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Topic: Broadband

Best wireless ADSL2+ modem/routers

Summary: In our ongoing testing of wireless ADSL2+ modem/routers, we bring you the top 10 so far. Of course, everyone has a horror story about each, so feel free to comment below on the frustration within.

Craig Simms

By Craig Simms |

billion-bipac-7800nl_1Billion BiPAC 7800NL

Overview

The 7800NL is a great bargain modem/router. If you don't care about gigabit Ethernet and can't justify the dollars to upgrade to the higher level 7800N, or even if you just want to mess with IPv6, the 7800NL could be for you.

The good

  • IPv6 support
  • Good short- to mid-range wireless performance
  • Good features for the price

The bad

  • Long range performance could be better
  • Web UI could scare off networking newbies

Editors' rating

8.0/10

Prices

There are currently no prices available for this product.

Topics: Broadband, Hardware, Networking, Telcos, NBN

Craig Simms

About Craig Simms

Focusing on PC hardware, accessories and business products, Craig Simms is responsible for identifying new opportunities for the reviews channels on CNET Australia and ZDNet Australia, to better serve the readers. He has written about a vast range of technology since 2001, covering the gamut from print to online, hardware to software, consumer to enthusiast, the gaming world to workstations.

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

12 comments
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  • I have one of these and for some reason my iMac always drops the N speed connection through the day but never does with the slower G. Very frustrating!
    mwil19-a34f7
    Reply Vote
  • mwil19: Which one do you have your comment is coming up on every page?
    mail@...
    Reply Vote
  • shame on you! no mention of the innate security of any of these routers - as a person who has spent a lot of money on routers (netcomm crap) and found them to be anybodies **** on the internet after a very short time I found the current fawning brochureware spouting from ALL magazines including your own to be sickening. In fact it is bordering on fraudulent - no-one does proper engineered assessments of the routers available from a security point of view. The guff you spout is just a regurgitation of the manufacturers brochures...

    SHAME ON YOU!
    walkerjian@...
    Reply Vote
  • Cisco 857W :) No worries.
    jordandalley
    Reply Vote
  • Dunno....

    Call me old fashioned.. but I am quite happy with plain wired router modems......

    Except of course the ones designed by idiots - like Belkin, who put in all sorts of abbreviations and acronyms, with no explaination as to what they actually mean, and they write the 3 or 4 letter codes in spaces that have enough room to write a paragraph, and there is nothing about what they mean in the manual and there are about 58 different bits of code for all the settings - and just as worsera still - no where does anything they have written - tell you want the function is.

    (made this up a bit)

    "Institute G4-28 A or B Class Protocols"

    [ ] A
    [ ] B

    It's like WTF does this mean? Nothing about it in the manual, no info in the router settings, no help files on line, no explainations.... No random mentions about G4-28 A or B protocols in any forums.....

    And there is 58 of these codes and the only reason why you can find out anything about what half of them mean, is not because the manual has anything about them, it's that you have to look up the info on sites that have absolutely NO connection to Belkin.

    Just how stupid are these people, .

    "Reconfigure your settings" - To what?

    I think most modem router manufacturers should be beaten for being complete idiots - they might know what they are doing - but no one who buys or uses the products do - because these idiots never tell you.

    Duh.
    Jahm Mittt
    Reply 2 Votes
  • Bought a FritzBox 7270.
    Old internet speed not better than 4.5mps. Now consistently get 6.5.
    Very easy to setup a USB HD as a Media Server. No need to move it from PC to TV's. Access via FTP from PC. Same with setup of Brother HL-2140 laser printer as a Network printer. Email forwarding of inbuilt telephone answering message works brilliantly and so easy to setup. Great for vacations.
    One problem. My home phone is a Uniden DECT system. Incompatible. Would not ring phone. (That is how I know the email forwarding works so well. Missed all calls)
    To upgrade to the FritzPhon would cost more than the unit, as I would need two. (large home).
    Great to work with a clear and informative PC interface to the unit.
    BRILLIANT PRODUCT.
    graadley
    Reply Vote
  • billion all the way, 7800N is a great router ..
    kRanki1
    Reply Vote

    • 7800N

      5.0

      Really? I found the 7800N to be a total letdown over the previous 7404VGPX.

      Mine has intermittant wifi, ethernet sometimes randomly disconnects, doesnt refresh the IP log, QoS sometimes doesnt work at all....

      Definitely wouldnt recommend the 7800N. I've tried all firmwares so far, its been a total bastard. Swapping to Linksys / Cisco - sending this thing for warranty.
      Master_T[RG]
      Reply Vote

      • 7800VDOX

        I had a 7404VGOX - great except that it the DHCP server used to eventually die and require a reset. But a power spike fritzed the VoIP side of the unit, so I upgraded to a 7800VDOX - even better, no issues with DHCP, but the status reporting us utter cr@p compared to the 7404VGOX and the VPN requires that you use a separate IPSec client, not the standard Microsoft client like the 7404VGOX.

        Maybe someone, one day, will create the ultimate router, but for now, the Broadcom chipset in the 7800VDOX works to give me the best speed on a 2.5km link with BAD attentation (7.2M, compared to the 6.3M on the 7404), so I'm happy!
        rowan.evans@...
        Reply Vote

  • Netgear DGND3700

    4.0

    I think you've given the DGND3700 more credit than it deserves. Based on paper it looks great, but delve through the countless number of internet forums and you'll quickly see some major issues with this router. I have to run test firmware on my router due to it's instability.

    There are problems with the router re-establishing an ADSL connection often producing the red-light of death that's common on many Netgear routers, the DLNA streaming is almost unusable and there is no capability for multiple PVC's meaning that a lot of IPTV streaming is unable to be accessed.

    I do love the simultaneous dual-band though and multiple SSID's. Now that I'm running test firmware the ADSL is more stable, but DLNA streaming unusable. Netgear have discontinued this particular model and are bringing out a version 2 with improved hardware components to address some issues.
    Adza75
    Reply Vote

  • Asus Dark Knight

    8.0

    I got the Asus Dark Knight delivered earlier today. This is a superbly good router, especially for those with technical capability. Router delivers the best Wi-Fi signal range and speed of any router I've seen under $200. It delivers a solid 2.4GHz signal to every level of a four story structure even on the opposite side of an elevator. Its 5GHz signal is also exceptional and almost matches the range of the 2.4Ghz signal.

    Read more: www.istumbledupon.com/asus-rt-n66u-dual-band-wireless-n900-gigabit-router/
    AvrilMcC
    Reply Vote

  • Do you work for Billion

    4.0

    Is it just me or are Billion highly over included here? Don't get me wrong they have some great products but where are rivals like Draytek in here? Get yourself a 2830n and you've got a business class router that will handle ADSL and fibre connections so you can buy now and upgrade later not to mention VLAN's, 32 consecutive VPN tunnels etc etc etc
    abuk_fs1@...
    Reply Vote
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