n900

Top five Wi-Fi routers with built-in network storage

Generally, for network storage needs, I would recommend getting a dedicated NAS server, such as the Synology DiskStation DS1511+. However, if your needs are limited to casual usage, such as sharing documents and streaming music and photos, then a router with built-in network storage capability -- one that comes with internal storage or can host an external storage device and shares that with the rest of the network -- fits the bill better.

While much inferior to a NAS server in terms of features and especially performance, some routers actually have more to offer, in terms of storage, than one might expect and may just be what you need. In any case, getting a router of this type plus an external hard drive is a lot cheaper than a dedicated NAS server.

Following is a list of five top routers with built-in support for network storage that I've reviewed in recent years. … Read more

Belkin N900 N+ router review: Almost there

After the excellent N+ router that came out a few years ago, Belkin has been on a streak of rather mediocre routers, such as the Play or Play Max. But the Advance N900 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ router is a bit different.

This is the latest router from the company and also its first one that supports the 3 by 3 450Mbps standard on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz simultaneously. This is the reason for the N900 designation, which shows that the router supports the 802.11n specification and provides up to 900Mbps.

In my testing, the N900 DB lived … Read more

Asus RT-N66U router review: Worth the wait

I waited for a while before reviewing Asus's latest RT-N66U Dark Knight Double 450Mbps N router, which is the successor of the award-winning RT-N56U.

And it was worth the wait.

The reason for the holdup was the router's initial versions of the firmware had a few known bugs. I tested it with the latest, version 3.0.0.3.108, and while I could still find some minor quirks, the router proved itself to be one of the best N900 routers on the market.… Read more

Netgear brings dual-band 450Mbps to a gaming adapter

LAS VEGAS--Netgear announced today at CES 2012 its first dual-band 450Mbps adapter, the N900 Video and Gaming 4-Port Wi-Fi Adapter (model WNCE4004).

It connects Ethernet-ready devices, such as desktop computers, printers, and game consoles, to an existing Wi-Fi network. The adapter comes with four network ports, meaning you can add up to four wired devices to the Wi-Fi network at the far end of the connection.

The fact that it supports dual-band and the higher 450Mbps speeds means that you can use it with any existing wireless networks without having to worry about compatibility or performance degradation.

Netgear says that … Read more

Belkin combines true 450Mbps dual-band and MultiBeam, promises an ultimate router

LAS VEGAS--There's now another true 450Mbps dual-band router on the block.

Belkin announced today at CES 2012 the Advance N900 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router, model F9K1104. This is the company's top-tier wireless router, similar to the already released Linksys E4200 v2 from Cisco or the WNDR4500 of Netgear.

The router offers the new 450Mbps wireless data rate on both the 2.4Ghz and 5Gh bands. Belkin says it also support its exclusive MultiBeam Technology designed to deliver "a high-powered signal that allows for higher and more-consistent network speeds and minimizes the number of wireless dead spots.&… Read more

Netgear ships its N900 ultimate wireless router

Netgear announced today the availability of its latest wireless router, the N900 wireless-dual band gigabit router (model WNDR4500).

This is first true dual-band router from the company, and the second submitted for a CNET review, that offers the new 450Mbps speed on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. The first was the TEW-692GR from Trendnet.

While the Trendnet TEW-692GR doesn't offer much else, the N900 on the other hand is also the first of its kind to incorporate two USB ports to host USB external storage devices and printers. Physically, the N900 is one of the biggest routers … Read more

Nokia N900 now on sale in the U.S.

For those of you who have been chomping at the bit to get your hands on the Nokia N900, your wait is over. We just hope you've been saving up for it this whole time.

The highly anticipated Nokia N900 is now on sale in the U.S. for an unlocked price of $649. It's available at Nokia's flagship stores in New York and Chicago as well as online from Nokia and other retailers, such as Amazon.

Running on the Linux-based Maemo platform, the N900 is the next evolution of Nokia's Internet Tablet series and offers … Read more

Nokia pushes back N900 Net tablet

Nokia has delayed the release of its N900 Internet tablet.

The N900 was previously set to arrive in October--and Nokia's preorder site still states that. However, it is now set for release "during November," Peter Schneider, head of Maemo marketing at Nokia, said Thursday in a post. Schneider did not state the reason for the delay, but Reuters reported that the company is waiting for more feedback from developers.

N900, which costs $649, is part cell phone and part computer. It's considered a potential game-changer for Nokia, which is pushing it as "fusing the power … Read more

BOL 1051: Firefox 3.5, now safe for porn

Yes. Snow Leopard reviews are out, and I have my favorite. But the more interesting story is Mozilla finding out that people didn't want to upgrade because they're afraid of the awesome bar exposing their porn. So they introduced private browsing mode fast. We also welcome Jon Strickland from HowStuffWorks to the show and he helps us understand how we can turn any story into an Apple story.

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Best OS X Snow Leopard review I saw http://twitter.com/rstevens/status/3582198132Read more