Billion BiPAC 5200S RD ADSL2+ modem/router

Name: Billion BiPAC 5200S RD ADSL2+ modem/router
Item: Billion BiPAC 5200S RD ADSL2+ modem/router
Rating: 4.00
Author: Elias Plastiras

A small, reliable and fast Billion modem that can also be used as a single-port router

Elias Plastiras

PC World

@pcworldau

10/05/10

Expert Rating

4.00 / 5

Pros

Small, very reliable during our tests, SPI firewall, fast download performance

Cons

Slightly slow upload performance

Bottom Line

Billion's BiPAC 5200S RD ADSL2+ modem is perfect for users who want an inexpensive modem to connect to their wireless router. The 5200S RD is actually a router in its own right, but it can't be used to distribute an Internet connection across a LAN. Instead, it can provide firewall protection and port-forwarding to a single PC. We found it to be a fast and very reliable modem during our prolonged test period.

Would you buy this?

Yes 18
No 16

Price
$ 49.00 (AUD)

Billion’s BiPAC 5200S RD is an ADSL2+ modem with router functionality. It's tiny (some would say pocket-sized) and has a single Ethernet port and no built-in wireless access point. That means it can’t be used to distribute an Internet connection on its own; it can only directly provide Internet connectivity and firewall protection to a single PC.

However, you can use the Billion BiPAC 5200S RD in conjunction with a fully featured router on your home network (such as Billion’s own BiPAC 7402NX wireless router). Simply set the modem to ‘bridged’ mode, plug it in to your router and, if you’re as lucky as us, you’ll experience excellent reliability and super-fast speeds.

If you want to use the BiPAC 5200S RD as a modem for only one desktop PC, you can set it up easily by running the wizard in the unit’s Web interface. The first couple of steps ask you to enter a password and time zone for the modem, then you can select your connection type (PPPoE for most ADSL2+ accounts) and enter your login details. The modem will immediately connect.

Port forwarding can be configured from the modem’s advanced setup menu; it’s a straightforward process to add BitTorrent and gaming applications. The modem responds quickly to changes in its configuration and doesn’t need to be restarted every time you add a port to forward.

The BiPAC 5200S RD is not only an ADSL2+ modem, it also has router functionality so that you can easily forward ports to your connected PC.

The modem's overall performance in our tests was excellent. Using PC World’s Broadband Speed Test, the modem averaged a download speed of 16.7 megabits per second (Mbps) and an upload speed of 832 kilobits (Kbps), which is approximately 2.4Mbps faster than the download speed we expected. Its upload speed is about 20Kbps slower than we expected, but it’s an acceptable result nonetheless. We’re also pleased with the modem’s reliability; we’ve had it running for close to two months now and never had to restart it once. We hooked it up to a Belkin N+ Wireless Storage Router (F5D8235au4) for our tests, and this turned out to be a sublime setup.

The bottom line is, if you need an ADSL2+ modem to go along with your new wireless router, the Billion BiPAC 5200S RD is a very good choice. And if your wireless router ever dies and you have to wait before a replacement comes along, you can always use the 5200S RD in router mode, which will give you the ability to run a firewall and forward ports to your PC. The best part is, the BiPAC 5200S RD can be purchased for well under $50 if you shop around.

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