive linksys VOIP standalone phone, I needed a router to run it as standalone so bought a linksys VOIP router WRTP54G - BIG MISTAKE !! - If you have a Sony laptop and Vista you will have problems !! Now if anyone at all can show me a router with voip that is vista compatible please please please tell me !!

  • Molle commented on 01/07/2009 15:35 Report abuse

    Have a Belkin N1, cant say it worked well with dhcp (wan side), each time it should renew the lease i lost connection.

  • niq commented on 29/06/2009 22:45 Report abuse

    I purchased a Belkin N+ wireless router just last week and so far it has worked a treat. Originally I skimped and went for a Netgear DGN2000 - big mistake. After wasting many hours trying to get it working I eventually took it back to the store and exchanged it for the Belkin. The Belkin N+ was up and running in less than half an hour without any hassles. Connection speeds and range are fantastic, and it's reasonably pleasant on the eye.

  • bernaul commented on 25/06/2009 08:22 Report abuse

    I have had a Dynalink RTA1025W for a couple of years now and couldn't praise it enough. trouble free performance and easy to modify settings. well recommended.

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