There are better units out there...
Written: Feb 17 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Works well...when it works
Cons: Inconsistent signal strength, 2 units have failed
The Bottom Line: Until the quality issues with the 3Com Gateway are corrected, I cannot recommend it.
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| jbwilso's Full Review: 3Com Home Wireless Gateway |
This was my introduction to home wireless networking and overall it was a learning experience. I think the technology is great but next time, I will do more research about product quality and support. I was lured in by the price and the 3Com label.
The Good
The 3Com Home Wireless Gateway was a good value. I got it for about $150 from CDW.com. It was easy to install and set up was doable. It worked very well...when it worked. Range was good as I had the unit placed on the upper floor of my house and got good signal strength on the main and upper levels. The reception in the basement, the farthest from the gateway, was inconsistent at best. I will give 3Com the benefit of the doubt regarding their range claims of 300ft - I didn't measure it. The documentation is well illustrated and easy to follow but lacked critical information about protocols. There is no software to install as the setup program is integrated into the Gateway's hardware and is accessed via your web browser (assuming you get that far).
The Bad
I did have a few problems getting the gateway working. I had a desktop and a laptop that I was trying to network for the purpose of file and Internet connection sharing (BellSouth DSL). Unless you are a network savvy, there is no way to know which network protocols or settings to use because the documentation doesn't provide much help in this area. There are several protocols from which to choose including NetBeui, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP (required). Each protocol has advantages and disadvantages associated with it - here's where you need to know your network stuff, which I didn't. I was able to get the Internet connection sharing working fairly quickly. When I got around to installing NetBeui it worked. File sharing, on the other hand, was a horse of a different color as Granny used to say. I called tech support for help with only limited success. To their credit, they were very friendly, and knowledgeable, and I know it's really tough to troubleshoot this stuff over the phone because there are so many variables but still, I expected more than I got. Anyhow, they took me through the standard decision tree and concluded that my laptop which was running Windows 2000 and my desktop, which was running running Windows ME would never be able to talk to one another - it was just one of those "Microsoft" things. Well, it wasn't just one of those "Microsoft" things because I finally got it working (sorry,I can't tell you exactly how...). Here's most of what I did: Installed NetBeui, Turned on Windows file sharing (tech support advised me to turn it off), "Shared" the folder or drive I wanted to access, and waited. For some reason it takes a few minutes for file sharing to kick in. I asked some network gurus at work about it and they confirmed it. So after you do everything, wait a few minutes and comeback and try to access the files/drives again.
My issue with 3Com tech support was that the official "company line" was to limit support to issues related to installation and workmanship. The tech rep clearly told me he could not help me "set up your whole network". I think it's fair to say that any consumer who has a wireless network in their home at this stage of the game is an early adopter. And as an early adopter, will encounter problems. Networks are not intuitive to set up- they require specific knowledge and training and the average Joe or Jane computer enthusiast may not posses that knowledge. So 3Com (or who ever) should provide it, in my humble opinion. By not helping set up the network; they are not fully supporting their product and they assume that you know how and when to use NetBeui vs. IPX/SPX vs. TCP/IP. I think that's a pretty big assumption.
The Ugly
My second gateway died yesterday. The first one died after about a month and was replaced by 3Com without and problems. Tech support told me the DCHP server must have burned out. I'm experiencing the same problems again. I think I'm going to try D-Link this time.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 150.00
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Epinions.com ID:
jbwilso
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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