DrayTek Vigor2820Vn

Let’s face it, small-business IT setups can be a bit of an ad hoc affair. Walking into a server closet (the miniature version of a server room) you’re likely to find an arrangement of mismatched components, patched together with overly-long cables and cheap power boards. While such a setup can definitely work, it’s not exactly fault-resistant or maintainable.

The Vigor2820 series of ADSL2+ “Security Routers” from DrayTek consolidate the functionality of all those consumer-end devices (ADSL modem, router, hardware firewall) into a serious but tiny machine, suitable for the small-to-medium business.

I tried out the 2820Vn both in the PC World test centre and at home, where I have a small business-load of IT gear in action. The first thing I noticed – and this is particularly significant for a router – was the absolute ease with which the Vigor2820 can be configured.

I had to refer to the manual just once, to find the default IP address, username and password. That’s pretty much true of anything network connected. Apart from that, I found I could work my way through the browser-based interface easier than any router or hardware-firewall I’ve worked with before.

Simple or not, there’s a lot to work through: the Vigor2820Vn is the most feature-packed in the 2820 range. In addition to its core features – modem, router and firewall – you’ll also find a powerful Wi-Fi access point supporting multiple SSIDs, hardware VPN support, and Voice over IP (VoIP).

Not enough for you? The Vigor2820 can also function as a basic NAS box or print server, via its single USB port (attach a USB hard drive or printer respectively). Neither of these is really its forte: while it’s quite capable in both regards, it can’t compete with the performance of a dedicated NAS box or the feature set of a true network-enabled printer. These devices are better connected to the router via Ethernet, leaving it free to do its main job.