Posts Tagged NETGEAR
NETGEAR RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300
Posted by Ivan Bohannon in Product Reviews on November 28th, 2008
Pros: Good backwards compatability. lots of features & easy to use.
Cons: Needs GB Ethernet. Grade C+.
Amazon Link: RangeMax WNDR3300 Dual Band Wireless-N Router
Install
The CD installer is designed for a first time user, who has never connected a router to an existing cable modem/DSL connection. It pops up a windows message box for each required step of the install. ex: “Unplug ethernet cable from your PC, click next to continue”. Theres at least a dozen of these pop-ups, but eventually you are pushed onto a revised Netgear internal web page config (www.routerlogin.com) this is nice for novice users, who might be confused by entering in a static ip address (192.168.1.1) to config the router.
I let the router run its interal config wizard, which walks the user step by step thru the details of the WAN connection and the wireless settings. This worked nicely, and it auto-detected that my cable modem was assigning IP addresses, although it prompted me for an account name. I dont ever recall having to use an account name for a cable/dsl router. After this it resets itself and a minute later displayed the full Basic Settings web page. Minor Nit: there is an apply button on this page that will reboot the router even if you haven’t changed anything on the page. Read the rest of this entry »
Disappointed with Powerline networking
Posted by Ivan Bohannon in PowerLine Networking on November 23rd, 2008
Linksys PLK200 PowerLine AV Ethernet Adapter Kit 100Mps. $149.
Netgear HDXB101 200Mbps Powerline Adapter Kit. $113.
Airlink APL-8511 Turbo 85Mbps Powerline Ethernet Adapter. $29 Each.
Summary: Super easy to install, but these only work well if you are connecting two outlets in same room. Avoid these products if you are trying to connect different rooms together.
Installation
This time I decided to compare Netgear HDXB101 product against its competitors, and also measure the actual performance of each.
All of the products I tried are extremely easy to install. Plug one of the adapters into an AC outlet near your cable/dsl router, plug the other adapter into AC outlets in the rooms you need to connect. No drivers to install.
That’s the only positive thing to say about all of these products.
