Review of the DWL-G730AP Pocket Router Posted

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips/D-Link-Pocket-Router-AP.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tip...t-Router-AP.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"There's a reason we chose the name MobileTechReview— we provide key product information and relate experiences of value to road warriors. Staying connected provides perhaps the largest challenge for today's road warriors. At one time, the challenge consisted of finding hotels that provided data ports for modem connections. Later, this changed to finding RJ-45 Ethernet ports for high-speed Internet connections. Today's wireless world cries out for free 802.11b service in business hotels."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/dlink_AP.jpg" /> <br /><br />The last hotel I stayed at (A holiday inn) had WiFi for free, however if I was staying anywhere for more than a day or two and they didn't have WiFI, I'd grab one of these suckers for sure. For $99 it's fairly reasonable as well. What do you road warriors out there think of it?

[dazz]

I love it! I think it's a great idea!

For me, I would drag this between my office and a number of places I do work. It would be great to have just in the bag of goodies you carry around, just in case you find somewhere you can plug it in and use it.

Nice!

[petevick]

I bought one earlier this week and it seems great so far.
Only drawback, as mentioned in the review, is being unable to save config changes from the PPC

Pete

[christak]

$38 after rebate... Very tempting...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127053&amp;ATT=Network+Wireless+AP+&amp;CMP=OTC-d3alt1me

8)

[beq]

If only it also sports a built-in modem (for locations that have neither wireless nor Ethernet connection), it would be perfect.

As it is I think I'll stick to my WiFlyer (http://www.wiflyer.com) which is always in my bag. In fact I'd bought three of them for friends/family (kinda expensive though at $150)...

[Deemo]

That little puppy rocks.
Most of my stuff is Linksys but they didn't have anything at the time that matched the portability of that unit.

I even use it for a temp solution to deadspots in my house.

[emmfan]

I got one for a business trip where the hotel had broadband wired connections in the rooms, but not wireless. And since my ipaq doesn't support a wired connection, I got this pocket router which worked great.

[brianchris]

Although I'm not a frequent traveler, I've found that most hotels that have broadband offer wired only (in the rooms....lobbies are different). Anyway, becuase of this, I purchased Netgear's unit ( http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGR101.php ) last spring. While it works, I actually don't yet understand some of its functions yet. For example, I'm still very confused by its physical 4 or 5 modes switch. One is too configure it, one is for one user only, one is for two people no encryption, one is for seven peeople with encryption......or something like that....its really confusing. If someone else here owns the Netgear as well AND understands what the mode switch does, please post or PM me....I'd owe you.

ANYWAY, while the D-Link looks good too, however if I was buying one today, not doubt it would be the Linksys ( http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&amp;packedargs=c%3DL_Promotion_C2%26cid%3D1122062002156&amp;pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper ). Why? Integrated power plug (one less cable to lug around) AND a LAN ethernet jack as well as a WAN ethernet jack. Price is competitive.

[Gerard]

Really, it can't save changes made from a PPC? I use a D-Link router/AP at home, the 604+, and due tot a lack of a connectable PC (awful old thing doesn't connect to much of anything any more, and I'm just not wanting to buy a new PC I'll hardly ever use) I have to configure it from my PPC. Pocket IE won't touch D-Link's Java-based pages, but NetFront has no trouble at all. I've done firmware upgrades on the router using NetFront, and while a bit of a knuckle-biter, they worked.

[frankenbike]

I've got an Asus W330g WiFi AP. Similar in size to the D-Link.

Having a pocket AP is great for travelling. Even if you have a laptop with a wired ethernet cable, the ethernet hookup in the wall or phone is never conveniently located. With pocket APs, you can sit on your bed with your PPC or laptop and do what you want. Which would probably be web surfing while watching TV.

I don't know about the D-Link, but with the Asus I could use my PPC and my wife could use her laptop at the same time.

Anyway, even if you travel infrequently, pocket APs are a good investment. I've only used mine maybe 3 times in the last 9 months or so, but without it I would have gone nuts.

I do have to say, though, that sometimes hotel login procedures will lock PPCs out of their systems completely, because their login web pages stupidly use Java or Flash. I suppose NetFront might solve that problem, but since I don't have it, I had to go through a huge hassle to log in at one hotel. (IMO, no general purpose website should ever use anything but HTML pages for anything).

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I actually bought one of these nearly a year ago when I was still travelling frequently. It's a terrifically convenient device with suprisingly strong signal strength. Worth every penny!

[phritosan]

i ordered the asus one with my notebook a month ago, i love it. i throw it in the link at my girlfriends house so i can get online and so can she

[GadgetGirl]

Although I'm not a frequent traveler, I've found that most hotels that have broadband offer wired only (in the rooms....lobbies are different). Anyway, becuase of this, I purchased Netgear's unit ( http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGR101.php ) last spring. While it works, I actually don't yet understand some of its functions yet. For example, I'm still very confused by its physical 4 or 5 modes switch. One is too configure it, one is for one user only, one is for two people no encryption, one is for seven peeople with encryption......or something like that....its really confusing. If someone else here owns the Netgear as well AND understands what the mode switch does, please post or PM me....I'd owe you.

ANYWAY, while the D-Link looks good too, however if I was buying one today, not doubt it would be the Linksys ( http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&amp;packedargs=c%3DL_Promotion_C2%26cid%3D1122062002156&amp;pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper ). Why? Integrated power plug (one less cable to lug around) AND a LAN ethernet jack as well as a WAN ethernet jack. Price is competitive.

These itty bitty routers are pretty neat. I too own a Netgear WGR101. I bought it while travelling for business, to work with the hotels that only have wired connections, or where the wireless connections were really flaky.

To help brianchris real quick, the wgr101 switches:

• Switch position 1: single wireless computer only access, no configuration access
• Switch position 2: configuration and multiple wireless computer access
• Switch position 3: configuration only via Ethernet or wirelessly connected computer
• Switch position 4: unused at this time

Switch 1 is just a bridge between the wired LAN and your computer. The router doesn't try to assign you an IP address, and it works only with the first computer to connect.
Switch 2 makes a new LAN for one or more computers, and connects them to the wired network via Network Address Translation (NAT)
Switch 3 is so no one tries to connect to use internet/intranet stuff while you are trying to configure the device.

These little routers are cute gadgets, but I don't use mine that often. They do fill the niche of impromptu wireless networks hitting another network well. :)

[ricksfiona]

Wow, there are some really cool devices out there! I especially like the D-Link and the WiFlyer. Though I like the D-Link, I'd probably get the WiFlyer just to cover my bases. There are still plenty of hotels that don't have Broadband in the rooms. Heck, maybe even get the D-Link if I know I got wired broadband in the hotel rooms.

[brianchris]

To help brianchris real quick, the wgr101 switches:

• Switch position 1: single wireless computer only access, no configuration access
• Switch position 2: configuration and multiple wireless computer access
• Switch position 3: configuration only via Ethernet or wirelessly connected computer
• Switch position 4: unused at this time

Switch 1 is just a bridge between the wired LAN and your computer. The router doesn't try to assign you an IP address, and it works only with the first computer to connect.
Switch 2 makes a new LAN for one or more computers, and connects them to the wired network via Network Address Translation (NAT)
Switch 3 is so no one tries to connect to use internet/intranet stuff while you are trying to configure the device.

Hey, thanks GadgetGirl! Your more detailed explaination of each switch's function helped make things clearer. I had read those descriptions from Netgear, but they didn't seem to answer my questions. Indeed, I'm a network admin myself (perhaps a bad one :oops: ), and I'd never come across any router (travel or not) that had such switches, and that's where my confusion stemed from.......why have the switches in the first place? In your opinion, are those switches on the Netgear a positive or a negative for it? Which mode do you usually use it in (if you don't mind me asking)?

I'll have to try tinkering with it again now that you've provided more detail on those switches and what they do. Thanks again!

[GadgetGirl]

I normally just leave it on switch 1 bridge mode. Offhand, the reasons that come to mind for choosing bridge mode include wanting to prevent additional people from using the access point, and allowing all inbound requests to go right to your computer from the LAN. When behind NAT, there's a tiny bit more to configure port forwarding if you need it for some app, like bittorrent. However, in hotels, you are most likely behind their router's NAT anyway, so it is probably moot. I could see less common scenarios, such as being granted the use of a public IP, and wanting bridge mode to allow your computer to be completely visible to the internet.

Both modes have their place. I think the switches are probably something that could be handled in the software settings, but I'm guessing Netgear figured physical switches are easier to configure for beginners. *shrug* :) Switch 1 is good to keep unwanted visitors from sharing your connection. Switch 2 is good for hotel LAN parties (although gamers grumble about wifi latencies sometimes, but convenience is sweet heh).

[beq]

Wow, there are some really cool devices out there! I especially like the D-Link and the WiFlyer. Though I like the D-Link, I'd probably get the WiFlyer just to cover my bases. There are still plenty of hotels that don't have Broadband in the rooms. Heck, maybe even get the D-Link if I know I got wired broadband in the hotel rooms.

I've found my WiFlyer useful at times. Last time out of state I'd stayed at an old house with just a phone line, and with one button push it was online via dialup, which was shared wirelessly among 2 laptops and a Pocket PC. Even an older computer with no Wi-Fi can benefit as the WiFlyer also has a LAN Ethernet port (in addition to the WAN Ethernet port and phone ports).

Too bad it's only 802.11b, not g (although the Internet connection is slower than even b, g could allow faster LAN file sharing and whatnot). And as I recall I was waiting for the promised WPA support until I read that it's been dropped due to memory restrictions...

[psagafi]

I have a list of wifi gadgets, so I started searching for a USB power based AP (doesn't have to have a great range. ~15-25feet) , but why not something that would access the internet off of my laptop's Ethernet connection. The D-Link DWL-G730AP is almost there. It can power off the USB, then why not just have it bridge (or proxy) over on the current PC's connection? not to mention the device configuration or firmware update would be easier. right off the USB connection.

The only draw back I see is that you have a device attached to your laptop (1 of your laptops :D) that could get in the way a little while you are in the bed and 1+ people/devices want to be online. but then again for a hotel room, or a client office visit where you need to have access on multiple devices, it would work out great.

wouldn't it be great if it was the size of a USB mem? plug and wallaaa. 10-20 feet of wireless for your surrounding devices. VOIP? :x

I am pretty much sold on the D-Link anyway, since it can power off a USB. I do not want to log around another AC

any thoughts?