D-Link DSL 904 ADSL Wireless Router USB Starter Kit - wireless router

...I was attracted to the D-Link DSL-904 as it was advertised as a "Wireless ADSL Router Kit". Since installation, I have gained quite a bit of knowledge on the technologies involved, but at the time of purchase, non of the other information available meant anything to me! The idea that everything I needed to connect two computers together came in a single box was very appealing as it could only make the whole process easier.

...
...Wireless ADSL Router - ignore the numbers on this one, it's just the model, but this is the box that connects everything, including the internet, together. It has a modem inside, and the router word comes from its ability to 'route' everything to the right place.
2. CAT 5 UTP Eternet Cable - this cable connect your main computer to the Router.
3. RJ11 ADSL Cable - in other words, this is a telephone cable, but it has a slightly different ... more

Why did I choose it?

I'd had a broadband connection for quite some time and used a free modem that came from my ISP. There had never been any problems with the free modem, but it only allowed one computer to connect through it. We had bought a cheap second computer and wanted to be able to share files, printers, and most importantly the broadband connection. I was attracted to the D-Link DSL-904 as it was advertised as a "Wireless ADSL Router Kit". Since installation, I have gained quite a bit of knowledge on the technologies involved, but at the time of purchase, non of the other information available meant anything to me! The idea that everything I needed to connect two computers together came in a single box was very appealing as it could only make the whole process easier.

What's In The Box?

1. DSL-G604T Wireless ADSL Router - ignore the numbers on this one, it's just the model, but this is the box that connects everything, including the internet, together. It has a modem inside, and the router word comes from its ability to 'route' everything to the right place.
2. CAT 5 UTP Eternet Cable - this cable connect your main computer to the Router.
3. RJ11 ADSL Cable - in other words, this is a telephone cable, but it has a slightly different socket.
4. A power cable for the Router
5. Microfilter - If you already have broadband, you'll already have one of these! This is the little box that connects to your actual phone socket and has two sockets built in - one is for the ADSL cable (number 3 on this list), and the other is for your normal phone line.
6. DWL-G122 802.11g Wireless USB Dongle - again, I didn't have a clue what a dongle was, but this is the thing that connects to your second computer and talks to the Router wirelessly, enabling you to connect to the internet.
7. USB 2.0 Cradle - this is a small stand for your dongle! It saves having to stick the dongle in the back of your computer. It's a bit like an extension cable from your USB slot.
8. You also get two disc's, both containing full manuals for both the Router and the Dongle
9. Finally, there are two quick installation guides, again, one each for the Router and Dongle.

System Requirements

1. Computers with Windows, Mac, or Linux based operating system with an installed Ethernet adapter. Before buying, make sure you have an Ethernet connector on your PC. You are creating a network with this kit and it requires that at least one connection is through a wire so you need a suitable adapter in your computer.

2. Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator version 4 and above. You need to have a recent internet browser because the configuration of the whole kit is done through a browser - it's like it's own internet page, rather than a separate program.

Connectivity

Connecting everything together is very easy. The quick installation guides have an image showing where all the cables included in the box go (and you shouldn't need any others at first), plus most of the wires will only fit into one socket anyway. This process only takes a couple of minutes.

Set up

Again, following the quick installation guides, you can have your wireless network set up in no time. They guide you through how to set file sharing options and how to add printers etc. Finally, you can set up your internet connection. On the setup page, which you reach by typing 192.168.1.1 into your web browser, you can enter the details for your internet connection. Many of these are defaulted and are the same for most ISPs, but if you are unsure of what to enter (as I was), just contact your ISPs technical helpdesk and they'll know exactly what you need to enter.

First Impressions

The whole process seemed too easy, I thought I'd have to keep running between the two computers, changing settings and configurations, but it was a case of simply plugging everything in, switching it all on and working through the setup screens. At first, I couldn't get the internet to connect at all, but a quick call to my ISP sorted that in no time. Then the internet would only work on the main computer. This time, I had not read the instructions correctly, and all I needed to do was tell the computer that I wanted to share the internet connection. I was very impressed with the guides that came with the kit and sharing the internet connection, files, folders, music and printers was just like on a professional network (for example at work or school).

Overall

Once set up, the kit requires no technical know-how at all. Both of our computers can connect to the internet at any time, and both do not need to be switched on. The internet speed on the main computer is equal, if not faster than my previous modem, and on the second computer I am impressed at the speed. There is only a very slight difference in the speed that web pages load, but you can still tell you are on a broadband connection. We use music download stores a lot, and so have a large collection of music on our main computer. Playing these on the second computer is easy, and they play as normal - no pausing, jumping etc. One thing that didn't seemed to be mentioned as I was setting up the kit was the security aspect. Once you have the system working, go back into the control panel and add on the security options. This is not difficult and there are full guides in the manual, otherwise other people nearby may be able to connect via your router or see your files. Our setup means that two computers are in separate rooms, with a couple of walls between the two machines. Connectivity is always good for the wireless dongle. In time, we may look at adding a third PC to our network, probably a laptop, as the family expands. In this case, all I would need is another USB Dongle, or most new laptops already have a wireless network card installed.

I would certainly recommend this product for anyone who, like me, is new to networking. Everything you need to get up and running is in the box, and the manuals are very easy to follow. There is also room for expansion at any time.

I got the kit for just over £55. We reserved it online with PC World, but collected it in store, and still paid the online price! 

...less