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SmokChsr
Who let the magic smoke out?
Premium Member
join:2006-03-17
Saint Augustine, FL

SmokChsr

Premium Member

[Other] Router Choice

Just about to go pick up some sort of an off the shelf router doesn't need to be anything exciting. What I do want to make sure it can do is handle a Static IP, VPN, and Port forwarding/translation. This is for a Small Business network..

Anav
Sarcastic Llama? Naw, Just Acerbic
Premium Member
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS

Anav

Premium Member

What is your level of comfort programming?
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

2 recommendations

HELLFIRE to SmokChsr

MVM

to SmokChsr
My standard question(s) for this :

- what's the budget?

- how fast is the internet pipe it's connected to?

- how many users will be connecting to this device? How many simultaneous VPN connections will there be in a best case, worst case and middle case scenario?

- what's the technical skill level of the person installing / setting up the device?

- what's the expectation of support? Google-fu? Paid phone? Something else?

- what type of VPN are you looking to do? Site to Site? Remote Access? IPSec or SSL-based?

- any other requirements? GigE v FastE? PoE? Wireless? IDS / IPS / anti-X functionality?

Regards

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7 to SmokChsr

Member

to SmokChsr
+1 all Hellfire's questions. Also, what kind of performance were you requiring on the VPN? That will help isolate the price point.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd to SmokChsr

MVM

to SmokChsr
My suggestion is the ZyXEL USG40 if the small business has 10 people or less. And YES all of HELLFIRE's questions are important to factor in IF you want a product that will not disappoint.

SmokChsr
Who let the magic smoke out?
Premium Member
join:2006-03-17
Saint Augustine, FL

SmokChsr to HELLFIRE

Premium Member

to HELLFIRE

- what's the budget?

$400 give or take (somewhat flexible)

- how fast is the internet pipe it's connected to?
50/10 MBS

- how many users will be connecting to this device? How many simultaneous VPN connections will there be in a best case, worst case and middle case scenario?

3 at the most, mostly remote server access.

- what's the technical skill level of the person installing / setting up the device?

Since it's likely me. Very High on Broadcast Engineering, but likely not that great on IT devices. (But I can usually read instructions well)

- what's the expectation of support? Google-fu? Paid phone? Something else?
Hope to not need support should set it up and walk away.

- what type of VPN are you looking to do? Site to Site? Remote Access? IPSec or SSL-based?

Site to site..

- any other requirements? GigE v FastE? PoE? Wireless? IDS / IPS / anti-X functionality?

Nope, just a tunnel from site A to Site B.

Wasn't really looking for a super duper critter just something that would work

Anav
Sarcastic Llama? Naw, Just Acerbic
Premium Member
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS

Anav to SmokChsr

Premium Member

to SmokChsr
Concur with the suggestion by Mozerd.
Easy to program GUI. Gobs of overhead for bandwith increases.
Designed for VPN.
Reasonable Security Device well matched for small business.
Well within your budget.
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to SmokChsr

MVM

to SmokChsr
Thanks for the responses. Sonicwall TZ and Netgear have some gear in this class that'd fit with your requirements, no specific make / model #s to suggest.

I don't know if something from the likes of Microtik or the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite would be something to consider. VERY powerful / capable, but not for the technical faint of heart.

My 00000010bits

Regards

Hard Harry7
join:2010-10-19
Narragansett, RI

Hard Harry7

Member

said by HELLFIRE:

but not for the technical faint of heart.

If your looking for something a bit on the cheaper side, and easier to use, check out Sabai technology. While the RT-N66U can be set up with 3rd party firmware for free, having it pre loaded with the firmware and configuration would mean less down time. If this is for a small 3-5 person office, I think it should be more then enough hardware.

»www.sabaitechnology.com/ ··· abai-os/

Hank
Searching for a new Frontier
Premium Member
join:2002-05-21
Burlington, WV

Hank

Premium Member

Ubiquity ERL or ERPoe5 will do.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd

MVM

said by Hank:

Ubiquity ERL or ERPoe5 will do.

I've touted the ERL but once I got to examine the internals -- a colleague alerted me to open my unit up --- I have serious reservations with the quality of components used. Open yours up and have a close look. Now things may have changed since I got my initial one and UBNT may have improved the internals but based on what I saw I will no longer suggest their products. I've also had a BAD experience with their UAP-AC --- an absolute piece of crap --- inside and performance wise --- although it LOOKS very nice.

Hank
Searching for a new Frontier
Premium Member
join:2002-05-21
Burlington, WV
ARRIS NVG443B
Ubiquiti NanoStation loco M2

Hank

Premium Member

I have had no issues with the ERPoE5. Your statement is very cursory; are you referring to the USB stick? They do run warm but not hot and a fan would improve the cooling but increase noise. Noise is something I am not concerned with as all my network equipment is remote.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd

MVM

I've had no issue with the ERL either when I've actually used it for short periods of time but once I saw the way the internals were constructed and the use of the USB stick I no longer trust their way of doing things. Plus my experience with the UAP-AC locked-out UBNT from further consideration.

Hank
Searching for a new Frontier
Premium Member
join:2002-05-21
Burlington, WV
ARRIS NVG443B
Ubiquiti NanoStation loco M2

Hank

Premium Member

I know they had one production run of ERL that had issues, including with the USB stick, but they say they have since corrected any issues. They did promptly replaced those units from that production run that had problems.

Last I read they had corrected the issue with UAP-AC. But I have not played with the piece of equipment.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd

MVM

said by Hank:

Last I read they had corrected the issue with UAP-AC.

i have no idea what you've read but I have been following the UAP-AC saga for the last six months .. They sent me a version 2 --- for a AC UNIT performance is mediocre at best and that is being generouse.
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE to SmokChsr

MVM

to SmokChsr
...interesting find Hard Harry7 See Profile , so basically for those ppl that "I don't want to do anything, just take my money!"
kind of thing
Never flashed alt firmware onto a router before.. but it can't be THAT hard, can it?

Regards

Hank
Searching for a new Frontier
Premium Member
join:2002-05-21
Burlington, WV
ARRIS NVG443B
Ubiquiti NanoStation loco M2

Hank to mozerd

Premium Member

to mozerd
said by mozerd:

i have no idea what you've read but I have been following the UAP-AC saga for the last six months

It was in one of the UBNT forums, since I don't own a UAP-AC I don't follow that particular forum closely.
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3 to HELLFIRE

Premium Member

to HELLFIRE
said by HELLFIRE:

Never flashed alt firmware onto a router before.. but it can't be THAT hard, can it?

Takes longer to clear out the nvram than to flash the firmware. Many folks are just afraid that they'll brick their shiny new router. (Asus makes it pretty difficult to brick their newer routers. They have a special recovery mode built in, just in case a firmware load goes bad).
HELLFIRE
MVM
join:2009-11-25

HELLFIRE

MVM

...ahh right, no TFTPdnld or xmodem if you brick one of these things...
Thanks for that.

Regards