Even though most IEEE 802.11b standard compliant wireless routers should work with your Nintendo DS, there are a few that just do not work well with Nintendo WiFi (WFC) gaming interface.

A wireless router may not work reliably well with your Nintendo DS due to a host of reasons, including incompatibility resulting from reasons such as: insufficient data transfer capacity, unreliable wireless connectivity, restrictive security policies (built-in firewalls, etc.) and data encryption (WPA, WPA2, etc.) methods, unsupported wireless standards (supporting only IEEE 802.11a or 802.11g but not 802.11b), RF signal strength and range issues, and a wireless router's tolerance (or lack thereof) to excessive RF noise and RF signal attenuation.

Here is a list of wireless routers known to work with Nintendo DS:

• Using 2Wire Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most 2Wire wireless Router/Gateway models are compatible with Nintendo DS. You may have to use Shared WEP Keys on your 2Wire WiFi routers to play online using Nintendo WFC though.
  
• Using 3Com Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: One of the highly recommended wireless routers compatible with Nintendo DS is 3Com’s wireless router model # 3CRWE554G72TU.
  
• Using Actiontec Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Actiontec wireless router model # GT701-WG works with Nintendo DS. Make sure you have the latest firmware running on your GT701-WG. Actiontec GT704-WG is not compatible with Nintendo DS.
  
• Using Apple Airport/Extreme WiFi Routers with Nintendo DS: Apple computers' Airport Express and Airport Extreme line of wireless routers work reliably well with Nintendo DS, and are highly recommended for use with Nintendo WFC.
  
• Using Belkin Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Information on using Belkin wireless routers with Nintendo DS WFC. Belkin wireless router models F5D6231-4 (ver 2002), F5D8230-4 (ver 1002), F5D7230-4 (v 2000), and F5D7230-4 (ver 2000) are recommended. Belkin routers F5D7231-4 ver 1102, F5D7230-4 (v 4000), F5D6231-4 ver 1000, and F5D7230-4 (version 4000) are not compatible with Nintendo DS.
  
• Using Buffalo Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most BuffaloTech AirStation wifi routers (such as model # WBR2-G54S) work well with Nintendo DS. See this document for setup and configuration details.
  
• Using D-Link Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: D-Link Model numbers DGL-4300 (ver A1), WBR-2310 (vA1), DI-614, DI-524 (ver C1), WBR-1310vA1, DI-624 ver C3, and D-Link DI-784 ver A1 are known to be compatible with Nintendo DS. D-Link router DI-514 ver B1 is not compatible with Nintendo DS. DI-524 (ver A) may work if you were to set its transmission rate to 54 (i.e. set TX Rate to 54) and configure it to operate in Mixed Mode.
  
• Using Hawking Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Hawking Router Model # HWR54G (ver M) has been shown to work with Nintendo DS. However, configuring their Hi-Gain Wireless-108G MIMO Routers (HWRGM1A), Wireless-G Dual WAN Firewall Routers (H2WR54G), Hi-Speed Wireless-G Routers (HWR54G), or Wireless-B Firewall Routers (HWR258) to work with your gaming console may not be too difficult either.
  
• Using IOGEAR Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most IOGEAR wifi routers (such as model # GWA504 and GWA502) may work with your Nintendo DS, but only if you were to disable WEP and configure them to operate in IEEE 802.11b mode.
  
• Using Linksys Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most Linksys wifi routers (including model # WRT54G ver 3 and WRT54GC) work well with Nintendo DS. On some (older) models, you may need to turn off WEP encryption or to set their Basic Rate to 1-2mbps. Read on for step by step instructions on configuring Linksys routers for wireless access to Nintendo WFC.
  
• Using Microsoft Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most Microsoft wireless routers (including MN-500) work well with Nintendo DS WFC. Read on for configuration how to instructions for this and newer model (MN-610, MN-620, MN-700, and MN-820) Microsoft wifi routers.
  
• Using Motorola Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Information on using/configuring Motorola wireless routers (including WR850G ver 3, WR850GP, and SBG940) with Nintendo DS.
  
• Using Netgear Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Information on how to make select Netgear routers/APs (including WGT634U, and WGR614v4, etc.) work well with your Nintendo DS. You may have to
  turn off WEP encryption on some models (such as WPN824), and on others (i.e. MR814v3) you may need to configure them to use static IP addresses (not DHCP); but most Netgear devices can be setup to work well with Nintendo DS WFC.

• Using SMC Wireless Broadband Gateway Routers and APs with Nintendo DS: Most SMC Wireless Routers can be setup to work well with Nintendo DS, but a few (i.e. SMC7004VWBR SMC product code: 750.9821 and SMC2404WBR) may require you to lower their Basic Rate and Transmission Rate settings to 1-2Mbps. Read on for step by step instructions on how to interface/configure SMC devices with your gaming consoles.
  
• Using US Robotics Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Most US Robotics routers (including model # USR5462) work well with Nintendo DS. Read on for information on using USR products including: Wireless MAXg products (Bridges, Range Extenders, Access Points, and ADSL Gateway Routers), USR 802.11g 54 Mbps products (APs, Wireless Network Starter Kits), USR Power Over Ethernet Kit as well as other USR broadband products.
  
• Using SparkLAN Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Good old SparkLAN router model # WX-6615M works real well with Nintendo DS. Read on for information on other SparkLAN WLAN products including: 802.11n draft AP Routers, Pre-N MIMO Wireless AP Routers, 802.11a+g APs, 802.11g Super G 108Mbps AP/Routers, 802.11g Turbo G 125Mbps APs/Routers, 802.11g Routers, and 802.11b APs/Routers.
  
• Using Zyxel Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS: Buy Zyxel model # P-334W or one of its newer versions. Zyxel wireless router # 660HW-61 may also work if you have the latest router firmware installed. Read on for information on using Zyxel products such as Zyxel P-334WT, and P-335WT.
  
• Using Westell Wireless Routers with Nintendo DS:: Westell Model # P-327W may work -if you reconfigure it to use both the 5.5 and 11 rates for 802.11b. Other Westell products being covered in here include: Westell LiteLine DSL Router Modems, ProLine DSL Router Modems, UltraLine DSL modem-routers, VersaLink Wired/Wireless Routers/Gateways, TriLink Wireless DSL Gateways for VoIP, VersaLink router/ADSL Modem Gateways Wired/Wireless, and TriLink VoIP wireless gateways with DSL modem/router.

As you may see from the above, if you are having difficulty in making a router work with your Nintendo DS, turning off WEP and setting it to operate in 1-2mbps data transfer rates often fixes the problem. However, doing so may expose your data to everyone else (with WEP turned off) and may slow down wireless data transfers (while operating in 1-2mbps speeds) for all other wifi-enabled computing devices on your WLAN. It may be in your best interest, therefore, to just replace your wireless router with one that is known to work well with your Nintendo DS.

Considering how quickly wireless product designs (firmware, and device drivers) change these days, you should consult your product documentation and also check Nintendo DS website from time to time for most up to date information.