Product selection depends on gathering all of your requirements not just the numbers of ports. This is a starting point. Consider how many LAN's Ethernet or FastEthernet? Do you need ISDN/Backup? Will your business grow, and by how much, when? Do you need backup hardware, will 4hr/next day smartnet or 3rd party support be enough if the hardware fails or do you need to design backup links. Obtain these details. Then look at the product spec sheets and prices, and budget. Select something that meets your needs. Also consider traffic flow, environment, power, resilience, size, space, product lifespan, would you be better off buying two routers with two E1's and ISDN?. How about growing into VoIP, using QoS, or ATM services? When you've looked at all the requirements and options you will be able to Select the best one, or at least reduce the shortlist down to a few. Then you'll be guided by cost or by the benefits that one product has other the others, or both.
