The Globe and Mail

Asus RT-N56U Wireless Router
It’s not often you see a router described as stylish, but that’s just what the RT-N56U is. Inside you’ll find a dual-band radio with 5 GHz support, which means more bandwidth across farther distances. And with network-assisted storage, you can connect an external hard drive to share data with other Macs or PCs. ($129.99 CAD; Future Shop)

Rosewill RNX-N180UBE Wireless Adapter
Sometimes it takes an external antenna to get the wireless connection you need, and you can’t do much better than Rosewill’s. This Wireless-N adapter is not only cheap, but includes a USB extension cable to help you physically move the device to wherever your signal is strongest. ($19.99 CAD
Available at: Newegg.ca)

Netgear WN2000RPT Range Extender
There are some spots even the best routers can’t reach. That’s where Netgear’s Range Extender comes in. It works with existing 2.4 GHz networks, and includes an LED range indicator to help determine the best position for optimal coverage. And with four Ethernet ports, it can function as a bridge for your wired devices too. ($69.99 CAD; Newegg.ca)

Apple Time Capsule 2TB
Apple’s Time Capsule is more expensive than most dual-band routers, but that’s because it comes with two terabytes of storage built in. That makes it perfect for storing Time Machine backups of all your Macs. Or, if saving hardcopies of your data is more your thing, you can share a printer across the network with the included USB port. ($299.99 CAD; Apple Store)

Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH Router
You don’t need to spend much for good performance. With two external antennas, and a USB port for network storage, you’ll be able to stream you’re entire sitcom collection from anywhere in the house. Wired Gigabit Ethernet, and support for custom firmware out-of-the-box only sweeten the deal. ($69.99 CAD; Canada Computers)

LaCie Wireless Space 2TB
Those looking for a Time Capsule alternative should find this LaCie router/server combo more than capable. With 2TB of internal storage, it’s the perfect network backup device, and even supports Apple’s Time Machine standard. You can even use it as a media server for your Windows PCs or gaming consoles too. ($269.99 CAD; Future Shop)

Linksys E4200 Wireless Router
This is definitely on the high-end of the wireless router spectrum as far as price is concerned—but for good reason. This is one of the few dual-band routers to offer transfer speeds of up to 450 Mbps, making it one of the fastest on the market. And for novice users who aren’t willing to go under the hood, the Cisco Connect software makes setup simple. ($169.99 CAD; Future Shop and Best Buy)