Asus WL-530G   This month, Asus sent us an interesting little gadget. The WL-530G “Pocket Router” is a very compact wireless router that supports both IEEE 802.11g (54Mbps) and 802.11b (11Mbps) standards for wireless network clients. Measuring 129 x 44 x 29 mm, this small box is by no means inadequate. It comes with just about every feature you could want in a router, including basic connectivity with four RJ45 LAN ports (10/100 BaseT), advanced security with NAT (Network Address Translation) and SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) support, and a user-friendly Web-based network management system. Setting it up didn’t give us any problems. The well-detailed manual walks you through the process. To configure the router for the first time, connect a notebook or desktop PC to the 530G router with a cable or wirelessly, and run the Web-based control screen using a Web browser. To connect to it wirelessly, all you need to do is to disable WEP and to set the SSID to “default” on your wireless device. The WL-530G incorporates a DHCP server, allowing your PC to get its IP address gateway, and DNS settings automatically. You may also set your own IP addresses, as long as they belong to the same segment as the WL530G’s IP address. The device comes with an installation of Asus’ Wireless Router Utilities that specifically looks for the WL-530G’s signal, as well as other Asus routers in the vicinity (if any). Connecting your wireless devices to the Internet requires you to input the details of your PPPoE / PPTP account given by your Internet service provider. Once connected, we found the wireless signal to be quite strong (excellent even) between different rooms of the house and office. Maximum signal range is listed up to about 40 meters indoors or 100 meters outdoors (with line of sight) at 11Mbps, or up to 25 meters indoors and 60 meters outdoors (with line of sight) at 54Mbps. All in all, the WL-530G is an excellent networking solution for people who need to set up a wireless network in a hurry. It’s compact, easy to set up, and feature filled. Asus WL-530G PRICE: P7,600 CONTACT: Banbros Commercial Inc., tel. 727-3209 and 718-2808, fax 727-3488