Netgear MR314 802.11b Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch

by Netgear

Product Details

Product Manual [1.33mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005NOKT
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 15, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Netgear's MR314 cable/DSL wireless router with four-port switch and access point offers the easiest way to share and extend your high-speed cable/DSL modem Internet connection, either with or without wires. This high-performance IEEE 802.11b standards-based router connects all your PCs equipped with wireless PC cards, while an integrated four-port switch connects your devices that need Ethernet wiring. The integrated Web-content filtering and alerts allow you to restrict Internet access based on Web addresses, Web address keywords, or the time of day, and protect your family or business with a safe surfing environment. Network Address Translation (NAT) and virtual private network (VPN) pass-through provides your network with protection from hackers. Simple Web-based instructions get your PC network up and running in less than an hour. With the MR314 reliability, you can rest assured that your network will stay up and running, backed by the Netgear five-year warranty.

Efficient
The MR314 allows you to share and extend your cable/DSL connection to anywhere in your home or office, without the time or expense of Ethernet cabling. The built-in access point enables the MR314 to be used in larger wireless networks in conjunction with other standards-based wireless access points. For additional ease of use, Auto Uplink eliminates the need for cumbersome crossover cables.

Protective and secure
NAT security and VPN pass-through features give you a greater level of protection against hacker attacks, while 40/64 and 128-bit WEP encryption guard your wireless network for maximum privacy.

Watchful and informative
Web content filtering options let you customize restricted Internet access policies. E-mail reports and instant alerts keep you up to date on Web browsing activity.

Rugged and reliable
Sturdy metal construction on the outside, dependable 802.11b standards-based technology on the inside, all backed by a five-year warranty to give you high-performance reliability.

Product Description

This NETGEAR MR314 allows you to share and extend your Cable/DSL connection to anywhere in your home or office, without the time or expense of Ethernet cabling. The built-in Access Point enables the MR314 to be used in larger wireless networks in conjunction with other standards-based wireless access points. For additional ease of use, Auto Uplink eliminates the need for cumbersome crossover cables.NAT security and VPN pass-through features give you a greater level of protection against hacker attacks, while 40/64 and 128-bit WEP encryption guard your wireless network for maximum privacy. Plus, Web content filtering options let you customize restricted Internet access policies. E-mail reports and instant alerts keep you up to date on Web browsing activity!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars extra bang for your buck, February 20, 2002

By 

ODB (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Netgear MR314 802.11b Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch (Personal Computers)

This is a nice piece of gear because it saves having to get a wireless hub and router separately, which frees up the 4 ports for just computers, and eliminate extra wires and boxes and power cables.

Router:
A great feature of this particular router is that it can email you activity logs which show what websites were visited on that day through the router. You can also block access to websites or any site that contains a keyword, so this could be useful in small office and home (children) use. (By viewing the website activity logs, you can find out which sites to block so that next time the user tries to go there it will say "blocked by netgear" and you will be notified of the attempt.) You can also lockout times and dates.

This Router does NOT have a firewall built in- even though this box looks like the netgear firewall router (the one for the same price without the integrated wireless hub).

Wireless hub-
Average range. Security wise, you can set it up with 128 bit WEP and with MAC Address authentication, which secures your network to a reasonably safe level. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE ADMIN PASSWORD FOR THIS ROUTER, AND FOR ANY ROUTER.
Cons: The antenna can not be changed or removed. The unit is not designed to be hung from a wall like the SMC wireless hub. (WHY would you do that? To get better wireless range).

THE UNIT
The unit itself, like all netgear products, is metal and a nice dark hue of blue, with several blinking indicator lights. I am happy with my one, which uses a DSL connection with static IP address to feed 4 computers and two wireless laptops.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, but *NOT* simple if you set it up *RIGHT*, May 11, 2002

By 

"j_mackintosh" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Netgear MR314 802.11b Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch (Personal Computers)

I bought this to replace my D-Link DI-701 router/firewall, which set-up very simply. To be blunt, Netgear's instructions are worthless - in fact it took me several hours to determine that ALMOST ALL of the settings they provided for my ISP were WRONG. On the positive side, the web-based configuration is great and can be done from most platforms.

Once I sorted out the settings for my ISP, it was a breeze to setup for basic routing (NAT & DHCP) and firewall use. The 4 switched ports are WONDERFUL, so I used 3 for 100mb access PCs and put all the 10mb machines on a hub on the 4th switch port. This box is an absolute block-out firewall. You must be prepared to specify which ports you want open and hard-code the IP address for that particular machine.

Wireless setup was for a Powerbook G4. Again, basic setup was simple, but it wouldn't work with WEP enabled. (Don't call tech support: they know NOTHING about Macs.) Here's the scoop: select and enter 4 different WEP codes where provided, click the radio button of the one you want to be the default. When logging in from the Mac, the "password" will be a "$" followed by the default HEX WEP key. Once you know the scoop, it's really that simple. This should be in the documentation and available to their techs.

Security considerations:

(1) Change the configuration password to something difficult, immediately.
(2) Don't open more firewall holes than absolutely necessary (you may not need to add ANY and most software companies can tell you what ports they need).
(3) Consider using the site blocking option of the firewall to block access at times when nobody should be on the system.
(4) Block wireless access to all except the MAC ID's of your mobile units.
(5) Change the SPID from "Wireless" to something lengthy and complex - don't forget to put this in your mobile configurations.
(6) Use 128 bit WEP and ensure the key is complex.
(7) For high security, change the WEP (and SPID) periodically.

All in all, LOTS of features at a GREAT price, but if you're going to use many of the features (correctly/securely), plan on spending a couple hours, not 10 minutes, setting it up.

PRO: Supports most OS platforms and other manufacturers' 802.11b clients (WiFi). Web-based configuration fairly straightforward. Strong firewall with nice features.

CON: Instructions may do more harm than good. I suggest you scan them for general ideas and then play with it or buy your local nerd dinner. It will likely take some tinkering to setup securely & use advanced options. Look for help on comprehensive (non-manufacturer) sites on the web.

Overall: 4 stars, solid, secure. (But will Netgear update the firmware to support the new WEP-Plus? Let's hope so.)

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, November 6, 2001

By 

T. Mackay (Manhattan Beach, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Netgear MR314 802.11b Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch (Personal Computers)

I have installed three of the linksys wireless routers and four of the Netgear. From now on, I'm pushing the Netgear 314. It's fast Easy and it works with VPN. The only down side is it costs more. But it's worth it.
Let me put it this way. You won't need the instruction book with the Netgear, And you will with the linksys....then you will curse the moron who wrote the Linksys book. As for Netgear's Customer support. it's great. If you call the 866 tech support at linksys, they take your name a call you the next day.
Pay the extra, save the hassle