Billion myGuard 7500GL

What is this? Could Billion actually be a company that understands what we expect from a wireless modem/router? It looks that way from the physical design. There’s a large swivel detachable antenna. A couple of slots make wall mounting possible, and the LEDs are clearly visible in either orientation. There’s also a power switch to easily turn the device off.

Initial setup is via the browser, as explained by the competent documentation. Billion has tried to simplify the process with an ‘Auto Scan’ option to automatically detect the ADSL settings. No real problem, as a couple of photocopied pages explained how to get it working. Move beyond the basic setup options and you’ll find an enormous range of features on offer. Good news for techies, but perhaps a little intimidating for everyone else, especially as there are no Help links to explain the significance of each step. This is a problem, as the default settings aren’t always wisely chosen.

If you’re happy to explore, there’s plenty to keep you occupied here. The 7500GL excels at security and corporate networking features (VPN, QoS, SNMP and more), but there’s also plenty for the home user, such as the option to regularly check your POP3 mailbox (an LED indicates when new messages arrive). For extra security you’re also provided with a free 60 day trial of Trend Micro Security Services (which features anti-virus, anti-spam and parental controls). This doesn’t help performance much, which proved only average, but the exceptional feature set means the 7500GL still gets the thumbs up.