Buying Guide - Hardware

Please check back later as we post the results of our recent consumer-grade wireless router face-off. We tested devices from Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, Buffalo, Belkin, and US Robotics. Preliminary results:

• Netgear: The ProSafe line of firewalls offer good security, and there are now wireless models in the ProSafe line. Inexplicably though, their PCI, USB, and PC Card adapters have difficulty linking up. We hope firmware updates are forthcoming that will resolve this.
• Linksys: Since the buyout by Cisco, Linksys products have seen some nice improvements. They finally removed the word 'firewall' from their NAT-only routers, which is a welcome improvement to their truth in advertising policy. These are sturdy, reliable workhorses and operate (after initial configuration) in true 'refrigerator' mode (not requiring any messing about). We'd like to see improvements in the filtering controls, though.

Some general recommendations:

• IBM notebook and desktop PCs (primarily for reliability, and much better tech support than Dell!)
• Maxtor One-Touch external hard drives for backup
• Sony DVD burners
• HP iPAQ Pocket PCs
• Netgear ProSafe security routers
• Cisco PIX and Sonicwall SOHO and Pro series firewalls
• We like Tom's Hardware Guide as another source for advice on the newest hardware