DrayTek Vigor 3200n
Price:
£375 including VAT
Specification:
Multi-WAN
router; 4 WAN; LAN, DMZ; USB 2.0; optional 802.11b/g/; 40Mbps VPN support;
firewall with IP content filter; 30x160x245mm.
Build: 4.5/10
Features: 4.5/10
Performance: 4.5/10
Value: 3.5/10
Total: 4.5/10
A working
internet link is crucial to most businesses, so it is sensible to have access
to multiple connections. In case of the main DSL wide area network (WAN)
crashing, a prepared link will keep the business online. Consumers routers do
not include – nor need – this level of complication and some enterprise
hardware can seriously affect the company’s IT budget. Setting up and
configuring a high-class device requires well-trained employees, which
increases extra costs. For a medium-sized business, a router such as Vigor
3200n provides advanced features. It is reasonably easy to set up, too.
At the front
are six gigabit ethernet ports, with four reserved only for separate incoming
WAN. A single port feeds a LAN connection for the rest of your network. The
last LAN port is for a demillitarized zone (DMZ). This configuration is good
for security, as you can keep web and fpt servers separated from your network.
In the event of an intrusion through your website, those hackers will not be
able to gain access to the company’s LAN. Different kinds of traffic can be
routed to a special connection. With clever subnet allocation, you can ensure
all the computers used by a specific department have access to your company’s
leased line, while a department with lower bandwidth demands is restricted to
ADSL.
This feature
may also be useful for businesses in rural areas, where the internet speed is
slower and less dependable. Using more than one ISP allows you to switch to
another network if one goes down, but your company will still be interrupted
while making the switch. DrayTek’s Vigor 3200n will automatically manage this
switching. A USB 2.0 port can be used for attaching printers, sharing storage,
even adding a 3G modem to have a fifth WAN. The latter option is a useful plan
B if something truly disastrous happens that breaks all fixed-line connections.
