The Draytek Vigor 2820VNS is the Wireless-N Voice over IP (VoIP) version of the from the Draytek Vigor 2820 series routers, DrayTek's latest premium ADSL and broadband router/firewall family, featuring an entirely new stylish case design and new DrayOS 3 operating system. Packed with features, it offers truly comprehensive ADSL connetivity and security. Compatible with all variants of ADSL (include ADSLMax and ADSL2+) can also be used for cable-modem and leased line applications thanks to its additional WAN port (Ethernet). A Gigabit Ethernet port on the WAN side provides high speed connectivity for your server (or uplink to a larger Ethernet Switch). The 2820N model supports the IEEE 802.11n (Draft 2.0) specification.

Draytek 2820VNS Main Feature Highlights

• ADSL/ADSL2+ and Broadband Router
• Annex A, Annex L (READSL) & Annex M Support
• Dual-WAN ports for ADSL or cable modem or both
• 2 x Voice over IP (VoIP) FXS ports
• 3G (Cellular) Modem support
• Comprehensive and Robust Firewall
• Content Filtering
• Ethernet and WLAN Virtual LAN segmentation (common or distinct groups)
• Configurable QoS Features (For traffic prioritisation)
• VPN Dial-in/dial-out for up to 32 concurrent tunnels with hardware co-processor
• 802.11n Draft 2.0 Wireless LAN ('n' models only)
• Gigabit Ethernet LAN Port for LAN Server connectivity
• USB Port for Printer sharing or 3G Modem connection
• Highly configurable but easy to install and monitor

ISDN Features

The Vigor 2820VS features two ISDN interfaces which provide connectivity to ISDN BRI lines (ISDN2e, BT Highway) for Internet access (either primary or backup) and also an internal S0-Bus for connection of ISDN digital telephone sets. Even without an external ISDN line, this gives you additional VoIP telephone capacity as both ISDN ports can be configured as internal buses with two phones connected to each port (each ISDN S0 bus is full 2B+D).

• Two ISDN Ports : One fixed S0 Internal bus & One Switchable External Trunk/Internal S0
• Compatible with ISDN2e lines (PtMP/BRI only)
• Ideal for ISDN Backup to main Internet connectivity
• Dial-on-Demand for primary ISDN Internet connection or ADSL backup
• Internal powered S0 Bus allowing connection of ISDN telephone sets
• RJ-45 S/T Interfaces
• ISDN Loop-Through
• ISDN On-net / Off-net
• Euro ISDN Compatible
• Support 64 / 128Kbps ( Multilink-PPP)
• BoD ( Bandwidth on Demand )
• Remote Dial-In / LAN-to-LAN Connection
• Remote Activation (Dial back on ISDN Caller ID recognition)
• ISDN Port Passthrough During Power Cut

Robust & Comprehensive Firewall

As with previous DrayTek models, security is taken seriously on the Vigor 2820. The firewall features measure for protection against attacks including DoS (Denial of Service) attacks, IP-based attacks and access by unauthorised remote systems. Wireless, Ethernet and VPN are also protected by various protection systems (see later). A new DrayTek object-based firewall allows even more setup flexibility than ever, enabling you to create combinations of users, rules and restrictions to suit multi-departmental organisations.

Content control features of the firewall allow you to set restrictions on web site access, blocking download of certain file types, blocking specific web sites, blocking IM/P2P applications or other potentially harmful or wasteful content. Using the SurfControl site categorisations enable you to block whole categories of web sites (e.g. gambling, pornography etc.), subject to subscription

Dual-WAN Load Balancing & Backup

As well as the primary ADSL interface, the Vigor 2820 features a secondary WAN port for Internet access. This is an Ethernet interface and can connect to a second ADSL modem, cable modem or any other Ethernet-based Internet feed. The secondary interface can be used either for WAN-Backup or load balancing.

WAN-Backup provides contingenry (redunancy) in case of your primary ADSL line or ISP suffering temporary outage). Internet Traffic will be temporarily routed via the secondary Internet access. When normal services is restored to your primary ADSL line, all traffic is switch back to that.

If you don't have ADSL, the Ethernet WAN port can instead be used as your primary/only Internet connection so the same router can be used for either ADSL or Ethernet Internet connections.

The USB port provides an alternative connection method for Internet backup by connecting to a compatible USB modem (or cellphone) for access to the high speed 3G cellular networks from UK providers such as Vodafone, Orange, 3 and T-Mobile. If you don't have ADSL at all, the USB/3G access method can be used as your primary/only Internet connection, ideal for temporary locations, mobile applications or where broadband access is not available. For 3G application information, Click Here.

To see a load balancing connectivity photograph, Click Here.

Voice Over IP
Voice-over IP (VoIP),  is one of the hottest communications technologies being adapted for transmission over broadband technologies.

If you regularly make long-distance phone calls, chances are you've already used IP telephony without even knowing it. VoIP is the transmission of telephone calls over a data network like one of the many networks that make up the Internet. While you may of heard of VoIP, what you may not know is that many traditional telephone companies are already using it in the connections between their regional offices.

The DrayTek 2820VN allows a simple, cost-effective solution to take advantage of this exicting technology.

802.11n Wireless LAN ('n' Models Only)

The Vigor 2820 ('n'models only) support the latest 802.11n standard (Draft 2.0). This provides increased coverage range, resilience and speed compared to existing standards (802.11g and 802.11b). Using new methods, including packet aggregation and channel bonding, the Vigor provides a total wireless capacity) of up to 300Mb/s. Real world throughput depends on your own environment (factors such as obstructions, number of hosts and distances all make a significant difference), but actual transfer speeds up to 100Mb/s are achievable (this is based on real world tests). Using an aerial arrangement known as 'MIMO' (Multiple In Multiple Out) three separate aerials (2T3R) are used to provide offset paths between hosts; this increases resilience considerably.

Wireless Security is comprehensive too; the Vigor provides several independent levels of security including encryption (up to WPA2), authentication (802.11x) and methods such as MAC address locking and DHCP fixing to restrict access to authorised users only. The VLAN facility allows you to isolate wireless clients from each other or from the 'wired' LAN and you can also see details of wireless PCs connected at any time from the router's web interface.

WDS provides two modes of operation to expand the Wireless range of your LAN. In WDS 'Repeater' Mode, a slave unit within range of the main base unit repeats the main wireless signal into its own coverage area - this can effectively double the total range of the network (depending on the environment). In WDS 'Bridge' mode, two physically separated LAN can be joined wirelessly, in order than they can communicate with each other. This is ideal where two offices need to be linked but a cable cannot be run (e.g. across a road). For more information about WDS see here.

To compliment the Vigor 2820 wireless facilities, the Vigor N61 USB wireless adaptor is compatible with any Windows XP or Vista PC (desktop or laptop). It too support 802.11n Draft 2.0 technology, ensuring complete compatibility with the Vigor 2820. Alternatively you can use the existing Wireless LAN connectivity built into your laptop PC, although this is likely to support only 802.11b or 802.11g speeds.

For specialist coverage applications, optional aerials can be used with the Vigor 2820 to potentially increase the range of wireless coverage (depending on enviroment) or provide directional coverage in order that your wireless transmission is focussed and concentrated into one direction only, for example into a room or across open space.