The world is going more and more wireless and as our reliance on good internet access grows, so our choice of hardware and software becomes more important. The surge in internet use in recent years means that very few remain technically minded. The majority of users just want to plug in, switch on and enjoy internet access without too much jargon, long manuals, and complicated procedures to learn.

i-Tech had the opportunity to install the Sitecom Wireless Media Router 300N WL-350. The first impression we got is that this router, manufactured by a European company unlike others in its class, is a good choice for those who want a robust product without a complicated installation procedure or maintenance.

Sitecom has packed a lot of features into this little box which not only provides internet access over wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) but also streams HD videos from a computer to another device, thus transforming a computer into a media centre.

Another interesting feature is that this router is dual-band. It provides access through the 2.4 GHz frequency for internet and the clearer 5 GHz frequency for sensitive applications like streaming and online gaming, though both can be used for simple internet access such as browsing and checking e-mails. You can switch between them at the touch of a button.

We were impressed with its extreme simplicity of installation. You just need to get it out of the box, wire it up, push one button and there you are: you have full internet access. Sitecom has made a very good job of keeping installation simple, and the printed guide is also clear and handy.

However, for those techies who really want to familiarise themselves with the inner workings of this router and customise it to their likings, the web-based administrator's interface provides access to a lot of settings which can make the experience even better.

We connected the WL-350 to the wireless modem/router of a Maltese broadband internet provider and both worked perfectly well together, giving speeds of tens of megabits/s on a regular basis.

Thanks to four LAN Ethernet ports you can have wired internet connections. A welcome addition is one USB port where you can connect an external storage device such as a pen drive or an external hard disk to stream the content from the router to other connected users. This router only reads external storage devices formatted in FAT or FAT32, so it does not recognise Microsoft's NTFS or Mac's HFS formats.

The WL-350 supports the latest wireless technology 802.11n draft 2.0 and comes with WPA2 encryption, thus making sure users can put their mind at rest in terms of security.

This media router is another product from Sitecom's Smart Living range and together with other products such as the WL-355 Wireless Network TV Media Player can create a new media centre in the home.

Compared to similar products from competing companies, the WL-350 provides a sturdy product at a similar performance. However, if Sitecom wanted to develop a product from a non-technical approach without sacrificing on performance, it has succeeded.

www.sitecom.com