How We Test Hardware Routers

Peplink adds low, high-end multi-WAN routers

Peplink today announced its new Balance 20L and Balance 390 Internet multi-WAN routers.

New to the Charts: Adtran NetVanta 3120 Router

The Adtran NetVanta 3120 Router has been added to the Router Charts. The 3120 is Adtran's entry-level "Service Access" router.

Actiontec intros ADSL router duo aimed at retail

Actiontec Electronics today introduced two new routers with integrated ADSL/ADSL2+ modems that will be sold at electronics retailers, including Best Buy.

Routers vs. Firewalls

If you're trying to decide whether a more expensive "firewall" will keep you safer than an off-the-shelf router, this article can help.

New to the Charts: PepLink Balance 30

It's occurred to me that readers monitoring our RSS feeds can't tell when we add new products to the charts. So, starting now, I'll be announcing additions via short news items.

Peplink's Balance 30 has been added to the Router Charts. It's a three-WAN router with about 20 Mbps routing throughput and built-in four port 10/100 switch.

How To Choose the Right Router for You

HotBrick adds dual-WAN IPsec firewall router

HotBrick Network Solutions recently introduced the VPN 800/2G, a dual WAN router with IPsec endpoint capability.

The router supports 9 load balancing methods and automatic failover on its dual 10/100/1000 Ethernet WAN ports. A built-in 8 port 10/100 plus two 10/100/1000 switch provides LAN client connection.

100 simultaneous IPSec VPN tunnels with DES, 3DES and AES encryption support remote client or gateway-to-gateway connection. HotBrick's standard VPN client has no node license limitation.

Other features include a SPI+NAT firewall, one-to-one NAT and port-based QoS for bandwidth management.

The VPN 800/2G is available immediately at an MSRP of $899.

'Big Three' holding line on holiday season prices for home networking gear

Digitimes reports that the three leading consumer networking device vendors are holding the line on product prices this holiday season.

D-Link, Linksys and Netgear have mostly kept the price of consumer networking devices—especially 802.11n products—unchanged, instead of resorting to more aggressive pricing to boost sales during the year-end peak season, according to industry sources.

The article said that the companies are still looking for indications of how strong demand will be for holiday buying and said that consumers "may start seeing discount offers from the vendors in early 2008 if sales do not pick up as expected in the following weeks".

Read the full article here.

D-Link says DIR-855 will ship...really!

While arranging my DGL-4500 review sample with D-Link, I asked them about the rumors that the long-delayed DIR-855 has been placed on "indefinite hold". D-Link told me that the product is still alive and that the target ship date is now "end of year 07 or early year 08".