ASUS RT-N13U Wireless-N Router, Access Point, and Repeater Review

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(More customer reviews)For those looking for a cheap wireless N router + Print & FTP Server, this is an excellent buy!
I bought this router specifically with hope that it 'might' be able to do more than what it claims on the box, and it does, to some extent. Read on and you'll find answers to your questions that any other reviews on the web aren't able to tell you.
1. Can a USB hub be used to connect multiple peripherals to the router?
A. Yes, but with certain limitations. I have successfully connected a printer and a hard drive to the router via a usb hub, and both work flawlessly! Here's what you do: plug in the usb hub to the router, then connect the hdd to the usb hub, set up your ftp server on the hdd, then connect the printer to the usb hub, and set up your printer. You will only see the printer show up in the router's main page, but the ftp serve works fine. However, hooking up 2 printers will not work because the print command is directed ip-to-ip (your pc to the router) and pass on to the usb port. When you have a usb hub with multiple printers connected the print command will be pass on to every port on the hub. Sometimes printing will come out from the right printer that you want it to, but sometimes the command will get send to the other printer which may cause your printer to malfunction. I have two printers: a HP inkjet and a Samsung laser. It happened to me when I want to print from the Samsung but the command got sent to the HP, and HP will keep feeding paper and print out an error message on the corner until I force power-down the printer; same for the Samsung when a HP print command was sent to the Samsung it just kept printing errors until the machine overhead and power-off itself.
2. When connected to a HDD, it can only be set up as a FTP server, not a network drive.
What the differences you ask? On a network drive you can stream files directly from it, while an FTP you can only upload/download files but no running directly on the server. But simutenous access from multiple users are possible. That's an advantage over the so called "netowrk shared usb" where only a single user are allowed to use the peripheral at a time.
3. This router has a hardware repeater mode switch, which I consider a big plus. It's the transparent repeater mode, meaning it will receive and broadcast the same SSID of the network you're repeating; as oppose to 'stealth' repeater mode where you can set your own SSID and security for broadcast. Note that the network printer won't work in the repeater mode 'cause the print command will be pass on to the someone else's router (one that you're repeating). The Asus router still maintain its own ip and subset which the network printer belongs to, but it's hidden in the repeater mode. You can manually configure your pc to connect to it and you'll be able to print, but you lose internet. Not sure about FTP serve in repeater mode. Haven't try yet. The router has good range. I can receive Safeway's wifi which is like 300m from my place.
4. The router itself looks good IMO. I like the hidden antenna design.
What else? Msg me if you still have a question regarding the router.

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ASUS RT-N13U Wireless-N Router, Access Point, and Repeater

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Netgear XEB1004-100NAS Xeb1004 85Mpbs Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)Before trying the Netgear Powerline 85MBPS kit, I was highly skeptical of its professed ability to use home power lines for computer networking. Having tried earlier attempts of this technology, I assumed the worse. Only a few reviews I had read led me to try it again.
Once you have two units plugged in, and connected to your computer and router, it can take anywhere from a couple minutes to nearly an hour for communication to be enabled. Over the next half-hour or so, speeds tend to increase as the units filter noise and find the best methodology for communicating over your home's electrical system.
Now that I've installed this kit in a number of homes, I can attest that it works largely as advertised. But keep in mind that it won't work in all homes, and rarely in a commercial building (not recommended). It all depends on the topography of the electrical system and the amount of noise on the lines. If large electrical motors are in operation, for example, throughput can greatly decline or cease entirely.
Do keep in mind that this is not a fast, reliable solution to your networking needs. For connecting to the internet for simple browsing or transferring small files between computers, it's a great solution. But forget about streaming video or moving large files - this system will choke if you try it.
I highly recommend this product for simple, straightforward installations in the home where wi-fi or running a CAT5 cable just won't do.

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With the NETGEAR XEB1004 Powerline Ethernet Switch Kit, you can extend your home network by turning any existing electrical outlet into a network connection for up to four Ethernet-enabled devices. Now you don't have to worry about long, tangled cables running through your house, or weak wireless signals. The Powerline switch will turn any electrical outlet into a network connection that will connect your game consoles, PCs, DVRs, network storage devices and more to your network.
Plug and Play Simplicity The XEB1004 Powerline Ethernet Switch Kit works with existing wireless or wired routers and gateways. Simply plug one of the Powerline adapters in a wall outlet next to your router, and a second included 4-port Powerline Adapter into a wall outlet next to the device you want to connect to the network, and you're ready to go. You can add more Powerline adapters to your network as necessary (the single unit is XE104.) There's no software to install, no passwords to remember, and no configuration whatsoever. And for the ultimate in convenience, the switch has easy-to-read icon LEDs for at-a-glance status information.
The XEB1004 Powerline Ethernet Switch Kit is Homeplug 1.0 compatible, so you can create more networks by using other Homeplug 1.0 compatible Powerline devices, such as the NETGEAR XE104, XE103.
Fast Performance For Streaming Video The XEB1004 Powerline Ethernet Switch Kit supports network speeds of up to 85 Mbps, fast enough for multiple video streams without any hiccups. You can use the adapter kit to connect computers, gaming consoles, Slingbox, digital video recorders, network attached storage, and other network devices that require high bandwidth.
The data is encrypted as well to ensure privacy and security. The Powerline Kit is compatible with Windows Vista. To enable data encryption to ensure privacy and security, Windows Vista, XP, or 2000 is required. The NETGEAR XEB1004 Powerline Ethernet Switch Kit is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box Two 85 Mbps Powerline Ethernet Adapters, 5-foot Ethernet cable, installation guide, setup CD, warranty card, support and information card.

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