Belkin 54G Wireless Gateway/Router

Create the perfect wireless network with this simple device.

Price: £106

Manufacturer: Belkin

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Verdict

Pros:

Simple set up. Speedy data transfer. Built-in firewall.

Cons:
Minor inaccuracies in the manual. Needs 54G throughout for best results.

Verdict:

Ease of use: Still not as simple as it could or should be.
Performance: Solid, speedy connection.
Features: Built-in firewall, site-blocking, plus plenty more.
Value for money: Nicely priced but you'll need wireless 54G devices for your computers too.
Overall: Lots of features, simple set-up and high speed make this ideal.

Julian Prokaza, Computeract!ve 27 Oct 2003

When we looked at Wi-Fi in issue 121, a combination of hopeless instructions and mind-bending configuration problems left us distinctly unimpressed. Nine months on and Belkin not only reckons that these problems are a thing of the past but that its new Wi-Fi range sets up in three minutes.

First things first. The 54G Wireless Gateway/Router is the first we've seen that supports the new 802.11g wireless standard, or '54G' to give it its catchier title. 54G is around five times faster than 802.11b - the existing standard - and is capable of transmitting data at speeds of up to 54Mbit/s. That figure is theoretical and in practice, 54G runs at about 24Mbit/s. That's still around five times faster than 802.11b's 'in practice' speed of 5Mbit/s and fast enough for streaming high-quality video wirelessly.

So, back to Belkin. The 54G Wireless Gateway/Router sounds complicated but its functions are really quite simple. The router part allows you to create a network of up to 68 computers - connecting four using cables in the conventional way, plus a further 64 wirelessly. The gateway part then gets them all online using a single broadband internet connection.

The built-in firewall keeps intruders out and the web-based control panel even lets you restrict web access to certain times of day. Getting the 54G Wireless Router/Gateway up and running is very straightforward and while it took us nearer to 15 minutes than three, it's still a simple process. The manual does depart from what is seen on-screen in places but this doesn't cause any significant problems.

54G is compatible with existing 802.11b devices but they won't run at the higher speed. For that, you'll need to kit out your computers with 54G Wi-Fi adapters; we used Belkin's notebook PC Card (£50) and desktop PC PCI card (£55). The resulting network worked perfectly and the extra speed makes Wi-Fi almost as usable as a wired network, not to mention tidier.

Contact: Inmac 0870 555 0000
www.belkin.co.uk

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