Wi-Fi router Zyxel Keenetic Extra II - Reviews. Wi-Fi router Zyxel Keenetic Extra II - Reviews Managing your router using mobile applications

It catches perfectly, without glitches, etc. The speed measured through wifi - 82 megabits download and upload above 70! Internet optics 100 Mbps.

Minuses

Didn't find

Review

I was looking for a router in the store - several departments, the total area seems to be more than 200 sqm. The walls are brick. Internal - sibit and brick. Stands in the grocery store on the refrigerator - on the right in office space through a thick wall catches all the stripes! On the left is a hardware store - it catches all the lanes there too! Only my brother has a building store at the very end, and even through a metal showcase, if the door is open - 1-2, and if it is closed - it's already bad, but the room is like a bunker. There I had to pull a wire to a network of computers, as I originally counted on wired connection... And in the grocery store, the online checkout works great. So it exceeded my expectations! Why did I choose Zyxel? Because this company has been producing modems for a very long time ... Zyxel took his cousin into the apartment - it catches perfectly and works for a couple of years without interruption. I also read reviews - more positive ones. In office, mikrotik is offered everywhere - it costs several times more. TP Link was offered - refused, painfully buggy. And so in my apartment-Khrushchev, the ancient D-Link catches very weakly in the edges. But dir 620 has been working for more than 5 years.

Hello Dear friends... Artem is with you as always.

What are the basic requirements of the user for the construction of wireless networks when Wi-Fi assistance router?

It is stable operation without frequent reboots, wide wireless signal coverage, support for 5GHz 802.11ac band and clear interface management.

Zyxel has it all Keenetic Extra 2 and more.

The device comes in a small box, which lists all the main features of the Internet center from Zyxel.

The device is based on the MT7628N 580 MHz chip with 128 MB random access memory DDR2 type.

4 5dBi antennas provide strong Wi-Fi signal.

The speed of the Wi-Fi 802.11n 2.4 GHz wireless network is 300 Megabits / s.

The speed of the Wi-Fi 802.11ac 5 GHz wireless network is 867 Megabits / s.

The wired ports have a speed of 100 Megabits / s.

There is a USB port that supports the installation of additional devices.

3G / 4G LTE modems, USB drives, printers, DECT phones.

If you need to use an Internet connection using ADSL technology, then this is not a problem either.

You can purchase a Keenetic Plus DSL ADSL2 + / VDSL Modem and use your usual Zyxel router to connect!

In addition, there is support for FTP / DLNA / CIFS / SMB protocols on board, as well as the Transmission torrent client.

Thus, a USB drive can act as a shared network resource with a data exchange rate of up to 12 Megabytes / s.

In the box, besides the Internet center itself, you will find instructions in Russian, a power supply unit and a patch cord.

The router itself is very compact and does not take up much space on your desk. The length of the body is about 17 cm.

The top of the case is made of matte white plastic with a pleasant roughness. Such plastic does not collect fingerprints and dust.

There is also a row of indicating LEDs, they are small and do not hit the eyes with light.

Slightly to the right is function key, with a wifi icon. By default, the key can start WPS pairing with other wireless devices.

Its functions can be reassigned in the web interface.

P. S. By the way, many functions of the Zyxel internet center can be controlled from a smartphone, via the My.Keenetic application.

On the front side is the Zyxel logo.

On the sides, the device is perforated to remove heat from internal electronic components.

P. S. During operation, the device heats up a little.

On the left side there is a multifunctional USB port, next to it is the FN key.

By default, when you press this key once, USB disk will be safely disconnected from Zyxel Keenetic Extra 2.

After that, it (disk) can be physically removed from the USB port. The FN key functions can be reassigned in the web interface.

There are five 100 Megabit ports on the back panel. One WAN and four LAN ports.

P. S. Supports the ability to connect two providers at the same time. If one Internet provider is disconnected, the other will automatically turn on.

All four antennas are non-removable and can be rotated up to 180 degrees and lowered to the sides, from 90 to 0 degrees.

On the bottom of the case there are rubber feet and holes for wall mounting.

The design turned out to be excellent and the device will fit into any interior.

Now tests.

First, I checked the speed of the wired internet.

I have a 50 Megabit tariff activated.

Zyxel Keenetic Extra 2 copes with this task perfectly, giving out the full speed of my tariff plan.

57 Megabits / s for downloading and 94 Megabits / s for uploading.

The presence of four antennas really does the trick, the wireless signal level is consistently high.

At a distance of more than 10 meters, more than 60 Megabits / s comes out to receive and transmit data.

P.S. Despite my tariff of 50 Megabits / s, the real transmission speed is often higher. The specifics of my provider.

So you won't have any problems with building a wireless network at home. You can confidently play any media content over the air, without brakes and friezes.

In order to check the speed of work on local network, I connected to USB port Internet center disk, Seagate GoFlex 500 GB.

After that, the disk will be displayed on your local network as a shared resource. The data transfer rate is 10 Megabytes / s, which almost completely loads a 100 Megabit data transmission channel (a 100 Megabit network can transfer up to 12 Megabytes per second).

So, if you use the Transmission torrent client built into the router, it will fully reveal the speed of the Internet tariff plan of 100 Megabits / s.

Now let's look at the firmwareZyxel Keenetic Extra 2.

The device has a lot of useful options and capabilities, and they correspond to more expensive Internet centers from Zyxel.

P.S. Reviews of other devices:

To go to the web interface, type in the address bar of the browser my.keenetic.net

Let's consider the main features and features.

– On the Performance Monitor page In chapter "System" contains basic statistical information about the connection, its type, the status of 2.4 and 5 GHz wireless points.

All connected USB devices can also be seen here.

All cables connected to Zyxel Keenetic Extra 2 are visually displayed as a picture. If suddenly something happened to the cable, then you will immediately see it.

In sections "Routes" and "Connections" the current routes and connections are displayed accordingly.

List wireless wifi clients are displayed in the corresponding section.

« USB-devices " contain a list of connected USB storage devices: modems and network printers.

The USB storage can be managed in the section "Accumulators".

If you use a special USB module for connecting via ADSL, then the section will be useful to you. « USB DSL» .

– Next page"Internet".

In chapter "Connections" you can see all connections to the Internet and other networks, and prioritize connections.

This feature will be very useful when you are using two providers. You can also configure the system to "ping" two Internet providers and, in the event of a network break, at one provider, automatically switch the channel to the backup provider.

This function is configured in the section « Ping Check» .

All other options are responsible for IPoE / PPPoE / VPN connections.

802.1x and CABiNET provider are also supported.

We have not forgotten the wireless protocols 3G / 4G and connection to Internet providers via "wireless" WISP 2.4 and 5 GHz.

« USB DSL» responsible for choosing the DSL technology, if you are using it. You can set ADSL2 / 2 + or VDSL.

If you have a white IP address, you can connect to your Zyxel Internet Center remotely via the Internet.

If there is no white IP, then it does not matter, there are other options for connecting from outside. I'll show you these additional options a bit later.

Chapter "Other" responsible for DNS servers, static routes and passing PPPoE connections.

- On the page "Home network" you can look at the list of devices connected to the network. The network can be divided into segments, and in order to use an external DHCP server, go to the section « DHCP Ready» .

IGMP Proxy responsible for setting up IP television.

– Page "NetworkWi- Fi» displays the parameters of 2.4 and 5 GHz wireless networks. Everything from the network key, the type of protection and Wi-Fi standard, is configured here.

If you want to monitor wireless network connections by checking MAC addresses, then there are no problems either.

– Security Page allows you to configure the rules for port and address forwarding.

You can also control the parameters here. firewall as well as services SkyDNS and Yandex.DNS.

These services will be able to filter out unwanted and dangerous traffic.

P. S. For example, you can easily restrict access to dangerous resources for your children when they actively use the Internet.

- The "System" page.

In chapter "Options" you can configure the paging file if suddenly the system resources are not enough to work with all running services.

Slightly below is the button for the usual reboot of the router, and then the button for resetting the default settings.

Conveniently, you can only install the Zyxel firmware components that you really need.

All installed components, as well as updates are in the tab of the same name "Update".

To see a list of all components, just click on the button Show Components.

Tab "Mode" will help you choose one of the four operating modes of Zyxel Keenetic Extra 2 - an internet center, an adapter, a Wi-Fi signal booster and an access point.

To reassign the actions of the functional buttons on the Keenetic body, go to the section "Buttons".

If you need to disable the wired and wireless network, then you can set a schedule convenient for you, in the section "Schedules".

– last page "Applications" responsible for network services router. DLNA, FTP, torrent client, Windows network.

a shared folder USB stick just created in the section "NetworkWindows» .

To allow remote control, via a smartphone, go to the section "Cloud service".

If you do not have a so-called white IP address to access the router settings via the Internet, then the section will help you. « KeenDNS» .

As you can see, Zyxel firmware Keenetic Extra 2 is very easy to manage and provides many opportunities, at the level of more expensive Internet centers from Zyxel.

All tabs open instantly, no long loading times in the rendering of the interface.

As a result, we get stable operation of the device, confident Wifi signal with two bands 2.4 and 5 GHz.

Through USB, you can connect a disk / flash drive / USB printer / ADSL module, as well as a 4G LTE modem.

If you need to deploy DECT telephony, then this option is also available.

And all this at a cost of about 3.600 rubles.

Video version of the review:

For the combination of these characteristics Zyxel Keenetic Extra 2 receives a well-deserved award from the site

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The time has come for Zyxel to change. In the fall, the company changed its logo (for the first time in 27 years!) And updated its website, and at the very end of 2016 introduced new models of routers with a completely different design: Zyxel Keenetic Air and Extra II. That's just about them and will be discussed. Air and Extra II are very similar both in appearance and in filling. In fact, we will be testing the Extra II model, and the differences in the younger version will be discussed separately, since there are not so many of them. Air and Extra II are already on sale in Russian stores for about 2,900 and 3,500 rubles, respectively.

Router	Zyxel Keenetic Air	Zyxel Keenetic Extra II
Standards	IEEE 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Chipset / Controller	MediaTek MT7628 (1 × MIPS24KEc 580 MHz) + MT7612
Memory	RAM 64 MB / ROM 16 MB	RAM 128 MB / ROM 32 MB + swap
Antennas	4 × external 5 dBi; length 73 mm
Wi-Fi encryption	WPA / WPA2, WEP; WPS (separately for each band); 2 × guest network
Maximum speed	802.11ac: up to 867 Mbps; 802.11n: up to 300 Mbps; 802.11g: up to 54 Mbps
Interfaces	2 × 10/100 Mbps Ethernet	5 × 10 / 100Mbps Ethernet, 1 × USB 2.0
Indicators	4 × on the top cover, each Ethernet port
Hardware buttons	Disable Wi-Fi / Start WPS, Factory Reset, Mode Switch	Disable Wi-Fi / Start WPS, Factory Reset, Configurable Fn
Dimensions (W × D × H)	167 × 100 × 33 mm
Weight	210 g	230 g
Nutrition	DC 9 V, 0.85 A	DC 12V, 1A
Price	2 900 rubles	3,500 rubles
Possibilities
Access to the Internet	Static IP, DHCP, PPPoE, PPTP, L2TP, 802.1x, WISP; KABiNET; DHCP Relay; Multi-WAN; Ping checker; NetFriend configuration wizard; 3G / 4G modem, Keenetic Plus DSL (only for Extra II)
Services	DLNA, FTP, SMB, AFP server; print server; IPv6 (6in4); parental control / filtering / protection against telemetry "Yandex.DNS" / SkyDNS; BitTorrent client Transmission; VLAN; VPN server (IPSec, PPTP); Entware, Keenetic Plus modules (only for Extra II)
Port forwarding	interface / VLAN + port + protocol + IP; UPnP, DMZ; IPTV / VoIP LAN-Port, VLAN, IGMP / PPPoE Proxy, udpxy
QoS / Shaping	WMM; indication of the priority of the interface / VLAN; shaper
Dynamic DNS Services	DNS-master (RU-Center), DynDns, NO-IP; KeenDNS
Working hours	Router, WISP; media adapter, access point, repeater
VPN Forwarding, ALG	PPTP, L2TP, IPSec; (T) FTP, H.323, RTSP, SIP
Firewall	Filtering by port / protocol / IP; Packet Capture; SPI; DoS protection; brute force protection

Possibilities

All tests were performed using NDMS 2.07 stable firmware. More details about NDMS and its capabilities were discussed in the materials about Keenetic, as well as about. Note that the number of devices with NDMS has already exceeded 4 million public beta... Since it will soon become available to all users, it makes sense to say a few words about some interesting innovations. First, there is support for scheduling. In the web interface, you can use them to control the operating time of network interfaces and Internet access, but in general, the schedules will later be available for other settings. In particular, the front and rear indicators can be scheduled to turn on / off through the console interface. However, for convenience, the function of disabling them can be assigned to one of the hardware buttons on the router case.

NDMS 2.08

Secondly, in the settings of the access points, a function of automatic channel redefinition has appeared every 6/12/24 hours, which can be useful in the case of especially "dirty" air. Thirdly, the free DDNS service KeenDNS has acquired the option of forwarding web resources (HTTP and HTTPS) from the local network out through the Zyxel cloud. For example, in this way you can get remote access to the NAS web interface even if there is no "white" IP address. And in general, it is much more convenient for an unprepared user than manual port forwarding or creating tunnels. In fact, it was conceived not as another DDNS, but as an easy way to give the user the opportunity to remote access to devices home network... The list of new functions does not end there, but some of them - like support for EoIP / GRE / IPIP tunnels, SNMP server, protection against brute force attacks on common network resources(FTP, for example) or new features for third-party Entware packages - will be of interest only to specialists.

Testing

The Wi-Fi settings are standard: auto-select the channel and its width, WPA2 encryption, access points are not isolated, and WPS and guest networks are disabled, other parameters are left by default. You cannot force the width to be only 40 MHz (2.4 GHz) or 80 MHz (5 GHz) in the web interface. The stands were in line of sight at a distance of four meters from each other. First stand configuration: Intel Core i7-2600K, 16 GB RAM, ASUS PCE-AC68 (denoted as A in the table), Windows 7 SP1 x64. Second: Intel Core i7-4700HQ, 12 GB RAM, Windows 8.1 Update 1 x64, Realtek RTL8168 (in table R), ASUS USB-AC56 (in table U). The communication between the wireless and wired network segment is obviously limited by the speed of the network ports.

ZyXel Extra II / Air Router
Streams	1	2	4	8	16	32	64
Average Wi-Fi speed 802.11ac 5GHz Mbps
A -> R	94	95	94	94	93	91	87
R -> A	94	95	94	94	92	91	89
A<->R	158	155	149	149	144	137	128
A -> U	141	126	128	137	148	153	152
A<>U	164	174	177	178	169	159	146
A (5)<->U (2.4)	167	172	174	173	172	160	144
Average speed Wi-Fi 802.11n 2.4 GHz, Mbps
A -> R	93	94	94	94	92	90	87
R -> A	90	90	94	94	91	90	90
A<->R	134	130	131	152	157	148	137
A -> U	60	58	61	61	56	55	50
A<>U	57	62	63	60	58	53	45

Data exchange within the 5 GHz band and between the two bands is very, very good, but working exclusively in 2.4 GHz in some places could be better. On the other hand, the new items are just created for those who want to expand their home network with the transition to 5 GHz. As for WAN connections, regardless of the type, the connection speed will be in the region of 90-95 Mbit / s, and in duplex 135-165 Mbit / s: VPN connections are still slower than direct. To check the network operation with the drives, we used the LanShuo INIC-3609 box and SSD Kingston SSDNow V + 200 with one NTFS volume. The access speed for FTP and SMB for reading and writing fluctuated in the region of 9.5-11.5 MB / s. In general, everything is fine, but there is one caveat - in each of the tests, the CPU load reached its maximum.

Connecting a ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II router to a computer

The next step is to connect the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II to the Laptop or Personal computer(PC). To do this, you need to connect the cable that the provider has provided to the "INTERNET" port of the router (this is the cable that goes to the apartment, house, office, etc. from outside). The cable that came with the router, we connect one end to the “HOME NETWORK” port of the router, and connect the other end to a laptop or PC. And yes, don't forget to plug in the power cable.

If you have network problems while connecting, go here to resolve it:

ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II router authorization

So, we connected the router, now you need it through any browser (be it Google chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.) get into its web interface. To do this, open the browser and type in the address of the router in the address bar: my.keenetic.net or 192.168.1.1 and press the button " Enter" on keyboard.

After that, the router offers us a quick setup, select the interface language - "Russian" and click the Web configurator.

After that, the router can display a window for setting a password on the web interface. Here, if you wish, you can set a password, you can not. If you set a password, write it down somewhere.

Also, ZYXEL routers work in different modes, it will not be superfluous to check whether the mode is selected. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " System"and go to the" Mode". If you set up the Internet with a username and password, leave the mode" Internet Center - Basic Mode".

Setting up a ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II router

Now you need to configure the router. The first step is to secure the wireless network by setting a password for wi-fi. Then you will need to find out what type of connection is used to enter the Internet, it is PPTP, L2TP or PPPOE. You can find out by calling the provider (this is the organization with which we have entered into an agreement for the provision of Internet services). So, let's start configuring the router.

Setting up a password for wi-fi

The ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II router is dual-band, which means that the router supports 2 operating frequencies of the wireless connection, these are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. 5 GHz allows for higher bandwidth but has a shorter range than 2.4GHz, 2.4GHz is more susceptible to interference. 5 GHz is not supported by all devices. You can choose both, and depending on the circumstances, change wireless connection already on devices.
I offer Video instructions for setting up a password on wi-fi on a router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II

Let's also consider in writing and illustratively setting a password for wi-fi on a router. ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II in two frequencies.
1. Click on the Web interface in the bottom menu on the shortcut " Wi-Fi network ", we get into the network settings" 2.4 GHz access point".
2. Enable hotspot", further in the field" Network name (SSID)"come up with and indicate the name of the wireless network, this name will continue to glow when you connect to the network. I advise you to indicate the frequency used in the name of the network, for example:" imya seti 2.4 ".
3. "Network protection" - WPA2-PSK.
4. Network key
5. "Channel width" - "20 MHz".
6. Click " Apply".

7. Click on the " 5 GHz access point".
8. Check if the " Enable hotspot", further in the field" Network name (SSID)"come up with and indicate the name of the wireless network. I advise you to indicate the frequency used in the name of the network, for example:" imya seti 5 ".
9. "Network protection" - WPA2-PSK.
10. Now you need to put a password on the wireless network. In field " Network key"we come up with and drive in a password.
11. "Channel width" - "20/40/80 MHz".
12. Click " Apply".

PPTP setup

PPTP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II using the ZYXEL Keenetic Omni II router as an example.

PPTP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II.
1. Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. Turn on" and "".
4. V " DescriptionType (protocol)"choose" PPTP", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Username"), password (in the line" PasswordServer address
6. "Configuring IP Settings" - "Automatic".
7. Apply".

Configuring PPTP with Static IP

PPTP with static IP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II
1. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. In the window that appears, check for the checkboxes opposite " Turn on" and " Use to connect to the Internet".
4. V " Description"we enter any words in Latin, for example" Host "," Type (protocol)"choose" PPTP", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Below it is suggested to indicate the username (in the line " Username"), password (in the line" Password"). You will also need to specify the server ip-address (in the line" Server address").
6. Manual" against " Configuring IP Settings".
7. We indicate ip-addresses and DNS.
All these data are usually written in the contract with the provider. If for some reason we could not find them, you need to call hotline provider and find out how you can get them.
7. After entering all the necessary data, press the button " Apply".

L2TP configuration

I offer Video instructions for setting up the connection type L2TP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II using the ZYXEL Keenetic Omni II router as an example.

Let's also write and illustrate the connection setup. L2TP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II.
1. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. In the window that appears, check for the checkboxes opposite " Turn on" and " Use to connect to the Internet".
4. V " Description"we enter any words in Latin, for example" Host "," Type (protocol)"choose" L2TP", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Below it is suggested to indicate the username (in the line " Username"), password (in the line" Password"). You will also need to specify the server ip-address (in the line" Server address All of the above data is provided by the provider (Organization that conducted the Internet).
All these data are usually written in the contract with the provider. If for some reason they could not find them, you need to call the provider's hotline and find out how you can get them.
6. "Configuring IP Settings" - "Automatic".
7. After entering all the necessary data, press the button " Apply".

Configuring L2TP with a static IP address

Consider setting up a connection L2TP with static IP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II... Usually a static IP address is provided legal entities or how additional service to the basic rate for individuals.
1. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. In the window that appears, check for the checkboxes opposite " Turn on" and " Use to connect to the Internet".
4. V " Description"we enter any words in Latin, for example" Host "," Type (protocol)"choose" L2TP", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Below it is suggested to indicate the username (in the line " Username"), password (in the line" Password"). You will also need to specify the server ip-address (in the line" Server address").
6. Since the connection uses a static IP address, select " Manual" against " Configuring IP Settings".
7. We indicate ip-addresses and DNS.
All of the above data is provided by the provider (Organization that conducted the Internet).
All these data are usually written in the contract with the provider. If for some reason they could not find them, you need to call the provider's hotline and find out how you can get them.
7. After entering all the necessary data, press the button " Apply".

PPPOE setup

I offer Video instructions for setting up the connection type PPPOE on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II using the ZYXEL Keenetic Omni II router as an example.

Let's also write and illustrate the connection setup. PPPOE on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II.
1. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. In the window that appears, check for the checkboxes opposite " Turn on" and " Use to connect to the Internet".
4. V " Description"we enter any words in Latin, for example" Host "," Type (protocol)"choose" PPPOE", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Below it is suggested to indicate the username (in the line " Username"), password (in the line" Password All of the above data is provided by the provider (Organization that conducted the Internet).
All these data are usually written in the contract with the provider. If for some reason they could not find them, you need to call the provider's hotline and find out how you can get them.
6. "Configuring IP Settings" - "Automatic".
7. After entering all the necessary data, press the button " Apply".

Configuring PPPOE with Static IP Address

Consider setting up a connection PPPOE with static IP on the router ZYXEL Keenetic Extra II... Usually, a static IP address is provided to legal entities, or as an additional service to the basic tariff for individuals.
1. Click on the shortcut in the bottom menu " Internet".
2. Selecting the tab " PPPoE / VPN"push" Add connection".

3. In the window that appears, check for the checkboxes opposite " Turn on" and " Use to connect to the Internet".
4. V " Description"we enter any words in Latin, for example" Host "," Type (protocol)"choose" PPPOE", "Connect via"choose" Broadband connection (ISP)".
5. Below it is suggested to indicate the username (in the line " Username"), password (in the line" Password").
6. Since the connection uses a static IP address, select " Manual" against " Configuring IP Settings".
7. We indicate ip-addresses and DNS.
All of the above data is provided by the provider (Organization that conducted the Internet).
All these data are usually written in the contract with the provider. If for some reason they could not find them, you need to call the provider's hotline and find out how you can get them.
7. After entering all the necessary data, press the button " Apply".