Rerouting the Router: Home Networks Made Easy

July 16, 2010— -- Personal computers, video games, and Internet-connected televisions may get all the glamor in the online age, but they would have no Internet connections if not for an unassuming box in many consumers' homes called a router.

Routers, which form a digital bridge between a home network and the Internet, have gotten faster over the years. According to NPD's Retail Tracking Service, 48 percent of networking products sold in the 12 months leading up to May support the 802.11n standard, which can deliver the fastest access for tasks such as streaming video from a PC to a television.

But because they are the heart of a home network and must interface with network complexity both inside and outside the home, routers have always been annoyingly complex devices to set up.

Recently, two companies have taken a crack at simplifying the setup of the router for the tech doubter.

One attempt is from Belkin, which makes a wide array of accessory products, ranging from iPhone cases to surge protectors. Its new Play router line -- which starts with the $50 Play Surf -- takes a number of steps to shorten setup time.

First, the the router's power cable is already attached to the device in the box, so there's no need to attach it yourself.

Unfortunately, Belkin doesn't also do this with the cable that attaches the router to the cable modem or DSL adapter, but at least the right port is color coded. Second, the router's default name (SSID) and password are printed on a sticker connected to the router. Perhaps in the future, a small LCD or e-paper display could be used.

While the Belkin approach may involve a bit of note taking or running back and forth to enter the right information, it's an effective alternative to having to configure a password via the administration website required by most products.

Using Belkin's shortcuts, I was able to upgrade a wireless network in less than 10 minutes. The Belkin Play routers also come with a CD-ROM to install bonus software on PCs in the home, but many new PCs -- particularly netbooks -- lack optical drives. Belkin could reach more PCs by including a flash drive as opposed to a CD.