Alan Cole wrote:
Safecom build various low cost routing products, replacing the Origo brand
name. For example, the 4-port modem/router that Ebuyer are currently selling
as their own-brand one is Safecom branded, where it used to be Origo. It's
the same product in a different style box.

A mass of info about the product here:
http://www.adsltech.com/faq/

...and the support forums on http://adsltech.com/portal/ are very good.

Good luck.

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 21:57:05 +0100, Alan Cole <justal@lineone.net>
wrote:

I suspect there is very little to choose in real terms between
different manufacturers' equivalent models if you choose the "branded"
items.

As pointed out already many of the "budget" versions will use similar
technology, but even but they have to cut costs somewhere, so if it's
not in the chipsets it will be elsewhere. Doesn't mean you can't get
a decent unit, but personally I'd stick with a brand.

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 08:55:41 +0100, Simon Pleasants
<plesbit@hotmail.com> wrote:

I think you have been sucked in to "brand thinking". Netgear's abysmal
firmware history, DLink's inability to arrange ADSL line statistics on
a status page in a coherent manner, USR "Sureconnect" that fails to
sync on ADSL lines that others work on... and so on...

The savings that the "no name" manufacturers make is probably not in
the equipment at all, but in the advertising, fancy logos, corporate
excesses etc of the brands.

Buying anything you haven't seen and tested is a bit of a lottery, I'm
not convinced paying a lot more changes the odds :-)

Phil
--
spamcop.net address commissioned 18/06/04
Come on down !

On 22 Oct 2004 in uk.telecom.broadband, Phil Thompson wrote:

Seconded. Would add a bit more but you've hit the nail, Phil.

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 09:57:43 +0100, Phil Thompson
<phil.thompson@spamcop.net> wrote:

Certainly these days you can't claim that the support mechanism that
surrounds these products is what you are paying for because there is
practically none! However, just because some parts are the same does
not necessarily mean that all are, or that they are arranged in the
same combination. My experience of other IT equipment has shown
clearly that you get what you pay for and over the years I've learned
to my cost (and in recent times other peoples' cost) that buying cheap
often backfires (although not always) and as such I've tended to shift
away from this line of thinking so.

I repeat my previous statement that all in all there's probably not a
lot to choose but I'd personally go for a recognised brand - and my
Netgear DG834G today turns up its 1500 hour of continuous operation
since upgrading the firmware so as yet I don't feel I made the wrong
decision.

Beware of the Belkin one if you intend to use computers more than one wall
away from the router. I bought it on the basis of 2 magazine reviews that
gave it best buy awards, and can't get signals. I then saw a post in this
newsgroup pointing to a review of signal strengths - and guess which one was
worst??????

On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, Simon Pleasants wrote:

glad it is still running, but some of us have routers in use which have
never needed firmware upgrades anyway :-)

The 'cheap' (for the time it was bought) Dabsvalue router bought April
2002 is still in use and has had very few reasons to be powered down (a
30 minute power cut, perhaps due to the gales, being one reason) and
certainly has had no changes to firmware since purchase. Some newer
versions of the s/w do exist, of course... But there are few reasons
I've found to upgrade any kit.

Oh, but the Netgear DG814 I have here (as a switch) did have the ADSL
side die within 7 days of purchase, 2 years ago... Netgear first asked
for the buyer (a small firm I deal with) to update the firmware and
(quite unsurprising) it still failed (kept the phone line 'engaged'
and would not connect) so after a few days another was sent out, FoC,
and there was never a request for the first, so I have it (if only to
be able to see the Netgear user interface if the IT guy is away and
they have any problem, so I can talk them through their settings...
However, they now also have a Dabsvalue router as a standby, in fact
they bought two (one for the other ADSL link, and one spare), so it's
unlikely I will need suggest anything other than unplugging the DG814
and putting the Dabs into place...

--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.

On 22 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "Me" wrote:

I guess it depends on your walls, to a big degree ! I set up a
Belkin in a friend's home. The house has two front bedrooms and
a third behind one of them, while the landing and stairs take up
space behind the other front bedroom. Then a shower room and a
bathroom, and in an extension (which was a bedroom) is the guy's
den/office. His router happens to be on the window-sill but the
laptop can be used at the front of the house in the lounge, some
50+ feet away and through at least 2 walls, bathroom and lounge.

--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.

"Peter M" <us-mail@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:0gvin0dlt9ktmbibr0ip2252bd3dk3b2k2@4ax.com...
If in doubt.....Draytek.

Peter

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004, in uk.telecom.broadband, "2pods" wrote:

what model, what cost ? I would be happy to recommend Belkin taking the
cost into account, as not everyone wants to spend a fortune :-)

PS When quoting, please *trim*

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:38:57 +0100, Peter M <us-mail@rocketmail.com>
wrote:

Well it worked perfectly with v1.03 (which it came with) but I am one
of those people that likes to have all my equipment running on the
latest firmware / drivers. Plus I was keen to get my ADSL statistics
as I was arguing with BT over whether I could get 1mb.

I haven't claimed that Netgear support are any use :-)

Netgear sent out a replacement router to the dud 2 years ago. You
haven't mentioned ongoing problems with the second one.

At the end of the day I suspect there is not a lot to choose between
equivalent models but I'd still prefer to stick with a known brand.
My router does exactly what I bought it for and ultimately that is the
deciding factor as to whether or not I made a good choice.

On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 23:18:09 +0100, Peter M <us-mail@rocketmail.com>
wrote:

As I understand it the Drayteks are pretty much a business class
machine or, at the very least, a model which fits what the camera
market would call "prosumer" - a go-between. Therefore think more
features, better built quality - and more money.

On 25 Oct 2004 in uk.telecom.broadband, Simon Pleasants wrote:

I checked and it was swapped out of use several (8+) months ago because
of some problems with receipt of e-mail (was being used as an ADSL link
solely for mail traffic to the firm's mail server, as the IT guy felt a
problem would be less visible than on the link used for staff to browse.
Rebooting daily at 0200 had not solved the failure of mail, so he used a
Dabs in its place.

And the benefit of the "known brand" in such a case is what, exactly ?
Just "peace of mind" as in "you will never be sacked for buying IBM"
(OK, a bit dated, and perhaps before Amdahl was on the scene :-))

I don't know if the Netgear is trusted to work and it was something else
causing the problems on their ADSL link with mail but I guess it will go
back into service to see if it is faulty or not, in due course. I doubt
they will buy Netgear in future despite looking more pretty (and perhaps
more acceptable at home) when they can buy 2 or maybe 3 other brands for
the same cash. So long as those do the job (and they have) they'll be as
happy with something cheaper (and while spare, some of the others are v.
handy to lend out to staff before they buy their own, so kit will get a
testing even when it would normally be "on the shelf"). Peter M.

--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.

In message <h5cpn01i5fgfopo8ov8oau9tahqe8b5q48@4ax.com>, Simon Pleasants
<plesbit@hotmail.com> writes
Draytek Vigor 2600plus, £127.02 from broadbandbuyer.co.uk or a wired
version that I use, Vigor 2500, £85.13 - kit of the finest kind.
--
Robert

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 20:00:48 +0100, Robert <robert@rlh1.com> wrote:

Looks like a nice unit, but not all domestic users will be convinced
enough to pay that much more money.

Actually I would recommend people to buy the even more expensive 2600V with
the VoIP telephone sockets (two).
It's the way all telephony will go in near future.
Regards,
Martin

On 27 Oct 2004 "Martin²" <never@give.one> wrote:

I've found X-Lite and my PC (and a cheapo Dabs/Ebuyer) router to work fine
for VoIP. If there's already a PC to Bluetooth adaptor which could take the
sound output and feed the microphone input, one could use a Bluetooth hands-
free setup with a mobile phone or for VoIP, no need for the Draytek while my
Dabsvalue router is still in service... OK, a plug for an ordinary phone is
nice, and handling caller ID as well, compared with needing to be able to see
the PC's screen to know who is calling, if a Bluetooth setup was used [if it
is even possible - I first saw someone using it a week ago when meeting a
business contact for lunch, so not something I've tried out!] Peter M.

--
PlusNet <http://tinyurl.com/24ymz> - I recommend them and save some cash.
Depends on account that is opened by new customer, but good value ISP IMO.

"poster" <us-mail@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:lkb7p0d8oif3etdnn2n1s4kih464pm7tgf@212.159.2. 85...
Try the Grandstream ATA-486 available from www.sipgate.co.uk - works for
me..! You can plug any old analogue phone in, as long as it has DTMF,
those old 706's won't work unfortunately..! But I *have* used it with an
8786 (DTMF "Trimphone" circa 1980)..! Caller display seems to work fine on
all the phones with a display that I've tried, including my Panasonic DECT
phone.

The ideal thing about it is a PC doesn't need to be on, the unit plugs
directly into a router or ADSL modem.


Ivor