The new Linksys WRVS4400N is in place!

I just hooked-up my new Linksys WRVS4400N Wireless N Router with VPN server built-in.   It is currently acting like an Access Point at this juncture, since  I want to make sure some issues I discovered during my research phase do not become apparent before I place it in Gateway mode, where it will control of my entire network and the Internet connection.

But already, I am quite impressed by this unit.  And boy, is this puppy fast.  My Wireless G signal strength appears to be about 40% better than with my previous 2Wire 1800HG Wireless G Router.  And the number of security options is truly dizzying.  I’ll be beating on it for the next day or so, then hook it up so that it will be the Gateway.  This hurried aspect is due to my having received the Router today, and the seller only offers a 3-day window for returns.

Just bought a new Linksys WRVS4400N Router!

WRVS4400N Purchased on eBay just today (not a venue I normally purchase hardware from, but they had an unbeatable price of $100.00, which is more than half off it’s regular price). 

This  router is so high-end, it boggles the imagination.   It has Wireless-N, dual-band reception, a VPN server, and even Intrusion Protection (IP).  Not to mention GIGABIT network speeds for the local network, and full backward compatibility for Wireless G (and way old “B”) connections.

My life will be so much easier after I get this router installed: I can retire the VPN function that my tired old Windows 2000 Server currently controls, and my VPN will be back-up and running again!  

It will offer me future growth capability in two areas, I currently do not have Wireless-N clients yet, nor are any of my desktop’s equipped with Gigabit Ethernet adapters, so whenever I wish to take advantage of those technologies, they are there waiting for me.

The big benefit for me will be Intrusion Protection (IP) feature, which is a step further than an SPI Firewall (Stateful Packet Inspection), which the unit also comes with as an Industry standard.

But it’s the VPN that I will get the most use out of.  I use VPN on almost a daily basis to link my laptop with my home network so I can access File Shares and FTP.

I’ll be reviewing this unit in the near future. Hopefully it’ll get high-marks…  

No help from 2Wire this time…

2wire_red_logo Good news and bad news on the home DSL front.  The good news is that 2Wire sent me word today that they would love to be able to help me.   Unfortunately, (can you sense the pending bad news?), they then told me that they will be unable to assist me further, as their inventory of the 6v 2000mA A/C adapter is exhausted.

So I have a perfectly good Router that can’t be powered-up because all of the A/C adapters burn-out prematurely.

It looks like I’ll end-up buying a nice Linksys router instead…   Any ideas?

DSL Service Temporarily restored…

2wire_red_logo Well, I dusted off an older 2Wire router (1000SW) and plugged it into the equation.   It will restore DSL service immediately, and will provide most of the services that we used to utilize on the newer 1800HG.   It will lack some services, like Wireless “G”, “IPSec Passthru”, and of course all of the firewall entries that I had created on the 1800HG…   sigh…

I’ve written 2Wire Technical Support to see if they could assist.  I remembered that they had assisted the last time I had this problem (yes, it has happened before) by sending me a complimentary replacement cord/adapter.  I think they felt bad that the router (very high-end electronics with Integrated Circuitry) was lasting longer than their A/C Adapter power cord.

My 2Wire Router’s Power cord died…

While I have had nothing but success with my 2Wire 1800HG Wireless Router, I cannot say the same about the bundled A/C power adapter.  It’s a 6V 2000mA converter, which is impossible to find a replacement for.  Even 2Wire themselves no longer stock the replacement items.

Luckily, I have an older 1000SW (Wireless-B) Router from 2Wire, so I have plugged that into the equation.   This restored internet access, and provides basic wireless “b” service, but the effective radius of service is about two-thirds of what we used to have with “hyper-G” service.   Also, the older router does not provide “IPSEC Passthru” capabilities, so VPN is dead in the water…