Best -150$ router

[sention]

I am looking to purchase a router today or tomorow, but I was wondering what the best purchase is. I have been looking at the Netgear 3700 and the Linksys E3000. I would like to spend 150$ max, preferably less of course.

I will be running 3-4 laptops, 2-3 desktops (wired to 1g) and an xbox 360.

Speed is important on the wired connections, reliability is also very important. One or two restarts a week is okay. Wireless connection is more for school work uploads and downloads; its nothing too big and if so we can use the wired connection.


Which of these two selections is the better choice, and if you have a better choice please mention that as well.

Thanks for your time.

 

[DaveMcLain]

Do you really need dual band/dual radios? If not you could get by with something less expensive than $150.

 

[tipstir]

ESR-9850
Cost: $49 to $69 (various pricing with vendor pricing)
Wired: Gig, throughput is Very Good to Excellent near gig transfer speeds
Wireless is 17dBm = 50mw (looking at average coverage range)
802.11n TX: 150 mBps / RX: 300mBps @ 2.4GHz
Power Saver Ports: Yes

ESR-9855G
Cost: $79 to $129 (various pricing with vendor pricing)
Wired Gig (data n/a)
Wireless is 18dBm = 63W (looking at above average coverage range) (not 20dBm it's 18dBm)
802.11n TX: 150 mBps / RX: 300mBps @ 2.4GHz
Power Saver Ports: No

Usually CPU and RAM is lower
384MHz
32MB

On the 9855G= (Gig Gaming Router)
475MHz
64MB

Most of the other two dual band brands you mention are between 14dBm to 16dBm for wireless. Dual band really not needed. Only if you have a lot of 2.4GHz wireless devices in your home or area. Then 5GHz would be more ideal for you.

802.11n TX: 150 mBps / RX: 300mBps @ 2.4GHz
802.11a/n TX: 150 mBps / RX: 300mBps @ 5GHz

Usually have faster CPU and double the RAM
WNPU 500Mhz or Greater
WNPU 64MB or Greater

Faster CPU and RAM on routing side will seem quicker on certain applications like Outlook mail (if the PST is huge)

What I would do is get the ESR-9850 use that as the main wired DHCP Server and ESR-9855G as the hardwired access point for wireless. If you have older home with more than 2 floors. Less than that then two ESR-9850. One level then one ESR-9850.

E3000
WNDR3700/AV
TEW-673GRU

Going to be about the same in performance on wired side wireless one might be a bit better than the other two. See I have ESR-9850 there really no rebooting nor overheating of the unit. I need fast routing through-put. I am going to site and wait for large gig backups and media to load-up.

 

[stevech]

I'd just get a $50 11g WiFi router for what you plan to do.

 

[tipstir]

I'd just get a $50 11g WiFi router for what you plan to do.

Which one?