NetGear WGR614 Wireless Router - The Hardware
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This is a wireless router, whose main attribute is that it can get rid of the masses of cable that previously connected your devices. Every laptop probably has a wireless connection already, so why not use it? As for desktop computers, you can find on the market some PCI cards that will make your system capable of going wireless.
Of course, old-fashioned communication through Ethernet cable is also possible, as this offers a more stable and faster connection. If you want to know more about wireless connections I invite you to read the information over here.
The device is packed inside a good quality case that will handle even the hardest trips. Within the case you will find an Ethernet cable, an AC/DC transformer to power the router, the router itself, and two little grips that allow the router to assume various positions.
Here are the specifications on the box:
Model
Brand: NETGEAR
Model: WGR614
Spec
Standards IEEE 802.3/3u, IEEE 802.11b/g
Network Protocols: Static & Dynamic Routing with TCP/IP, VPN pass-through (IPSec, L2TP), NAT, PPTP, PPPoE, DHCP (client & server)
Security: Stateful packet inspection (SPI) and DoS attack protection
40-bit (also called 64-bit), 128-bit, WEP encryption, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK
WPA/WPA2: WPA
Ports: 1 x 10/100M WAN; 4 x 10/100M LAN
Data Rates: Up to 54Mbps
Modulation: OFDM with BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, DBPSK, DQPSK, CCK
Frequency Band : 2.412 ~ 2.462 GHz (US)
2.412 ~ 2.484 GHz (Japan)
2.412 ~ 2.472 GHz (Europe ETSI)
2.457 ~ 2.462 GHz (Spain)
2.457 ~ 2.472 GHz (France)
Antenna : 2 dBi External Antenna
Interface: Ethernet Port
VPN support : IPSec, L2TP, and PPTP VPN pass-through
Power Input : 12 VDC
Wireless Adapter included: No
System Requirements: Broadband (cable, DSL) Internet service and modem with Ethernet connection
2.4 GHz wireless adapter or Ethernet adapter and cable for each computer
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, Mac OS, NetWare, UNIX, or Linux
Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape 6.0 or higher
Dimensions: 6.9" x 4.7" x 1.1"
Weight: 0.7 lbs.
Features
Internet sharing broadband router and 4-port switch;
Configurable for private networks and public hotspots;
Double Firewall protection from external hackers attacks;
Touchless WiFi Security makes securing your network easy;
Works with Windows Vista;
Packaging
Package Contents: WGR614
Power Adapter
RJ45 Cable
2x Vertical Stand
Resource Disk
Manufacturer Warranty:
Parts: 1 year limited
Labor: 1 year limited
The router is white, really white, and with a range of 100 feet at 2.4 GHz frequency it seems to be a good choice. The modem comes with the new Wireless G family, as the name also suggests. This means its connection speed is five times faster (54 Mbit) than the previous B type, while also being backwards compatible in case you have an older laptop which supports only that.
The 4 10/100 Mbps ports will surely come in handy, letting you attach devices to the router with the RJ45 (Ethernet) cable. The two extra grippers that come with it, the positioning and construction of the ports around the device and the small size of the router will make sure that it won’t get in your way.
Unfortunately, we can't say the say thing about the AC/DC power adapter, as it is quite huge and will probably take two places on your power strip. Additionally, you can't simply turn this device on or off, because it possesses no such button. The only option is to unplug the adapter from the router.
As a side note, I tested version 7, but I don’t expect that it’s more evolved when compared to the previous version or that it has fewer bugs. This is due to NetGear's version policy. Manufacturing the router requires a few parts that are bought from different providers. The version number just indicates that this build came from a different set of providers. In this way NetGear manages to keep the prices down but somehow confuses people. Anyway, I hope for the price it is worth the trouble, as is quite cheap, around $40.
Connecting the device is easy; there is nothing devilish involved. Just take the RJ45 cable from the modem, insert it into the router port furthest to the right, and also connect the adapter. Then, if your world isn’t completely wireless, you can also connect a computer via one of the four LAN ports. If you still have some trouble with this I advise you to follow the steps presented in this video.
Once this is finished the device should power up and look like the picture below, with the power LED shining and the Ethernet/Internet/LAN cables just flashing:
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