29 year old computer geek living in Edinburgh. I'm also a film nut so most of my reviews will proba...
29 year old computer geek living in Edinburgh. I'm also a film nut so most of my reviews will probably be of films and DVDs.
Member since:28.02.2005
Reviews:3
Members who trust:1
I bought the Netgear DG834GT after having been a happy customer of the non-wireless DG834 for many years. I needed to upgrade to wireless after buying a Nintendo DS and a Sony PSP.
I was hoping that my previous good experiences with the DG834 would carry on with the DG834GT and I was not disappointed. The web interface is simple to use and very
similar to the one I was used to on the older model. Setting up was just a few simple clicks. I chose to disable wireless at first while I decided on my security settings and so on but even with that small delay I was still up and running on wireless in about 10 minutes. The manual and even the online help which is built into the web interface give a very clear indication of what you need to do on each screen to get things working.
As well as the wireless capability the router has four LAN ports which were important to me as I only like to use wireless on my mobile equipment and needed somewhere to plug in my computer and XBox. There is also a Cat5 network cable included in the package which is a nice touch.
The router is also very nicely designed, being a nice white colour with sleek rounded edges and a vertical stand that means it can fit into very small places if necessary.
Security was important to me as well since I work in IT and know how easy it is to misconfigure wireless equipment which can result in all sorts of problems, including your neighbours using your Internet connection for free. As is usual with these products everything comes turned on and with little or no security by default but I strongly recommend you look into the security features, of which there are many. Security features include disabling SSID broadcasting, encryption using WEP (64 or 128 bit), WPA-PSK (the recommended option) and WPA-802.1x (only for advanced users as you'll need a seperate RADIUS server). Although WPA is recommended I went with the slightly less secure WEP as the Nintendo DS does not support WPA. If you're confused by what I'm saying here and some of the jargon is unfamiliar don't worry, the help and manual are both clear and simple and focus on how to get the job done instead of getting bogged down in describing the technology.
As well as wireless security, more general protection is available from the built in firewall which has both NAT and SPI (again don't worry if you don't know what it is, just know that it is good). Unlike the wireless security the firewall is on by default and configured with a very sensible default deny inbound rule (basically meaning you can get to the Internet no problem but people on the Internet can't get past the firewall so you're relatively safe behind it).
Despite the simplicity there's a lot of powerful features available to the more advance user, these include VPN pass through, DNS, DHCP server, PPPoE, PPPoA 802.1b&g, UPnP, remote management, DMZ, port forwarding, URL content filtering, e-mail alerts and more. All of these mean that the DG834GT can be as simple or as complicated as you need it to be and it should therefore be suitable for almost any situation.
So whether you've used previous Netgear routers like I had or are new to them, I think the Netgear DG834GT is very good product at a reasonable price. And if you're a fan of playing videogames like I am you might like to know that the router works fine with the Nintendo DS, the Sony PSP and the Microsoft XBox 360 all of which I had up and running within half an hour of unpacking the router.
The only downside is that it might not be the cheapest router you come across, although there are some good deals available both online and on the high street. Despite this I think the features available and the ease of use make it worth the money. I also think the documentation might not be great when things don't go to plan as it doesn't include a lot of troubleshooting advice, since I didn't have any problems I can't say for sure though.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Five products in one, the DG834GT combines an ADSL modem, router, 10/100 LAN switch, 108 ... more
Mbps Super G access point and SPI Double Firewall. It gives you untethered continuous connectivity to your network resources and the Internet and allows you to sh...
Postage & Packaging: £4.87 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Small footprint, 802.11b, g and pre-n supported, easy to use and customise Disadvantages: Control panel can appear daunting at first, help provided could be more concise
Advantages: Small footprint, 802.11b, g and pre-n supported, easy to use and customise Disadvantages: Control panel can appear daunting at first, help provided could be more concise
Jun 3rd, 2006
very helpful by (88%):
helpful by (13%):
