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Best 5 wireless routers

(Updated September 24, 2012 4:00 AM PDT)
Dong Ngo
Dong Ngo
Senior associate editor

The wireless router is arguably the most important piece of computer equipment in your home (and even when traveling), since it connects the rest of your gadgets to one another and the Internet. As there are so many choices on the market, it's always hard to find the best one for your money. This is a list of the current Top 5 routers I've reviewed so far. They come with different feature sets and prices, but all of them share great performance and have earned high CNET ratings.

Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight Double 450Mbps N Router

Though not perfect, the Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight Double 450Mbps N Router would make an excellent network gateway for home and small-office environments.

Price: $159.99 - $200.00 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight Double 450Mbps N Router

NetGear R6300 WiFi Router

The Netgear R6300 WiFi Router is for a high-standards, low-ego type of user: it's not something you can show off aesthetically, but a powerhouse for a robust, fast home network, both for now and tomorrow.

Price: $197.93 - $249.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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NetGear R6300 WiFi Router

D-Link DIR-857 HD Media Router 3000

Though not perfect, the D-Link DIR-857 HD Media Router 3000 makes a great router for homes thanks to its top-notch performance on the 5GHz band and a nice set of features.

Price: $149.84 - $179.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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D-Link DIR-857 HD Media Router 3000

Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router EA4500

Running Cisco Connect Cloud firmware, the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router EA4500 makes an excellent router for those who want a fast and advanced home network that's easily manageable from anywhere.

Price: $146.95 - $199.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Excellent

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Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router EA4500

Western Digital My Net N900 HD dual-band router

The Western Digital My Net N900 HD is a whole new kind of Wireless-N router. At release, the router is a decent investment for home users but will need better firmware to work at its full potential.

Price: $157.55 - $224.99 (check prices)

4 stars

Very good

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Western Digital My Net N900 HD dual-band router