Going Wi-Fi

Gurjot S. Sachdeva

The uncluttered setup of a wireless network is indeed a futuristic preference for enterprises. But then going Wi-Fi makes the choice of a router all the more important. With the best available security features, area coverage, and network standards (IEEE 802.11n/b/g) and that too at an appropriate price, routers can be chosen to perfection by knowing a few key technicalities and having a fair idea of network requirements. Here, we take you through some parameters to look in while purchasing a Wi-Fi router. We also try to answer some common questions and also dissolve some misconceptions about routers.

Is 5GHz better than 2.4 GHz?

Routers operate wirelessly at two frequencies, i.e., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Besides the fact that a 5 GHz can carry more data than the 2.4 GHz counterpart, ironically, 5 GHz is disadvantageous too. Higher frequency of signal means lower penetration power, thus 2.4 GHz have comparatively larger operating range. On the other hand, most of the wireless devices operate at 2.4 GHz making the 2.4 GHz router more prone to interference. Thus, no router frequency edges over the other and each has its own pros and cons. The solution can come in the form of having a dual-band router option where the router can operate at both the frequencies combining the benefits of both as per the requirement.

"Are data speeds up to 300Mbps possible?"

No! Wi-Fi routers generally come with their data speeds of up to 300Mbps (IEEE 802.11n), the other standards being IEEE 802.11g (up to 54 Mbps) and IEEE 802.11b (up to 11 Mbps). However, the actual throughputs and performance on this parameter is far lower than the mentioned ratings. Also, setting up a network using a high speed router does not speed up your Internet speed.

Routers and benchmarks

We reviewed 6 routers from 3 different manufacturers --Belkin, Linksys (Cisco) and ZyXEL. To determine the performance, we ran the Q-Check 3.0 which enables to get the TCP and UDP throughputs and also the corresponding response time. Further, we checked data/file transfer rate across the wireless network using the correspondingly mentioned test beds.

ZyXEL NBG 460N

The most expensive of all the reviewed routers, ZyXEL NBG 460 is a feature loaded gigabit wireless N router with VPN. In other words, it allows you to create your own private LAN which can be virtually connected over the WAN from anywhere allowing file sharing and data. The router does not make you compromise whether it be throughput, coverage range, data transfer rates or features. The standard looking router has 3 x 2dBi detachable dipole external antennas, 1 WAN and 4 LAN ports, and Reset and WPS buttons all neatly placed at the rear.The other positive aspect of the router was the web-based interface for router settings which was clearly segregated under network, security, management and maintenance. Security features include WPS/WEP/WAP/WAP2, a built in firewall and content filters. An feature was the router-scheduling in which you can pre-set the operating and non-operating time slots of the router for each day.

ZyXEL P320W v3

ZyXEL P320W v3 is not as featured enriched as the NBG 460N but is well packaged for its price. Firstly, we talk of features that you lose on by preferring P320W over NBG 460N. These include the wireless capability compliance: the P320W being IEEE 802.11g/b means it can offer speeds up to 54 Mbps. Also, VPN is a feature you lose on to. The USB slot however is absent from both the ZyXEL routers. Also on the security front, the router misses on WPS though WEP and WAP/WAP2 encryption come standard. Physically, the distinctive feature is the presence of a single external 5 dbi detachable dipole external antenna as compared to 3 x 2 dBi in NBG 460N. However, the web-interface for router settings is more or less the same. All in all, P320W v3 with its decent throughput and Q-check figures is a decent option for small offices.

* Test Bed: The router was connected to a PC through Ethernet and to a notebook wirelessly. Benchmarks were run and data was transferred between the PC and notebook to check performance.

1. Dell Alienware Aurora, Intel Core i7, 24GB RAM, 64bit. 2. Asus Notebook P42F, Intel Core i3, 2GB RAM, 64 Bit

Belkin Basic



As the name suggests, Belkin Basic router is a standard router having essential capabilities of setting up a wired/wireless network. As compared to some other basic router models included in our review, the stand-out feature of Basic comes in the form of it being IEEE 802.11n compliant, which allows data transmission rates of up to 150Mbps (in this case). However, not to forget, it is also backward compliant with IEEE 802.11b/g. The round-edged router design incorporates a WAN port and 4 LAN ports with a WPS and reset button. The green/amber light on the router denotes the network status. The router comes with network security features like WPS, WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK. The only two cons experienced were the inability of router to be wall mountable and the absence of USB port for connecting network sharable external drive.

Belkin Surf



Belkin Surf on physical inspection looks a replica of Belkin Basic but with comparatively larger dimensions, of course, the non-mountable design coming along as a standard from Belkin. Surf has a giga-Ethernet WAN and 4 LAN ports, the standard WPS button is in front and that for reset is at rear. One positive feature about the design of Belkin routers which is standard for all its routers is the presence of internal antennas which makes it look neat. However, the operating range is not at compromise. Another feature that was common to both Basic and Surf was their operating frequency, i.e., 2.4 Ghz. The Surf edges over the Basic in terms of data transmission rates of up to 300Mbps (IEEE 802.11n). With security features of WPS, WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK and in-built firewall, the Surf is a well-packaged router for personal and small office networks.

Belkin Share

Belkin Share comes as a well packaged office network router with features to support high transmission rates (upto 300Mbps), better coverage and share network with resources like wireless printers besides the normal host-client network setup. The other distinctive factor with the Share is the presence of a USB 2.0 port with indicator which means that you can attach an external hard drive to be commonly shared by the clients on the network transforming router to a network storage device. MAC address filtering in routers from Belkin bring along an additional security feature besides the WPS, WPA and WEP. Without MAC address filtering, a client can be added by just knowing the network name (SSID), passwords and encryption keys. The MAC address filtering if enabled compares the IP of the new client with that provided by the administrator's list of pre-defined IPs and then allows the client to be on the network.

* Test Bed: The following machines were setup in a wireless network through the router to run the benchmarks and data transfer test.

1. Asus Notebook P42F, Intel Core i3, 2GB RAM, 64 Bit. 2. HCL ME 54, Intel Core i3, 2GB RAM, 32 Bit

Linksys WRT160NL

The WRT160NL is a wireless N- broadband router with storage link. The USB 2.0 port facilitates the additional network sharable external hard drive. The router has a sleek flat profile with two external antennas. The router can be wall mounted if required. The other distinctive feature is the status indicators, each for WAN, LAN1, LAN2, LAN3, LAN4, network status, and the reset button. The installation involves the network adapter to be plugged-in to the USB port of your machine. However, it does not offer a giga-Ethernet port. The WRT160NL is compliant to 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and draft 802.11n. The router safety features include WEP and WAP/WAP2. However, the WPS is missing. Also, the router we tested operates at 2.4 GHz though, a dual band option is available; the other frequency being 5GHz. Coming to the benchmarks, throughput and data transfer rate, the router gave better figures as compared to the most of the routers reviewed.

* Test Bed: The router was connected to a PC through Ethernet and to a notebook wirelessly. Benchmarks were run and data was transferred between the PC and notebook to check performance.

1. Dell Alienware Aurora, Intel Core i7, 24GB RAM, 64bit. 2. Asus Notebook P42F, Intel Core i3, 2GB RAM, 64 Bit

Related Articles:

Five Routers That Enable Data Card Sharing

Netgear WNDR3700 Router

Planning, Designing & Implementing a Wi-Fi Network

WIFI Technology Standards

Choose The Right WIFI access point