SnapperTalk

The number of wireless routers out there is huge. And the number of so-called wi-fi “standards” equally so - 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g etc and the upcoming 802.11n.
To complicate things further, some manufacturers have been unwilling to wait for the new 802.11 standard to be ratified, and have come out with “pre-N” kit based on MIMO (Multiple-input, Multiple output) technology which aims to achieve greater speed and range - largely through intelligent ways of reducing interference. Confusingly this pre-N kit is unlikely to be fully compatible with the N standard when it eventually comes out, but at the moment represents the cutting-edge of wireless technology, and should offer significant improvements over existing gear.

Belkin and Linksys have already come up with their own pre-N kit, reviews of which can be found in the links below.

A new product by Netgear due out next month looks particularly attractive, promising 108Mbps speeds and great range due to 7 internal antennas based on technology by Video54 rebranded by Netgear as RangeMax. Whilst the full benefit will be realised by users with new Netgear Rangemax client cards, it also claims a 50% range increase for users with existing wireless gear.

Netgear WPN824 RangeMax router product page

Linksys WRT54GX router product page
Linksys WRT54GX router review at Tomsnetworking

Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router product page
Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router review at Tomsnetworking

Article about the different approaches to MIMO technology at Tomsnetworking