PANASONIC Concourse Broadband Networking Gateway - $39.99

[Kinzer]

From TechB@rgains

J and R has the PANASONIC Concourse Broadband Networking Gateway for only $39.99. A flexible Cable--DSL router / Supports Ethernet, HomePNA (Telephone Wiring), or Wireless Networking with optional cards. Wireless networking is not 802.11b

J and R

 

[Raju420]

ONly 10mbps

 

[Sensor]

It's interesting, though, because I don't think I've ever seen a HomePNA router so cheap... or even a Ethernet->HomePNA bridge!

Wait, is it saying you need an "optional card" to support wireless or another "optional card" to support homePNA?

--Ed

 

[Rwalter63]

The issue of this being just 10 mb really doesn't matter since this is just a gateway router. This is because for just about everyone out there your connection speed to the WAN is going to be your bottle neck, unless you have an enterprise class connecton at home and I don't think to many people have. Most cable modems and DSL connections are not even faster than 1 mb so this certianlly won't be an issue. The thing that make this not so hot of a deal is that it doesn't have the 10/100 switch built in. Since other offers at this price point after rebate have included the switch.

 

[MrEnigma]

Basically it is just a router with HomePNA and 10mbs ethernet connection. Like others have mentioned, you only need 10mbs really, and most routers with built in switches only have a 10mbs wan anyhow (at least my smc does). I was thinking because it did wireless (with whitecap) that it would be awesome, until reading into it further, and you need to buy a pcmcia card for the router also to snap in. So basically it's not worth it, becuase you'll have to spend the 60 (or wahtever the cards go for, it's more than 802.11b) twice to get the wireless to work. Even though whitecap is better (?), it's not really the standard, so that means everything will be annoying in the future....plus it costs more..

 

[anexela]

Review from practicallynetworked.com here

 

[Zwingle]

CUSA carries this and the cards.....the cards are more expensive than 802.11b cards....they have the Concourse Gateway for $99

 

[Rwalter63]

Here are is a link and it does sound like it has only one Ethernet LAN port for attaching a hub or switch. Sounds like it does have multilple HomePNA ports though.

<LI>http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/gate/router.asp#share