Belkin N+ Wireless Router Review
Yes, the name is right. It’s one you may not have come across before, but don’t let that stop you from actively considering this if you are thinking of buying a wireless router. Costing around $100 only, it is a great value for money proposition, even if it does have a few flaws.
Looks wise, the Belkin N+ is bulky – in fact it’s probably one of the most bulky routers around. But the design is attractive, with some nice curves. It also works only in the vertical, upright position, having its 2 antennas on the top. Anyway, since the point of a router is that it can be tucked away in a hidden (but signal accessible) corner of the house, this is not a problem. The ports are at the back of the unit and the function LEDs are in front. Everything is clearly labeled so figuring out what’s what is not a problem.
Hooking up the Belkin N+ is also very easy. The CD with the set up software will walk you through the process in under 5 minutes. Those who want to customize the routers settings can use the router’s web interface. Either way – set up is a breeze.
Performance wise, the Belkin N+ is one of the best. The range is one of the longest among any routers and picking up a signal from 500 feet is not a problem. YOU could probably go further, but I ran out of space! Most other routers signals start fading at the 300 foot mark.
As for the throughput, the results are again very impressive – expect something in the range of 77 Mbps.
But the Belkin N+ is not a full featured NAS server. You can connect an external USB drive, but you will not be able to manage it – in terms of managing access privileges, creating and sharing folders etc. But accessing the drive is not a problem.
The router has an interesting feature call the Broadband Download Speedometer which is an arraignment/display of lights placed on the façade/front of the unit. These lights give a display of the current connection speed alongside the fastest speed ever achieved. It looks nice, but how many people spend their time looking at their routers?
All in all the Belkin N+ is not just a great value for money, it is perfect for those who need to use if over a larger range than most others routers can offer. It’s reliable and easy to set up and use. Okay, as far as other features go it may be a bit limited and lack the sophistication of some of the Linksys routers, but at this price it would not be reasonable to expect much more than what is available. If you are looking for a router that will allow you to carry your laptop to any part of your home and stay connected (and that’s usually the only application for most of us) you need look no further than the Belkin N+.
Rating:
Value for money – 4/5
Ease of use – 4/5
Range – 5/5
Features – 3/5
Overall – 4/5