Asus WL-500g Premium Wireless Router

Few broadband routers offer as broad an array of features as the Asus WL-500g wireless router. Asus's router is a little rough around the edges, but the Asus WL-500g's integrated print server and its ability to act as a surveillance device (with an attached Webcam) makes it attractive nonetheless. We're also impressed with the router's efficient design, which sports a foldout stand and a base that doubles as a mounting bracket. Considering its configurable firewall, virtual server support, and URL keyword blocking, the Asus WL-500g is a good choice for those looking for a combination router and print server, but its poor user documentation, weak phone support, and sometimes confusing browser-based configuration tool may frustrate those looking for a no-fuss solution. If you're new to networking, we suggest that you consider a more polished solution, such as the Motorola WR850G.The Asus WL-500g wireless router is easier to set up than many other routers we've seen--as least as far as hardware is concerned--because the router's clever design gives you a variety of positioning options. Four rubber feet on the base of the unit hold it steady in a vertical position and keep it from slipping, even on smooth surfaces. A foldout stand on the left side of the Asus WL-500g makes it easy to stand the unit up vertically, which may save space and can also elevate the antenna for better reception. Recessed holes in the base of the unit allow the bottom to double as a mounting bracket.

Motorola WR850G. The quick-start guide doesn't cover printer server setup, unfortunately. And while the user manual does address that topic, it doesn't list the printers that the Asus WL-500g wireless router supports. Thankfully, the Asus Web site provides a list. The Asus WL-500g offers one of the most impressive feature sets in its class. Although it sells for less than $100, this wireless router includes a four-port Ethernet switch, an integrated 802.11g access point, a removable antenna, a configurable firewall, a serial 25-pin D-Sub female printer port, and a USB port that lets you attach a printer or a Webcam. DDNS, services. DDNS, in combination with the Asus WL-500g's virtual server functionality, lets you run Internet servers on your network even if you don't get a static IP address from your ISP. DDNS also allows you to access an attached Webcam via the Internet, which is handy for surveillance or if you want to monitor a room from afar. In addition, the Asus WL-500g lets you block access to keywords in URLs. The keyword filters can be set for specific times of the day and days of the week. For a router in its price range, the Asus WL-500g's firewall is surprisingly configurable. The router blocks specified packets between the Internet and your own network, but you need to know a little about networking to use the firewall. The firewall does not give you predetermined security levels, such as high or low. Predetermined settings can be helpful if you don't know your ports from your protocols. Instead, Asus asks for specifics, such as source IP, port range, and protocol. And unfortunately, WEP is the strongest security that the WL-500g provides for a wireless LAN. Asus plans to release a firmware upgrade in the next few weeks that will add support for the stronger WPA encryption scheme. You can also turn off SSID broadcasts on the WL-500g, which can help conceal your network from others.The Asus WL-500g wireless router is a good choice if you already have existing 802.11b equipment. Our tests demonstrate that in a mixed environment containing both 802.11b and 802.11g connections, the WL-500g delivers the fastest aggregate throughput. Clocking in with a maximum throughput of 18.2Mbps in mixed mode, the WL-500g outruns even the Motorola WR850G and is significantly faster than the D-Link DI-624. With only 802.11g devices connected, the Asus WL-500g delivers a less stellar performance of 21.6Mbps, notably slower than that of the Motorola WR850G and a far cry from the enhanced speeds of the D-Link DI-624 and the Netgear WGT624. CNET Labs maximum throughput tests  (Longer bars indicate better performance) Throughput in Mbps    Netgear WGT624 47.1  D-Link DI-624 108 44.4  Motorola WR850G 25.8  Asus WL-500g 21.6  Microsoft MN-700 21.1  Linksys WRT54G 15.6  CNET Labs throughput tests with mixed b/g clients  (Longer bars indicate better performance) Throughput in Mbps    Asus WL-500g 18.2  Motorola WR850G 16.7  Netgear WGT624 12.1  D-Link DI-624 mixed 11.6  Microsoft MN-700 11.6  Linksys WRT54G 6.7  CNET Labs site.Tech support for the Asus WL-500g wireless router is a mixed bag. The company offers a two-year warranty on its WL-500g wireless router. That's shorter than the three-year warranty you get with D-Link's DI-624 but on a par with the two years that come with the Motorola WR850G. Phone support is good for the life of the product, but it's a toll call. The Asus technical-support phone staff is elusive, though theoretically available, Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. PT. When we placed a test call, we listened to '80s rock music as we waited on hold for almost 10 minutes before we were told that a technician would call us back once one became available. That was several days ago, and we're still waiting. You can also access tech support via e-mail. We were disappointed to discover that the online manual for the router was not on the CD. Fortunately, you can download the manual from the Asus Web site. The site also hosts free firmware downloads for the WL-500g, as well as detailed information about the product's technical specifications and features. Hide Review Compare to other s Compare selected select Asus RT-N56U Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless-N Router Starting at $123.99 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 select Netgear WNDR3800 N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router - Premium Edition Starting at $129.00 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 select Cisco Linksys E4200 v2 Maximum Performance Dual-Band N900 router Starting at $199.00 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 select Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Band Router WNDR3400 Starting at $71.99 Editor's rating: 4.0 out of 5 User Reviews See all user reviews Average User Rating 3.0 stars out of 16 user reviews Rating Breakdown 5 star: 3 4 star: 7 3 star: 3 2 star: 2 1 star: 1 My Rating 0 stars click stars to rate product Most recent user reviews Showing 3 of 16 reviews 4.5 stars "Five Years Going Strong" Dec 26, 2010, 11:58 am By severian Pros: Fast, problem-free wireless Ease of administration No hiccups in connectivity Cons: Limited print server options Summary: The WL-500g that I bought new five years ago has given me little reason to replace it. N-Routers might be moderately faster, but for the expense, if you want real bandwidth, run Cat 6 for video streaming apps. I've been using my WL-500g for the main wireless router for ... Expand full review Summary: The WL-500g that I bought new five years ago has given me little reason to replace it. N-Routers might be moderately faster, but for the expense, if you want real bandwidth, run Cat 6 for video streaming apps. I've been using my WL-500g for the main wireless router for the household, setting up a Photosmart 2600 on the USB print server. Works well. I also keep my bios up to date, and this has probably kept me from having the issues of some of the other users, or it was the luck of the draw. With hardware, you can't always tell these days. 1.0 stars "Wireless sometimes on - sometimes off?" Dec 26, 2010, 11:58 am By differentgeneration Pros: Looks pretty Cons: Wireless decides when it wants to work - unstable! Summary: The ASUS WL520GU has unfortunately always given problems, so much so that it stayed in the box, where it was more stable. Tried updating the firmware several times with no decent results. Updated the firmware to DD-WRT with a much improved interface to use on another project, but once again ... Expand full review Summary: The ASUS WL520GU has unfortunately always given problems, so much so that it stayed in the box, where it was more stable. Tried updating the firmware several times with no decent results. Updated the firmware to DD-WRT with a much improved interface to use on another project, but once again the wireless was intermittent and was regularly receiving IP conflict errors from other computers on the network when using DHCP. Time to back in the box - I mean bin! Would not purchase another ASUS product after this fiasco Thanks for your submission! Thank you for helping us maintain CNET's great community. 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