Best N router for my needs

[makowb]

Okay, so let me start off by saying I've done quite a bit of research so far, but I'm just not sure if I'm correct in my findings/assumptions.

Now, here are what I am going to be using this for and my requirements. First, I want ONE (ie no bridging or using two routers) gigabit, dual-band N router with a USB port for printer sharing. I would also like it to be simultaneous dual-band because as far as I can tell, if I use something that isn't, then the N band will suffer because of it. I will have my macbook using N, my old desktop turned NAS hard wired, a media extender (not currently, but probably in the future) with 5ghz N features, and a slew of G devices (ps3, ipod touch, older laptops.)

I have 5 choices I've narrowed it down to with pros/cons and prices (new) I can find:

Linksys wrt600n
Price:170$
Pros: Good performance for price
Cons: A little bit more expensive, no print server

Linksys wrt610n
Price:165$
Pros: Good performance
Cons: Large periodic throughput dropouts (bad for HD media extending) A little bit more expensive, no print server

D-Link DIR-825
Price: 140$
Pros: Pretty much a cheaper version of DIR-855
Cons: Shareport doesn't work with mac (yes I know I can use parallels or whatever, but that's more work). Smaller 5 ghz range.

D-Link DIR-855
Price: 240$
Pros: Has everything I'd need, period
Cons: PRICE! Shareport doesn't work with mac

Apple Airport Extreme Base Station
Price: 130$ (or 500gb time capsule for 240$)
Pros: Works well with my mac and PCs, very easy to use, very reliable
Cons: Can't use simultaneous bands. No firewall or uPnP (read on PCMag, can anyone confirm)?

Honestly, if anyone has cases of streaming HD with the Airport Extreme while running simultaneous G devices on it not killing the quality of the video then I'm probably going to hop on the Airport.

 

[thiggins]

Sounds like you are sold on the Airport Extreme.

There is no router that is guaranteed to provide flawless HD streaming, particularly not in a crowded airspace.

Note that the Airport will not allow you to run 40 MHz channel bandwidth in 2.4 GHz. That's a good thing anyway, since you will be running another WLAN in 2.4GHz.

 

[makowb]

Well, the crowded airspace is all theoretical. For the most part it will probably have the N media extender running, a G laptop and/or a ps3 running at the same time. I would say when I'm running HD the most things that would be connected would be 2 N devices and 1 G.

 

[thiggins]

Well, the crowded airspace is all theoretical.

Sorry, but I don't understand this comment.

It's not how many devices are connected, but the bandwidth that they are consuming. If you have 20 Mbps of bandwidth and a HD media stream consuming 15 - 20 Mbps of it, then you will have problems.

Available bandwidth depends on many factors, including adapters used, distance, wall construction and other networks.