With dial up
Internet service, you can access the Internet from every computer in
the house, as long as every computer has a modem. After a while of dialing up, you might feel that you’ve outgrown standard dial-up
Internet service.Its
slow speeds are too cramping for the daily work you do on the
Internet, so you run out and purchase DSL or Cable Internet service. Now you have a small problem. You only have access to the Internet from one computer, being
the company only will let you rent one external modem to interface with its
respective service. Now
what do you do?
Enter the Xsence
MIH-120 xRouter. The xRouter serves as a virtual Internet connection-sharing
server to up to 252 computers.
Features
- Supports
a DSL/Cable modem via WAN 10/T network port - NAT
security protects your LAN from unauthorized internet users - Supports
hybrid networks of Macintosh, PC and UNIX computers - Easy
configuration via Web browser - Doubles
as a 4-port Ethernet hub
Technical
Specifications:
- Ethernet
Interface: Four 10/T RJ-45 Ports - WAN/Internet
Interface: one 10/T FJ-45 Port - Web
Based Management: YES - Protocols
supported: TCP/IP, DHCP - Power
Supply: 9VAC, 2 A (Adapter Included) - EMI
Emissions safety: FCC Class B, CE Class B - Physical
Dimensions: 236mm x 142mm x 46mm; 9.29” x 5.59” x 1.81”
Extended
features:
- Virtual
Server Mapping - DHCP
Server - Upgradeable
Firmware - Changeable
IP address
The Good
XRouter uses NAT technology to share a single Internet service. NAT, or Network Translation, changes the TCP/IP headers and
footers on each packet to it’s own before sending information, then
changes the packet info it receives so that the receiving computer on
the internal network can read the information. This technology is must faster than Proxy technology, where
each computer will have a “session” with the proxy server, and the
proxy server than has “sessions” with the internet servers. That process slows things down, and is horrible for use with
on-line games such as Quake and Half-Life. The XRouter also doubles as a Ethernet hub, so you can run a
network, just as you would from any 10/T Ethernet hub.
The XRouter also
can support up to 252 different computers. To the small business, that means that it only has to purchase
1 high speed ISP account, and the XRouter, which, in the long run,
will save a lot of money, over buying multiple ISP accounts, or a
full-fledge computer server to serve as a Proxy server.
Also, setting up
the XRouter was very easy.I
simply plugged my Cable modem into the WAN port on the back of the
XRouter, and plugged my two client computers into two of the four 10/T
LAN ports, turn on the XRouter, than turned on my two client
computers.The XRouter
automatically assigned the two computers an IP address, and told them
that they would be using it for internet access, a process which is
called DHCP.If one
wishes to configure the XRouter, you simply open up your web-browser,
and type in its IP address.The
IP address it ships with is 192.168.1.1. From there, you can view and change:
- DHCP
Settings - Virtual
Server - Device
Admin - Status
monitor
The Bad
I feel, that because of it’s whopping price tag of around $250-$300
US, it’s only affordable for small business, and home users that
really want a server, but don’t want to spend $2000 US just to share
their high speed internet connection. For the small business, its only real use is to share Internet
access.If your business
grows, it might need a File server, and maybe even a print server,
which the XRouter does not do.When
your business grows to the point where you do need a server, you also
want the control a server gives you, such as user logins, and file
access control.
Conclusion
The XRouter is a perfect Internet sharing solution for small business,
or home networks.It’s
easy configuration and setup make it a no-brainer, unlike Proxy
Software, and Windows 98 Internet Connection sharing, which uses the
same technology as the XRouter.
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