2Wire has taken its home gateway products and refined it for the small office market. This business class router comes in two versions; the OfficePortal 180 and the OfficePortal 1800. The only differences between the two versions are that the 180 comes with an additional Ethernet port to connect to external broadband DSL or cable modems and has a HPNA connection. While the 1800 uses an ADSL connection to connect to the Internet and doesn't provide HPNA connections. 2Wire has created a simple product that provides routing with integrated gateway functionality. It comes in at an affordable price of $229 dollars for delivering basic features such as:

• Internet connectivity
• Firewall protection
• Wireless connectivity

The OfficePortal router contains a variety of network connectivity options. Network connects can be made through a 4 port Ethernet switch (10/100 MBPS), HPNA (180 only) or wireless Wi-FI. The wireless connection requires an optional 802.11b PC card and delivers up to 11MBPS throughput depending upon distance from the router. PCs can also connect to it through a USB port. OfficePortal's main function is to provide Internet connectivity to the local network. The 180 connects to the Internet through an Ethernet port to an external broadband modem. The 1800 has an integrated DSL modem to provide direct connections to a service provider.

Of course any type of Internet connection requires some sort of protection. While OfficePortal doesn't check for viruses it does shield the network from viruses and hacking using NAT/PAT addressing and stateful packet inspection. This type of proctection hides the network from the Internet to prevent malicious attacks. Along with this firewall protection the OfficePortal offers Virtual Private Networking using IPSec and 3DES to encrypt data sent over the Internet.

OfficePortal can be remotely managed through a web based console. Any standard web browser can be used to access the router to modify settings or check on the network status. 2Wire simplifies the installation process by preconfiguring the routers to work with a variety of Internet broadband service providers. The routers software can also be updated with the latest releases provided through 2Wire's website.

Pricing and Availability

Both of the OfficePortal routers (180 or 1800) will be available in May of 2002 with an estimated price starting at $229 with a 1 year warranty.

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