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Extend your reach with a long-range router
Allen Fear
Allen Fear,
senior editor

Setting up a wireless network is easy. Getting coverage into every nook and cranny of your home can be difficult. We've assembled a few routers that can help you extend your Wi-Fi into those hard-to-reach areas. All of these products achieve their range enhancements with the help of proprietary technologies, and in order to fully reap their benefits, all of the gear that makes up your network will need to be equipped with matching technology. In short, you'll get better performance if you use the same brand of gear for all the devices on your network.

The Belkin and Linksys routers each use Airgo's MIMO chipset, which offers all-around better performance than the Atheros-based channel-bonding solution used in the Netgear and D-Link routers. MIMO is also a better choice if you intend to use the router in an environment with equipment from multiple manufacturers. The downside to both MIMO and channel bonding is that neither solution is based on an 802.11 standard, which means that their performance benefits probably won't work with future 802.11n gear due out next year.

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Product name Wireless Pre-N Router
Wireless Pre-N Router
Linksys WRT54GX
Linksys WRT54GX
WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router
WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router
DI-624 AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 108Mbps Wireless Router
DI-624 AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 108Mbps Wireless Router





Review date December 6, 2004 March 8, 2005 December 9, 2003 December 18, 2003





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Review summary If you're looking for a router with great range, this is it. The Linksys WRT54GX offers impressive performance, but Belkin's Pre-N router delivers more bang for the buck. Netgear's WGT624 is a good choice for advanced users but may be too complicated for those new to networking. The DI-624 is fast, and it combines easy installation with advanced security options, making it a good choice for homes and offices alike.





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Basic Specs
Device Type Wireless router  
Wireless router  
Wireless router  
Wireless router  





Weight Info unavailable 
1.1 lbs 
0.7 lbs 
0.7 lbs 





Data Transfer Rate 108 Mbps 
Info unavailable 
108 Mbps 
54 Mbps 





Frequency Band 2.4 GHz 
Info unavailable 
2.4 GHz 
2.4 GHz 





Data Link Protocol Ethernet , Fast Ethernet , IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , IEEE 802.11n (draft)  
Ethernet , Fast Ethernet , IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g  
Ethernet , Fast Ethernet , IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g  
Ethernet , IEEE 802.11b+ , Fast Ethernet , IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g  





Network / Transport Protocol PPPoE , UDP/IP , TCP/IP , PPTP , IPSec  
Info unavailable 
PPPoE , L2TP , TCP/IP , PPTP , IPSec  
PPPoE , L2TP , PPTP , IPSec  





Remote Management Protocol HTTP  
Info unavailable 
HTTP  
SNMP , HTTP , Telnet  





Communication Mode Full-duplex  
Info unavailable 
Info unavailable 
Full-duplex , Half-duplex  





Features DHCP support , Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) , NAT support  
Auto-uplink (auto MDI/MDI-X) , DoS attack prevention , VPN passthrough , Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI)  
DMZ port , Firewall protection , DoS attack prevention , Manageable , Content filtering , Auto-negotiation , VPN support , DHCP support , Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) , NAT support  
DMZ port , Firewall protection , Full duplex capability , VPN support , BOOTP support , DHCP support , NAT support  





System Requirements Microsoft Windows 95  
Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP  
Microsoft Windows NT , Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition , Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP , Apple MacOS , Novell NetWare , Linux , Microsoft Windows 98 , UNIX  
Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP , Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition / Windows ME  





Manufacturer Warranty Info unavailable 
Info unavailable 
1 year warranty  
Info unavailable 





CNET Labs long-range tests (in Mbps) 36.4  
28.6  
Info unavailable 
6.2  





CNET Labs maximum throughput tests (at 10 feet, in Mbps) 45.7  
43.4  
Info unavailable 
44.4  





CNET Labs maximum throughput tests with mixed 802.11b/g and draft N, MIMO clients (at 10 feet, in Mbps) 42.1  
23.5  
Info unavailable 
11.6  





Form factor External  
External  
External  
External  





 
 
 
 
 
Product name Wireless Pre-N Router Linksys WRT54GX WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router DI-624 AirPlus Xtreme G High-Speed 108Mbps Wireless Router





Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications





Price range  
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$17-$155
from 6 stores
 
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$129
from 1 store