Dont let the beast die!!!! (Netgear RM356)

Member Name: andycharger

Product:	Netgear RM356
Date:	31/12/03 (1927 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Connects older networks, Functional

Disadvantages: No instructions, Hard to configure, outdated

Long long ago in a galaxy far far away there was a 56k Modem router. A Netgear RM356 56k Modem Router.
In fact, it is a great story that I am about to share with you, despite it being rather obsolete.
However, thanks to Dooyoo, there may be others out there looking at buying one second hand and may want some inside information on the pitfalls and benefits on this lifesaving device.

Firstly, what is it?
Well its a 56K modem as most of you have in your Computers at home. However, this one is different. It has a router built into it so it can be used as an interaction between various computers on a network and dial in users in remote locations.

Got it? Good.

How does it work?
Basically, you ask your computer at home to dial a phone number. The phone number you dial must be connected to the 56K Modem Router. If it is and it is set up correctly, it will answer, do some verification tests (username/password) and let you into the network at 56Kbps. Very old technology when you think most of this is now done via broadband and VPN (Virtual Private Networking).

Why is it in my Office?
Well, the servers that this modem is used for are running Windows NT4 and will not support VPN. They are so old it might stop them working all together with the shock.
Besides the connection speeds required by my users only need 56K.

What is it used for?
Well. The software on these beloved servers is as twitchy as the servers themselves. It often stops working/Crashes/goes wrong whatever you want to call it. I then need the software writers to ?dial in? and fix it. The 56K modem Router is their way in and my way of letting them in. It is also used by people working from home to access their files when needed.

If its old and obsolete, why use it?
Basically, if it aint broke, don?t fix it! It has been a tried and tested appliance for about 4 years. It does the job it is asked?..Well until??

SENARIO 1. <
br><
br>People complain of no answer when they dial in.

Right. Is there a managemrnt tool?
Not on the server so search the netgear website.
We eventually find a management tool that allows us to download it and start configuring the router. It immediately ?sees? the router and allows us to reset it to its original configuration. After a couple of hours everyone is working again and the modem is answering.

SENARIO2.
A power surge affects the office. The router suddenly stops working and answering when people dial.

A ha! Get that management console open again.
Whoops! It cannot see any routers attached! Has the power surge cooked our Router?
Check the guarantee. Its about 3 years out of date. Open the router?.It looks fine. No cooked circuits?

Right. Consult the manual. What manual?
After realizing the enclosed documentation is not worth even glancing over in its brief state, I look for some online help. So the first lesson is the instructions are not very good.
I found a couple of online guides to the device but I had to look hard and long for these. When I eventually did find one, it was so confusing that myself and my colleague had to 2nd guess most of what we were doing. So instructions that you can find are somewhat misleading. Minus points scored by Netgear.

OK. Time to dial Netgear support.
After 10 minutes of so being on hold, a helpdesk person took our details and told us to plug in the management cable??Er?..What cable?
It appears that some bright spark had lost it over the years. Netgear told us they could not help us without the cable as the device was not supported any longer.
So minus points for the helpdesk staff.

Not accepting the fact that the cable is gone, I decide to look for a diagram to build my own cable. After 1 completely wrong one, I find a diagram that was easy to follow. In fact it is here: http://www.mustain.demon.co.uk/rm356.html
If y
ou need it,
use this diagram to make your own.

With a little bit of luck, the cable allowed us to connect up to the router from the computer using the Management port. Hey Presto its there!

Without the ability to use the Management console on the server, we have to use something called HYPER TERMINAL to talk to the router. This works fine.

After calling Netgear back WITH a working Management cable crafted by my own fair hands, they instruct us to wipe the files from the router and reinstall them. This took about 20 minutes as it is very slow and very primitive. However, after lots of regigging of the settings it all worked and our users were able to dial in.

So there are 2 big problems that I hope you found of interest if you own one.

Right, now for the technical side!!!
It has 4 Ethernet Conncetions on the rear of the device. This allows connection of up to 4 computers/Servers/devices for the users to have access to. There is also a Line port for the incoming phone line and a Phone port for connecting up a telephone.

Configuring of the users and all of the settings required is available form the downloadable management console called FIRSTGEAR at http://www.netgear.com/support/support_details.asp ?dnldID=226
This is the tool we use to reconfigure it once we had reinstalled the software on th erouter itself.
If you need the actual software for the router, go here:
http://www.netgear.com/support/support_details .asp?dnldID=228

I have added these links because they are invaluable to the user and hard to find.

For you techies, it works equally as well running both Static IP and DHCP. We tried it in both set ups and it was great. In fact we moved if from DHCP to Static due to some issues elsewhere on the network.

Size/Dimensions.
It is basically about 12 inches long and an inch thich with about 8 inches deep. It fits easily in any Server rack but is unfortunately not
built to be rack
mounted. We have it sitting with our servers due to the lack of length in the cables supplied for the phone lines. Another problem for Netgear!!!

LEDS?
Lots of these to tell you when you have a signal, when you are connected and what is going on during dialing. All are still working after 4 years on the job.

Alternatives?
Well, If it busts, it busts. I have called about 4 or 5 suppliers and they all say Netgear were the only people who built these. Unfortunately, Netgear no longer supply them or support them. If you want one, I can suggest looking on Ebay. New they cost £169 but you should get them for less than half of that. The other alternative is to switch to broadband and VPN. No the best solution for you NT4 Server people!

Overall?
Well I consider myself an expert on this modem now after the problems with it which have been many and hard to solve. When it works, it works great. When it doesn?t?.you will be pulling your hair out.

Summary: