Belkin Play Router

Posted on September 23rd, 2010 in Router | 1 Comment
Belkin Play Router

Belkin has been hit or miss on the router front over the past few years, but its wireless Play router is a definite hit. Here’s a concurrent dual-band 802.11n router (it runs 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios simultaneously) with a virtual guest network, a USB port that can share either a storage device or a printer over the network, and very respectable throughput and range that sells for less than $100.

The router is self-healing, too. It automatically detects and attempts to resolve network problems, and it will automatically reinitialize itself on a weekly basis (you choose the day and time or turn off the feature if you don’t like it). If that doesn’t deliver enough value for you, Belkin also throws several applications into the mix. Memory Safe is a utility that runs on your client PCs and automatically backs up whichever directories you designate to an external drive attached to the router. Music Mover is an UPnP- and DLNA-compliant media server.

And Daily DJ analyzes your music library and automatically creates playlists based on one of three user-designated moods: High Energy, Steady Groove, or Kick Back. We haven’t used this last feature long enough to have a solid opinion about it, but it wouldn’t detract from this router’s value even it if was unusable.

In fact, there’s just one feature we find wanting on the Play router: It
has a four-port 100Mb/s switch, versus a gigabit switch.

Continue to read this very interesting stuff: Belkin Wireless Play Max Router

Dlink DIR-457U 3.75G Pocket Router

Posted on September 18th, 2010 in 3G | 1 Comment

Dlink DIR-457U 3.75G Pocket Router

Take along your own hot spot wherever you go with this router. Smaller than an iPhone – measuring just 11cm by 6.5cm and weighing 103g – you can easily slip it in your pocket. Plug your SIM card into it to access the Internet with download speeds of up to 7.2Mbps.

The DIR-457U can be hooked up to 16 wireless devices, which can be portable computers, phones and game consoles. It offers Wi-Fi networking, WPA and WPA2 encryption and also works as a USB modem.

It even has a microSD card slot so you can share files wirelessly. Its built-in lithium ion battery can be charged conveniently via any compatible USB cable.

Belkin Basic N150 Wireless Router F7D1301

Posted on September 15th, 2010 in Hardware | No Comments

Belkin Basic N150 Wireless Router F7D1301

Although aimed at the budget-conscious consumer, Belkin’s Basic N150 still comes with Wireless-N technology so you get to enjoy data transmission speeds of up to 150Mbps. It also has WPS/WPA2 encryption and preset security settings to keep your network safe.

A one-touch Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) feature securely connects multiple computers and devices. A self-healing app automatically detects and resolves network problems, as well as runs routine maintenance scans.

Continue to read: Belkin Basic Wireless Router

Linksys by Cisco WRT160N

Posted on September 11th, 2010 in Wireless Router | No Comments

Linksys by Cisco WRT160N Ultra RangePlus Wireless-N Broadband Router

Linksys by Cisco WRT160N

Shaped like a flying saucer, the WRT160N Ultra RangePlus comes with an easy-to-use Web interface, making it a breeze to set up and manage.

It comes with a Mac set-up wizard as well. Its advanced wireless security and SPI firewall protection keep you safe from most known Internet attacks.

Cisco-Linksys WRT160NL Wireless-N Broadband Router

Linksys by Cisco WRT610N

Posted on September 8th, 2010 in Wireless Router | No Comments

Linksys by Cisco WRT610N

Running both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the WRT610N promises high-speed networking at home and in the office.

With simultaneous dual bands, playing your favourite online games in the living room will not slow down dad’s Web surfing in his room.

You can also turn the WRT610N into a network attached storage device by plugging in an external hard drive.

A powerful stateful packet inspection (SPI) firewall protects you against intruders as well as most known Internet attacks and 128-bit encryption ensures that your data is well-protected.

Continue to read: Linksys Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router with 4 Gigabit Port Switch

The wireless route

Posted on September 5th, 2010 in Wireless 101 | 1 Comment

Set up a home network or create your own hot spot on the go.

It is easy to see why wireless routers have become so popular in homes and offices. These devices not only offer a convenient way to hook up all your computers at home to the Internet, but they are also great for setting up a home network for file or printer sharing.

If you are looking for a wireless – or Wi-Fi – router, look at those with the latest wireless transmission standard called Wireless-N. With speeds of up to 300Mbps, Wireless-N routers are much faster than Wireless-G (54Mbps) ones and are capable of streaming high-definition video, voice and music.

The Wireless-N technology is fast because it uses multiple radios to transmit multiple streams of data on multiple channels – a technology known as Multiple-In, Multiple-Out (Mimo). These routers are usually compatible with Wireless-G or Wireless-B equipment, so you can upgrade without fear that your old gear will not work.

Prices of Wireless-N routers have been falling. Today, a basic, single-channel Wireless-N router, which is good enough for Web surfing, can cost less than $50.

Heavy multimedia users and gamers should consider routers that run both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously. The 2.4Ghz band will be used for non-time critical traffic like basic Internet surfing and the 5Ghz band for heavy-duty tasks like video streaming and gaming. Be prepared to pay over $200 for such a router.

Those who want to create their own Wi-Fi hot spot while on the move can check out portable wireless routers. These routers tap on your telco’s 3G network using your SIM card. They also run on a built-in battery. Users simply connect their computers or mobile devices over Wi-Fi to access the Internet or share files.

Three tips for Wi-Fi on the go

Posted on August 15th, 2010 in Hardware | No Comments

1. Charge up that battery

Wi-Fi sucks up battery juice quickly. Couple that with a 3G data link and you will find your battery-powered MiFi gizmo or Android phone running out of juice after a few hours of heavy use.

So make sure you charge your batteries before heading out. Or, if you expect a long day of surfing ahead, get a portable USB battery charger like the Zagg Sparq (www.zagg.com/accessories/zaggsparq.php).

2. Secure your Wi-Fi

This seems like a no-brainer, but in the rush to get online, many users end up sharing their 3G connection over an unsecured Wi-Fi link.

This means they may end up having Wi-Fi leechers in their network. This not only puts their PCs or iPads at risk, but also slows the surfing speed.

The solution is to encrypt your data and set a password. Most portable routers offer this feature, as do Android phones that support Wi-Fi tethering using a 3G link.

3. Stay within range

Many portable routers do not have powerful antennas, as they are not expected to cover an area bigger than a small hotel room. Some are designed to conserve battery and hence do not emit Wi-Fi signals that are as powerful as those from home routers.

Many portable and 3G routers are designed with their antennas hidden within the chassis. You will also find fewer antennas in these devices than in full-fledged home routers.

As such, avoid straying too far from your router. If the Wi-Fi signals have to pass through walls to reach your laptop, the connection speed suffers.

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