Broadband router revolution

Nathan Taylor tests the latest modemless broadband routers — including mesh networking models — that could revolutionise your home network.

So you don’t need a modem, or maybe you’re prepared to just buy a cheap modem router because you want a proper dedicated broadband router running your home network. It’s certainly true that you have more options when it comes to broadband routers than you do with modem routers. The newest tech tends to be implemented in broadband routers long before it comes to modem routers.

Below, we’ve looked at some of the top broadband routers currently available, including several new mesh networks designed for people tired of crummy Wi-Fi coverage in their home.

HOW WE TESTED

We tested broadband routers the same way we tested ADSL modem routers. We performed a straight file copy test from a server attached to the router via Gigabit Ethernet. At both 5m (line of sight) and 15m (with two intervening plaster walls), we copied a 1GB file from the server to a laptop attached to a Linksys WUMC710 wireless bridge. The WUMC710 is capable of 1,300Mbps wireless AC.

We should note that, in the case of mesh solutions, we also performed additional bridged testing, as noted in the reviews.

As always with wireless tests, there is certainly a case of your-mileage-may-vary. The numbers presented are only useful for comparison, and are not necessarily an indication of what you might get in your specific home environment.