First Look: OfficePortal Broadband Router for Small Office/Home Office

Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com

2Wire, Inc. (www.2Wire.com), a provider of residential gateways, announced the introduction of the 2Wire OfficePortal broadband router, which promises home office and small office users networking functionality and security and ease of use. The new 2Wire OfficePortal broadband router is an integrated business networking solution, incorporating a router, firewall, and value-added software.

The OfficePortal broadband router is designed to provide home office and small office users with several flexible networking options, including a PCMCIA slot for Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless networking, an optional ADSL modem, a standard 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch, and an optional HPNA interface for phoneline networking. The 2Wire OfficePortal should be upgradeable, with software updates that may be downloaded as they become available.

The OfficePortal firewall includes two levels of security to protect all of the computers on the network, and is certified by ICSA Labs. Network Address Translation (NAT)/Port Address Translation (PAT) security and Stateful Packet Inspection defend the OfficePortal network against hacker attacks, while delivering wire speed performance.

Also, the 2Wire OfficePortal is preconfigured to work with most major broadband service providers. Users should be able to add computers and peripherals to their OfficePortal network, and manage the network via the OfficePortal’s browser-based user interface.

Pricing and Availability
The 2Wire OfficePortal broadband router will be available in May 2002 through select 2Wire service provider partners. Manufacturer’s suggested list price starts at US$229.

Small Business Computing Staff
Small Business Computing Staff
Small Business Computing addresses the technology needs of small businesses, which are defined as businesses with fewer than 500 employees and/or less than $7 million in annual sales.

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