SMC ADSL2 Barricade g review

Among a selection of all-too-similar products, the SMC Barricade g stands out – and not just for its swish looks. As well as supporting ADSL2+ (the next generation of broadband, promising speeds of 24Mb/sec) it also has a Wireless Distribution System mode. WDS allows the creation of a string of devices to expand a wireless network’s range, allowing you to set up a single network in an obstruction-heavy environment. But perhaps best of all, the Barricade g does all this at a remarkable price, especially when you consider there’s an ADSL modem lurking inside.

Despite the low price, SMC hasn’t stinted on security features. The Barricade supports RADIUS and WPA as well as MAC filtering to keep your bandwidth and data safe. What’s more, URL filtering can be specified per PC; you can even specify which times of the day to apply the rules. The only possible downside is that you can’t specify keywords or file types to exclude.

The SMC proved a speedy router in our short-range tests, transferring 100MB of files in just over a minute with WPA encryption enabled. Without WPA, it was again near the top of the pile in our medium-range tests, but switching on encryption added 44 seconds – a drop of 5Mb/sec.

But its real problems only surfaced when we moved to our most demanding test. Moving into the garden saw the SMC unable to complete the file transfer in the time we allowed – we deemed it suitable for basic web browsing only from extended distances. It’s this alone that prevents the Barricade g from picking up an award this month.

Don’t cross the Barricade off your shortlist yet, though, as its easy setup routines are a joy. The ease is courtesy of a Quickstart wizard, accessed through the Barricade’s built-in web interface. You’ll have to manually select the channel to operate on though, which involves a bit of trial and error. Usefully, however, the Barricade g stores the details for 14 major UK ISPs, so you probably won’t need to find out protocol information to get it working.

With its great range of filtering features, the Barricade g is ideal for small workgroups, and particularly homes looking to share an Internet connection. It doesn’t have the Voice over IP features of DrayTek’s excellent Vigor2600VG, but with a price this low it makes a compelling option if you’re on a limited budget and you want the convenience of an integrated ADSL modem.