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.

Read More

Zyxel N4100 Wireless Hotspot Gateway with SP300E Ticket Printer review

Zyxel's N4100 is an Ethernet WAN router, with four 10/100Mbit/s LAN ports and 2.4GHz 300Mbit/s 802.11b/g/n wireless. It comes with a LAN-connected ticket printer and a web interface that makes it easy to configure the printer to generate tickets of different pre-set durations at the touch of the button.

For each issued ticket, it’ll create a new user with time-limited internet access privileges on its internal database. Up to ten printers can be connected to the N4100 via an Ethernet switch. Up to 100 users can be connected at the same time, although this can be boosted to 200 via a paid-for software upgrade but this adds hundreds of pounds more to the cost.

The router is designed to make it virtually impossible for devices connected via wireless to access anything connected to the LAN ports, which adds an extra layer of security. In any case, the router should ideally have a dedicated internet connection instead of sharing the same internet connection as the rest of your business.

All the configuration tools you'll need to set up the N4100 are built into its web interface. As well as guiding you through standard options like setting up a wireless password, it'll also help you through selecting what rights your users will have, such as using your SMTP server for their outgoing mail and whether they'll have to use their entire purchased usage time in one go or not.

Both of these are particularly useful yet uncommon options for a ticketing system. You can also decide whether you want to use Zyxel's own printer to produce access codes or generate them using a web interface and print them out on a different printer, which is an unexpected but useful option.

The Advanced menu is a bit more daunting, but contains a wealth of powerful and flexible options for everything from taking payment to directing users to a custom portal page and defining their maximum available upstream and downstream bandwidth. Unfortunately, although it has plenty of features, the router's interface is ugly and unwieldy; the advanced settings menu lists all the various options without any apparent logical order, which makes it frustratingly time consuming to navigate.

The many options include configuring credit card payment processing directly from your gateway portal using Authorize.net, iValidate.net, Secure Pay, WorldPay or PayPal. One can also create a "walled garden" of sites that users will be able to access without having to log in - handing for linking to your advertising affiliates or just providing a useful news portal for your guests. Up to three different pricing plans can be configured to suit your needs.

Naturally, one can block undesirable websites by IP address or URL. There's no keyword blocking, though, so you can't implement any blanket policies to prevent users from accessing porn, hacking tools or other dubious content.

Once set up, the whole system worked reasonably well and produced some impressive data transfer speeds at short-to-mid range, although these started to drop off noticeably at greater distances. We saw throughput of 35Mbit/s at 1m, 34Mbit/s at 10m and 10Mbit/s at 20m. You’ll probably want to invest in multiple wireless repeaters if you’re going to use the system over large areas anyway.

Verdict:

Overall, Zyxel's WiFi ticketing system didn’t impress us. Aside from the N4100's confusing and poorly laid out menu system, the printer itself, with its white body and big blue buttons, feels flimsy and looks like something made by Fischer-Price. The system works well enough, but there’s no reason to buy it when you can get easier-to-configure hotspot ticketing systems that also cost less.

Read More

Cisco WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router - VPN v2.0

Highlights

• Secure, high-speed wireless network access for small business
• Gigabit Ethernet connections enable rapid transfer of large files
• Advanced security, including intrusion prevention, helps keep assets safe
• Full IPsec VPN capabilities for up to five remote connections

Features and Benefits

The Cisco WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router offers:

• High-speed connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet connections on both WAN and LAN ports help you take full advantage of your broadband connections, enabling your employees to send and receive large files quickly and easily.
• Integrated 802.11n wireless access point: A built-in access point enables your employees to connect to the network wirelessly. Support for draft 2.0 of the 802.11n industry standard, along with backward compatibility with 802.11b and g standards, increases wireless speed, throughput, and range, for more efficient wireless coverage of your small office.
• Proven Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall with Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Unlike standard firewalls, which block incoming streams based only on the source or type of data, the intrusion prevention system scans deep, enabling it to detect and block most worms, Trojan horses, and denial-of-service attacks to help keep your business assets safe.
• VPN capabilities: IP Security (IPsec) VPN capabilities built into the WRVS4400N enable your remote employees, whether working from home or on the road, to connect to your office network using nearly any VPN client to access files and transfer data as securely as if they were in the office.
• Optional Cisco ProtectLink Web security service: This optional hosted service adds another layer of protection to your network by blocking malicious websites and controlling web access, without the drain on your office PCs caused by traditional security solutions.
• Flexible segmentation of users: Flexible, built-in support for up to 4 multiple service set identifiers (SSIDs) and up to four 802.1Q virtual LAN (VLAN) connections enables the creation separate virtual networks to allow secure guest access and improve traffic flow (Figure 2). The WRVS4400N can interoperate with other VLAN-capable switches, further enhancing flexibility.
• Limited lifetime warranty.

 Cisco WRVS4400N wireless-N Gigabit Security Router review found on this forum.

Cisco WRVS4400N wireless-N Gigabit Security Routerspecifications and documentation here.

Wireless VPN router

Pros:

I bought two Linksys WRVS4400N routers to manage a business from my office with a site to site VPN connection. I have previously managed a Cisco PIX 515E VPN appliance in a corporate enviornement for 5 years. To begin the install I enabled remote management on the customers existing router and copied the config to the new WRVS. 

Then I placed it on site. The customer was literally off the internet for less the two minutes while I swapped the cables into the new router. I had to flash the BIOS and upgrade the IPS signature files before placing it, this is certainly a inconvience, but that is how networking equipment goes. After returning to my office, I wanted to set up the site to site so I connected remotely to the router on the client side and http'ed to my local router. The documentation for VPN's is ok but could be better. Seems to be written by someone who has not actually set up a site to site, just read about it. I spent a few hours trying to bring up the tunnel with no luck, the name of the tunnel was two words with a space, I removed the space and the tunnel came right up! 

I searched Cisco documentation but if they are aware of the issue they don't report it in any way. The wireless connetion is ok, I find I must disconnect and reconnect the wireless connection is windows if the box has been idle for several hours. For the most part, this is a very good vpn router for a few hundred bucks. I will buy more as I add clients for remote support.

Cons:

The documentation could be better. I could not get the site to site VPN tunnel up so I looked to the advanced tab and they seem to have forgottened to document this area as an afterthough. They should tell you that the advanced area can be left as default only. The problem was a space in the tunnle name, appears to be another undocument Cisco secret.

Read More

myBro DV235T Green Packet Stock Firmware Snap Review

Recently I have just upgrade my 4G WiMAX wireless modem router myBro DV235T to Green Packet stock firmware. I just wanted to share this review using the default factory firmware instead the PLDT/Smart ISP customized firmware that has very limited user level privileges. Using the firmware v2.10.14-g1.0.4-gp you will be able to do what ever you wanted to do such as changing the WAN MAC address, port forwarding, DMZ etc.

What I love most having the stock firmware of Green Packet is that you are the admin, the root, the administrator of the device, you can customized your settings and your configuration without limits.

Here's just few of the screenshot taken by me that I wanted to share to all my guest, my commenter and likewise to those who eagerly wanted to tweak their new toy aka myBro DV235T.

This screenshot was grab from my Asus lappy, it only shows that myBro DV235T has been successfully change its WAN MAC address on this Green Packet stock firmware. All menus and sub-menu are now available, you can do what ever you want with your setting likewise configuration.

If you hate using the username and password as "admin" then you can now choose whatever username and password you wish, NTP server also is visible to edit if you need to synchronize you this CPE to other machine for special purposes it is now possible.

Your account is no longer locked by your ISP you can manually select the authentication of your username and password, setting the frequency  for best performance and optimizing your allotted bandwidth are even more possible that is if you want to test the 4G network in you area if you are really covered by many ISPs.

Tweakers will love this section since most of the sub-menus were being omitted on the customized myBro firmware, torrenting will play big role for those who are fun of downloading movies. You are all granted to port forward any ports inbound and outbound for any of your applications.

Protect and manage your 4G WiMAX wireless modem router CPE being updated the firmware over the air (OTA) by the system, deny or accept by enabling or disabling it. Not to mention other stuff such as SNMP, OMA-DM, Log, Ping if you want to test your connectivity to your ISP server. Upgrade and Recovery is also available to your to restore and upgrade with other firmware to the DV235T.

This features are not available on Huawei 4G WiMAX wireless broadband modem router, the Green Packet DV235T is capable of being a client and a server such as PPTP likewise L2TP, IPSEC or IP security is also added in this feature. Hopefully I could add the command line interface (cli) screenshot for the telnet and the ssh on my next post.

Read More

Linux Lite Is Heavy on Features and Usability

In a computing world distracted by distro overload, Linux Lite is a lightweight Linux OS that has no trouble handling a heavy workload.

Long gone are the days when it took hours to install and set up Linux on a computer, but most Linux distros still need a bit of configuration to adjust the massive desktop options to your liking.

Not so with Linux Lite. It is one of the few out-of-the-box experiences I have had in testing Linux distros that let me actually be up and working in under five minutes.

That is not to say I haven't spent time installing various preferred packages. That's the great beauty of using Linux. It gives users so much freedom to individualize the look and feel and choice of applications.

To its credit, Linux Lite does not install excessive numbers of programs to clutter up menus and home directories. Instead, it installs a collection of work and play packages to get you working and surfing. Rather than spend time removing or tolerating unwanted programs, users can simply add their preferred tools.

Testing That Testimony

My routine in checking out any unfamiliar Linux distro is to see how quickly the live session boots on my standard equipment. Usually, the first sign of duress is the lack of a wireless connection. The next stumbling block is usually one or more snags while installing the new distro to the test computers.

Linux Lite impressed me from the start. It loaded a live session in under 30 seconds with a prompt to enter my wireless connection credentials. I liked its speedy responsiveness when loading files from the DVD. I liked its fresh look and uncluttered design.

Linux Lite won me over when it installed on even my balkiest test computers without a single sign of trouble. That satisfaction continued as I performed my next critical step. Using nothing more than the installed set of packages, I attempt to use the distro to do actual work tasks for as long into my work day as I can tolerate.

I was pleasantly pleased not to have to make any settings changes or packages additions except one minor matter. Linux Lite defaults to two virtual workspaces. It only took a right click to change that setting to my standard four. The new setting was immediately activated in the workplace switcher app on the dock.

Look and Feel

Linux Lite uses the Xfce desktop environment. Not having any other choices is sometimes a good thing: It removes any quandaries about which optional offering would be better. Of course, if you prefer more memory-intensive flash-bang desktop effects, Xfce may not suit your comfort zone.

Xfce is fast and lightweight, but it is also very simple to use without compromising on performance. The Linux Lite developers did not make the mistake so many others make by embellishing or altering the integration of the desktop environment to make it more distro-unique.

I was able to easily change the default two-tone gray background with a right click on the desktop to select the Desktop Properties menu. Linux Lite offers a nice collection of colorful background images as part of the live session functionality. Often this personalizing option is not available with other Linux distros until you make a hard drive installation.

Working Desktop

The desktop screen is neat and simple, with easy navigation to the menu, system settings and configuration options. As I already mentioned, though, Linux Lite really needs no finessing to be truly usable from the start.

The menu is fairly standard yet simple and intuitive. For example, the folders are organized according to their categories. The slide-out menus are also well-categorized.

You can use the Run Program search box at the top of the menu to run a program rather than scroll through the standard menu -- but that only works if you actually know the name of what you want.

Another option is to use the Application Finder in the Accessory menu. Just select a category in the left column and click on the desired installed application in the right column.

Everything Just Works

Linux Lite has a lot going for it to make a very good first impression. With Linux Lite the basics work out-of-the-box.

For example, the only included browser is Firefox. I would have preferred the Chromium Browser, but Firefox was a reliable browser for me to start my work day rather than take time to install Chromium. Even Firefox's preinstalled state allowed me to play my online music collections and view YouTube videos without having to track down missing players and plug-ins.

When I needed to take that extra step to use some added third-party programs, relief was just a menu item away. The restricted extras package in the main system menu includes proprietary libraries and applications that enable the use of TrueType Fonts, Java, Flash and the ability to playback MP3s.

Strong System Support

Especially useful for configuring Linux Lite your way is the menu item to easily install special packages. The list includes a file and folder search tool and instant messaging. It also lets you add remote desktop, restricted extras, torrent software, video editing, VirtualBox, a weather monitor and/or Wine.

Linux Lite lacks its own community repository. The full range of package installation and software removal is done with the Synaptic Package Manager. A separate application in the main menu lets you install system updates.

The latest version of Linux Lite is "Amethyst," or version 1.0.6, released in June. The distro is based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, which includes five years of system updates without worrying about having to upgrade.

If you are not a fan of Ubuntu Linux, do not let the family lineage deter you from trying Linux Lite. Other than the system underpinnings, you will not see any trappings from the Ubuntu desktop.

Bottom Line

Linux Lite is an ideal starter distro for those looking for an upgrade when Windows XP dies early next year. Yet this distro is not just an easy Linux intro for newcomers -- it is a suitable workhorse distro for seasoned Linux users as well.

Even without installing it to a hard drive, you can reliably use Linux Lite in a live session from the DVD or USB drive installation. The USB option does not let you save your settings and software changes, however -- it is not intended for true portable use with persistent memory. However, if you use it only in live session mode, you can save your personal files externally.

Linux Lite is fully featured with the preinstalled software to be usable right out of the box.

Want to Suggest a Linux Application for Review?

Is there a Linux software application you'd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know? - source

Read More

Globe Tattoo Huawei HG521 DSL Snap Review

The Huawei Echolife HG521 is a residential DSL modem router with the capability as a wireless access point (WAP) that has built-in internal WiFi antenna for devices conductivities  such as smartphone and Tablet likewise for lappy.

Huawei HG521: Router Design and Aesthetics

The design of the Huawei HG521 gateway is a commendable aspect. It may not look ultra-modern but its simplicity is the reason why most people are not intimidated to use it. Because it stands vertically, it is easier to find the right spot where the router can be placed. It can be put right beside the desktop computer monitor or in a small corner. Its measurement is only 118.4mm x 90.3mm x 40.4 mm.

The power button is easily accessible too. It is found in the top surface of the router so turning it on and off is quick and easy. The indicator lights are strategically placed on the left side of the router’s interface too.  Hence, a quick glance is enough to see if the connections are working fine.

Attaching the cables to the router is easy too. The left side of the router is where all ports are located so there is no problem about tangled cables.

Huawei HG521: LAN Connection Ports

The Huawei Echolife HG521 modem router is recommended for use in homes because of the limitation in the number of computers which can be connected to it for cabled internet. It has only one ADSL port for the RJ-11. It is geared with one LAN port.

Huawei HG521: Router Performance and Functions

The edge of Huawei HG521 Router over other routers which Globe Tattoo provides to their customers is that this functions for different data link protocol. It is backwards compatible for 802.11b and 802.11g. For people who would like to utilize the latest standard, this router is designed to function even for the latest 802.11n.

Globe Tattoo is known for delivering uninterrupted and strong connection signal. Thus, it is necessary to have a router which would not slow down the impressive services of the company. With the use of this router, there is no need to worry that the service being provided by Globe Tattoo might not be used extensively. Since it functions on 802.11g standard, the connection speed is stable and there are no lags. This router is also good enough for more complex online tasks like downloading, gaming and media streaming.

Huawei HG521: Router Speed

The main reason why Huawei HG521 Router do not cause speed problems is because of its commendable capacity. Of course, the data speed will vary according to the package that the customer availed from Globe Tattoo but this router can reach 24 Mbps as its maximum modem bit rate. The great performance is also attributed to the 300 Mbps data bit rate.

There are two ways on how this router can be used for internet connection—cabled and wireless. Some people are having difficulty in connecting wirelessly after setting up the cabled connection. What they do not realize is that, setting up the wireless connection needs to be done after the cables are all up and running. A separate wireless connection account needs to be created to enable the wifi.

The router initially has the default username and password which will be used before the personal setting preferences of the users can be fixed. Management of the setting and feature changes can be done using the web based configuration.

Since the router has an activated Quick Start feature, users would have a step by step guide on how the connections can be made. No more reading of manuals and hiring professional I.T guys just to create both cabled and wireless connections.

Huawei HG521: Built-in Security

LAN connection does not involve much security issues but wireless connection requires impenetrable block against hackers. The good thing about Huawei HG521 Router is that it is geared with WPA (Wi-Fi Protection Access) support. This is among the latest security features that routers these days have. WPA is pretty much like a password which is required before a computer or gadget is able to tap the wireless connection. So long as the alpha-numeric password is known only by legitimate users, there is no need to worry that someone else who is within the Wi-Fi range can use the signal.

The Globe Tattoo Huawei Echolife HG521 GUI (graphical user interface) can be access via any of your favorite browser such as Chrome, Firefox and IE by pointing on the address bar thru http://192.168.254.254 with the default IP address. Once the login page prompted you may use the default username and password as "user" without the quote.

Read More

Sony PlayStation 4 Snap Review

Launch-day PS4 titles Knack and PlayRoom offer an interesting glimpse into the potential of Sony's new gaming console.

Sony Computer Entertainment offered a small group of international journalists hands on time with the PlayStation 4 this week, with sessions at its Shinagawa office and Tokyo Game Show. One game on show was new Sony title Knack, with game developer Mark Cerny on hand to discuss it and the console in general. As a games developer Cerny has worked on Sonic the Hedgehog, Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, but with the PlayStation 4 he is also the console's lead architect.

I'm wondering if the decision to make the PS4 camera an optional extra is a long-term mistake,

Knack is a family-orientated character action game revolving around a main character who battles a goblin invasion and can change size by drawing in materials around him such as fragments of metal, rock and crystals. Knack consists of hundreds of small moving parts and is designed to take advantage of the advanced graphics and physics capabilities of the PlayStation 4. The game is very plot-driven, with a movie-style plot line and extra characters which give it a bit of a TinTin feel.

When you pick up the new wireless DualShock 4 control the 20gm weight gain on the previous version isn't noticeable. It utilises the same basic DualShock design, retaining the dual analogue sticks along with the d-pad on the left and the four coloured actions buttons on the right. The heads of the analogue controllers are slightly smaller but feature rubber tips to help with grip.

The big change with the DualShock 4 is that Sony has moved the Select, Start and PlayStation buttons away from the middle of the controller to make way for a small touchpad. It's designed to recognise two fingers, or more likely thumbs, and is also a button. Knack doesn't utilise the touchpad but it will be used by other launch-day titles such as first-person shooter Killzone and the pre-installed PlayRoom augmented reality suite.

To make way for the touchpad the PlayStation button has moved lower down on the controller, just above the headphone jack and extension port. The Select and Start buttons have been merged into a single Options button on the right of the touchpad, while a new Share button appears on the left.

There's also a small speaker built into the controller, below the touchpad. In Knack it produces background noises, such as pieces of rock shuffling as Knack draws them to his body. The effect is much more subtle than the noises which come from Nintendo's Wii controller, and it's possible to dip into the PS4's menus to adjust the volume. The DualShock 4 can also act as a motion controller, a feature which isn't utilised in Knack but is used by PlayRoom.

Visually Knack is spectacular, relying on a new game engine built from scratch for the PlayStation 4. It takes advantage of the improved tessellation features to produce finer textures including ripples and interference patterns in the water.

A native Full HD 1080p game, something which was rare on the PlayStation 3, Knack also displays fine details in the leaves on the trees and even the shadows of the individual leaves on the ground, which move in real time as branches sway. The shadows are particularly striking as much of the early gameplay is set outdoors in cities and mountainous regions.

Each tiny piece of Knack's body is rendered separately and tracked by the console. He is constantly changing size, ranging from three feet tall to the size of a house, as he acquires more pieces or loses them in battle. Knack can also acquire components and crystal relics to build devices and unlock new forms and moves. Body pieces can also be used as weapons to blast the area around him. Game developer Mark Cerny believes the PlayStation 4's power and flexibility to cope with such a character saved around 12 months of development time compared to the PlayStation 3.

PlayRoom is a collection of Augmented Reality mini-games which comes pre-installed on the PlayStation 4. It relies on the camera to work, even though the camera is an optional extra and isn't included with every PS4 -- unlike the Xbox One which includes the Kinect and its built-in camera with every console.

PlayRoom lets you see yourself sitting on the couch and then generates tiny robots on the screen which you can touch. Around a dozen of them can jump out of the controller and dance around on the floor, where you can knock them around with your hands and feet and even flick them face-first into the camera. Think of them a little like the minions from Despicable Me. Sony's tie-in with mobile devices also shines through here, with the ability to draw objects on the PlayStation smartphone app and then drop them into the screen as three dimensional objects for you and the robots to play with.

PlayRoom isn't really a game, but it's the kind of thing that young children will really love. It also introduces them to some of the new aspects of the PS4. You can use the touchpad to call up the PlayRoom menu, which appears on the television as if it's a hologram projected around you by the controller. You can then flick left or right and use the touchpad as a button to select your mini-game. It's easy to reach the touchpad with your thumbs and flicking it feels very natural and intuitive.

You can have one robot flying around the room, or view them all inside the controller that you're holding. They fall about as you tilt the controller and you can even see the undersides of the buttons light up as you press them. Tap a beat and the little robots start to dance. Another mini-game lets you play air hockey on a holographic field projected around you, using the touchpad to move your piece.

Between Knack and PlayRoom these titles really help show off the power and versatility of the PS4, although I'm wondering if the decision to make the camera an optional extra is a long-term mistake. When you see what's possible with the Xbox One's improved Kinect, including the non-gaming entertainment features, Microsoft may have set itself up with the more powerful platform. It will be interested to see how PS4 developers.embrace the features shown off by PlayRoom.

Sony's PlayStation 4 goes on sale in Australia on November 29, retailing for $549. Microsoft's Xbox One comes out November 22 and sells for $599.

Read More

Linksys’s EA6900 802.11ac router Snap Review

High-end consumer routers have long been very similar to luxury cars: while the core technology is a step above lower end models, manufacturers also try to see many more features they can fit into one product. Luxury cars get cooled beverage compartments, while routers get web apps, USB ports, and media servers.

Still, these gadgets are some of the most crucial for our computing experience in this century and we’re excited to see new flagship models. One such is the forthcoming Linksys EA6900, announced just a few weeks ago under Linksys’ new parent company, Belkin. The product’s full name of Linksys EA6900 Wireless AC Router SMART Wi-Fi Dual Band AC1900 should give you a clue as to just how many features are stuffed into this beast.

The biggest difference between this the router you’re likely using now is that it supports the new 802.11ac wireless standard. In a nutshell, what you’re getting is an evolution of 802.11n that brings faster speeds and better signal coverage. But the EA6900 doesn’t stop there.

It also has the newest revision of chipsets for 802.11n, using a newer 256 QAM modulation chip that allows for a maximum of 600 Mbps throughput. Of course the 600 Mbps for 802.11n and 1900 Mbps for 802.11ac after maximum theoretical bandwidth values, but they’re still wicked fast and probably a lot faster than what you’re working with now.

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits the EA6900 brings compared to other modern routers is its triple di-pole external antennae. You can have all the latest chips in the world, but without a quality antennae to blast that signal to the corners of your domicile you won’t be getting far. External antennae also mean they will be replaceable

Aside from the benefits the new wireless platform brings you, the EA6900 has nearly anything else you could want. Two USB ports, one operating at 3.0-spec, let you access and share content on your local storage with ease. DLNA media server support means you can take the multimedia content on those storage devices and make them accessible to nearly any device on your network.

Fully customizable network controls are all baked in. From easy guest access to parental controls to QoS, there’s nothing you can’t regulate with the EA6900. It even supports NFC via the included SimpleTap card; just tap this card to your NFC-enabled smartphone (with the Linksys mobile app installed) and it will automatically connect.

There are probably some other features we’re forgetting, but you get the idea. Linksys will start shipping this new model on October 4th, but right now you can pre-order direct from the source and save an impressive $43 off the list price.

Read More

MyBro 4G WiMAX SmartBro Review 2013

I just wanted to share this personal experienced on my new wireless broadband internet connection from SmartBro MyBro 4G WiMAX. It has been four (4) months from now been using this 4G WiMAX wireless broadband. A review to the hardware such as the wireless modem router, conduit cables and the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE).

This is Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU (out-door-unit) CPE wireless broadband modem router antenna from Green Packet Technology Malaysia model OX230 being installed on the roof top.

The physical Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU CPE Green Packet model OX230.

The internal and physical outlook of white conduit of the Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU CPE Green Packet model OX230 Power-over-Etherner extension.

Physical PoE (power-over-ethernet) of Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU CPE.

Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU CPE Green Packet model OX230 GUI (graphical user interface).

My speed test to Springfield ISP U.S. server, DL=0.95Mbps & UL=0.19Mbps

My speed test to Smart Telecom ISP local server at Makati, DL=1.90Mbps & UL=0.27Mbps

This is the actual test to ZORIN OS server, I am downloading an ISO file of Zorin OS 7 Core32 its about 1.4GB that will last on about 5hours and 6 minutes to completely download the this file.

In conclusion, the Smart MyBro Plan999 1Mbps is good only for average user who is not hungry for more bandwidth. If you plan to share this 4G WiMAX broadband internet in your home via WiFi or hotspot for your smartphone and Tabs I may advice that this is not advisable you will be experiencing a slow browsing and buffered video while watching stream video online.

Read More

SmartBro: MyBro Green Packet OX-230 Personal Experience

Recently we have just subscribed the new SmartBro wireless broadband a.k.a. MyBro 4G WiMAX wireless broadband the new replacement of the old legacy SmartBro Motorola Canopy antenna fixed wireless internet broadband ODU (out-door-unit).

The Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX is using an ODU from Green Packet Technology Malaysia model OX-230 is an all-in-one device its a modem wireless built-in antenna internally that uses 2.3GHz at the same time a router or a gateway likewise for short a CPE. This CPE is likely behave similar to SmartBro Motorola Canopy antenna except the frequency is 5.7GHz and the power supply is 24Volt DC PoE (power-over-ethernet).

The OX-230 4G WiMAX CPE out-door-unit  has limited Cat5e LAN cable from 10 to 15 meters, white conduit is being placed out side wall mounted for the cable extension of the PoE if the location of the antenna signal gain is very weak. As you can see from this screenshot there are three (3) cable, black cable is from the ODU antenna, yellow-green cable is for the lightning arrester incase there is thunder storm to protect the CPE, while the gray cable is coming from the Power-over-Ethernet for the power supply of the Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU model OX-230.

This is the PoE adapter model MPSE-4803 from MOA Telecom the input is auto volt range from 100-240V that gives a regulated DC output of 48V 320mA. Its a made in China product.

The PoE adapter model MPSE-4803 of Smart MyBro 4G WiMAX ODU from Green Packet Technology Malaysia model OX-230 have two RJ45 ports, one is going to the white conduit or can be directly plug to the out-door-unit CPE, the other port is for the PC/Laptop likewise can be also be plug to wireless access point a.k.a WiFi hotspot.

An additional, the GUI (graphical user interface) of the MyBro 4G WiMAX review can be read here.

Read More

PLDT Smart 4G WiMAX MyBro Abot Kaya 499 Promo fixed wireless broadband

One of the hottest 4G WiMAX fixed wireless home broadband today is My Bro Abot Kaya 499 from PLDT and Smart. It’s in line with Smartbro’s products and internet services of WiMAX pocket modem and PLDT’s Home services. For just 499 per month, you can have fast internet browsing and surfing with a speed up to 1Mbps. I made a review about this fresh WiMAX product.

My Bro 499 Wireless Home Broadband Review

When I went to Smart Service Center recently, I noticed a lot of people were inquiring about the new WiMAX pocket modem – My Bro 499. While on queue waiting for my number to be called, I noticed majority of the interested users were kids, grade schoolers, tagged along their moms and dads asking about Mybro 499 abot kaya (affordable in English). I noticed too that after the Smart employee discussed the product’s features, some of the customers ended up with the Plan 999 Smartbro Canopy product. Ironic because I was there to close my contract with that Plan 999 and there were some customers too who were there complaining about the intermittent internet connection of SmartBro Canopy. Hands down with SmartBro Motorola Canopy SM fixed wireless internet broadband, it was really fast especially with my first 2 years of using it. It was strange though it was too slow recently with effect of FUP aka the "fair usage policy" implementation by the telco so I decided to end the deal.

My Bro 499 Promo offers a 4G WiMAX fixed wireless antenna similar to SmartBro Canopy but lower frequency instead of 5.7GHz it uses 2.3GHz outdor CPE built-in modem on it that’s why it’s called wireless home broadband . It means, internet connection is wireless so signal is not so fixed unlike DSL. My Bro also offers up to 1Mbps speed of up without uncapping capacity monthly – meaning it’s unlimited unlike the Plan 499 512kbps WiMAX pocket modem.You can also attached your WiFi router but the bandwidth will also be shared among the devices connected therefore the speed will vary accordingly, for an average user it’s really recommended who research and surf the web, do emails, Facebook, chat and watch online video's but this is not recommended for heavy downloader. If you are a heavy internet user, the Plan 1299 which has up to 2Mbps speed is right for you or go for the faster speed like PLDT Fibr which uses fiber optic network and connection capable of fast and stable internet connection.

This the PLDT Smart myBro 4G WiMAX CPE supplied by GreenPacket Technology Malaysia, there three (3) models for outdoor unit the OX230/250 and the OX330. The fixed wireless broadband modem router is identical to Huawei Technologies that is being supplied to Globe Telecom such as BM622, BM622i, BM622m they are using same license radio frequency but allocated to 2.3GHz while other 2.5GHz.

You can navigate and check your myBro CPE graphical user interface (gui) by pointing your web browser to http://192.168.15.1 if you want to fine tune or configure the setting with the default username and password as "smart" without quote. Take note account for smart username and password has only limited privileged unlike the Administrator you can view everything, portforwarding, QoS setting, signal setting etc. Likewise to get access with the CLI vis telnet same username and password will do except for root.

Read More

Netgear NeoTV NTV300 Snap Review

Netgear recently introduced the NeoTV NTV300, a compact, low power, highly integrated, streaming media player that’s quite similar to Roku’s latest devices. The product is clearly an attempt to capture a slice of the rapidly growing streaming media player market, currently dominated by Apple and Roku. While the device currently only has a third to half the number of content apps as Roku provides, it does implement a more user-friendly menu system and also undercuts Roku’s pricing.

Pros and cons…

Pros:

• Over 160 content channels and more on the way; device provides one of the most complete sets of VOD movie and TV show services: Netflix, HuluPlus, Vudu, and YouTube, with only Amazon VOD absent.
• Extremely easy to setup and use
• The NTV300′s 2D menu system is better suited than Roku’s 1D UI for browsing a large library of channels and customizing the homescreen with favorite channels.
• Rock-solid stability.
• Low power operation with ultra-low power deep-sleep mode; fanless and silent.
• Extremely compact.
• Ethernet and 1080p are standard on all models, despite competing price-wise with Roku’s low-end models.
• Top model plays media from USB files and DLNA network shares
• Top two models offer Intel WiDi screen mirroring
• Top model’s remote control includes QWERTY keys

Cons:

• Really could use AirPlay streams rendering, this is an another area where Netgear could leapfrog Roku’s devices.
• We wish the remote control used RF wireless, especially since the device’s IR remote seems more directionally sensitive than Roku’s.
• Could use a web browser function, enabling users to stream from a specific URL or view a web page.

Read More

My Bro 499 Pocket WiMAX Abot Kaya Wireless Home Broadband

The new myBro Plan 499 is offered via a new device: the WiMax Pocket Modem. It’s chic, easy to use, and very easy to install! This the new slogan of myBro once you go the official website of SmartBro.

One of the hottest wireless home broadband today is My Bro Abot Kaya 499 from PLDT and Smart. It’s in line with Smartbro’s products and internet services of WiMAX pocket modem and PLDT’s Home services. For just 499 per month, you can have fast internet browsing and surfing with a speed up to 512kbps. I made a review about this fresh WiMAX product.

My Bro 499 Wireless Home Broadband Review

When I went to Smart Service Center recently, I noticed a lot of people were inquiring about the new WiMAX pocket modem – My Bro 499. While on queue waiting for my number to be called, I noticed majority of the interested users were kids, grade schoolers, tagged along their moms and dads asking about Mybro 499 abot kaya (affordable in English). I noticed too that after the Smart employee discussed the product’s features, some of the customers ended up with the Plan 999 Smartbro Canopy product. Ironic because I was there to close my contract with that Plan 999 and there were some customers too who were there complaining about the intermittent internet connection of Smartbro. Hands down with Smartbro, it was really fast especially with my first 2 years of using it. It was strange though it was too slow recently so I decided to end the deal.

My Bro 499 offers WiMAX wireless indoor modem that’s why it’s called wireless home broadband . It means, internet connection is wireless so signal is not so fixed unlike DSL. My Bro also offers up to 512kbps speed of up to 3GB capacity monthly – meaning it’s not unlimited like the Plan 999 1mbps.You can use WiFi yes but with this kind of speed, it’s really recommended for light internet users who research and surf on the web, do emails, Facebook, chat lightly but this is not recommended for downloading and uploading fast or live streaming videos and downloading music. If you are a heavy internet user, the Plan 999 which has up to 1mbps speed is right for you or go for the faster speed like PLDT Fibr which uses fiber optic network and connection capable of fast and stable internet connection.

My Bro 499 is really abot kaya. But for a wise user, using the unlimited internet product is wiser.

My Bro PLDT Wimax Features:

• Wireless internet connection
• Free installation (around 3 days upon application and payment)
• 2 years contract
• Unlimited internet surfing but with 3GB monthly volume allowance

My Bro 499 Internet Requirements:

• A valid ID
• Proof of billing or latest credit card statement
• Credit Card if you’ll pay via it
• Cash of 499 for the first payment

Read More