We have been searching for a DSL router with built-in DSL modem as well as support for PPPoA (PPP over ATM) for a long time. We finally found it, the ZyXEL Prestige 645 DSL router. The Prestige 645 is a DSL router and modem, which offers bridging or NAT mode, and can handle some fast routing speeds up to 8Mbps. It's designed for a small office, home office or residential DSL installation.

The Prestige 645 router is a small device, measuring only 5" deep by 7" wide and only 1 inch high. The front has 6 LED's, one for power, sys, DSL connection, DSL activity, and 2 for LAN speed (10/100). The rear of the unit has a power jack, along with a DSL and LAN jack for uplink into a switch or direct to a PC. Another nice addition is a hardware reset switch, and a power switch, something you rarely ever see these days.

The Prestige 645 NAT setup page from the telnet based management interface

 

The router is bundled with a CD, a quick start manual, and a RJ-11 telephone cord. Setup is a breeze if you are familiar with telnet, but most users, even some advanced users have not configured a router using telnet. We hope to see ZyXEL move to a web browser based configuration in the future. DHCP is set on by default, making it simple to get an IP and communicate with the router. To get online, the setup needs a few questions answered about your DSL and IP configuration, and you are ready to go. We found the ZyXEL router was faster to sync and was more stable than the sumitomo router that our ISP supplied to us.

TCP/IP and DHCP setup is simple to very straight forward.

The 645 has some good stats and also has some port filtering options that small businesses will find useful. For more advanced offices, the SNMP monitoring functions will assist administrators in configuring and monitoring the router. Overall, the 645 does a fantastic job, and is one of the most stable routers, with some great NAT features. The addition of PPPoA, along with PPPoE makes this a great choice for your local DSL provider. It's a low cost device and it offers some great features that any home or small office using DSL would appreciate.

 

Features of the ZyXEL Prestige 645 DSL Modem/Router:

- Built in DSL modem, NAT based routing, bridging avail
- Compatible with most DSL types, including G.Lite
- technical interface, telnet used to manage device, SNMP capable
- Many features including DHCP, PPPoE, PPPoA and filtering
- Support for SUA or NAT, and a "DMZ" type feature for most applications
- Small size and easy to read lights, fast routing speeds
- Simple setup can be used by novice users

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.
Pros: Very fast and stable router, includes PPPoA, and offers many features in a small package
Cons: The telnet setup can be a problem for novice users

ZyXEL Prestige 645 DSL Modem/Router
Current Street Price: $170

ZyXEL Communications Co.
North American Headquarters
1650 Miraloma ave
Placentia, CA 92870
714-632-0882
http://www.zyxel.com


Buy this router now at:
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