NETGEAR FVS124G ProSafe Gigabit VPN Firewall 25 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I decided to try purchasing this product even with all the negative reviews (since they were a little old) and needless to say the reviews have made me quite cautious about looking for performance and connectivity problems, but so far, other than initial setup problems it's been working well (only going on two days).
My first impression is that the device is pretty well-built (heavy) however it does get a little hot... I'm using the router with an Adelphia cable modem on WAN port 1 and BellSouth DSL on WAN port 2. The product mostly works right out of the box although you'll have to find where to set the password and change it from the defaults (I don't know why router manufacturers don't make this the first thing you have to do).
I attached my cable modem and was able to successfully connect through the router. I then attached my DSL modem and changed the internal WAN MODE setting to "Load Balance". Everything seemed to work well except WAN 2 kept being reported as DOWN... very frustrated and nervous about the reviews that I had seen I decided to call Netgear tech support... after registering the product I was quickly connected to a technician who walked me through the proper setup... turns out that I needed to change the default IP address of the router as it was conflicting with the DSL modem... I also ended up changing the IP address on my wireless router and disabling DHCP (on the wireless)...
So far so good...
I downloaded a torrent of CentOS4DVD to test the performance and sure enough I was able to realize the combined download bandwidth of both broadband connections... I also checked my remote web server access logs and saw requests for a page coming from both my Adelphia and BellSouth IP addresses... so I know load balancing is working properly... I attempted some SSL transactions and they seemed to work ok... I'm still not 100% certain how things will work with sites that use IP address verification to control sessions... so I'll have to wait and see.
I don't use VoIP and don't run a server from home but so far I can say that I am quite pleased... I hope this review helps somebody else.
******************* FOLLOW-UP TWO MONTHS LATER *****************
I've had enough time with the Netgear FVS124G to discover its warts... simply put... protocol binding does NOT work, at least when you're trying to bind a service to a specific wan port and destination network... so far I've been elevated to Level 3 support with no resolution... I'm sure that "level 3" just means the guy in the next cubicle but it sounds impressive... FYI, for anyone in a similar situation I'm using firmware 1.33... I would still recommend the Netgear as long as your routing needs don't get *too* sophisticated... and if the Netgear ironed out the bugs in its firmware it would be perfect... the only other device I've found that performs the same features and more is the PepLink Balance 200... but it costs four times as much!

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The NETGEAR FVS124G ProSafe Gigabit VPN Firewall offers enterprise-level protection, performance, and reliability to remote workers. With dual 10/100 WAN ports, you can connect a second network connection thereby providing failover protection.
Fast Gigabit Performance The FVS124G has four auto-sensing 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN ports for gigabit speeds, allowing for speedy connections between servers and workstations, and also for use as a backbone for switches.
High-class Security For businesses that require more than just a simple NAT router, the FVS124G offers significantly more protection. It provides: a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall to prevent Denial of Service attacks, an Intrusion Detection System (IDS), the ability to block Java/URL/ActiveX based on extension, and FTP/SMTP/RPC program filtering.
The FVS124G is VPNC tested and features 25 dedicated VPN tunnels for secure data transmission over the Internet. IPSec-based 256-bit (AES) encryption is also supported.
Easy Setup NETGEAR's Smart Wizard makes installation a breeze. A VPN wizard lets you create rules that allow up to 253 remote PCs or sites to connect from locations with IP addresses that are not known in advance. Additionally, SNMP support provides complete remote administration and monitoring. DHCP and PPPoE support makes widespread deployment simple.
The NETGEAR FVS124G ProSafe Gigabit VPN Firewall is backed by a 3-year warranty.
What's in the Box FVS124G ProSafe Gigabit VPN Firewall, ethernet cable, installation guide, resource CD, warranty/support information card.

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NETGEAR FVS338 ProSafe VPN Firewall 50 Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought 2 of these for vpn tunnel between 2 offices, after updating to the june 2007 firmware everything worked like a charm. I share IP based phone system, Ip based camera system, and exchange servers between the two offices, the vpn works great between both offices. Everything works no problems. Maybe this model had problems before but it seems great to me now... Oh another thing I called up netgear support to help me setup the vpn and they practically setup my vpn on both ends by remote login. They made sure everything worked and even called me next day to make sure everything was working fine. All I did later was change the passwords and the vpn key. Overall a good buy.

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50 VPN Tunnels for Encrypted Remote Access.NETGEAR's ProSafe™ VPN Firewall with Dial Back-up is a SNMP-Manageable, high-performance network solution that furnishes multidimensional security. Fully equipped and broadband-capable, this Virtual Private Network (VPN) firewall comes with connection insurance: a built-in serial port for dial-up access. This practical feature means your business can maintain operation if your broadband Internet connection fails.It lets you retain an analog modem for emergency backup and also provides a migration path from analog to broadband, making the transition effortless.High on security, this true firewall provides Denial of Service (DoS) protection and Intrusion Detection using Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI), URL keyword filtering, logging, reporting, and real-time alerts. It supports up to 50 IPSec VPN tunnels simultaneously using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), reducing your operating costs and improving the security of your network. With 8 auto-sensing, Auto Uplink switched LAN ports and Network Address Translation (NAT) routing, up to 253 users can access your broadband connection at the same time.

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Duolinks SW24 2PORT Dual Wan Load Balancing Router Review

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(More customer reviews)It's hard to find a load balancing router for a smaller business that is simple and easy to integrate into the network, provides security and the necessary backup connectivity that is beneficial to a business without breaking the bank. Recently, we purchased the Duolinks SW24 2PORT Dual Wan Load Balancing Router for less than $140. It was promptly delivered and easy to setup right out of the box. We didn't have to call in a "pro" to integrate the unit into our network. Basically, over 95% of the work our business processes require internet connectivity through portals and websites. We need a solid router that provides security as well as uninterrupted internet connectivity. This router does the job. We're using it with cable and DSL. The unit easily balances our traffic across these connections. During the few months it has been in service, at least one of the connections has had trouble or failed but with the router in place, it was a seamless blip that did not impact our business. The unit "failed over" to the active connection without interrupting the network. The router is easily configured through a browser interface and has many different functions we are still learning and utilizing. It provides a good firewall for security as well as the ability to block inappropriate traffic. We're extremely happy with our choice and look forward to learning more about the router and its capabilities. All this makes it extremely affordable for the home or small to medium business that doesn't need the complicated Cisco routers and the highly paid contractors needed to install and maintain them.

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The Syswan Technologies Duolinks SW24 high performance Dual WAN router provides a fast, secure and reliable connection to the Internet. Using state of the art automatic redundancy and bandwidth load balancing technologies, it allows fast, secure and reliable Internet connectivity to all networked computers in home offices, small offices and small-to-medium sized organizations. With the addition of a second Internet broadband connection, the Duolinks SW24 ensures your network not only remains connected to the Internet, but all Internet traffic is constantly managed reliably and securely even during periods of high traffic and heavy workloads.

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Cisco RV016 16-port 10/100 VPN Router - Multi WAN Review

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(More customer reviews)I use this router on our main network of about 40 permanent users and another 20 or so users (clients) that come and go. At any one time it is negotiating 50 to 65 users via DHCP through four 24 port managed switches about ten 4 to 8 port hubs and six WAP's. Clients come and go everyday, some with Mac's others with PC's and I never have to do anything to get them on the internet. In the two years it has been in service I think that I rebooted it once and I'm not positive that it was the problem since I will reboot the modem, switches and router together. Occasionally things do get turned off for maintenance, but looking at the router admin page right now it has been running 54 days straight. I have to say it is much more stable than other small routers that advertise delivering 99 DHCP address's but really can only deliver about 10 without having to use static IP's. It's powerful browser interface lets you manage port bandwidth, port function and port priority easily. Some departments need more or less speed or higher priority. Security notifications via email keep me on top of potential attacks. The effect on speed due to security features was negligible. The "Block WAN request" even keeps our own ISP from seeing us. All these things are simple to setup. As a basic router it is very powerful.
The only short coming that I see is with the load balancing. This seems to really slow the speed significantly. I think that it is just too much for the CPU to handle. My intention was to have two different ISP's for redundancy. As a fix I leave both providers connected but only activate one WAN port at a time. If one WAN goes down I can quickly activate the other WAN port without anyone really being affected. The other ISP is mainly used for FTP anyway.
On the problems with VPN's, we don't use them so I can't comment on that.
In closing, you could spend thousands to get some of the features that facilitate subnets and load balancing, for the price it works very well.
Update: I have since purchased a second RV016 (firmware 2.0.13) with the same solid performance. I've read about some of the problems that others are having and would say that compatibility with other vendors is an issue to consider. Also using switches versus hubs takes some of the load off the routers CPU.
Update 2: We now own three routers without problem. I know that some have complained about customer service and I have to agree it's lacking. But what I would tell less experienced users is that the Sitemap column on the right side of the browser interface has extensive explanations of all the settings. This combined with a little experimentation should get you where you need to be. The file sharing problems that another reviewer had has nothing to do with the router, it's all about the computer settings. Another reviewer commented on customer service asking about the color of the cables. In the early days of DSL and daisy chaining hubs, crossover cables were used and they were generally orange or yellow and will not work with most equipment.

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WAN VPN Router, formerly part of the Linksys Business Series, is designed and built for small businesses. It provides connection sharing and secure remote access at the heart of your network to allow your employees to access the resources they need to be productive. Multiple WAN ports can be used for load balancing and redundancy. Strong security features include VPN, a proven firewall, and an optional security service that helps fight spam, viruses, and other threats. The built-in switch can connect devices in the office or additional switches.

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Cisco RV082 8-port 10/100 VPN Router - Dual WAN Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, this will be brief and is being posted only as helpful hint rather than an indepth review.
If your speeds are fine when directly connected to your ISP, but are slow or unstable when running through the RV082 try the following:
Under the firewall tab, there is an MTU setting. You MUST take this off of Auto and use the manual setting. In my case the default manual setting of 1500 is what I needed. This solved the incredible slowdown problems I was having - in fact now I have the best speeds I have ever seen on my network.
Thanks to "Lone Stranger" and the Google search in which I found his post for finally providing me with this answer after hours of frustration. No thanks to linksys email support, who was of no use at all.

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The heart of your connection-redundant secure small office network The Linksys 10/100 8-Port VPN Router is an advanced Internet-sharing network solution for your small business needs. Like any router, it lets multiple computers in your office share an Internet connection. But the unique dual Internet ports on the 10/100 8-Port VPN Router let you connect a second Internet line as a backup to insure that youre never disconnected. Or, use both Internet ports at the same time, and let the router balance your offices requirements between them for maximum bandwidth efficiency. The 10/100 8-Port VPN Router also features a built-in 8-port full-duplex 10/100 Ethernet switch to connect eight PCs directly, or you can connect more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need. The Virtual Private Network (VPN) capability creates encrypted tunnels through the Internet, allowing up to 50 remote office or traveling users to securely connect into your office network from off-site.

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Cisco RV042 4-port 10/100 VPN Router - Dual WAN Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted a low-cost VPN solution and had been debating purchasing the Cisco 501 PIX firewall and Netscreen's lowest end 5GT VPN router (which costs $450 + maintenance/support contracts) before discovering this bargain model. Tom's Networking Hardware has a good review about the RV082 holding up with Netscreen's 5GT VPN router in performance tests, which pretty much convinced me to get this Linksys brand. I use the RV082 for our main office and the RV042 as a client in our remote office in mainland China, so I can't say for sure that an RV042-RV042 solution works. Note: If you intend to purchase this model and use it for an international location, however, you do need to purchase a separate 220 volt/1000 mA/12 volt adapter, since the unit only comes with a 110 volt adapter. (Linksys apparently has yet to provide a universal power adapter for this product line.)
I thought the RV042 would be exactly the same as the RV082 except with 4 ports instead of 8. However, I found that the firmware is still a bit behind the RV082 (the RV042 also does not come with an internal PPTP server, though this PPTP server is still not compatible with the Win2000/XP PPTP client). One major benefit of the RV082 is that it comes with a free VPN client called QuickVPN (downloadable in the same section where the RV082 firmware is located). Unlike other Linksys VPN routers, the RV082 using the QuickVPN client avoids the trouble of needing to follow a 16-page procedure for configuring a Win2000/XP client to access the VPN.
The RV082 firmware (v1.1.6.3) contains an "HTTP Service" option that must be enabled to provide QuickVPN support. The QuickVPN client appears to retrieve some VPN server information through https:// requests, which isn't evident unless you look closely at the wget_error.txt located inside the C:\Program Files\Linksys\Linksys VPN Client directory. The RV042 firmware (1.3.1) does not yet support this feature, but their current BETA version (v1.3.3) does (downloaded from linksysinfo.org). Linksys has yet to officially release this firmware, so be forewarned!
The RV units may also be compatible with other VPN brands. We had been using the really flaky Symantec 200 VPN units and managed to get one of the units to negotiate a IPSEC tunnel with the RV042 and RV082. You can use the VPN log feature to see if the negotiation works. Enable the keep-alive option in the Advanced features to help maintain a persistent tunnel too!
Instructions for QuickVPN and setting up the RV042:
1. Upgrade to the latest firmware version (1.3.3 beta off Linksysinfo.org. Additional note: There are reports of problems with the the 1.3.6 beta so have stayed away from using it.)
2. Inside the "Firewall" section, enable the HTTPS service. Make sure to Save Settings too.
3. Inside the "VPN" section, click on the VPN Client Users. Add a username and password that will be used for the QuickVPN Client. Make sure the user that you will be using is selected as Active.
4. Make sure that your client's NAT/firewall has IPSEC passthrough capability turned-on. If you don't, you may see that the QuickVPN client successfully connects but freezes at "Verifying Network".
5. Your client's IP subnet should not conflict with the other remote networks (i.e. Your client subnet should be 192.168.2.0 if your remote networks use 192.168.0.0 or 192.168.1.0)
6. Verify that the IPSEC services is running on your Windows machine.
7. If you are running Windows XP SP2, you need to disable the Windows Firewall. You may also see the connection established but QuickVPN get stuck at the "Verifying Network" message.
A good place to debug your problem is to look at the error logs in the wget_error.txt in the directory where the QuickVPN client is installed (i.e. C:\Program Files\Linksys). The wget program apparently tries to connect via HTTPS to the RV042/RV08 to obtain VPN server information. If the connection is successful, you can see several .conf files downloaded into the same directory.
One another note: Both the RV042 and RV082 have a second WAN port for load-balancing, but I've seen enough reports to stay away from using this feature until Linksys manages to resolves the issues in the firmware.

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Network connections are the backbone of business connections. One of the Cisco Small Business Routers, the RV042 Virtual Private Networking (VPN) Router supports up to four wired and 50 off-site connections. The latter allows users to connect into your network with secure access to your files and intranet. The RV042 comes with dual Internet ports that can serve as a failsafe system for 24/7 network uptime, or as a secondary connection to a separate Internet provider. Whether they're used for backup or speed boosting, the router's networking hardware will keep bottlenecks away from your network, period.

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