If your wireless network has trouble reaching far-flung parts of your house, you might be considering one of the new routers that use the latest wireless protocol, known as 802.11n. They're sometimes labeled "draft N compliant." Their manufacturers claim that they will communicate 12 to 15 times faster than older models (a speed few consumers need) and cover an area 4 to 10 times larger than 802.11g-based routers.

When we tested several of those new routers under real conditions, they did not live up to those claims. They beamed data two to three times faster, far less than promised, but fast enough to speed up transfer of large files and even high-definition media between computers. And they offered only a few more feet of coverage, so areas of the house might still be cut off.

Despite those limitations, 802.11n networks are better than the older standard for tasks that would benefit from more speed, such as beaming movies to a set-top box. If you're shopping for a new router, consider one that conforms to 802.11n. A router plus a wireless card (required for most computers you want to connect) costs $225 to $250, compared with $80 to $110 for products based on the old standard. The best pair we tested was the Netgear WNR834B RangeMax Next Wireless N Router and WN511b PC Card, $225 for both.

802.11n uses a technology called channel bonding to speed up data transmission. In our tests, a device using channel bonding was five times faster than an 802.11g device. But channel bonding should be turned off in most cases because it can cause more interference with cordless phones, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices, and microwave ovens than setups without channel bonding. Conversely, those appliances can interfere more frequently with your wireless network when channel bonding is turned on. Complicating matters more, the devices can keep your neighbors' 802.11 devices from working at all. Channel bonding will be handled differently in the next version of 802.11n, but for the time being we recommend not using it unless you live in a rural area and can control other devices that might cause interference.

Fortunately, you don't need to resort to channel bonding to create a quicker, less expensive network. Power-line adapters that use your home's electrical lines to transfer data can extend your network to any room with a power outlet, though they don't permit you as much mobility as a wireless network does because your computers must be plugged in.

You need an adapter for the router and each computer; a pair costs $160 to $200. Of the four models we tested, D-Link, Linksys, and Netgear adapters were about as fast as 802.11n products.

Whether you choose a power-line adapter or an 802.11n device, we recommend that you take extra security measures. We found the default settings on the wireless networks we tested left security features disabled, potentially allowing people outside of your house to take a free ride on your Internet connection or even gain unauthorized access to your computer. (See "Protecting your wireless connection" for tips on how to protect yourself.) Power-line adapters encrypt data that is being transferred, and encryption on those devices is turned on by default. But you will need to set a new password for your device.