ADSL X4 is what multiple-platform gamers need ­ unless they like plugging in and unplugging cables
 

PC gamers (as well as other users), especially those using an older Windows operating system, are familiar with the term "the blue screen of death." For console gamers, that same sinking feeling can occur when, after popping in your favorite game, you get the message that there is an error with reading the disk.

For online gamers, the news that there is no connection is as devastating. And as game players are seemingly no longer settling for one or even two systems, the connection woes can become much more commonplace. Why? Well, if you have bought the Xbox with the intention of going Live!, or even hooked up your PlayStation2 to your external router, you may have been perplexed as to why one unit seems to work while another doesn’t ­ without disconnecting lines.

The answer is rather simple. When you go broadband, Internet Service Providers give you one or two IP addresses. If you have a PC, or two, hooked up to the external router you may have received, you have already assigned those slots.

So what is the solution?

The folks at Zoom have an idea, one that is affordable, practical and made with multi-platform gamers in mind. The ADSL X4 is a tiny external router that has one slot for plugging in an ADSL line, phone, ethernet cable or USB cable.

But here is the kicker. Buy an Ethernet hub, which basically allows you to network several units into the central hub and then route it to the X4 and you can have multiple units ready to fly into the broadband world of online gaming without physically having to plug in and unplug cables.

Installation may look daunting but it really is not. The device, which measures 5 3/4" wide, 1 inch high and 4 1/2" deep, comes with a CD that helps Windows users through the process in a rather painless manner. If you have an Xbox or PS2 that you will be connecting, you will need to hook them up using the ethernet slot, and use the USB slot for your PC. You will also need to have the username and password your ISP provided you on hand during the start-up to initialize the connection.

Further, just purchasing the ADSL X4 does not automatically hook up your Xbox or PS2 to the broadband gaming world. You will need to have the software/programs installed (like having the Xbox Live! kit) in order to configure those machines for online play.

But once the initialization process is done, you simple activate your accounts and play. No muss, no fuss.

The X4 also comes with an NAT (Network Address Translation) firewall that applies to all the platforms you have hooked up to it. The NAT keeps your network’s internal IP addresses private and gives the Internet a series of public addresses. Basically, what this does is to make your systems transparent to outside hackers.

Other features allows user to access ADSL with a wireless access point or gateway, and can share ADSL with up to 253 computers. The built-in gateway assigns IP addresses automatically to multiple users.

The protection afforded by the system is wonderful, but the way that this unit allows for multiple platforms to route through it is the real draw.

And as far as reliability is concerned, the system has been going strong 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for several weeks without a failure, and no slowdown in moving from one platform to another for online play.

This is a wonderful device that really allows players the option of avoiding swapping lines every time they wish to transition from playing online with a computer and/or console to another system. Yes, this is a device that has great practical applications to networked systems that are not involved in online gaming. But if you are one of those who have several platforms with online capability, this is the router that you want to use. It is affordable and solves the problem of spending time with the dust bunnies while you switch lines around to activate different units.

This unit retails for $99, and works with Windows, Linux and Macintosh-based systems.
 

Pros:
What more do you really need to know. The device allows you to use the one or two static IP addresses given to you by your ISP with several different systems. Further, the built-in firewall is a boon for all systems.

Cons:
None.

Verdict: 9.6
There is really only one thing that could improve this unit, and that is if either accepted up to four ethernet connections, or was bundled with an ethernet hub. The installation is simple, and you can transition from installation to play in 5-10 minutes.