Pros: Good backwards compatability.  lots of features & easy to use. 

Cons: Needs GB Ethernet. Grade C+.

Amazon Link: RangeMax WNDR3300 Dual Band Wireless-N Router. Street Price $99.

Install

The CD installer is designed for a first time user, who has never connected a router to an existing cable modem/DSL connection.  It pops up a windows message box for each required step of the install. ex: “Unplug ethernet cable from your PC, click next to continue”. Theres at least a dozen of these pop-ups, but eventually you are pushed onto a revised Netgear internal web page config (www.routerlogin.com) this is nice for novice users, who might be confused by entering in a static ip address (192.168.1.1) to config the router. 

I let the router run its interal config wizard, which walks the user step by step thru the details of the WAN connection and the wireless settings.  This worked nicely, and it auto-detected that my cable modem was assigning IP addresses, although it prompted me for an account name. I dont ever recall having to use an account name for a cable/dsl router.  After this it resets itself and a minute later displayed the full Basic Settings web page.  Minor Nit: there is an apply button on this page that will reboot the router even if you haven’t changed anything on the page. Read the rest of this entry »