ZyXEL NBG419N 802.11n Wireless Router Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent hours trying to get this to connect to the internet, and when calling Zyxel he told me that there is a known problem with these routers not working with the SURFboard modem and to either buy a new modem or return the router for a refund.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ZyXEL NBG419N 802.11n Wireless Router

The ZyXEL NBG419N Wireless N Router features the latest 802.11n technology to offer a cost-effective solution for users upgrading their networks to the next generation. With a speed six times faster than the standard 802.11g networks, the NBG419N provides more stable and reliable wireless connections for high-speed data and multimedia deliveries. With Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) technology, by automatically prioritizing different types of network traffics to optimal performance, the NBG419N can enhance users' experiences for audio, video and voice applications over wireless networks. The configurable QoS ensures smooth delivery of gaming, video streaming, VoIP and downloading, so your most important needs receive the priority you set. Designed with a user-friendly interface, the NBG419N provides the \"Easy Mode\" for navigating functions, basic setup tasks and providing a comprehensive network map. With the Easy Mode that simplifies the system configuration tasks, you can enable or disable the frequent setup options such as Game Engine, Power Saving, Content Filtering and Bandwidth Management with just one click. Featured with wireless scheduling, the NBG-419N can be configured to turn off according to your wireless usage pattern. It can save unnecessary power consumption and reduce wireless radiation when wireless connection is not in use. Users can easily set up its wireless usage schedule under Easy Mode.In addition users can also use the wireless on/off switch on the rear panel to toggle the wireless access in just seconds. Equipped with a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) push button, establishing a secure wireless network with the NBG-419N could not be easier.

Click here for more information about ZyXEL NBG419N 802.11n Wireless Router

Read More...

ZyXEL ZyWALL 5 Internet Security Firewall Appliance With 4 10/100 Fast Ethernet Ports and 10 IPSec VPN Tunnels Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased a Zywall 5 VPN server to replace an older Linux Freeswan solution. It took about a month to set up in my corporate environment, which likely differs greatly from the Zywall's intended configuration.
The Zywall 5 assumes that it is the default gateway to the Internet, and thus lacks the capability of answering ARP requests for its connected VPN clients (which are configured with virtual IP addresses in the same subnet as the LAN). The Linux Freeswan solution could be configured to answer ARP requests for connected VPN clients. Working around this problem required adding an additional network card to the internal LAN firewall, attaching the Zywall to that LAN card, and configuring the internal firewall to forward packets destined to the connected VPN clients directly to the Zywall. This was not as clean as the Linux Freeswan solution, but it worked.
The Zywall 5 supports X.509 VPN certificates, but requires that a certificate authority be set up on a Windows 2000 server to generate the appropriate certificates for the Zywall and VPN clients. This is a bit awkward to accomplish, considering that the same was possible with just a couple command line entries on the Linux Freeswan box.
It is easy to accidentally misconfigure the Zywall, such that the web and telnet interfaces are no longer accessible, requiring a connection with a serial cable to undo the settings. This happened more than once when trying to make the Zywall send packets back to attached VPN clients.
While the Zywall supports up to 10 simultaneous clients, there are severe limitations. Preshared keys cannot be used with road warrior connections (where the client's IP address changes with each connection). X.509 certificates can be used with road warrior connections, but the same client X.509 certificate must be used for all road warriors (this makes it hard to revoke a certificate should a laptop be stolen). The Zywall supports RADIUS authentication in addition to certificates, so that somewhat resolves the need to share certificates. Multiple road warriors can simultaneous connect using the same VPN rule configured in the Zywall.
The Zywall at my site sits behind an external routing firewall. Some of the Zywall's NAT features appear to be buggy in this configuration, directing return VPN packets at the external routing firewall, rather than to the connected VPN client's IP address.
Bandwidth limitation capabilities help prevent attached VPN clients on high speed cable or DSL connections from completely saturating the corporate Internet connection.
Based on my experience with configuring Linux IPTABLES firewalls on the Freeswan box, the firewall on the Zywall is a challenge to set up correctly. Instead of referring to the encrypted network interface connection as IPSEC0 as on the Freeswan box, the Zywall uses verbose descriptions such as (LAN to LAN / Zywall), (LAN to WAN), (LAN to DMZ), (WAN to LAN), (WAN to WAN / Zywall), (WAN to DMZ), (DMZ to LAN), (DMZ to WAN), and (DMZ to DMZ / Zywall) - determining which setting to use in order to restrict traffic between the corporate LAN and a connected VPN client based on the documentation is difficult (even though the manual is 500+ pages). I had to disable the Zywall's firewall to resolve connectivity issues, and rely on the internal firewall to control traffic destined to connected VPN clients. Maybe if one of the verbose descriptions were labeled (LAN to VPN Client) it would be easier to set up the firewall.
The Zywall 5 supports time synchronization to Internet time servers, which is a required feature to keep the time from rapidly drifting from the correct time. Time synchronization is not always successful, nor does it always use the specified time server.
Once the device's limitations are determined, and it is set up to work around those limitations, the Zywall 5 performs very well for its intended purpose with clients using Safenet SoftRemote VPN software.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ZyXEL ZyWALL 5 Internet Security Firewall Appliance With 4 10/100 Fast Ethernet Ports and 10 IPSec VPN Tunnels

Get 51% OFF

Click here for more information about ZyXEL ZyWALL 5 Internet Security Firewall Appliance With 4 10/100 Fast Ethernet Ports and 10 IPSec VPN Tunnels

Read More...

ZyXEL PLA470 200 Mbps Powerline HomePlug AV Desktop Adapter with Built-In 4-Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's true that HomePlug AV nodes cannot intercommunicate with HomePlug 1.0 nodes. ZyXEL and most, if not all, other HomePlug AV hardware manufacturers are derelict in not pointing out that fact. As an engineer who works with HomePlug almost full-time, I know that AV kicks 1.0's tail in terms of bitrate versus SNR. That doesn't excuse ZyXEL's dereliction, but it gives you cause to ponder retiring your HomePlug 1.0 hardware and replacing it with HomePlug AV hardware. Even if you think you won't benefit sufficiently from HomePlug AV's nominal 14x bitrate improvement, you might need AV's ability to reach more electrical outlets in your building with a bitrate that is usable for your application.
There's another compatibility matter to be aware of. When I examined a new PLA-470 the other day, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that the version of firmware installed in the HomePlug AV chipset is an old, pre-standard version, 1.4.5, that is not truly HomePlug-AV compliant and, more importantly, that cannot intercommunicate with subsequent firmware versions. I have not checked to see whether ZyXEL provides the means to upgrade the firmware of the HomePlug-AV chipset. The newest version is 3.0.5. For more detail on the topic of HomePlug-AV-chipset firmware, see my review of the Linksys PLE200.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ZyXEL PLA470 200 Mbps Powerline HomePlug AV Desktop Adapter with Built-In 4-Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch

Get 18% OFF

Click here for more information about ZyXEL PLA470 200 Mbps Powerline HomePlug AV Desktop Adapter with Built-In 4-Port 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch

Read More...