Wayne N. Kawamoto
Managing Editor, www.smallbusinesscomputing.com
ZyXEL announced its Prestige 652, which combines an ADSL modem/router with firewall and VPN capabilities, will be available for purchase in the U.S. market in mid May. According to the company, its Prestige 652 needs no additional firewall devices on the network or VPN software on the workstations to act as an ADSL firewall.
The Prestige 652’s IPSec VPN uses data encryption to provide transparent and secure transmission over the Internet and between two or more sites; this may provide cost savings by eliminating the need for costly leased lines. The Prestige 652 provides two IPSec connections and a robust firewall, including stateful packet inspection, Denial of Service (DoS) attack prevention, content filtering, as well as real-time attack alert and logs. These features should prevent unauthorized access, theft, destruction and modification of data from outside hackers.
The Prestige 652’s pre-configured factory settings may benefit both the service provider and their customers by eliminating the time and technical expertise required for installation. With an embedded Web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI), all functions of the Prestige are software configurable via a user-friendly Web browser. In cases of DSL service interruption, the dial backup feature enables non-stop Internet access by automatically switching traffic to an external analog or ISDN modem.
As an ADSL modem/router, the Prestige 652 has features that may appeal to small businesses. It complies to the multi-mode ADSL standards of both G.dmt and G.lite, provides transparent bridging, and NAT/SUA and DHCP Client. And with built-in PPPoE, the 652 may be ideal for ISPs and MSPs who need to provide a complete and integrated solution.
Price and Availability
The Prestige 652 will be available by the middle of May through ZyXEL’s major distributor and reseller partners. At this time it will also be available for purchase online at www.zyxel.com. The manufacturers’ list price on the Prestige 652 is $499.
