WESTELL 2410 ADSL WIRELESS GATEWAY

Westell's 2410 Wireless Gateway (£182 inc. VAT) is designed for users who need a choice of internet connection options. The unit comes with one USB and four Ethernet ports for wired connection and 802.11b for wireless connection. Rather than an integrated wireless connection, Westell has opted for a PCMCIA card, which can be interchanged to accept any 1.4GHz frequency card. The main advantage of such a solution for corporates is that it allows for a network upgrade without the expense of upgrading and re-installing base stations.

Connecting the gateway is straightforward, although USB drivers must be installed first if you are intending to use the USB connection. The included startup guide takes you through the process. Users wishing to alter the standard configuration, however, will need to have a deeper understanding of networks than most. The 2410 also has an integrated firewall, which can be set to a number of different security levels, depending on your needs.

The unit itself is an unassuming cream plastic box. The design is plain, with just four LEDs along the front of the unit that flash in different colours, depending on the status of each connection. For some reason, Westell has opted not to include a status light for the Ethernet connector, so users will have to check the back of the device to see which Ethernet ports are in use. Air vents are positioned on both the top and the bottom of the box, which should be left uncovered to ensure the unit doesn't overheat. All the necessary cables are supplied with the unit, colour coded, and are long enough to ensure set-up is straightforward.

Wireless offers a maximum connection speed of up to 11Mbps, although factors such as overheads, the firewall and other computers on the network means you can realistically expect around 5-6Mbps. Users can create a network that supports a selection of different connection options, allowing both deskbound workers and mobile users to benefit.

RATING: 8

PRICE: £155/£182 (EX/INC. VAT)
TECHNOLOGY: IEEE 802.11B, ETHERNET, USB 1.1
MAXIMUM SPEED: 11MBPS VIA WIRELESS LAN, 11MBPS VIA USB 1.1, 100MBPS VIA ETHERNET
MODEM: NO
SUPPORTS: MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98/2000/ME/XP
CONTACT: 01256 843311 WWW.WESTELL.CO.UK