2Wire HomePortal 1000HW DSL Modem and Network Router

by 2Wire

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 2 x 8 inches ; 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• ASIN: B000EU10S2
• Item model number: 1000HW
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,486 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 3, 2006

Product Description

The 2Wire HomePortal 1000HW is a wireless base station for the home or small office network with a built-in DSL modem to make the connection to the Internet and a wireless 802.11b router and access point to share the connection. ? The built-in professional-grade firewall helps to protect your network from outsiders. ? Supports HomePNA 2.0 and 1.0 ? The 2Wire HomePortal 1000HW comes with both USB and Ethernet networking ports, providing flexibility and compatibility.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good product for simple tasks, November 17, 2007

By 

Under the Influence (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: 2Wire HomePortal 1000HW DSL Modem and Network Router (Electronics)

My 1000H Homeportal has been a solid performer and was extremely easy to install. I have been using it for three years and have had no problems. However, I don't recommend this device unless you are looking for the cheapest, most reliable solution to sharing an Internet connection, files and printer between computers. The 2Wire 2700HG-B DSL Modem Router Wireless Access Point currently sells for about the same price and is a much better product.

The 1000HW acts as the network Access Point for up to four PCs, which can then simultaneously share a single internet connection, printers, and files between any of the computers. The Homeportal has only one ethernet and one USB 1.1 connection, meaning that the connection of more than one PC to the unit will require Wireless networking or a seperate device that allows multiple ethernet cable connections. The Homeportal is limited to Wireless 802.11B connections. This means slower connection than 802.11G when networking wirelessly, and definitely not a good thing for those looking to stream music or video files or any video rich Internet content. Given that, I highly recommend getting the 2Wire 2700HG-B DSL Modem Router Wireless Access Point. The 2700HG-B is 802.11G and allows four ethernet connections.

The 1000HW has a built-in firewall that will provide all the security most users need when coupled with Anti-virus software, and requires no configuring by the user. For those who want to create more access to their network, the 2Wire software allows more advanced users that flexibility also. It is capable of WEP and WPA encryption modes.

Pros:
- cheap
- easy to install
- very reliable
Cons:
- only one Ethernet connection
- USB 1.1 not the faster 2.0
- 802.11b is too slow for those whose primary interest is streaming digital entertainment (music, videos, photos), need 802.11G, and probably 802.11N if wanting to stream Hi-Definition content
- Can probably get a 802.11g product from 2Wire or other manufacturer for about the same price and will need the extra speed to meet the future demands of Media rich content used at home or in the office.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good performance but doesn't support WPA2, February 12, 2009

By 

L. Lim (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 2Wire HomePortal 1000HW DSL Modem and Network Router (Electronics)

I've had this modem/router for nearly 5 years, and its performance is very good. It has had intermittent problems with maintaining signal which required "rebooting" (i.e. disconnecting the power) on some occasions, but for the most part it is very reliable. It is able to detect many other neighborhood networks - not that it matters, since all these networks are secured.

My only complaint is that it only supports the inferior WEP encryption. WPA2 is not possible with this model.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This is an old XP device w/ limited support., August 22, 2009

By 

Tag (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 2Wire HomePortal 1000HW DSL Modem and Network Router (Electronics)

I wanted a used DSL modem to avoid signing a contract with AT&T. I foolishly purchased a used 2Wire 1000HW on Amazon without first checking to see if it was compatible with my crappy Vista 64-bit operating system. The seller didn't mention that the driver disc wasn't included, which is normally not a problem, because downloading drivers is easy from most manufacturer's website... emphasis on "most". 2Wire is an unfortunate exception. 2wire(.)com is a very limited website with marginal technical assistance, which is why they get 2 stars. In the FAQ section, they state:

"2Wire Inc., AS A COMPANY, fully supports Windows Vista. 2Wire will work quickly to resolve any compatibility issues as they are reported, both through internal testing and via customer feedback. Unless specified otherwise, "Windows Vista" in this FAQ refers to all editions of the operating system."

Unfortunately, that simple statement above is as far as their "support" goes. There are NO Vista drivers, NO patches, or anything else for that matter. They say they support it, but there is nothing to back up the statement. This is shameful. I'm used to uninstalling new software because it won't work with Vista 64-bit, but at least those websites don't make misleading claims.

It took hours to rig my system to make it connect, and this thing is so old I'm not even going to try to install the wireless on a Vista system.

** Incidentally, if you need to reset the modem the correct 2-wire website to go to is 172.16.0.1 (There is no Domain name, just an I.P address-- type those numbers in the address bar and the site will guide you through the process to reset passwords, etc.) My AT&T customer support people had to search far and wide to find this address and the instructions to modify settings. Heaven help you if you end up with some Support team in India.

If you are using XP or earlier, and you are skilled enough to install networks without technical support, then this is good product. I certainly wouldn't pay more than $25, though.