ADSL modem router switch - how do they do it at the price?

Dabs, ebuyer and Solwise are all offering 4 port ADSL modem routers at just
under GBP 40 incl VAT.

How on earth can they offer them so cheap? I know they are made overseas
(Taiwan?) but even so. I know they don't have a 'proper' firewall (but even
that is provided to some extent by the latest firmware).

In contrast, I also want to get a couple of faceplates with filters, and
possibly another filter, and that will easily cost as much. The
modem/router has at least 6 sockets, a power supply, and the photo of the
innards of one of the devices looked as though there were quite a number of
components all to be inserted, connected etc. (all done automatically
presumably). Other suppliers are offering similar kit (or kit with less
functionality) at much, much more. The review at one of the sites
mentioning one of the modems being the cheapest yet and as breaking the GBP
100 barrier, but these are less than half. As someone said to me - I
wouldn't screw the box on at that price.

How do they do it? What is the catch?




(Actually Solwise are out of stock at the moment, so they probably only
partly count).

Tim Lyons

It really is the economy of scale in action.

Once you've got the R&D out of the way - which is minimised by sticking to
the reference design - you've probably got $10 worth of components in there,
plus $5 for the connectors and case, and another $2 for the PSU. Figure $1
for the CD and manual, $1 for someone to put the lot together - low wages
play a BIG part in this - and $1 per unit bulk shipping from Taiwan to the
UK, and you've got a $20 box

And there really is no catch. You get a pretty decent box for your money. It
might break a few esoteric protocols and have an ugly box, but it will do
the job of sharing an internet connection. But nobody buys them because
people - even IT people who should know better - buy brands. They are
seduced by the logo.

Now what's really interesting to consider is that Linksys, Netgear and Dlink
aren't spending any more on manufacturing. Less, if anything. The difference
is the amount of money they spend on branding, marketing and advertising -
which allows them to sell many more boxes at twice the price of the
unbranded stuff.

We should get Naomi Klein onto this one I reckon.

Benedict.
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"Tim Lyons" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:timl-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Dabs, ebuyer and Solwise are all offering 4 port ADSL modem routers at
just
> under GBP 40 incl VAT.
>
> How on earth can they offer them so cheap? I know they are made overseas
> (Taiwan?) but even so. I know they don't have a 'proper' firewall (but
even
> that is provided to some extent by the latest firmware).
>
> In contrast, I also want to get a couple of faceplates with filters, and
> possibly another filter, and that will easily cost as much. The
> modem/router has at least 6 sockets, a power supply, and the photo of the
> innards of one of the devices looked as though there were quite a number
of
> components all to be inserted, connected etc. (all done automatically
> presumably). Other suppliers are offering similar kit (or kit with less
> functionality) at much, much more. The review at one of the sites
> mentioning one of the modems being the cheapest yet and as breaking the
GBP
> 100 barrier, but these are less than half. As someone said to me - I
> wouldn't screw the box on at that price.
>
> How do they do it? What is the catch?
>
>
>
>
> (Actually Solwise are out of stock at the moment, so they probably only
> partly count).
>
> Tim Lyons

"Tim Lyons" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:timl-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Dabs, ebuyer and Solwise are all offering 4 port ADSL modem routers at
just
> under GBP 40 incl VAT.

They had the ASR8400 on special offer over the weekend just gone. They were
£10 cheaper so I ordered one :-)

They're based on generic Connexant spec hardware with the companies own
firmware etc.

"Benedict Addis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Ada1c.8106$(E-Mail Removed)...
> It really is the economy of scale in action.
>
> Once you've got the R&D out of the way - which is minimised by sticking to
> the reference design - you've probably got $10 worth of components in
there,
> plus $5 for the connectors and case, and another $2 for the PSU. Figure $1
> for the CD and manual, $1 for someone to put the lot together - low wages
> play a BIG part in this - and $1 per unit bulk shipping from Taiwan to the
> UK, and you've got a $20 box

Yes, generally they stick to the connexant chipset design already made up
for them virtua\lly. No RD cost.

Benedict Addis wrote:
> It really is the economy of scale in action.
>
[snip]

In part you're right but I beg to differ. There is a catch, as numerous
postings to this NG attest.

If something doesn't work properly, and usually something doesn't, you
are very likely stuffed. If there's a bug in the chipset or firmware,
you're dependent on the whole thing being passed back down the line by
the manufacturer, likely to third parties, and then all the way back up
again. It could be a modem having problems authenticating with UK isps,
an allegedly spi firewall that struggles with ftp, a tcp stack that
doesn't conform to exact standards, a proprietory fix to wifi that
causes one maker's kit to barf when matched to another's, you name it.
You get what you pay for with a lot of the cheap stuff. It will normally
do the basics right but anything more than that is often a crapshoot
despite the claims on the packaging.



Fish

"Fish" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:hp6dnVa2u-N8aNjdRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> If something doesn't work properly, and usually something doesn't,

You may b correct. However, I thought oh well, f*** it. If it don't work at
only £30 I can stick it on ebay and get a Draytek 2600 if it doesn't do what
i want.