SignalMax Wireless 4 Port DSL/Cable Router

by Parker Vision

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00062L3E4
• Item model number: WR1500
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,460 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 22, 2004

Product Description

The SIGNALMAX WR1500 4-Port Wireless Router is the ideal solution for users wishing to purchase a single wireless router that can cover ANY home or small office GUARANTEED*. The WR1500 provides 1-Mile* of open-field coverage without the addition of costly boosters or external antennas, and features a built-in firewall, parental controls, tracking features, 128 WEP Encryption Security and a built-in RADIUS Server. The WR1500 provides up to 10x the speed of most broadband connections, at the maximum possible distance. *When used with a SignalMax LAN Adapter

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does What It Says, February 3, 2005

By 

Russell D. Painter Jr. "Joshua 1:9" (Charleston, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SignalMax Wireless 4 Port DSL/Cable Router (Personal Computers)

I purchased this router after reading the reviews on this site. First off, let me say that this thing is great. It really does extend your current wireless network. I had a Linksys Wireless G with Speedbooster router, and barely got a signal in my spare bedroom (apartment is only 960SF, router in middle of apartment). I installed this puppy, and was able to go out side to my car with a connection.

The only two things that I do not like are minor. First, this product is 802.11b, not G. I don't think that this is mentioned anywhere. This is fine for my home needs, and for most small offices. However, I do think that the packaging is a little misleading.

The second problem is that it only has WEP encryption. I did speak to a tech support guy, and he said that the new version of firmware, due out sometime in Feb., will have WPA built in. We will see.

Overall, this is a great product, and well worth the money if you live somewhere where you get a weak signal from other wireless products. I will recommend this router to my customers that want me to install wireless network.

P.S. - I also bought the PC Card for my laptop, but have not tried it yet. I will post a review of that when I get around to installing it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dependable Range, December 21, 2004

By 

Peter P. (Rockville, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SignalMax Wireless 4 Port DSL/Cable Router (Personal Computers)

I just moved into a bigger house, and the old D-Link and Dell 802.11G routers had no range. It's an old house, and the routers had trouble getting through 2 rooms because of the older walls. Just installed the Parkervision router at one end of the house, and I have a reliable signal in the furthest garage bay (total distance >200ft through the house. The speed is not super at that point, but I never dropped the connection the whole way. If you need rocketing speeds over short distances, don't bother with this. If you need dependable range with no drops (I haven't found any yet), then pick this up. They also have cordless phones coming out in 2005 that we will be buying.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A networking product that truly delivers expanded range!, May 29, 2005

By 

Dave "Computer Guy" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SignalMax Wireless 4 Port DSL/Cable Router (Personal Computers)

In the last few weeks I have purchased and returned the Netgear PreN router/card and the DLink SuperG with MIMO router/card combos because they didn't eliminate the wireless dead spots inside my 2-story 3000 sq.ft. home. In fact, I got zero signal strength in many of the rooms on the first floor of my home with these products (the router is in a front corner bedroom upstairs). To be blunt, these products didn't increase my reception range at all.

However, with the ParkerVision SIGNALMAX WR1500 router in the upstairs bedroom and a WLAN1500 PC card adapter in my Compaq laptop, I get coverage EVERYWHERE inside my home AND my entire backyard AND up to one block from the from my home. I primarily wanted increased range at cable broadband internet speeds, and that is exactly what the SIGNALMAX products delivered. Using the local Houston RoadRunner broadband internet speed test utility, I get between 3300-3600 kbps download speed throughout the house and when sitting in the backyard patio. The other products mentioned got zero signal in many of these rooms. So, I am very happy. No, these transfer speeds are not as fast as can be had over short distances with 802.11g network products. And ParkerVision does not go out of its way to clearly inform buyers that this is a long-range 802.11b network solution. But, if you are looking for wireless network speed equivalent to fast broadband cable internet speeds throughout your home - then this is the product for you. I should also mention that I have 128-bit WEP security activated, which may slow things down a bit. But with this transmission range, you had better institute security protocols, unless, of course, you want to share your broadband bandwidth with your nearest neighbors.

One important note: the default router communication channel is Channel 6, which, apparently, is the same frequency used by 2.4 GHz cordless phones. This is dumb -- the default should be anything but Channel 6. This prevented me from being able to connect to the router from the laptop even though indicated signal strength was excellent. Fortunately, I made a quick phone call to a very helpful service tech (Rachel) at ParkerVision (at 9 a.m. on a Sunday morning with no waiting!), who instructed me to switch to Channel 1. As soon as I changed the channel setting on the router, the laptop connected and I was getting 85-100% signal strength throughout the house. In the farthest corner of backyard, signal strength drops off rapidly and I only manage 250 kbps download. (Remember, the router is in a front, upstairs bedroom.) However, I can walk a block from the front of my house, and get 2000 kbps so long as no other house comes between the laptop and my home.

So far, I can highly recommend this product. I cannot yet comment regarding the long-term reliability of this equipment.