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NETGEAR ProSafe SRX5308 v3.0.7-5

The ProSafe SRX5308 connects a local area network (LAN) to the internet through up to four external broadband/WAN ports, allowing users to increase their effective data rate to the internet by using all WAN ports to carry session traffic or to maintain backup connections in case of failure of the primary internet connection. The SRX5308 works as the firewall/router in a typical network, supporting up to 125 simultaneous IPsec VPN tunnels (site-to-site and client-to-site). The tool works with a majority of network devices and the IPsec VPN portion works with many non-NETGEAR hardware devices and software clients.

The SRX5308 is a plug-and-play device that can be installed and configured within minutes. We had the device up and running in our lab in under 10 minutes. We used/installed the NETGEAR ProSafe VPN Client on our lab test stations. Authentication is integrated with Active Directors, LDAP and Radius, as well as supported via a local user database. Encryption is supported for DES, 3DES and AES (128, 192, 256 bit), and SHA-1 and MD5 hashing is supported. Creating gateway or client policies was made easy through the supplied VPN Wizard and Policy Editor.

There are numerous additional features available, although we focused specifically on the IPsec VPN features. The solution has enterprise capabilities and supports high availability options, including WAN port auto rollover and load balancing. Certificate downloads are supported from trusted CA Authorities, and self-signed certificates can be created using the Certificate Screen. We had no problem working with the user interface and found it to be very user friendly and intuitive.

Basic support is provided for 90 days and additional support options are available for a fee. Although a comprehensive reporting option is not provided, there is a VPN Connection status monitor available giving users real-time information for each connection. A built-in logging screen is available for monitoring the running log details.

This product will make it easy for any business to create secure connections to employees or partner networks.
Product title
NETGEAR ProSafe SRX5308 v3.0.7-5
Product info
Name: NETGEAR ProSafe SRX5308 v3.0.7-5 Description: Price:
Strength
Easy-to-use device with a great price point.
Weakness
Since it is not a purpose-built IPsec product, running multiple security options and several tunnels can affect overall performance.
Verdict
With great bang for the buck, this easy-to-deploy VPN offers nice tools to visualize performance. This is our Recommended product.

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