Getting More From a Router

Written By
Francis Chu
Francis Chu
Published: Mar 19, 2001
Updated: Feb 2, 2021
1 minute read
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Are you looking for an easy way to share that DSL or cable connection in the office or at home but face a limited budget? Do you need a broadband router with firewall protection from hackers on the Internet?

Any mobile network manager who answers yes to these questions should consider SOHOwares latest BroadGuard Secure Cable/DSL Router.

Released last month, BroadGuard not only functions as a four-port 10/100M-bps switch and shares digital subscriber line and cable broadband connections, but it also has a built-in stateful packet inspection firewall—all for only $180.

Most multiport cable/DSL routers, including offerings from Netgear and Linksys, run NAT (Network Address Translation) as a minimal “firewall” that keeps the real IP addresses of computers behind the router hidden from prowling hackers.

Although Netgear and Linksys boxes are less expensive (Netgears RT314 costs about $130, and Linksys BEFSR41 costs $150), NAT alone is usually not enough to prevent hackers from accessing a companys files, and installing software firewalls on the PCs adds costs and can slow performance.

In addition to having a firewall, the BroadGuard broadband router runs NAT and also supports Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol and Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet.

For more information about BroadGuard, go to www.sohoware.com.

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