D-Link DIR-510L Wi-Fi AC750 Travel Router Review

The DIR-510L is a marvelous device that's capable of running on AC power using the provided adapter, or it can run on its own internal 4000mAh battery. And it has three USB ports, so it can share files stored on a USB hard drive and run on AC power at the same time. The router must be put into charging mode to charge anything (the USB port delivers up to one amp of power to an attached device).

The DIR-510L is the first 802.11ac travel router.

Most travel routers trail the market, supporting older standards and offering limited features. Few would say that about D-Link’s DIR-510L (or the Wi-Fi AC750, depending on which name you find easier to remember). This is the first travel router to support the 802.11ac standard, and it’s loaded with features.

In case you’re wondering what AC750 means, it’s the industry’s fuzzy-math marketing speak for informing buyers that a router supports two 150Mbps spatial streams using the 802.11n standard, and one 433Mbps spatial stream using the 802.11ac standard (never mind that 150 + 150 + 433 add up to only 733).

The DIR-510L is a dual-band router capable of running on the 2.4GHz frequency band in 802.11b/g/n mode, or on the 5GHz frequency band in 802.11a or 802.11ac mode. It has only one Ethernet port, so it can’t support a wired network, but it can operate as a wireless router connected to either a wired broadband connection, or as a wireless hotspot connected to a wireless broadband connection. Alternatively, you can share a 3G, 4G, or LTE wireless broadband connection with a wireless USB adapter and whichever cellular service you subscribe to.

It has a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button, which makes connecting clients super-easy (there’s no need to write down the SSID or WPA password). You should be aware, however, that the DIR-510L doesn’t come with any preset security. Don’t get in a hurry and forget to set that up, or anyone will be able to jump on your network. The DIR-510L supports guest networks on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, enabling you to share Internet access with others without granting them access to the computers on your network.

While feature-rich, the DIR-510L was not the fastest travel router I tested—at least not when I tested it with a Mac server and a Mac client. Netgear's 2.4GHz 802.11n router was faster than the D-Link both when the D-Link was operating as a 2.4GHz 802.11n router and when it was operating in 802.11ac mode on the 5GHz frequency band.

When operating as an 802.11ac router, the D-Link DIR-510L delivered throughput of 59.8Mbps when the client was in the same room as the router, nine feet away. Throughput dropped marginally to 48.5Mbps when I moved the router into my kitchen, 20 feet from the router with one insulated wall in between. The D-Link couldn't connect to the MacBook Pro at all when I moved it to my home office, 65 feet away and separated by several insulated walls. Distance typically isn't a big problem with travel routers, unless you're trying to support several colleagues in adjacent hotel rooms.

As you can see from the benchmark chart, the client had no problem connecting to the DIR-510L's 2.4GHz 802.11n network when the client was in my home office. I measured TCP throughput of 29.5Mbps in that scenario. At closer range, the D-Link delivered throughput of 42.3- and 43.1Mbps when the client was in the bedroom and kitchen respectively. But that's a far cry from the Netgear Trek's performance of 87.7-, 89.2-, and 76.3Mbps in the bedroom, kitchen, and home office respectively.

The DIR-510L has an onboard DLNA media server for streaming music, photos, and video from an attached USB hard drive. D-Link’s SharePort app supports most of the typical file formats: bmp, jpg, and png for photos; mp3, wav, and m4a for audio; mp4, mov, and m4v for video; as well as PDF and Microsoft Office document formats. Sadly, however, it does not support flac audio files. If you’re using a Mac, you can use D-Link’s SharePort Web Access to view directories of files on an attached drive. D-Link also offers SharePort apps for iOS and Android devices.

The D-Link DIR-510L has nearly all the features you could want in a compact router, but it's not the top performer—at least not when paired with a MacBook. That title belongs to Negear's Trek PR2000. When I tested these routers with a Windows laptop, the results were just the opposite.

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Trendnet TEW-714TRU Pocket Wireless Router Review

You have to wonder why there are so many types of electrical plugs in the world. It’s a pain in the neck that Trendnet remedies by providing three swappable plugs: One for use in the UK, one for use in the rest of Europe, and one for North America. Since most other countries use one of those three types of adapters, Trendnet figures its router can plug into 90 percent of the world’s electrical outlets.

The router itself is relatively small; think of a slightly oversized wall wart. It plugs directly into an electrical outlet, much like the Netgear Trek and the TP-Link TL-WR710N. It can operate in one of three modes: As a wireless router connected to a DSL or cable modem or a hardwired network; in WISP mode, connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot; or as a repeater to extend the range of an existing wireless network. You slide a button on the side of the device to choose which mode you’d like it to operate in.

The Trendnet has one ethernet port and two USB ports. One is a USB 2.0 Type A for sharing files stored on a connected storage device, but there is no media server onboard for streaming music, video, or photos.

The second USB port is used only for charging small devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, or media player (it will deliver between 1.1- and 2.1 amps of power). There is no provision for using a 3G, 4G, or LTE USB modem with this router. An on/off button on the other side of the router lets you turn off the router’s network function without disabling its USB charging function.

Like most of the other travel routers in this roundup, the TEW-714TRU supports the 802.11b/g/n standards, delivering one 150Mbps spatial stream on the 2.4GHz frequency band. The router comes from the factory preconfigured with a secure password, and its default SSID, network password, and admin login and password are printed on a label that gets hidden the moment you plug the router into the wall (because it’s on the same side as its prongs). A WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button on the side of the router simplifies the process of adding clients to its wireless network, but you’ll still need to know the admin login info to access its user interface.

In terms of performance, the TEW-714TRU is way in the back of the pack, but it's faster than the last-place TP-Link TL-WR710N. At close range, with the client nine feet from the router and in the same room, it mustered TCP throughput of just 18.4Mbps. The first-place-finishing Netgear Trek PR2000 hit 87.7Mbps here. The Trendnet finished next to last when the client was in the kitchen, 20 feet from router and separated by one wall, delivering TCP throughput of 16.2Mbps.

It wasn’t able to sustain a connection at all when I moved the client to my home office, which is 65 feet from the router and separated by several walls.

Power tips uber alles?

The TEW-714TRU’s power tips will benefit frequent world travelers, and its ability to charge mobile devices and share files from an attached USB storage device are attractive features. But this router’s Wi-Fi performance leaves a bit to be desired.

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TP-Link TL-WDR4300 N750 Router Review

Today we take a look at the new flagship router from TP-Link, a networking company that is trying to make a name for itself by offering quality - but inexpensive - network products. When looking at their catalog you will see they have a full suite of networking equipment for your home or small business.

The thing that sets TP-Link apart from the rest is that their price point for their equipment is significantly lower than their competitors. For example, you can find the TP-Link TL-SG1005D 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch for $19.98 from pretty reputable vendors on the internet while searching for a similar Netgear 5-Port Gigabit switch like the GS105 costs $39.99. With this in mind we were very interested in getting our hands-on their newly introduced TP-Link TL-WDR4300 Dual-Band Wireless Router.

TP-LINK's TL-WDR4300 is a performance optimized dual band wireless router which combines the blazing fast speeds of 450Mbps using the next generation Wi-Fi standard 5GHz bandwidth and 300Mbps using the traditional Wi-Fi standard 2.4GHz bandwidth. Users will have a total bandwidth of 750Mbps (thus the "N750" tag) to use for many different applications at the same time. Simple applications such as web browsing and emails can easily be handle by the 2.4GHz bandwidth at 300Mbps, whereas tasks like online gaming or HD video streaming can be process with the 5GHz bandwidth at 450Mbps all at the same time. This can all be done with the simultaneous dual band which is like running two wireless routers in one giving users lighting speed.

Because the TP-Link TL-WDR4300 has five Gigabit ports and 800Mbps+ hardware NAT, wired devices should have lag-free connections and will perform well. Based on these specifications, users should be able to power a fairly robust home media network. As with many new routers and gateways that have recently be released, this router is versatile enough for you to turn it into a media and print server. You can also use the TL-WDR4300's two multi-functional USB 2.0 ports to provide media and document sharing, ftp servers, printers, and flash storage by simply plugging in the device. For $90, this router has all the bells-and-whistles that the 'big boys' have. We are very interested in seeing if the router's performance lives up to the hype.

TP-Link TL-WDR4300 Features:

• Simultaneous 2.4GHz 300Mbps and 5GHz 450Mbps connections for 750Mbps of total available bandwidth
• 2*USB 2.0 port convenient for network-connected users to share files through the device's FTP server
• Built-in media server allows users to share music, video and photos with Windows Media Player, PS3 or X-BOX 360
• The device's built-in print server supports wireless printing from different computers by connecting a USB printer to the router
• Full gigabit ports ensure ultimate transfer speeds
• Achieves blazing WAN to LAN throughput of over 800Mbps with hardware NAT
• Simple wireless security encryption at a push of the WPS button
• WDS wireless bridge provides seamless bridging to expand the wireless network
• IP-based bandwidth control allows administrators to determine how much bandwidth is allotted to each PC
• Live Parental Controls allow parents or administrators to establish restricted access policies for children or staff
  
• External detachable antennas allow for better alignment and stronger antenna upgrades

Here is a quick video overview of TP-LINK's TL-WDR4300 wireless router that was done by TP-Link.

When we open up the TP-Link N750 Box we find a slimmer-than-normal router measuring about 9.6" x 6.4" x 1.3" weighing 2.1 pounds. The router definitely has a unique look finished in glossy piano black with fairly large lights on the front. The TL-WDR4300 actually has 10 different indicator lights on the front and uses 3 external detachable dual band antennas to function. The box also includes the power supply unit, a resource CD and a quick installation guide.

On the back you will find five gigabit ports along with the two multifunctional USB 2.0 ports. The three external detachable antennas screw on to the back of the router and allow you to align each independently. Having a detachable antenna gives you the option of attaching an 'after-market' antenna like the $23.99 TP-Link TL-ANT2409A that extends the 2.4GHz range. Finally, we see a physical button that can turn the TP-Link wireless transmitter on and off.

After opening the TP-Link WDR4300, we see that it is powered by a Qualcomm/Atheros "Hy-Fi" reference design AR9344 system-on-a-chip. This chip is the processing power that allows for the integrated dual-band 802.11n and all of its interfaces. The AR9344 chip supports a second 802.11n radio as well that TP-Link has taken advantage of.

You can also easily see the Group-Tek HST-48002SAR 1000BASE-T Transceivers that power the 4 LAN and 1 WAN Gigabit Ethernet ports. The rest of the PCB is very clean with a neat and uncluttered design. There are no active cooling elements or heatsinks located inside the TP-Link N750 so we really don't expect it the router to run that hot - or use that much power. We'll actually look at the router's power consumption a bit later on.

The TP-Link TL-WDR4300 also features one button security setup located on the back of the router and by pressing the Wi-Fi protected setup button, the router will automatically establish a WPA2 secure connection. The TL-WDR4300 supports IP QoS (Quality of Service), allowing optimum utilization of bandwidth and offering bandwidth control over congestion, preventing bandwidth abuse. This feature allows users who have small networks to receive committed and specific bandwidth which will prevent non-critical applications from degrading network performance. - source

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Setup SmartBro Connection Using Edimax Router

This is for the people who were asking on how to setup smartbro using an Edimax router. This guide is applicable to all Edimax routers as of this writing. as usual this guide is going to quick and straight-forward.

This guide assumes that you have a working smartbro connection and that you are able to access the internet when smartbro cable is directly connected to your computer’s LAN card.

1. Insert the smartbro cable to the WAN or Internet port of your Edimax router.

2. Using an extra cable, connect your computer to one of the LAN ports on the Edimax router.

3. Power on the router and login to the router setup page default is http://192.168.2.1, default user is admin and password is 1234.

4. Once logged in, click on the WAN link menu and click on Dynamic IP this will tell your router to send DHCP request to the smartbro base station’s DHCP server.

5. Click on “More Configuration” button, then look for the MAC Address text box then click on “Clone MAC Address” button. The default MAC address will be replaced with the MAC address of the connected computer on the router’s LAN port.

6. Verify that you have the right MAC address cloned. On your computer, open command prompt and type ipconfig/all and look for the Physical Address section and check that it matches the MAC address cloned by the router.

7. Once verified, click on Apply button and wait for 1 or 2 minutes for the changes to saved.

8. Power cycle your router and verify that it has successfully connected and assigned with an IP address, to verify, login to the Edimax router setup page and click on status then click on Internet Connection.

Tested to work on Edimax EW-7209APg, Edimax EW-7206PDg and Edimax BR-6204WG routers.

That’s all about it, you should be able to access the internet now through your Edimax router.

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D-LINK DSL-520B Review

This modem supports high download speeds, Quality of Service (QoS), and extensive firewall protection, providing all the essentials that a home or small office would need to establish a secure and high speed remote link to the internet.

AFFORDABLE HIGH-SPEED CONNECTION FOR HOME & SMALL OFFICE

The DSL-520B ADSL2+ modem router is an affordable high-performance ADSL device for home and the small office. With integrated ADSL2/2+ supporting up to 24Mbps download speed, firewall protection, Quality of Service (QoS) and 1-port switch, this router provides all the essentials that a home or small office needs to establish a secure and high-speed remote link to the outside world.

Brand	D-Link
Model	DSL-520B
Spec
Type	DSL Modem
Interface	RJ-11 ADSL port RJ-45 10/100BASE-TX Ethernet port with auto MDI//MDIX
Standards	ITU-T G.992.5 Annex A/M
Max Transmission Rate	24Mbps Downstream, 2Mbps Upstream
Features	Surf the Internet, check e-mail, and chat online Easy setup – no technical experience required Connect your computer with Ethernet

FIREWALL PROTECTION & QoS

Security features prevents unauthorized access to the home and office network from Internet intruders. The router provides firewall security using Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) and Denial of Service (DoS) attack protection. SPI inspects the contents of all incoming packet headers before deciding what packets are allowed to pass through. Router access control is provided with packet filtering based on port and source/destination MAC/IP addresses. For Quality of Service (QoS), the router supports multiple priority queues to enable a group of home or office users to experience the benefit of smooth network connection of inbound and outbound data without concern of traffic congestion. This QoS support allows users to enjoy high ADSL transmission for applications such as VoIP, streaming multimedia and on-line games over the Internet.

WHAT THIS PRODUCT DOES

This ADSL modem router connects to the Internet using an integrated high-speed ADSL2+ interface. Multiple computers at home or the office can share the high-speed Internet connection. The router provides firewall protection and QoS for secure and smooth on-line games, voice communication and download of photos, files, music and video over the Internet.

GET HIGH-SPEED ADSL SPEED

Ready ADSL connection with up to 24Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream. Watch TV, listen to live music and broadcast on the Internet, play games and experience clear Internet phone calls. Now, smooth streaming multimedia and VoIP voice are possible at home and in the office through a simple connection to this router.

Amazon Most Helpful Customer Reviews

By big_joe_mcbob on January 1, 2013
Verified Purchase

I was having slow DSL performance and wanted to replace a Verizon provided DSL modem with something that could show me at least my DSL line was running well. My criteria was to find a DSL modem that supported the later standards (ADSL2+ Annex M, etc), at least have some sort of recent support (datasheets or firmware dated within past 2 or 3 years) and have full statistics. As another reviewer mentioned, there's not a lot to choose from overall.

This modem fit the bill for me, it has detailed WAN, ATM, ADSL statistics that at least showed me my local loop was clean. It supports OAM and BERT tests.

There doesn't seem (as of this review anyway) any firmware updates from DLink, so whatever is loaded is basically what you get. It seems likely this is because there is some country specific firmware.

The manual shows settings for Internet Time (NTP) which is missing in my firmware and can't set the time, This is a little annoying when looking at the logfile and trying to understand when an event happened.

My DSL performance issues didn't change with this modem and it turns out it was a Verizon issue, which they have now fixed. I see many reviews for various DSL or cable modems which claim to have solved performance, but I would caution problems can always be somewhere else. The statistics from this modem, plus some detailed speed tests I ran, made me confident the problem was not on my side of the wire.

By TechT on March 3, 2011
Verified Purchase

Let's be honest, there isn't much diversity in the market for dsl modems. After trying 2Wire's that have poor network functions, Motorola's that don't stay connected, and Netgear's that fail after 6 months I decided to give this D-Link a try. It came with an install cd which I of course chunked and used the web interface so I can not tell you about the install cd. The web interface has a, "quick setup" menu which avoids a lot of technical network terminology but still had a ton of options in other areas including DHCP and NAT functions so you don't necessarily have to have a separate router to use it with multiple computers. It was very easy to bridge with my existing router (which was the only way I could figure out to get the modem to stop blocking ports and let the other router handle it) and did not have the connection issues Motorola's seem to have with a bridged router handling the login info for your internet service. If you need help configuring it D-Link provides a 800 number inside the box. Overall this modem seems to be well-made, holds a connection well, and performs better than many out-dated models still on the market.

By Michael P Levy on May 24, 2013
Verified Purchase

I bought this DSL modem to replace a Westell 327W DSL modem/wireless G router that I got when I signed up for my Verizon home DSL six years ago. We live in a rural area and are toward the end of the recommended distance from the switching station for a DSL line. The Westell was very unreliable and would drop out the connection to the internet regularly and often needed to be re-booted to reconnect. It was especially bad when the weather was less than a perfect sunny day. This unit, the 520B is rock solid. I have had it for about a month so far, during which time we have had severe rain and thunderstorms - including lightning strikes - and it has not even skipped a beat. The unit was easy to install with the included software and it automatically self-updates via the signals sent from your ISP so it is a true "set it and forget it" kind of device (as it should be), but access to manually configure the unit is great also should you ever need it. The VPN pass through feature is faster and more reliable than the Westell was - much needed for me as when I telework I have to connect into the company network via a VPN connection.

I have a Linksys EA 4500 wireless router connected to the modem and the two work flawlessly together as well. The EA 4500 is the hub of a fairly complex wired/wireless home network with multiple wired nodes, two router/wireless access points, an eight port switch and one wireless signal repeater/range extender. At maximum usage, there are four computers, two wireless printers, two Android phones and two Android tablets on the network running through the network and utilizing the modem at once and I never sense any traffic hitches or slow down issues. I am very pleased with this product in both price and performance.

By T. Fisher on September 10, 2013
Verified Purchase

I JUST got this modem to connect, and I have a little advice for people calling tech support:

If you're like me, you didn't write down your DSL password because you NEVER need to know it. Big mistake. After this, you'll write it down somewhere.

Now, the people at Verizon are not going to be used to supporting a different modem than the one they issue. Also, when they look up information on this modem they're going to be looking at outdated information. So you'll be doing the heavy lifting.

To get the modem to work, use the CD that came with the modem to initiate automatic network configuration. Next, get your DSL username and password from your ISP... this is the hard part.

After that, make SURE the DSL and Internet lights are on. If they are you're DONE with the modem. You hear me? DONE. They'll wind you round and round in circles and you'll just keep rebooting it.

Try to connect to the Internet. If you can't, the problem is in your NETWORK settings. Go to your network card properties and click configure. When the Window pops up with all of the networking protocols, click on IP Version 4. Make sure at this time that it says "Obtain IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically".

Click okay and close the dialog boxes.

Right click on your network adapter and click status. This will force the network card to refresh it's status and everything should work properly.

Congratulations, you figured it out.

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ZTE ZXDSL 931DII Connect to UniFi with Generic Custom Router

This is a UniFi Custom Setup wiring diagram :

Your Own Router's WAN Port will connect to ZTE ZXDSL 931DII LAN Port 1.

THINGS TO PREPARE BEFORE WE PROCEED

• Make sure you have your UniFi login ID and Password. The login ID should be xxx@unifi or xxx@unifibiz
• Download Mozilla Firefox because sometimes the ZTE ZXDSL 931DII will not work in Internet Explorer.
• The DSL Router / Wireless Router (Your Own Router). Note that this guide will not work for ADSL Modem + Router! We just need a normal Router with 1 x WAN + 4 x LAN Ports or Firewall appliance.

Step 1:

• Plug in your LAN cable with your PC to ZTE ZXDSL 931DII VDSL Modem LAN port 4.

Step 2 (login to ZXDSL 931DII):

• Open Mozilla Firefox and type the URL http://192.168.1.1/ key in the username and password below and click Login.

Username: admin
Password: hs5711Bbvl

Step 3:

• Backup the configuration.

Step 4 (Removing VLAN Tagging):

This step is to remove the VLAN tagging from the port.

• Click on WAN -> VLAN Trunk on left menu.
• Select LAN Interface select LAN1
• Untick Enable Vlan Trunk
• After uncheck Enable Vlan Trunk then click on Submit button.

Step 5 (Connecting UniFi with Custom Router):

•  Plug your custom router WAN Port cable to ZTE ZXDSL 931DII LAN Port 1.
•  Connect your PC to Your Own Router.
•  Login to Web Configuration page.

The above screen shot of my TP-Link WR841N stock firmware. Go to WAN select PPPoE key in your UniFi login ID and password. You should be able to connect to Internet with Your Own Router now! Enjoy!!

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Netgear Trek PR2000 Travel Router Review

The Netgear Trek is extremely versatile and it delivers great speed and range, but it operates only on the 2.4GHz frequency band. It doesn’t have as many features as some of its competitors, but it is well designed and is largely self-contained. You’ll never need to worry about packing an AC adapter, because it’s built in—just swing its blades down and plug it into a nearby socket.

If you want better range than what you’ll get from operating the router near the floor, you can plug a USB AC adapter into its micro USB port (but you’ll need to provide your own, since Netgear doesn’t put one in the box). You could also connect an external battery to the Trek’s micro USB port (here again, you’ll need to provide your own).

"When you’re at home, you can configure the Trek as a wireless range extender."

The Trek operates only on the 2.4GHz frequency band, supporting the 802.11b/g/n standards, but it supports two spatial streams in 802.11n mode to deliver maximum throughput of 300Mbps (most of its 802.11b/g/n competitors support only one spatial stream and therefore top out at 150Mbps).

That and the aid of an articulated antenna helped the Trek deliver very high throughput—76.3Mbps—when the client was in my home office, 65 feet from the router and separated by several walls. That's more than three times faster than two of the other routers I tested, and the other three couldn’t reach the client at all.

With the client at close range—nine feet from the router and in the same room—the Trek delivered TCP throughput of 87.7Mbps, and the Trek's performance actually ticked up slightly when I moved the MacBook Pro to the kitchen, 20 feet from the router and separated by one insulated wall.

Pivoting the antenna upward—as I did for my tests—exposes four LEDs that light up to report power status, Internet access, Wi-Fi activity, and the presence of a USB storage device. It’s always nice to have visual affirmation instead of having to guess what’s going on.

Netgear’s travel router has two ethernet ports, so you can connect one to a DSL modem, cable modem, or the ethernet connection in your hotel room, and support one wired network client with the other (or plug in a switch and support as many hardwired clients as the switch has ports). The Trek does not support a guest network, which means anyone who's granted access to your network will be able see all the other devices on your network—you can’t restrict them to just Internet access.

You can also connect the Trek to a Wi-Fi hotspot and share a broadband connection that way. A WPS button would be a welcome addition in these scenarios; as it stands, you need either to log into the router’s user interface to initiate WPS pairing, or read the factory-assigned SSID and Wi-Fi password that’s printed on the router itself (assuming you didn’t change it). This is a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.

When you’re at home, you can configure the Trek as a wireless range extender to fill in dead spots, or as a wireless bridge to support clients such as older Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, or AV receivers that require a hardwired network connection. Just don’t forget to take it with you when you hit the road again.

The Trek has one USB 2.0 Type A port that can be used to share a portable hard drive over your network. I much prefer Netgear’s Readyshare software for sharing files on a USB hard drive attached to the router. Using an SMB server, you can easily copy multiple files or entire folders over your network. The Trek also has an FTP server for sharing large files over the network or over the Internet.

You can also use that USB port to charge another USB device, such as a smartphone or media player—when the router is plugged into power. Unlike the D-Link and TP-Link devices, however, the Trek does not support USB cellular modems (although Netgear’s website indicates that the model sold in China and Russia does).

The Netgear Trek supports UPnP, but it doesn’t have a DLNA-certified media server. If you consider media streaming a critical feature, you might be happier with D-Link’s DIR-510L. But I don’t imagine that particular feature will be all that important to someone shopping for a travel router.

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Linksys EA3500 N750 Dual Band Giga Router

Ominous sounds of the full name of the object, but let us call it simply EA3500 Linksys router. With two-channel Wi-Fi, 1 Gbps LAN, USB support, and compatibility with Android phones planšetėmis.

I loved the minimalist, solid design of the device. Most importantly, no nonsense: antenėlių wobbling and flashing lights ...

Just a nice and simple box. Unfortunately, without being able to hang under the table or on the wall. Perhaps the producers specifically wanted this box would hold only on a desk or computer. Fortunately, there is nothing in the uncorrected one green paperclip.

All detectors are hidden in the tangles. It seems so much more professional and is much easier to use, because once you see that cables and connections are secure.

Anything with a Linksys EA3500 is extremely simplified. Couple step installation instructions are probably understood even orangutans.

If you lose this disk, a small problem, because for the first time just opening a web browser, you'll find exactly the same. I think Linksys really completely taken care of everything that everyone be able to connect the new router to create a home network and connect to it himself.

Cisco Connect gadget allows effortless control of key router functions: view and manage connected computers, to change the wireless network passwords and manage connected USB drive / flash drive, set limits for children or parents to restrict internet traffic. (:

Exactly the same features can be achieved even from your mobile phone or tablets with Cisco Express for iPhone / Android gadget.

Of course, there are the standard web user interface professionals to its already įpratusiems or just want to achieve all the detailed settings. Recent lacking such.: Can block specific sites for a specific computer on the Internet to activate only a specified period of time, limit Internet traffic.

Moreover, the Linksys EA3500 is a dual-band router'is. What do you imagine as two router in one box. So you can simultaneously use two computers connected to WiFi, which does not preclude one another. Or you can to one Wi-Fi channel to connect the game console to send and leave the games, while the other channel connection to your computer and remain free browsing speed.

Linksys has yet exceptionally high-quality Wi-Fi network . All home laptop and the phone displays the maximum signal strength 5/5 divisions. In comparison with previously used in the TP-Link WR1043ND WiFi connection in the kitchen still was not ...

WiFi connection depends not only on the router, but also used a computer or phone, in addition to existing wireless networks. On average, my Toshiba R630 laptop, game console wireless connection to one channel of 35-40Mbps speed. Using a high quality WiFi N network card or USB adapter, you can achieve a maximum speed of 80mbps and 70mbps in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels.

Linksys cable EA3500 can develop high as 220 Mbps speed. Most importantly, the reach not only continue, but in practice such.: Sending a torrent's. Even I liked that router'is become stuck, do not break even over a long period of use, so it does not need constant perkrovinėti.

Supports 1Gbps network, so the computer can send data cable impressive 110MB / s (~ 880Mbps) speeds. This, like copying files on the local disk. Within minutes you can transfer the entire 7GB movie.

Even the Linksys EA3500 can connect a USB drive or flash memory, you will be able to achieve as a network drive, stream'inti video. Or even make a home FTP server, accessible via the Internet. The only problem is relatively limited USB 2.0 speeds of up to 27MB / s (~ 210 Mbps).

I had to try a number of routers. So far the favorite Linksys WRT160NL , but the emergence of Gigabit router'iams, it changed the TP-Link WR1043ND. Only then I realized how old Linksys was better because it just worked, and D-Link jam lūždavo, lost wireless connection ... Fortunately, for the month using the new Linksys EA3500, which is easy to forget, because he just always does the job and does not problems. Wi-Fi in all five divisions of the house five torrent downloading at maximum speed, sticking and fractures have remained only TPLINK memories.

There are also gigabit network that files between computers allows you to copy an instant. Liked the two-channel Wi-Fi, with one channel connected a game console, it sends games, and you can navigate to the peaceful second channel with a laptop comp. Even more, this should appeal to those who often share with others online. Like the parents who want to limit Internet time or achievement of some sites. Especially when doing so as the entire router to start using is very simple. So far, 220 Mbps is probably enough existing Internet plans for the future with the DD-WRT firmware and 800Mhz processor, 64 MB of RAM should be easy for the rate increase 2-3 times.

I found only a couple of drawbacks: router'is not adapted for hanging on the wall (the one just resolved a paper clip to help), the standard firmware from Cisco router'io On užsikrauna only in ~ 40s. Maybe the second problem a little funny, because today's Windows 8 PC užsikrauna within five seconds, and then another half a minute to wait for the Internet ...

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Exploring D-Link DIR-320 networks with Oleg's firmware or what are vlan0, vlan1, eth0, eth1, br0?

What is the device?

It's a D-Link wireless router (4MB flash, 32MB RAM and processor Broadcom 240 MHz) with almost the same configuration as ASUS WL500g Premium (8MB flash, 32MB RAM and processor Broadcom 266MHz), but costs much lower.

Why do I need this wireless router?

Because I want to build a wireless home network with Internet connection (PPPoE) for laptop, netbook (HP 2133) and a telephone (Nokia E63), which supports Wi-Fi. I need the USB port for printing, and in the future ---scanning, USB harddisks, networked web camera, 3G or WiM modems etc.

What is the Oleg's firmware?

It's Linux-based custom firmware for ASUS WL-500gx/WL-550gE/WL-500gp/WL-500W/WL-320gE/WL-320gP/WL-330gE/WL-500gp V2/WL-520gU. There isn't much thing to do with the manufacture's firmware. Instruction of installation (flashing) of the Oleg's firmware on DIR-320 can be found in my blog (in English) or wl500g.info (in Russia).

What are there inside the router with Oleg's firmware?

After flashing the device with Oleg's firmware, you can configure Internet connection, Wireless, etc by web brower interface. Don't forget to turn on SSH server (dropbear). After that login and explore:

$ ifconfig

br0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4C:C0:00:00

inet addr:192.168.1.1 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:1122700 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:1113191 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:367622803 (350.5 MiB) TX bytes:586264798 (559.1 MiB)

eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4C:C0:00:00

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:1393411 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:1113648 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:935119976 (891.7 MiB) TX bytes:655661617 (625.2 MiB)

Interrupt:4 Base address:0x1000

eth1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4C:C1:00:00

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:619887 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:19671

TX packets:683607 errors:122 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:44888939 (42.8 MiB) TX bytes:305171776 (291.0 MiB)

Interrupt:13 Base address:0x5000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:16436 Metric:1

RX packets:40152 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:40152 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:3718052 (3.5 MiB) TX bytes:3718052 (3.5 MiB)

ppp0 Link encap:Point-to-Point Protocol

inet addr:93.88.141.40 P-t-P:93.88.128.253 Mask:255.255.255.255

UP POINTOPOINT RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1492 Metric:1

RX packets:647631 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:661658 errors:0 dropped:44 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:3

RX bytes:545701887 (520.4 MiB) TX bytes:346044024 (330.0 MiB)

vlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4C:C0:00:00

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:504058 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:443975 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:334078103 (318.6 MiB) TX bytes:292107592 (278.5 MiB)

vlan1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:90:4C:C0:00:00

inet addr:10.13.5.65 Bcast:10.13.5.255 Mask:255.255.255.0

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:889353 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:669673 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:575960475 (549.2 MiB) TX bytes:363554025 (346.7 MiB)

Physically the wireless router D-Link DIR-320 has a 2-port router and a 6-port switch. One port of the switch is connected to the router, another one is the WAN port. The other 4 ports of the switch are the LAN ports on the back of DIR-320. The remaining port of the router is connected to the WLAN adapter.

Inside the switch exist two Virtual LANs (VLans) --- vlan0 and vlan1. vlan0 contains ports 4 LAN ports (ports 1--4) and one router port (port 6). vlan1 contains WAN port (port 0 or "Internet Port" written on the back) and router port (port 6).

There is a bridge (br0) bridging eth1 (WLAN) and eth0 (switch port 0). This bridge allows WLAN and LAN to share the same IP address. When the router needs to send information to clients, it broadcasts out br0 (to eth1 and vlan0). When we need to send information to Internet (WAN), router send directly to vlan1.

$ brctl showmacs br0

port no mac addr is local? ageing timer

2 00:1b:9e:7f:96:38 no 0.77

2 00:21:00:62:c1:86 no 0.00

2 00:23:b4:ce:cd:4e no 36.52

1 00:90:4c:c0:00:00 yes 0.00

2 00:90:4c:c1:00:00 yes 0.00

2 02:90:4c:c1:00:00 no 29.23

Via phanvinhthinh

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CD-R King CW-5356U Tomato Firmware

I cobbled together a network-attached storage (NAS) at home to enable everyone in our house to have a shared directory for school, work and personal files. This shared directory is also accessible from outside the house – like a rudimentary personal “cloud” for our family.

It wasn’t complicated — you can go to my blog for the article on the process — because the setup was a matter of connecting an old portable USB drive to a cheap CD-R King wireless router and setting things up using a visual interface.

The magic sauce in the setup is the Tomato firmware that runs on the router. Tomato is a Linux-based router firmware that allows you to manage your device on such things as filtering and setting quality of service rules for certain types of connections so that people browsing websites don’t experience crawling connection when someone downloads using a torrent.

The Tomato firmware that comes with the CD-R King router that I use, a CW-5356U model, simplifies the setting up of a NAS by allowing you to plug a portable drive into the router’s USB port. You can set the system to auto-mount any drive that you plug into it and make it shareable in your network. You can also designate a password for your shared drive so that not everyone who connects to your Wi-Fi can access it.

The system also assists you in setting up an FTP (file transfer protocol) server that will allow you to access that drive outside of your network. You can, with the setup, access your home files from the office or even on the go.

Promise of open source

What’s even more fun is that you can view movies stored on your portable drive over your iPhone or iPad.

The router also has a facility that will allow you to connect a printer to its USB port to turn it into a network printer. It also allows you to set up complex rules that can, for example, bar your children from accessing Facebook during class days but allow you to continue using the social network.

For just P1,280, the wireless router trumps the features of branded and more expensive models.

I think the CD-R King router illustrates the promise of open source software.

Tomato firmware is open source, meaning it is released under a license that encourages sharing the software and collaborating to make it better. Any wireless router manufacturer can use the Tomato firmware for its product. By using Tomato, the manufacturer no longer has to spend to develop and maintain its own firmware. Instead, it can just concentrate on the manufacturing side of the business.

By using Tomato, CD-R King is able to manufacture a router that’s really top-class for such a low price.

But if there’s an open source project that’s really making such a huge impact, it’s Android. There are phones in the market today that are powerful and advanced and yet cost less than P10,000. Cherry Mobile’s Flare, for example, costs just P3,999 but comes with formidable specs: Android ICS, 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor, five-megapixel camera and dual-SIM capability. It was such a hot item during the holidays that stocks were wiped out.

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