pcmagnetwork logo
Subscribe!

Routers

PC Magazine: New Product Reviews Add PC Magazine: New Product Reviews RSS feed to your feed reader so that you don't miss another headline!

  • Add to My Yahoo!
  • Add to Google
  • Add to My MSN

SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N

review DATE:05.21.08

SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N
Left Angle Back On Stand

review

By Oliver Rist

While SMC's products may have disappeared from the shelves at Best Buy, the company still makes solid small-network products. The SMC's latest wireless-n home router, the SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N, runs a bit slow at the optimal wireless computing distance (about 20 feet). It doesn't support 5-GHz operation—a fairly big drawback—but it's reasonably priced ($174.99 list), has a great warranty, and really pumps out the wireless bits at long distances.

red arrow Read the SMC SMCWGBR14-N Barricade N full review

Company

SMC Networks Inc

http://www.smc.com

Spec Data
  • Price as Tested: $156.00 Street
  • Networking Options: 802.11n
  • Antennas: Optional Range-extending: No
  • Chipset: Broadcom
  • Device Type: Router
  • Parental Controls: Yes
  • Setup: Web
  • Stateful Packet Inspection: Yes
  • WPA Security: Yes

Bottom Line

The nicely priced SMCWGBR14 Barricade N has a decent feature set and performs very well at long range. But it lacks 5-GHz capability and could use better throughput at the 20-foot-and-under range.

Pros

Good price. Excellent throughput at long range. Supports WPS. Lifetime warranty.

Cons

Throughput is somewhat slow at the optimal wireless computing range. No 5-GHz support.

Info Centers
 
Special Offers
Free White Papers
View all White Papers >
Click here to list your White Papers >
 
Buy It Here
StoreStore RaingBase PricePrice
MacMallRating: 3.50
 $143.99Buy It
TECHONWEBRating: 4.50
 $142.24Buy It
PCNationRating: 4.50
 $142.25Buy It
CompuVestRating: 4.00
 $155.02Buy It
Amazon MarketplaceRating: 3.00
 $133.99Buy It
Overstock.com
 $155.58Buy It
AmazonRating: 3.50
 $143.53Buy It
Check Prices From All Stores
Enter your zip for prices with tax and shipping.
Your zipcode will only be used to calculate applicable state tax and ground shipping charges.		Enter your ZIP code:
 
newsletters

Get PCMag.com's FREE email newsletters delivered to your inbox.

It's easy, just follow the steps.

Want more? Check out our other newsletters here.

Manage your newsletter subscriptions here.

1. Make your selections:

Daily News Alert
Inside PCMag.com
PCMag.com Small Business Update
PCMagCast Update
Productwire: First Looks Update
Security Watch
Tech Saver
Tip of the Day
Utility Library Update
What's New Now
PCMag Announcements

2. Select email format:

3. Enter email address:

Subscribe to PC Mag
Subscription Help | Renew | Give a Gift
Featured Offers
FREE UTILITY:

Free utility finds the fragmentation that's crippling your network!

New Disk Performance Analyzer for Networks 2.0 takes the guesswork out of tracking networked system performance. This revolutionary utility scans networked systems' performance from one single access point. It equips administrators with an arsenal of performance data, so they can zero in on systems' fragmentation and slows.

Don't let low-functioning systems go unnoticed. Get Disk Performance Analyzer for Networks 2.0 free now!

>> brought to you by Diskeeper
MUST READ WHITE PAPERS:

Check out the latest briefs and white papers from PC Magazine's Partners.


NoteWhen 3: Clear the Clutter. Version 3




NoteWhen 3: Clear the Clutter. Version 3 adds many features that you, our subscribers, have been asking for. You can now:

• Send notes by e-mail, including Gmail or secure servers
• Synchronize notes with notes from other machines
• Lock notes to prevent further editing
• Archive notes, taking them out of the list without deleting them
• View scheduled events on a bigger calendar showing note titles
• Make NoteWhen portable for flash drives
• Export notes to HTML, RTF, Text, or CSV
• Print a list of notes

Download Now: NoteWhen3Setup.zip
PCMagCast
PC Magazine's live, online events make you more productive at work, home, and on the go. Best of all, they're FREE!

Featured Event:

Mobile Wireless Broadband: Optimizing Wide Area Networking and WiMax
Thursday, December 4, 2008 2pm ET - Sponsored by Lenovo Need the convenience of a constant connection? Find out how to choose and use cutting-edge technologies for ubiquitous mobile broadband networking. Register today.

See all PCMagCasts >>
 
More Free PCMagCasts:

On-Demand Applications: Easy Ways for Your Business to Work Online
Sponsored by Dell Sb360
We walk you through the best on-demand offerings and what they can do for your business. Attend now.

Virtualization: How Small Businesses Can Save Money and Boost Efficiency
Sponsored by Dell SB360
This course delves into how server strategies at small businesses can be optimized with virtualization, and how multiple operating systems can be efficiently deployed on single systems for networked use. Attend today.