Always On Wireless WiFlyer

Until now, if you were a dial-up Internet user and wanted to share your Internet connection, your choices were limited- especially if you were interested in having a wireless network. At the very least, you’d have to cobble together several pieces of hardware. Not anymore.

The WiFlyer, from Always On Wireless, is an 802.11b wireless router that lets you share either your broadband connection or your dial-up connection. It has both a built-in modem and a wide area network (WAN) port for connecting to the Internet. There’s also a local area network (LAN) port for connecting a system via Ethernet cable.

When you first connect your computer to the WiFlyer (either wired or wirelessly), your first Web page request is redirected to the WiFlyer’s home page. The home page gives you the option of choosing either a broadband connection or a dial-up connection. If you select dial-up, you can configure your account information, dialing preferences and inactivity timer. For AOL, EarthLink, and MSN subscribers, there’s a built-in list of access numbers that’s searchable by state or area code.

When you click on the Connect button, your modem dials and connects to your ISP. A built-in speaker, with a volume control, lets you hear the modem tones if you so choose. Once connected, a status page shows your connection speed and redirects you to a portal page for the Internet.

The built-in router features port filtering, a DMZ, and up to ten virtual server assignments, as well as port triggering for gamers. Security was taken seriously with the WiFlyer and includes 64/128-bit WEP, WPAPSK, SSID Broadcast disable, and the ability to deny unencrypted data. There is also a 16-entry MAC address allow list.

Though the WiFlyer does solve the problem of sharing a dial-up connection with both wired and wireless clients, there is room for improvement. For instance, we were disappointed with the lack of dialing automation: If your dial-up connection isn’t established, has timed out, or has been cut off when you make a Web page request, you are redirected to the dial-up connect page. And changing from a dial-up to a broadband connection isn’t automatic, either. While you most likely won’t be changing connection types often (unless you are planning to use the product for travel), you do have to load different firmware by clicking on a button and changing your connection type.

But all told, the WiFlyer is a welcome convenience for dialup users who have watched the wireless parade pass them by.