| Wireless networking kit | Rank | | | Inventory number | Bullet | Bullet | Bullet | PCW Bullet | PCW Bullet | PCW Bullet | Comments |
| 18882 | 1 | Best Buy | Netgear WGR614 router | 22653 | WG511 PC Card, WG311 PCI card | 802.11g | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | WPA security pending firmware upgrade | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $255 | Netgear's 11g kit takes top honors for great performance, an intuitive interface, and bulletproof reliability in our tests. Pending WPA capability and full Wi-Fi certification will complete the picture. |
| 18885 | 2 | | Linksys Wireless-G WRT54G router | 22643 | WPC54G PC Card, WMP54G PCI card | 802.11g | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | WPA security, Wi-Fi certified | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $255 | Though only a middling performer, this Linksys kit gets kudos for being one of the few products certified for 802.11g and WPA compatibility at the time of our review. |
| 18888 | 3 | | Belkin F5D7230-4 router | 22645 | F5D7010 PC Card, F5D7000 PCI card | 802.11g | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | WPA security | Lifetime warranty | Kit price when ranked: $270 | Solid kit's components come with handy installation CDs and generous printed documentation. But reader reports about Belkin's reliability give us pause. |
| 18891 | 4 | | Buffalo Technology AirStation WBR-G54 router | 22649 | WLI-CB-G54A PC Card, WLI-PCI-G54 PCI card | 802.11g | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | WPA security, Wi-Fi certified | Two-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $250 | Good performer with full Wi-Fi certification is hindered by weak documentation and confusing configuration screens, though that shouldn't be a problem for advanced users. |
| 18894 | 5 | | D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DI-624 router | 22659 | DWL-G650 PC Card, DWL-G520 PCI card | 802.11g | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | WPA security | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $245 | Merely an adequate performer among the 11g kits, this router has slightly confusing configuration pages, but context-sensitive help menus make tasks easier. The router and PC Card support WPA. |
| 18897 | 6 | | U.S. Robotics Wireless Turbo USR8054 router | 22666 | USR5410 PC Card, USR5416 PCI card | 802.11g | 64-, 128-, and 256-bit WEP encryption | WPA security pending firmware upgrade | Two-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $260 | A good choice for geeks, the U.S. Robotics kit offers great performance thanks to proprietary speed enhancement, but it provides little hand-holding. |
| 18900 | 7 | | D-Link AirPlus DI-714P+ router | 22546 | DWL-650+ PC Card, DWL-520+ PCI card, DWL-120+ USB adapter | 802.11b | 64-, 128-, and 256-bit WEP encryption | WPA security pending firmware upgrade | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $245 | Proprietary technology provides above-average performance for an 802.11b kit. The router's print server with parallel port is a nice extra. |
| 18903 | 8 | | Netgear MR814 router | 22499 | MA401 PC Card, MA311 PCI card, MA111 USB adapter | 802.11b | 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption | No WPA security | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $245 | Basic 11b kit has a good interface and comes at a bargain price. You should upgrade the firmware to at least version 4.13 to keep the router from launching accidental attacks on Internet time servers. |
| 18906 | 9 | | Linksys Wireless A+G WRT55AG router | 22664 | WPC55AG PC Card, WMP55AG PCI card | 802.11a and 802.11g | 64-, 128-, and 152-bit WEP encryption | WPA security pending firmware upgrade | Three-year warranty | Kit price when ranked: $206 | In addition to offering Linksys's clear install wizard and configuration screens, this kit supports all Wi-Fi standards--but its doing so adds substantially to the price. |
