802.11a Router/Gateway

[LambdaFox]

Just when I thought there were no products out for the home user, I found the Sony PCWA-A500 (http://www.sonystyle.com/home/item.jsp?itemid=31831&hierc=9683x9714x9732&catid=).

Although they only refer to it as an "access point", if you read the FAQ and look at "broadband" it does NAT for connection sharing. I didn't see any built-in Firewall features but wasn't looking that hard for them.

Only $399

Ahteros chipset -- should be compatible with other Atheros products like D-Link, no?

Has anyone tried this product yet?

[Peregrine]

DLINK, Netgear, SMC all make 802.11a Wireless routers for less than $300.
Unless I'm missing something here, why spend $400?

[LambdaFox]

The others currently only sell 802.11a "access points" not "gateways" or "wireless routers" designed for internet sharing. Unless perhaps, like this Sony, one or more of them have NAT capabilities with dual network connections to do the job?

[Peregrine]

Isn't D-Links' DI-764 an 802.11a router???
I believe it is.

[LambdaFox]

Originally posted by Peregrine
Isn't D-Links' DI-764 an 802.11a router???
I believe it is.

It has two problems for me. First, it is a combo - 802.11 a AND b - unit. I emailed their tech support dept. and the b transmitter cannot be shut off according to them.

Secondly, it is not currently available for sale as the Sony I mentioned appears to be.

Still hoping someone has tried that Sony and might provide some info on it.

[LambdaFox]

saw this article (http://www.bbwexchange.com/news/2002/aug/netgear082602.asp) today stating that Netgear's 802.11a router product has now been released. This one is also built on the Atheros chipset, and also appears to have NAT, but not firewall built in.

List price is $553. Although no one seems to have it in stock yet, pricegrabber comes up with a lowball of $354 for it.

The Sony I originally mentioned is lowballing at about $340 on pricegrabber and is available at a couple of vendors now.

[LambdaFox]

The SMC2304WBR-A Barricade Turbo Universal Wireless Broadband Router (http://www.smc.com/index.cfm?action=media_center_press_release&PR_ID=73) will begin shippng in October. It has the usual features of wifi gateways sold in the 802.11b market. Unlike the D-Link dual mode model, this one is an 802.11a gateway to which you can optionally add the 802.11b functionality.

It is supposed to begin shipping in October, and is expected to have a street price of around $300.

So far, the Netgear and this model look superior to the Sony only in the fact that they have moveable (i.e., fine-tunable) antennae.

Nov 15, 2002 update: This model still isn't out. I spoke with SMC today, and they tell me that it has been delayed because they are wanting to have it work with 802.11g rather than just 802.11b.