Can It Be True?
Written: Sep 11 '01
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Pros: Easiest Home-Networking Imaginable!
Cons: Ummmm...ok....maybe it's a little big.
The Bottom Line: I can't imagine a more reliable, well-thought-out, easier to install product. Add in the remarkable tech support, and no other homeportal comes close.
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| ravaj's Full Review: 2wire HomePortal 100 (1000-200002-000) Gateway |
I Don't Know About This?
I discovered this little gem a little over a year ago while surfing the net. From what the website claims about this baby, you would have to believe it's a scam...I mean, could anything really be this cool? Well, I was a skeptic, so I refused to buy it until I saw it available from somewhere else other than the website. A few months went by, and I went back to the site to see if the product was still being sold. Wow! Available via CompUSA now? I went down to see if it was true...sure enough, a whole 2Wire display which included the product I had been drooling over!! So I purchased it...Been using it for about a year...I am happy.
Features
1. Cable/DSL Routing - Let's just put it this way...I have 3 computers hooked to the network, all of which are usually online, and I can play Anarchy Online while my little brother plays Asheron's Call with neither of us noticing much lag at all. LAN games? File Sharing? Never had a problem (DSL connection = 756Kbs/sec).
2. Firewall Protection - I was using ZoneAlarm pro before I got the homeportal, and there were two major problems I found with a software firewall: First, the cpu cycles used to inspect incomming packets slowed my computer down..way down. Second, I was always being asked if I wanted this application or that to have access to the internet. Also, I was constantly being told that this IP or that was trying to connect to my computer through various ports. Just way too much user interaction and even a couple virus's getting through. Since I got the home portal, I have had none of those problems. It is very effective, and very hands-off. If I want to, I can use my browser to go to the Homeportal Configuration/Status screens, and even look through the logs and configure the firewall...but in general, I don't need to...not 1 virus in 8 months now, and my computer is alot faster since it doesn't have to inspect the packets anymore.
3. Home-Networking - The Homeportal 100 uses all of the following connections to get you home networked easily: 1 RJ-45 Ethernet 10BaseT, HomePNA 2.0/1.0, 1 RJ-11, 1 USB 1.1/1.0 A-B. I use the ethernet connection from my computer to the Homeportal, and the rest of my family uses HomePNA connections. The adapters for HomePNA are extra, but don't cost much at all. I had my whole house connected in about 1 hour.
4. Setup - Setup was just plain easy. I purchased 2 HomePNA USB adapter with the Homeportal 100 because I knew I wanted to connect all my computers in the house. With my DSL modem connected to the DSL line, I then plugged the output of the DSL modem (ethernet) into the HomePortal. I plugged the Homeportal (ethernet) output into my ethernet card in my main computer. Then, using my web-browser, I configured the homeportal with my IP information (but it supports PPPoE as well). With that, I tested it, and I was up and running on the internet. I checked security sites, DSL reports, anything I could think of, and there was not 1 single problem. I was hidden from the internet, but accessing it with ease. Next, I connected the phoneline output of the Homeportal to the phone outlet in the wall (this connects my computer with all the HomePNA computers), went and installed the USB HomePNA adapters in my other computers, installed the drivers for them also, and they were up and running. Tested file sharing, printer sharing, LAN gaming, etc. Everything worked as advertised!
Problems
I really don't have much to say as far as problems go. At the time I purchased this, I played the online game Asheron's Call via Microsoft's Gaming Zone, and there was a problem initially playing the game through the firewall. I called 2Wire tech support, and I was amazed...these guys have got to have the best Tech support I have ever experienced. Hold time was under 3 minutes, they already knew about the problem, and I was told to check back in about 2-3 weeks for a software upgrade that would fix the problem. 2 weeks later, I hit the Update Software button inside the Homportal's web-based configuration screen, and a new version of the firmware was available. It automatically downloaded and installed the firmware, and I was able to play Asheron's Call with no problems after that. Since then, there has been no new firmware updates, but I'm not surprised at all...the system just works great as it is!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199.00
Driver Availability: Windows only
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Epinions.com ID:
ravaj
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Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 4 members
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