Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)When my DSL modem died, I went to the store to discover this hardware combo. What an excellent device to include the 4-port WIRELESS switch/router with the DSL modem! Less hardware, less cables, more simplistic. I have a mixed PC/Mac environment and used the PC for setup since the included CD didn't mention anything about Macs. The install assistant was worthless. It actually just shows you photos of which cables go where, then it makes you restart the PC! There is an extensive .pdf manual on the CD, and if you pop the disc into you Mac, you'll find the English version of it in the "Mac" folder. - Along with with a "Glossary" .pdf and a "Support" .pdf. So while I do wish Zoom included good old fashioned paper versions of these, they did do a good job of including all of this on the CD, but you do have to look!
Luckily, Zoom did include a small sheet of paper showing the IP address, user ID & password needed to access the settings through a web browser. I found the setup to be pretty straight forward and the setup menus are laid out well. The menus are completely different from Linksys, but very easy to navigate. When it was all setup and done, my Mac & PC were talking to each other, but I still wasn't connected to the Internet. After calling SBC/ATT I spoke with a rep who admitted they didn't officially support any modems that aren't sold by ATT, but he took a stab at my settings anyway. It turned out that I needed my full SBC email address as the user ID, not just the first portion. The second I saved the settings, I connected to the internet!
I also found the WEP security settings very easy to setup and a nice strong signal emitting from the X6. Once the device is setup, you can virtually forget about it. I can't speak for this devices longevity yet, but it's nice knowing it has a 2-year warranty.
One thing missing on the back of this unit (like many current routers) is an UPLINK jack to daisy chain this into another router if necessary. Being that this is designed for a home/small office environment, it's probably not a big deal for most users who will never need to upgrade beyond 4 ports.
I think networking gear reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt. Most of us (myself included) are NOT network professionals. Networking computers is considered by many, to be the hardest thing to do in I-T. Since it is a complicated scenario, many people I believe make the mistake of blaming the hardware, when many times, they have incorrect settings or software issues causing them to pull their hair out. Overall, I think networking companies are doing an excellent job making equipment that can now be installed by the average Joe. 10 or 15 years ago, that was unheard of.
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Zoom 5590-00-03 125MBPS ADSL Modem / Wireless Router
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