CradlePoint PHS300 Personal Hotspot - Wireless access point - 802.11b/g (Version 2.0/2.5.3) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've done quite a bit of research before I purchased this item. I was well aware of its strength and shortcoming so when I managed to put it to work, nothing surprised me.
The unit is built in hard plastic, pretty sturdy, but I would be careful of not dropping it as a breathable pouch may not be a bad idea. The battery is made in Japan, whereas the unit itself is made in Taiwan. The initial setup is easy. If you're technically challenged, you can go with the default setup which should get you up and running in a few minutes. If you acclaim yourself as a techie, play around the setup menu and you can tap into a lot more features. By default, go to: http://192.168.0.1 from your browser after connecting to the device, it opens up a wealth of menus that you can customize to your own liking
During the setup, I would suggestion doing the followings:
1. Firmware upgrade, the process is easy, but you need to have a working wifi USB to grab the firmware.
2. WPA2 personal is a good security protocol to use, but it does slow down the connection a little bit, but not significant
3. I probably should have put this as item 1 but no big deal. Change the setup password for your protection.
If you screw up the configuration, no worries, just like most of the home routers, you can use a needle to poke a reset button, which is inside the unit, next to the battery compartment, and everything will be reset.
That's about it for the setup part, now let's talk about the design.
Good: relatively compact, light weight, and not too hot after hours of usage. It won't burn your hand or breast if you put it in your shirt pocket. The LED status lights give you good idea of the unit's operation state. Believe it or not, it's pretty useful. The charger is pretty small, takes about 3 hours to charge it full from empty, which is not too bad. Cradle Point claims it should last about three hours, and I found it to be reasonably true, if I only connect one device to it. If you connect more, it will shorten the battery life. The cost of the replacement (or spare) battery is less than $50, which is a bit pricey to me. But I will talk about usage tips later. Wireless broadcast range is quite good, but of course you can't compare it with your home wireless router. Yet, I have never had any trouble connecting with maximum signal with a size of my office, which is about 300 square feet. After all, this is mainly for travel companionship, and you shouldn't be too far away from the unit anyway.
Bad: The thing I hate the most, is the way that you have to plug in your USB device, which is on the side of the unit, right next to the charge port. When plugged in, it sticks out from the unit and it's easy to break in my opinion. If you put it in your jacket or shirt pocket, and if you're not carefully enough, you might bend the USB and destroy the USB port. If CradlePoint is reading this, maybe they should re-design the housing, to have some room side, fitting a wireless USB drive in there. This would protect the drive from accidental damage.
User experience: My goodness, I love this thing. I bought my iPad the first day it came out, and I received this unit the night before I got my iPad. Let me tell you, it makes the iPad so much more fun to use. I can use it anywhere I like. Since it fits any brand of wireless USB, I'm not at the mercy of AT&T's crappy data service. I'm using it with my Verizon 760 wireless modem, and it works like a champ! Since this unit can take on 16 continuous connection, I can use it along with my netbook, or my wife can use it with her iPod touch concurrently. No problem at all!
Tips: If you intend to use the unit for an extended period of time, and you can plug it to a wall jack for powering it up, I would take out the battery, so you won't have to charge the battery continuously. CradlePoint claims that the battery won't have any memory effect, which I seriously doubt, but taking out the battery from the unit takes less than 5 seconds, so why not?
Hope you like my review, and if you do, please rate. Thank you for reading.

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Motorola SURFboard SBG900 DOCSIS 2.0 Wireless Cable Modem Gateway (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I work in the computer/software industry and am generally critical of the cheap throw-away quality of most electronics. I was nervous about this purchase because I had read two other reviewers mention 1) The Motorola SBG900 allocated two IPs from the broadband provider such as Comcast if you connected more than one computer, and 2) the range was poor. I doubted the first, and I live in a small house for the second.

I have been using a DLINK wireless router for the last 1-1/2 yrs. Reliable but it has a high-pitched hum that is incredibly irritating. I returned the first, only to get another with the same whine, so I figured it was a manufacturing/component flaw. I stuffed it in a corner of the basement to keep from hearing it. This was my experience with my DLINK wireless router, not the Motorola.
So here's what I found re: the Motorola SBG900. Powered it up, Comcast prompted me to download their "installation software" when it detected an unknown cable modem, clicked Yes 5 times, and was on the Internet. Then I configured the wireless portion to match the WEP 128-bit settings from the powered-off DLINK (used the same SSID, Shared Key, etc.), activated the firewall, hid broadcast of the SSID, and both my laptop and desktop connected without a hitch. Even I was surpised. Their wireless NICs are DLINK and Intel, so compatibility wasn't an issue. I never even opened the manual which comes on the CD. I was happy to see a number of WPA (next generation) security options when selecting the encryption mode. However, I didn't bother with that now, but may later, since I'm already on 128-bit WEP. Also the range is the same as my older DLINK, so I'm very content with this purchase. Very happy to reduce the clutter by consolidating devices. Even in the world of MIMO and future technologies, 802.11G (54Mbs) is fine for my needs. I recommend this cable modem.

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802.11g wireless technologyWireless range of up to 328' indoors and 1312' outdoorsCommercial-grade firewall enhances network securityIncludes power adapter installation CD USB and Ethernet cables

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NETGEAR WNR834B-100NAS Wireless N Router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I doubt I have ever had as much indecision in arriving at what I consider to be the most appropriate star rating for any item I've reviewed. I do not claim to be a networking savant however I do have enough of a background that I felt confident that I could create a security-enabled network with only a moderate degree of frustration. And, if I thought through the process, I could have, but that blurb on the box about easy setup lured me in. Step one to achieving that objective would have been to dispense with any attempt to find documentation and then setting aside the resource CD. Even if you are acquainted with networking, just call technical support from the outset, endure the requisite hold time and allow the support personnel to walk you through the installation. Yes, telephone support is outsourced to India however my impression is in this instance they are quite helpful, probably from plenty of practice.
The 834B employs 802.11n draft standards and is backwards compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g as well as Ethernet connectivity. My installation utilizes "g" and Ethernet. Marketing documents claims include transmission speeds of up to 270Mbps and accommodation of security protocols WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK. For some devices, security may be constrained to the base standard of WEP due to connectivity and wish I had known that before I started. In any event, with the protocol I finally ended up with, a passphrase of between 8-63 characters is required and clear definition of with security key to be used must be designated at Netgear's router configuration site. Obviously, one also has to select a network name, define a channel and hope for the best. And then do it all over again when that channel fails to be recognized and you are locked into local connectivity only. It's likely that you will have to go through search and seek scenario three times before success in realized, assuming the chosen security option is valid, the passphrase is correctly constructed and all of your devices are supported. The "Smart Wizard" interface from the CD will get you the site but from there you're pretty much on your own and the site itself is not very intuitive. So, as mentioned above, unless you are familiar with all of the nuances, sublimate the ego and just make the call. For me, the time I would have saved outweighs the satisfaction of completing the installation without assistance.

My ambiguity on the rating is predicated my experience in getting the network up and running. Thus far (3 months), I couldn't be more pleased with the hardware. I rate it 5 stars. I do not encounter any significant episodes of signal loss, line drops or disconnects. I have two PCs communicating via 3rd party wireless adapters and another linked by Ethernet to a Netgear access point/Bridge. For the same reason, I can't accurately estimate the broadcast range of the router exclusively, but for those who might be interested, the NETGEAR HD/Gaming 5 GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit (WNHDEB111) is impressive AND, easy to install on an existing network. The documentation and support material resident on the CD is near to worthless, I rate it "1" star because "0" is not an option. Customer Technical support rates "3" stars as the technicians seem to know their stuff but you will spend more than a few minutes on hold. So, I end up with an overall rating of "4" since in my view, the reliability of the hardware is the primary concern.


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The NETGEAR WNR834B RangeMax Next Wireless-N Router lets you easily set up a wireless network in your home so you can share a single internet connection with everyone in your household at speeds up to 270 Mbps. You can stream music and video, make internet phone calls, videoconference, and surf the web, all at the same time.
Easy Setup The WNR834B makes it easy for even a novice to set up a wireless network: just plug the included Ethernet cable from your LAN into the device and insert the included CD into any computer on the network, which will provide step-by-step instructions. The WNR834B includes a stand for vertical placement.
The WNR834B employs a web-based interface for configuration for compatibility with any computer with a web browser. The firmware is also upgradeable via the web interface so you can be sure your router will always be up-to-date.
New Technology Means Blazing Speeds and Backwards Compatibility The WNR834B complies with the latest 802.11n draft specification which allows for speeds up to 270 Mbps. By utilizing MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) technology, the WNR834B has speed and range far surpassing the older 802.11g standard. The preset internal antennas ensure that the device is always tuned for optimal performance, and NETGEAR's Wi-Fi Multimedia technology optimizes audio, video, and voice applications.
If you still have computers that use 802.11g or 802.11b, don't fret as the router is backwards compatible with the older wireless standards and can be set so all your computers can connect to the network. The WNR834B will automatically figure out the connection type and work accordingly.
The router also has four RJ-45 Ethernet ports in the back for connecting computers to the network via a wired connection.
Security Made Easy The WNR834B offers many security options to ensure your data is private. Double firewall protection keeps your network shielded from outside attacks. It also prevents Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.
NETGEAR's Touchless WiFi Security makes it quick and easy to set up network security on a WiFi network by asking for a passphrase from the user. The WNR834B supports WiFi Protected Access (WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK), and 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption for 802.11b/g networks. Additionally, you can set security through MAC address authentication, allowing only authorized users onto the network.
Repeater Mode The router can be set in repeater mode which allows you to use it to extend the range of an existing wireless network.
The NETGEAR WNR834B RangeMax Next Wireless-N Router is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box WNR834B RangeMax Next Wireless-N Router, power adapter, Ethernet cable, stand, setup CD, warranty/support information card.

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Cradlepoint CTR-350 Cellular Travel Router (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)The CTR350 is a great little Mobile Broadband/Wifi router. It's designed to use a mobile broadband data device (I'm using Sprints U595), and provide access to it via Wifi. It worked right out of the box in a default configuration, though you probably want to enable security after testing it out, or else everyone will have access to it.
Set-up is via the usual web-browser interface, and this devices interface is laid out pretty well. It struck me as being more sensible than most of the Linksys/Netgear devices I've used. Its got a nice full featured firewall, various WEP and WPA authentication modes, and can be used as a wired access point too (there's an Ethernet port). Apparently the port can also be used to provide wired access to the mobile data device too, but I haven't tested that yet.
The router is not battery powered (see the PHS300 for that). It comes with a standard ac power adapter. There is also a dc power adapter available for use in a car. I've mounted mine in my car, and hardwired a cable for it into the wiring harness of the car so that I can have internet in my vehicle wherever I have Sprint service. Cool!

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Motorola SURFboard Gateway SBG6580 DOCSIS 3.0 Wireless Cable Modem Review

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(More customer reviews)When evaluating this type of equipment, one must differentiate between the device itself and other factors that can impact its performance. Blaming the manufacturer for issues likely caused by one's ISP is akin to saying, "I can't get past third gear because of all this construction on the highway... I'll never buy a Jaguar again!"
That said, the SBG6580 is a solid piece of kit.
This latest addition to the SURFboard line combines a DOCSIS 3 cable modem with a gigabit switch and a dual-antenna 802.11n wireless access point, providing all the networking equipment a home office needs in a single compact package... this amounts to a single point of failure, but that's par for the residential course. It can deliver 42 mbps downstream on a single channel (which my provider brands "Lightning") with support for eight bonded channels... meaning that when the day comes that ISPs start selling triple-digit speeds, this gateway won't need to be replaced.
Wi-Fi performance has been comparable to my old draft n router with similar range and throughput in a mixed mode environment. What sets the SBG6580 apart are its better indicator lights and superior configuration utility which offers some settings normally found only on enterprise-grade equipment. Those less inclined to tinker should know that push-button support is provided; once the cable guy finished with the wall outlet, setup took less than five minutes.
Finally, one word of caution: the SBG6580 needs airflow. I originally placed it flush against a similarly-sized backup hard drive on my desk and found the unit hot to the touch after a few hours. To avoid problems, do not block the vents.


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The SBG6580 SURFboard Wi-Fi Cable Modem Gateway enables the delivery of innovative ultra-broadband data and multimedia services as well as high-bandwidth home networking. Designed for seamless mobility, Motorola's SBG6580 is a fully integrated all-in-one home networking solution that combines the functionality of a DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS 3.0 cable modem, four-port 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch with advanced firewall, and an 802.11n Wi-Fi access point in a sleek, stylish package for the sophisticated consumer. It's the perfect networking solution for the home, home office, or small business, allowing users to create a custom network to share a single ultra-broadband connection, files, and networked peripherals using wired or Wi-Fi connectivity. Cost-effective, efficient, and secure, the SBG6580 enables users to maximize the potential of their existing resources, while benefiting from next generation high-bandwidth services.

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Broadband Amplifiers ARG-2301A 802.11b/g WiFi Signal Booster with 5dBi Antenna Review

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(More customer reviews)I was nearly unable to get wireless in my den, about 30 feet from my office - but through 5 or 6 interior walls.
Added this amp to my router - now get good to very good signal strength where I need it.
Was hoping for "great", gave 4 stars for "very good".

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3G Wireless Broadband Router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This stylish product is made by LevelOne, has by far the smallest footprint of all routers I have seen, and appears to work with the widest range of 3G modems.
The 3G broadband router turns your 3G wireless broadband into a WiFi connection. Why would you want to do that?
a) to let several computers share one 3G wireless broadband connection simultaneously
b) to use the internet at a place in the house where the cell phone signal is not so great, i.e. place the router where the signal is strong and let it send "the internet" on to your laptop in the basement
The router has an amazing number of advanced settings and features to lock down and filter traffic, so security should not be a problem if you want to set your home network up in any imaginable configuration. It almost works out of the box, just follow the instructions in the small quick start guide provided: attach antenna, insert PCMCIA card, connect the supplied ethernet cable to your PC, connect power. Then start browser and go to 192.168.0.1 , enter password, move to advanced, select 3G under WAN (yes, under WAN) and it is ready. The only thing to know is that for the Verizon PC5750 PCMCIA EVDO card the following settings apply:
Dial-Number: #777
Username: xxxxxxxxxxx@verizonwireless.com (where you put your cell number)
password: vzw
The PC card has to have been activated, which means it has to have been used before. If you don't know your cell number, insert the PC5750 into the computer and connect, the number will appear in the bottom of the Verizon Access Manager software.
By default the wireless network is open, so should be secured. The router antenna output power can be adjusted if you don't need to cover a large area.
I called Technical Support before purchasing and they were prompt and knowledgable.

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Cisco-Linksys WRT300N Wireless-N Broadband Router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The WRT300N works flawlessly "out of the box" in wired configuration. It does not work at all "out of the box" in wireless mode.
Now, having made that harsh statement as if it would apply to every user in every case, some qualification is certainly in order.
I unpacked the router and took extreme care to follow the setup instructions PRECISELY.
I was connected to the internet the second I finished running the configuration utility from the installation CD - but the catch is that the setup utility has to be run with an ethernet cable connected.
Once I removed the cable and tried to connect to the internet in wireless mode - the end of the line had arrived. There was no connection. Period.
I could connect to the router via its built in config (HTTP) utility and I could ping the default gateway (in the router) but I could not get past that point.
After a couple of hours of fruitless trial and error, I gave up and called Linksys tech support. You know what that means - you get to talk to a person who knows next to nothing about computers or routers. But, they do have their scripts to follow and if you are patient with them and endure the mindless, mostly just plain useless instructions they give you and don't offend them, they will eventually let you talk to a Tier Two person who actually does know something about routers.
To end a very long story with a quick summation, after reaching the aforementioned Tier Two person, I learned that there are arcane, obscure settings buried deep within the router's config menus that you will never find without help (and even if you did find them by accident, there is no chance you would know what to do with them). After changing 5 of those settings, the wireless functionality magically worked and I was connected.
The router is fast. My cable provider only grants me 8 megabit service and the router handles that with ease - wireless or wired.
This would be a 4 or 5 star appliance if it arrived on your desktop with working settings. I doubt that anyone who is not a Linksys or Cisco Systems engineer will actually be able to get it to work in wireless mode without a call to Linksys tech support - unless those units manufactured more recently than mine (April 2006) are shipped with valid settings.
Normal users can stop reading here, but for those who are interested in the technical details, here is a summary of the settings I had to modify in order to get the thing to work:
Router web admin page - Applications & Gaming - QOS - Enable "WMM" and Enable "No Acknowledgement" (the factory default settings are "Not Enabled")
Router Admin Page - Wireless - Advanced Wireless Settings - "Fragmentation Threshold" was changed to 2304. "RTS Threshold" was also changed to 2304. The "Beacon Interval" was reduced to 50 from its factory default value of 100.
Here are a couple of sincere questions for you. Even if you are a "Power User" would it have occurred to you to check your Beacon, RTS and WMM settings, among others, when you realized that you did not have wireless connectivity? If you say "yes," would you really have known WHAT settings to replace the defaults with?
Other than that, it's a really nice router.
**Update 5/21/06**
After using the router for a few days now, I have some follow-up comments to make. Several times a day my laptop will "lose" its IP assignment from the router. Right-clicking the wireless connection in the systray and electing to "repair" the connection restores the IP address, but that is a real bother and it should not be necessary. This never happened with the wireless router I replaced with the WRT300N. I suspect Linksys will be releasing a series of firmware updates for this model until they finally get all the "quirks" (let's not call them bugs) worked out.

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The Wireless-N Broadband Router is really three devices in one box. First, theres the WirelessAccess Point, which lets you connect to the network without wires. Theres also a built-in 4-portfull-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices together. Finally, the Routerfunction ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internetconnection.With Wireless-N, the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. It works great withstandard Wireless-G and -B equipment, but when both ends of the wireless link are Wireless-N,the router can increase the throughput even more by using twice as much radio band, yieldingspeeds up to 12 times as fast as standard Wireless-G. But unlike other speed-enhancedtechnologies, Wireless-N can dynamically enable this double-speed mode for Wireless-N devices,while still connecting to other wireless devices at their respective fastest speeds.

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Cisco-Linksys WRT54GX4 Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX400 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had Linksys routers for years and have absolutely no trouble with them. With my cable broadband access I was using the latest Wireless-G router (WRT54GS) with an added Linksys speedbooster and getting EXCELLENT coverage throughout my home. All was happy. All was well.
Then came Verizon Fios. No doubt, Verizon Fios broadband is far superior to cable. The problem? They gave me a D-Link 624 wireless router. The range on this puppy was pitiful compared to my previous Linksys setup. Had I known this beforehand, I wouldn't have given away my WRT54GS Linksys-G router and speedbooster to my brother. But I did -- and I was stuck with the lousy D-Link that provided poor coverage throughout my home.
I needed something powerful that would provide the same strength and coverage (or better) of the Linksys WRT54GS plus the added speedbooster.
I read all the reviews of the WRT54GX4 SRS400 router. The reviews were mostly mixed as to how well this router actually worked. The main concern was that this was new technology, possibly rushed to market, and that there would probably be kinks involved. There was another issue with an AMAZON.COM reviewer that said he could not set up his wireless print server with this modem. Having a Linksys wireless-G print server (WPS54GU2) myself, I was concerned.
I decided to gamble $119 and bought this router.
First surprise! Right out of the box I had it running in under 10 minutes. A supplied CD walks you through each step with diagrams of how to hook up the router, followed by a step-by-step configuring tool that enables you to enter all the necessary settings. Mind you, I'm a little above a novice in setting these routers up simply because I know the settings that are required. Novices may have a bit of a learning curve, but I can't see it being any more difficult than setting up any other similar sort of router.
In short, the supplied CD does a great job of guiding you through hookup and configuring your settings. In 10 minutes, my Internet connection was up and running.
Now here's the amazing part....
This router does EXACTLY what it claims to do. My wireless signal DOUBLED in strength. I have a large multi-level home. In the farthest reaches of my home, signal strength went from 2 bars (LOW) to 4 bars (VERY GOOD) - just 1 bar below EXCELLENT. I can even take my laptop out on the deck and receive signal.
Hooking up the wireless print server (WPS54GU2) was a bit of a hassle. It always is, as it is the worst configurable product Linksys has ever put out. I did call Customer Service and with the help of an Indian woman who's English was barely understandable, I was finally able to get the wireless print server working.
So, there should be absolutely no fear that the WRT54GX4 router is not compatable with a Linksys print server.
Make no mistake about it -- this router is very powerful. The signal strength doubled over a standard Wireless-G router.
Now I am going to tell you something very interesting....
My laptop has a built-in 802.11B card. I'm not even using 802.11G technology on my laptop nor the recommended WPC54GX4 notebook adapter with SRS technology built-in.
So, if I am getting such an incredible improvement in signal with an older "B" technology, you can imagine how much better your results will be with the new technology.
I am extremely happy with this router. Hopefully, you will be too!

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The next generation of wireless technology has arrived, with the Linksys WRT54GX4 Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX400 leading the way. Although it's technically considered a router, the Linksys WRT54GX4 is much more than that. Based on "multiple in, multiple out," or MIMO, technology that effectively doubles the data rate, this is actually three high-performance devices in one. First, there's the Wireless Access Point, which lets you connect to the network, as the name suggests, without wires. Then there's the built-in four-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired Ethernet devices together. Finally, there's the actual router that ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection. With the Linksys WRT54GX4, the days of stacking boxes connected by a confusion of tangled wires are thankfully over. SRX: The Future of Wireless Networks Is Here The Linksys WRT54GX4, like all of Linksys's SRX400 products, is based on MIMO technology, a key component in the upcoming Wireless-N standard (802.11n). By overlaying the signals of two Wireless-G compatible radios, MIMO has the capacity to double data transfer rates. In fact, the maximum wireless data transfer rates of the SRX400 actually exceed the capabilities of the traditional wired Ethernet 10/100 data ports that are in place on most computer networks. It's that fast. And by using the network's signal reflections that usually hinder performance in typical wireless products to increase range and reduce "dead spots" in the wireless network, SRX400 effectively increases the coverage area of the network by up to three times that of Wireless-G. In short, not only do you significantly increase your data transfer speed with Linksys WRT54GX4, but you can vastly increase the distance you can send our signal as well. Of course, you don't want to transmit sensitive information without making certain the network is secure. To help protect data and privacy, the Linksys WRT54GX4 can encode all wireless transmissions with industrial-strength WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption. It can serve as a network DHCP server, supports VPN pass-through, and has a powerful SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) firewall to protect against intruders and most known Internet attacks. Enabling these security features on the router is easy with the Linksys Web browser-based configuration utility. And when your computers are equipped with the Linksys WPC54GX4 Wireless-G PC Card, you will see unparalleled throughput, significantly reduced dead spots, and a dramatically increased wireless range compared to traditional Wireless-G networks. Does this mean that you'll need to convert all of your wireless equipment to SRX400? Not by a long shot. While SRX400 works optimally with other SRX400-enabled devices, it works just fine with standard Wireless-G and -B equipment. In fact, the Linksys WRT54GX4 router has a "good neighbor" policy that ensures that it is always checking for other wireless devices in the area before gobbling up the radio band. While it can dynamically enable a double-speed mode for SRX400 devices, it's designed to seamlessly operate with other 802.11 certified wireless devices at their respective fastest available speeds. And best of all, it enhances the performance of non-SRX devices by allowing them to connect at further distances than standard Wireless-G routers do. But when both ends of the wireless link are SRX400, the router can increase the throughput even more by using twice as much radio band, yielding speeds up to 10 times as fast as standard Wireless-G. The bottom line is that with the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX400 at the center of your home or office network, you can share a high-speed Internet connection, files, printers, and multiplayer games at speeds faster than those of 10/100 wired networks, but without all the hassles of wires or inefficient wireless connectivity. What's in the Box Wireless-G broadband router, setup CD-ROM with Symantec Internet Security, user's guide on CD-ROM, power adapter, Ethernet network cable, and registration card.

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D-Link VWR-VR Broadband Telephone Adapter with Wireless Router for Vonage Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My issue is that this router loses it's security settings every time it's rebooted. This happens a lot in my area because we have power outages a lot, so it powers back up, doesn't reload the security settings, and thus leaves a security hole in my home network. Kind of a bad design in my opinion. Doing a manual reset to the correct security settings is certainly possible, but seems to be finicky (it requires a login to a web-based utility) and usually takes me a few tries to get it working correctly. Drives my wife and I crazy.
Instead of an integrated wireless/VoIP solution, I'll spend about the same money and get a better standalone wireless router and a better standalone VoIP adapter. This one isn't worth your money.

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Netopia 3347-02 ADSL2 Wireless Router (Bulk Packaged) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Excellent gateway for a good price.
The item I purchased (marked "Bulk Packaged") came with a phone cable, network cable, power cable, and the router itself. No CDs or manuals of any type were included. However, the bottom of the device had a link to the support website, where manuals were available. The manual was not exactly the same as what I had, but close enough to be useful.
The following information might be helpful for people who are looking at it.
(1) The "router" is actually a "gateway". For all intents and purposes, it would replace several devices- an ADSL2/2+ modem, a wireless access point, a router, and 4 ethernet ports.
(2) Note on Wireless: the WIRELESS part might be disabled by default, depending on initial settings. You will need to connect via a WIRED connection in order to set up the wireless the first time. See below for more information.
(3) If you are concerned that there might be settings on the device from other users, or just want to be sure to start with a clear slate, power up the device, then take a paperclip or similar small object and use it to push and hold the reset button for 3-5 seconds. This will reset your device to factory settings.
(4) Connectivity: In order to connect to the device, after plugging your cable in, go to your web browser and connect to http://192.168.1.254 (this is the default IP address). Mine defaulted to not asking for a user name and password, I set those up myself for added security. Note that the default user names are "Admin" and "User", and that they ARE case sensitive. (I forgot the capital A at first). This will let you in to the configuration screen. While there ARE a ton of options, there is a on-board help file (clicking "help" on any page will get you help for that page).
(5) All of the Model # 3347-02-1006 gateways are designed to be sold directly to various ISPs for the use of their customers. They each have specially designed firmware that makes it easier for the intended customers to connect. So, depending on which model you receive, you may end up with an initial screen that is for some other ISP. Don't panic. Just either put in something random or else click the "home" button (if visible) to get to more advanced settings.
(6) I received model 3347-02-1006L. This turned out to be a model originally designed for BellSouth. I was trying to connect to CenturyLink. I was able to do so fairly easily, though I needed to contact customer support at both places. Motorola/Netopia offers limited complimentary support for 15 days from the first time you contact them by phone.
(7) For anyone else who might be trying to use this for a CenturyLink account (to avoid having to rent a unit!), be aware that CenturyLink will not provide support for other modems, however they will give you the basic connection information you need. Here is a quick guide to setting up CenturyLink (at least in Ohio, might be different in other areas): Log in to device, as described in #4 above. Click "Expert Mode" then "Configure" then "WAN" then "ATM" (this step might be called something slightly different, like "Set up ATM circuits"). On this page, set VPI to 8, VCI to 35, and Encapsulation to RFC-1483 Bridged Ethernet. Click the little exclamation mark icon that will appear above, choose "Save and Restart" . When it comes back up, presto! Done.
(8) To set up wireless, be sure to enable it, and then be sure to change the security settings so that you have the most secure login you can. For most people, this will be "WPA-PSK". If you don't know what you're doing at this point, read up on it so that you don't leave your system open and unsecure.I hope that helps someone out there.

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Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had pretty good success with Linksys products in the past and I would consider myself an above average user. So when I read some negative feedback about this product I figured it was just some user configuration issues. Was I wrong!!!
It wireless fuction worked off and on for a couple of weeks before I exchanged the model at the store. The second model had the same problem. During my 2 months of dealing with this nightmare I must have spent 30 to 40 hours on the phone with tech support. The first time I was on hold for over 3 hours. I had to reexplain the issues to tech support each time (you would think they could just read the case notes!!). EVERY time they asked if I was using a Linksys adapter card or if I was running WPA security. Each time I politely explanined that I did not have a Linksys card and that I would like to run WPA because the box, literature and website all said the device was backwards compatible with any b/g device and that it supported WPA. I finally gave up and turned off all security features and I still had the same problem.

Do not buy this router!! The frustration that is involved if it does not work with an internal Intel wireless card is unbelievable. And the tech support is all done from India, which is fine, but there is a real language barrier sometimes.

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Netopia 3347-02 ADSL2 Wireless Router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As others have mentioned, the product is not new(had an @bellsouth.net PPoE login for a business), but don't let that deter you. It works with no problems on AT&T in West Tennessee. Just make sure you set the correct VPI/VCI settings(VPI 8, VCI 35 for Tennessee, VPI 0 for some other states), put in your PPoE Username and Password, and you are done.
Just to be safe, it would probably be a good idea to factory reset the modem as soon as you get it, no telling what other settings may be lurking in there.
This modem was used to replace a 2Wire 2700HG that was, well, terrible(Unstable, forgets wireless password, drops packets under light wireless usage). I had been using the Qwest model 3347 for the past two years before moving back to Tennessee, so replacing the 2Wire with this was a no-brainer. I replaced the 2Wire at my brother's house with the 3347 from Amazon and it solved his issues as well. I have since ordered another two units for future use/spares.
As a side note for @att.net customers. If you do not know your PPoE password(It is randomly generated by AT&T when you sign up, not chosen by you) just enter a random password. Your modem will still connect, but you will be placed in AT&T's walled garden. Open up your browser and go to any website, it will redirect you to AT&T's internal troubleshooting site. After you verify your DOB or SSN, it will try to determine your modem model for about 10 minutes and say that it cannot. Select that you have a modem from a different source and it will give you your PPoE login information. There is no need to call AT&T.

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Vonage VDV21-VD - Router - VoIP gateway - desktop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In fairness, I am a new Vonage customer, having signed up April 27, 2009. Within 48 hours after signing up, I received this new adapter (paid $9 and change for it - was a Vonage deal) and hooked it up to an ethernet switch. Hooked up a corded phone to the device, and had dial tone. I kept this hook-up for 3 weeks, making LOTS of phonecalls and sending faxes to be sure I was ready to say bye-bye to my Verizon landline ($42 a month and never touch the phone for an outgoing call because of the costs involved). I have a networked setup: Modem --> Wired Router --> Ethernet Switch --> Vonage adapter. (I also have a wireless access point connected to my wired router,just to be precise.)
There are 3 PCs hard-wired and 1 wireless laptop. My cable provider is Cablevision (Optimum Online) at 10Mbps down and 3Mbps up.
Service is great. You could not tell between Vonage or the landline. The only issue I had was with faxing via my Canon MP780 all-in-one (outgoing faxes would not complete), and that wound up being just a matter of shutting down and re-starting my Canon. If you have this issue, please do not make yourself crazy changing your fax baud rates or ECM to off until you shut down your fax, remove all cables, replace cables and restart your fax. When I changed my baud rate from 33000 to 9600 because of many, many threads on the net, my fax capability was completely crippled. Now, it works great. And I don't have a dedicated fax line, it's done through my regular voice VOIP line.
After the 3 weeks, we cancelled the landline, disconnected the incoming Telco lines from the house, and then plugged the Vonage adapter into our phone jacks which back-feeds the signal through all of the phone jacks.
I have spoken to customer service for matters relating to my office (which also uses Vonage on 3 lines) and customer service has always been helpful and polite and there pretty much without a wait. Nice to have them available 24 hours, 7 days a week, if you did need them (better have a cell phone too though -- duh!)
I also have the line split and going to my Dish Network ViP722 DVR, which enables the ViP722's on-screen caller id. (So it is compatible--could not confirm this prior to trying it myself.)
As for complaints from others about bad sound quality, please realize that the service will be as good as your internet connection. If you don't have a stable, strong connection -- do not bother with VOIP. And, DSL filters can interfere with the signal, so read up on that. And never, ever plug these adapters into telephone jacks that still have Telco lines connected to them outside -- you can short out your equipment.
I got the $9.95 a month for 3 months deal, and thereafter it will be $24.99 (approx. $32 with tax). I did not port my home telephone number because the Vonage site informed me it was not available, but I was able to search through loads of telephone numbers and pick one that was memorable. Yes, I am in it for 2 years or I will fax a $39.99 disconnect fee. But, as far as I concerned, Verizon violated me for years with its fees and nickel-and-diming for every feature and call. I have to say that I wanted to try Vonage when it first came out, but was hesitant. Since my office has had it for over 2 years now, I decided to just do it myself.
Besides the many features listed on the website, you have access to alpha features like Vonage Fax (free outgoing faxes through your PC) and Vonage Talk.
Also, others here have complained that your trial starts as soon as you order, even though you don't have your adapter yet -- but you immediately can make calls through your computer with a headset. They assign a temporary number if you are porting your own, and the service and online features are instantly accessible.
And, as for the disconnect fee of $39.95, it's still less than what your cell phone provider would charge, so what's the big deal? You can't have everything.
Oh, the adapter...forgot what I was reviewing! The adapter is great. You have an orange backlit screen that shows the date and whether you have missed calls. It has built in caller-id, and you can initiate a call-back right from the adapter itself (your home phone will ring to tell you it's calling the number back). It has some other features too, like calling weather and traffic for free, and you can call your voicemail too.
Highly recommended. If you want to try it, try to do so without porting your number (check if you can port it free after you're sure it works well for you.) Try it risk-free (but keep an eye on the calendar!).


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