Tired of being wired to your broadband Internet connection? Create a high speed wireless network by placing a Wireless router in your network. Here is what you need to know to select the suitable device for your home or small office.

Wireless Standard
The current standard for home networks is 802.11g. It’s backward-compatible, so you can use an 802.11g router with older 802.11b equipment. Routers based on the not-yet-finalized “Draft N” version of the upcoming 802.11n spec are now available, and they work with 802.11b/g devices. But these early models aren’t delivering the exceptional range and performance their makers have been touting, and they can cost twice as much as 802.11g units.

Security
Look for a router that supports Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, or the newer WPA2. Either is more secure than the ubiquitous Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Also, look for a built-in hardware firewall, for protecting all the PCs on your network.

Throughput
Measured in megabits per second (Mbps), throughput refers to the speed of data transfer a router can provide. Each networking standard has a theoretical maximum throughput, but individual routers will each have their own real-world speeds. The latest Draft N models, for example, promise top throughputs of 540Mbps, but actual results are likely to be far less.

Range
Range is the maximum distance from the router that a wireless-enabled device can receive a signal. Obstacles such as walls, or interference sources such as cordless phones, can reduce the range. If you need extended wireless coverage, routers that support multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) technology offer the best range. To take full advantage of MIMO, however, the receiving end has to be MIMO-enabled, too.