Review: Western Digital router is great for families

• Router can give priority to certain types of data when multiple users are online
• N900 gets four out of five stars
• Available for $159.99 on Best Buy

Routers aren't the flashiest gadgets to buy. You use them to share your internet connection to your computers and iPads. But they tend to be hidden away, and you don't think of them much, even though you use one every day. With all the smartphones, tablets, laptops, and video game consoles around the house all needing to get online, a good router can make your life a lot easier.

Western Digital, a company known more for making hard drives, recently put out a new router called the My Net N900. It strives to be easy to use, and Western Digital even claims it makes your videos stream faster. But can it do that? And is this the right router for you?

A very simple setup

Getting a wifi network running can be daunting, but the My Net N900 was the easiest router to set up I've ever used.

When you first open up the box, there's a CD right on top with easy-to-understand pictures showing you how to get started. The setup wizard walks you through everything without using any tech jargon and can get you up and on the internet in two minutes.

One thing I really appreciated is that you don't need a wired connection from your computer to the router when you're setting it up. My cable modem sits behind my TV, while my computer is across the room. With other routers, I have to bring a laptop over and sit on the floor to set it up, but as soon as I turned on the WD N900, it started broadcasting a wireless network for me to hop onto. All I had to do was pop in the CD, click a few buttons, and decide what to name the network and set up a secure password.

No CD drive on that MacBook Air? No problem! You can also configure the router from a browser page. You could even set up the whole thing from your iPad.


Getting a connection

Connecting to the router is a cinch. There's an easy-to-use WPS button on it that can quickly connect a smartphone or tablet to your network without your needing to enter a password. Just push the WPS button on the router, and then tap a similar WPS button in the wifi settings of your phone or tablet. Your device will connect and be good to go. You only have to connect each device once; they'll remember next time they're over.

The N900 has seven ethernet ports on the back. That's a lot. This router should be able to handle the needs of any entertainment center, including one with multiple video game consoles.

While the range of the wifi network is good, it's nothing to write home about either. If you're trying to fill a whole house, you'll still need a wifi repeater — but hey, if you're upgrading and your old router still works, you can turn that one into a repeater.

The router broadcasts on two different frequencies at the same time, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. In general, the 5GHz version of your network will be faster but have a shorter range from your router. It will work well for a laptop that's in the same room. The 2.4GHz penetrates through walls better, so it will work well for a smartphone that you take from room to room. Older smartphones I tested didn't see the 5GHz band, but iPads, computers, and last year's smartphones did.

I never had a performance problem, even when streaming Netflix, playing World of Warcraft, and browsing the internet at the same time. I had a desktop, two laptops, three smartphones, an iPad, and an Xbox all hooked up to it at the same time and noted barely any issues. The network did drop a few times while I was testing, and the router had to be reset manually, though, which was annoying.

On the FasTrack to fast streaming

Western Digital touts a special feature on the N900 called FasTrack Plus. The router senses what internet activity you're trying to do and gives priority to certain types of data. If you're watching a video and someone else on the network starts downloading a large file, your video won't pause or stutter; the N900 knows that videos need their data right away, while a download can pause for half a second without any ill effects.

Indeed, my games, Netflix, and streaming music never stuttered while other people in the house where downloading files and backing up computers. This feature can be really nice if you have a large household.


Easy to share, hard to hide

The N900 has two USB ports on the back. You could use these to share a printer or USB storage drive with your network. Popping in a thumb drive is an easy way to transfer files between computers without having to get them to see each other. You could also connect a large, portable hard drive and use it to back up your computers or as your own personal little cloud for videos or music.

The best router is the one you never notice. All your devices connect to the internet, and computers connect to each other seamlessly. The N900 does just that. Its size, however, means you probably will notice it every now and then. It is not small — but it's rather nice-looking, at least.

The N900 has its own fan to stay cool and and running at peak efficiency. Its software lets you keep tabs on it, informing you if there's an update to the router's firmware.

Overall, I'm giving the My Net N900 4 out of 5 stars. If ease of use is your main priority in a router, then this is the router for you. Similarly, if you have a large family with a lot of devices, this router will be a great pick. This might not be the perfect choice for you if you have a large house, but it's a still a good one. While no router is infallible, the fact that I had to reset the router a couple of times during my testing keeps it from getting a perfect score.


Western Digital My Net N900 router

Buy from: Best Buy

Price: $159.99

Tecca's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars