Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I love gadgets and technology, but I am NOT a computer expert and wireless networking terms such as MAC numbers and Port Forwarding and DMZ are pretty foreign to me. I just wanted a wireless way to share my broadband internet connection between our home office desktop, my PDA (iPAQ 5455) and our kitchen/family room based laptop. The Microsoft MN 500 Wireless Base Station is the ticket to easy wireless networking. All you really need to read is the 4 page quick start guide and the device will be up and running. I read the very informative 100 page manual as well and learned a thing or two, but I really didn't need that informtion. The base station connected flawlessly -though I did reset my cable modem after connecting. That is not in the instructions but my ISP told me it would be a good idea. The base station has worked perfectly since and the signal is very strong throughout my house, upstairs and down- and in fact even in my driveway outside (so I was certain to leave the built-in encryption feature on to prevent drive-by theft of my signal.) My base station is tucked into a cubby hole in my computer desk next to the cable modem and has no problem sending its signal throughout the house. Those who have had problems with the signal probably just need to move the device. There is a lengthy discussion about placement of the base station in the manual (away from metal computer cases, for example). The MN-500 also comes with a hardware firewall. There is much debate as to whether software or hardware firewalls are best. I'm testing. The first two weeks I had my base station I disabled the hardware firewall and continued to use my Norton software based protection. Now, I've disabled that and am using the MN 500 alone. The ease of installation and the firewall and encryption features make this a great product for people who want to share the internet at home but don't want to learn the inner workings of wireless.
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The Microsoft wireless router is the ideal central access point for your wireless network. Connect multiple computers to a single broadband connection. Roam your house or office with the freedom and mobility of a Wi-Fi equipped laptop computer, share files and printers with all the other computers on the network, or play games with multiple players on the Internet and within your own network.
Features include an easy-to-use setup wizard, designed to make connecting your computers together easier. The router comes with strong security features, including a built-in firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT), and access control lists. The 4-port router easily connects to your network with universal plug and play for functionality such as voice messaging, video messaging, and games. You can also monitor your network status easily with Microsoft broadband network utility.
Included in the box with this wireless router are a stand (detachable), power supply cable, Ethernet cable, startup guide, user's guide, setup CD-ROM, and a blank floppy disk.
System requirements include: a computer with a network adapter to configure the router, an external broadband (cable, DSL, or other) modem with Ethernet port (not compatible with dial-up modems), Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or later to view and use the management tools, and an available 120 V AC power outlet.
Additional requirements include: a computer running Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Professional, or XP Home Edition, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later(setup will install Internet Explorer 6.0 browser components, if necessary, but will not displace your primary browser), 28 MB of available hard disk space if you already have Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6.0 (132 MB of available hard disk space if you are installing Internet Explorer for the first time), a 4x or faster CD-ROM drive, and a VGA or higher resolution monitor.
Note: Not all Internet service providers (ISPs) allow the sharing of a broadband connection. Please check with your ISP.
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