Home > Consumer Reviews > AmbiCom WL300N-AR Wireless 802.11b/g/n 300 Mbps Cable/DSL Router

AmbiCom WL300N-AR Wilress 802.11b/g/n 300 Mbps Cable/DSL Router
The setup required setting the user name and password used to access the ISP. I had a Microsoft MN-500 Wireless Router for many years, but a user lost wireless connectivity upstairs. It was only after replacing the MN-500 that the problem was the wireless radio was turned off on the user's wireless laptop. It was gratifying that the AmibiCom router has a longer range -- I can see more wireless routers around the neighborhood, and connectivity range has at least a distance of 60 feet (haven't tried going outside and seeing how far I could go without losing wireless connection). Before the range was 30 feet. The specs of supporting b/g/n is a good feature -- I only have b, but I can now upgrade. I liked the feature of not broadcasting the SSID so no one can see my SSID on their wireless machines. WEP was configured -- my machines wireless interface don't support WPA, etc.

non-brand products could be tricky but this one is a non-issue.
Just like brand products it uses the same manufacturers for chips, it just doesnt come in designer style package and catchy name.
AND it does more than branded product -- bridge (WDS) mode uses WPA/WPA2 encryption while branded products force you to use less secure connections.

Speed:
I have not speed rated it fully yet as the AP (the usual mode of operation, when people use it to use their wireless laptops, etc.)
I use it to "bridge" my video equipment, bluray, satelite, popcorn hour player, to my home network. In that setup it does exactly what is supposed to, streams 720p video files with ease. at about 8Mbps, at about 30 feet distance and I forced the router to transmit at only 75% strength and

Setup:
extensive, their setup wizard is very simple for beginners and the detailed/manual setup provides all options you can think of for virtual server, NAT, Firewall, etc.

GUI:
not an eye-candy but it does things very cleanly and fast. lets you save all the changes while you do them and then apply them all instead of rebooting the router after every single field change to save it.
Has a clean statistics page, but like all other is missing current bandwidth usage, so you dont know at what speed network is uploading or downloading -- still beats paying $140 for this one functionality in the belkin router.


Will test actual speed - router to laptop.

Current configuration: AP bridge - WDS or for you telecom gurus -- "wireless backhaul" -- what is does it provides a wireless "wire" from my distant equipment to my network

(bluray, popcornhour, sat recvr) --> Ambicom router ~~~~/802.11n WDS WPA2/~~~~ Ambicom router --> ethernet switch with all other network --> internet

So far it's running ok with Windows machines...some of my ubuntu box is having issues connecting to it. I will do more troubleshooting later on..

thanks.

Don't agree with the previous reviewers. Thought the setup of this router proved to be poorly designed and the stability of the setup awful. Enclosed software useless. Technical support at AmbiCom was unreachable. Am still awaiting the promised phone call from AmbiCom. This router is on its way back to Amazom.