Back to school: Routers for dorm rooms

Felisa Yang, Associate Editor August 1, 2007

Editor's note: It's been brought to our attention that most colleges and universities in the U.S. have policies that prohibit students from installing routers and APs in the dorms, for network security reasons. (This editor went to college way before this issue was relevant for students.) So check your school's policy before installing anything. But if you live off campus, read on!

Most college dormitories provide Ethernet access in each room, but why keep yourself tethered to a wired connection? A wireless router gives you the freedom to move about in your room or suite, as well as let multiple people get online at the same time. (Hey, the person hosting the study group doesn't have to chip in for snacks, right?)

If you're on a tight budget, a basic, low-cost 802.11g router will fit your needs just fine. Although 802.11n is all anyone's talking about, you can easily find a basic router for $40 or less online. But if you can afford to upgrade, you may want to consider something fancier, like Asus's BitTorrent-enabled router with on-board hard drive, or an 802.11n router. The latter will provide faster throughput and greater range (so you can hang out in that nice grassy patch outside your window).

Finally, if you're feeling extra spendy, why not get a 3G cellular data card and a cellular router? You can easily set up a hot-spot anywhere you want and get online. Your friends can join you wherever you might be--the beach, a park, or the roof of your dorm--and you can all catch some rays while catching up on the classics. Whatever your needs are, there's a router for you.