D-Link's DSL-2740B, an impressively fast router for under $130

However, since it's the company's top-end ADSL offering, D-Link has kept on updating it - and the latest R version is a force to be reckoned with.

On paper you might be forgiven for thinking we've gone mad. This router has no Gigabit Ethernet ports, no dual-band support and the rest of its feature list is pretty bare too, with the lack of a USB port for sharing storage or a printer a notable omission.

But when it comes to performance, the DSL-2740B flies. Of all the ADSL routers in this group it's by far the quickest, achieving average transmit and receive rates of 91Mbits/sec and 58Mbits/sec in the close-range test, and 51Mbits/sec and 62Mbits/sec in our long-range tests.

These results place the DSL-2740B top of the tree among the ADSL routers on test this month, and second among the single-band routers. It even manages to outperform one of the 5GHz routers at close range - the Netgear DGND3300.

We also like this router's admin pages, which are logically set out, offer wizards for basic tasks, and allow access to more advanced features without being too confusing. 

The DSL-2740B is an impressive router, and all the more so when you look at the price, which is a reasonable $129. If you want a cheap, fast router for your ADSL connection, and don't mind the basic feature set, it's a good choice.

• - Best Value -
  Buffalo's WZR-HP-G300NH is our pick for best value wireless router this month
• - Labs Winner -
  DrayTek's Vigor 2110n a great value wireless router that's now on our A-List
• 
  Linksys by Cisco WRT610N excels in dual bands with long range
• 
  Belkin's N+ ADSL router lacks whistles and bells, but gets job done
• 
  TP-LInk's TL-WR1043ND wireless router suffers from poor range, low price and no dual band
• 
  Netgear's WNDR3700 wireless router has the speed, but lacks the range
• 
  Billion's BiPAC7300N wireless router is good value for under $150
• 
  Linksys by Cisco WAG320N lacks critical dual band function
• 
  Netgear's DGND3300 ADSL router is let down by poor performance
• 
  D-Link's DIR-855 wireless router suffers from poor range and sky high prices
• 
  Belkin's Double N+ wireless router excels with great performance and quick speeds