Hands-on Review: Belkin N1 Wi-Fi Router

We've been waiting for the next upgrade to the Wi-Fi standard for, literally, several years now. And it's still not ready! That hasn't stopped wireless companies from producing products based on early versions of the 802.11n wireless standard, and in fact I've been using Belkin's "pre-N" router in my office since late 2005.

Recently I received an upgrade to that router for testing, the Belkin N1. No, it's not a legitimate 802.11n router but rather a "draft-N" router. Which means, I suppose, it's less "pre" than "pre-N."

I've been using the router for about a week, and here's my opinion.

Most notably, the router is more stable than the old pre-N router. It hangs up less often (a problem that sometimes occurs with all routers when they become overwhelmed with traffic, legitimate or otherwise), and it does a better job of powering through walls and interference. When I walk from one floor to another, I no longer lose signal like I did with the pre-N router.

Performance is about the same, perhaps 10 to 15 percent better on average. You won't notice the difference unless you're transferring large files from one computer to another. But I do this all the time, so I appreciate the slight performance boost.

The draft-N router also has a small but intelligent design fix: The three antennas are located adjacent to the edge of the router where the Ethernet cables plug in, which makes it much easier to place among your other PC components. It's a small change, but an important one. The old design meant antennas were jutting out toward the front of your desk, while the new design keeps them back against the wall. The new N1 is also nicer looking, with a sleek, polished exterior and better LED display indicators.

Is it worth upgrading if you're already using pre-N equipment? Probably not, but if you're in the market for a new Wi-Fi router today, I give the Belkin N1 my recommendation as one of the best you can currently get.