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The next decision you need to make is for LAN connectivity. How will the computers on your LAN connect to your router? If all the computers are in the same room, 10/100 Ethernet is fine. If your computers are spread out over the house, the choice becomes more difficult.

If you purchase a router that only has wired Ethernet and want to add wireless or HPNA connectivity later, devices are available that allow the 'bridging' of networks together. See the example here  

A new bread of broadband routers from a couple manufacturers feature empty PCCard slots that allow you to add wireless or HPNA networking later. There may also be bluetooth cards available in the future.

Ethernet

NEARLY all routers have one or more Ethernet ports for your LAN. 10/100 Ethernet is the most standard networking type. If the router does not have enough ports, you can always connect an Ethernet hub or switch to your router for more ports. Some routers only come with one port (no switch built in) and expect you to add a hub/switch or connect your existing one.

The most popular wireless standard is 11Mbps 802.11b. Every router manufacturer has 802.11b equipment available. A router that supports 802.11b is referred to as an ‘access point’. 802.11b does not penetrate more than a few building walls and can interfere with some cordless phones that operate in the same 2.4ghz range. Security has also been called into question these days. (more 802.11b info )

There are more specifics about shopping for 802.11b later in this article

54Mbps and 72Mbps Wireless Ethernet

A new standard of wireless Ethernet is emerging called 802.11a. This standard is similar to 802.11b but is much faster. The industry may soon offer 54Mbps upgrades for your 11Mbps wireless routers but don't be fooled - the processors in your 11Mbps router will probably never keep up with the 54Mbps speeds. This of course is speculation so far.

Router based print servers are NOT bi-directional. Most printers sold these days – especially ink jet printers – do not function well without a bi-directional printer port. Some to not function at all. Check the latest version of your printer driver for non bi-directional printing support before you count on using a print server.

Broadband routers that are aimed at the market all handle a minimum of 1.5Mbps of data through the WAN (Internet) port when using NAT (I know of no exceptions). Cable modems are almost always capped at 1.5Mbps (or less) and most other broadband technologies are significantly slower. The only technologies that are faster than 1.5Mbps are multi-cast two way satellites, some specific very high-end DSL services, and a few communities that have fiber.

For the most part any broadband router that you purchase will be fast enough to handle your broadband connection. LAN to WAN speed does not need to be part of most peoples purchasing decision.

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