US Robotics is well recognised in the communications industry and its 22Mbit/s wireless networking family of products continues its tradition of robust configurable hardware.
The products reviewed include a Cable/DSL Router, an Access Point and two wireless access PCI cards. One point to note from the offset is that the US Robotics 22Mbit/s Cable/DSL Router requires a DSL modem to connect to an ADSL line.
The router is a sturdy unit with two detachable antennae and two Ethernet ports, allowing it to be seamlessly connected into an existing LAN (Local Area Network). The instructions are easy to follow and it was up and running in next to no time, sitting between an ADSL/Cable modem, a wired LAN — if you have one — and providing a wireless networking access point to allow the Internet connection to be shared by any connected system. There are no basic firewall settings for this device, which is an omission worth noting; however the inclusion of a printer port, which allows a printer to be attached and accessed by any of the network clients, is a welcome addition.
The US Robotics 22Mbit/s access point, meanwhile, can be connected to a switch, hub, router, or an ADSL modem with routing capability. This allows the addition of wireless networking in nearly any conceivable situation. The 22Mbit/s PCI Cards provided continue the theme set by the router and access point, with the documentation being concise and well presented, and the step-by-step installation guide easy to follow.
So how did the products perform? Well, the indoors distance/signal strength is good, particularly given that some tests were performed in an old Georgian building with solid masonry walls. We were able to get a good signal with only a little detectable degradation at 30ft. Next we ran some throughput tests; these were carried out using a set of 100 small files between 1 and 3Kbyte in size and one large file of about 1Gbyte. It must be noted that the throughput claims on any of these products are optimistic to say the least; it is usual to assume that a 22Mbit/s rated product should provide a strong, real-world 11Mbit/s performance and this is exactly what we recorded. In all, it’s good enough for everything but large file system migrations.
So what’s the overall verdict? The US Robotics products tested are robust, upgradeable and have excellent support documentation. They performed well for standard office and entertainment purposes, and all come with a two-year guarantee. On the down side, they do not support the full set of 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g standards. They are also a bit expensive compared to other similar offerings, and the router really needs some basic firewall settings to keep intruders out.
Specs
US Robotics Cable/DSL Router
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No basic firewall settings, which is a bit of a flaw, but otherwise a robust product.Rating: 6/10Price: EUR229
US Robotics Access Point
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Multiple connection options make this a versatile product.Rating: 6/10Price: EUR349
US Robotics PCI Adapter
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