If you're shopping on a budget you're going to get crap. That's life. Own up to it. One buys netgear for SOLID RELIABILITY and power user features. Unfortunately the early firmwares for this particular model were a little weak for cable modem users (me), but alright for DSL users (me too). The new firmware solves the issue of mysteriously disappearing IP leases (which used to require a router reset every three days once the issue manifested)
The lastest firmware contains many DHCP fixes, adds upnp, and other stuff that doesn't concern me.
I would like to see netgear go opensource on firmware as did Cisco's linksys. The sveasoft firmware for the Cisco Linksys WRT54GS2+ rocks! (even though sveasoft continues to violate the GPL)
A (turbo) / G (turbo) / B coverage is awesome. Even at the fringes of range (in a 6000 sq ft house). It plays well with others.
Unfortunely one cannot turnoff a given antenna. Once enabled always enabled. The logging options are excellent.
NETGEAR's customer service is going downhill. I chalk this up to hoards of morons calling in with questions answered in the manual. Let's just call this the AOLeffect. RTFM people. netgear has outsourced much of the phone support to a country whose English pronounciation is EXCEPTIONALLY POOR. Their email system LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED. One typically receives a canned response and should one be fortunate to pass the autoresponder mechanism and be issued a support ticket, a feckless soul responds from the FAQ and closes the question. It tempts one to feel emoinside.
Fortunately RARE is the circumstance that requires customer service intervention.
One can define static routes. This helps it play well with others, like my similarly blue WRT54GS (that I use as a wireless ethernet bridge).
PPTP Pass-Thru is flawless. If you don't need VPN chances are you don't need *this* netgear.
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Very true about the help services. I asked email and phone and they kept giving me the same advice which never worked- turn off install and press reset button. Still doesn't work right now.
Deru 27.01.2005 12:41
Welcome to Ciao. I'd like a router with VPN. I've read a few Netgear router reviews but they've been a bit negative in the reliability side so not quite convinced on going the Netgear route.
When used with a 108 Mbps network adaptor for example the Netgear WG511T it delivers ... more
speeds up of to 108 Mbps using Super GTM Technology. Features: Routing Protocols: Static&Dynamic Routing with TCP/IP multi-VPN pass-through (IPSec L2TP) ...
Postage & Packaging: £4.87 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Jan 26th, 2005
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