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Router Types/Classes

By no means a complete list, but simply a way of grouping modems/routers (in no particular order):

Class I – early/older Conexant based routers

These routers all use the same Conexant Chipset and can use the same type of firmware.

OS: Wind river’s VxWorks (proprietary) – http://www.windriver.com
Manufacturers: Origo, Billion, Amigo, Telewell, Safecom etc.
Models: ASR8000, ASR8100, ASR8400 / SAMR-4110, SAMR-4114
AWR-7210, AWR-7214 / SWAMR-5110, SWAMR-5114, AWR-8210 etc.

Class II – TI Chipset routers

Routers that all use the same (Texas Instruments) TI AR7WRD platform and can use the same type of firmware.

OS: Linux (Open-source typically (MontaVista Linux)), Zyxel use closed source OS called Zynos
Manufacturers: Castlenet, Safecom, Netcomm, Zyxel, ASUS, Acorp, etc.
Models: Safecom SWAMR-54108/SWAMR-54125, SWART2-54125/GWART2-54125, Castlenet ASW800, Netcomm NB5PLUS4W, Zyxel P662HW, ASUS TI4631 etc. Other models include SART2-4112/GART2-4112, SART2-4115/GART2-4115, Acorp W400G

Some routers such as the SART2-4112/GART2-4112 and SART2-4115/GART2-4115 have less memory (2MB FlashRAM and 8MB RAM) than the other Class II routers. Routers like these may find some firmwares too large.

More:
https://www.routertech.org/faq/firmware/compatible-routers/

Class III – Alcatel (Thompson) xDSL controller

Alcatel routers tend to be able to tolerate a low SNR on the phone line.

OS:
Manufacturers: Speedtouch, Mentor, Connectplay & SAR (Solwise)
Models: Speed Touch 350, MTB-20152-EB

More:
http://www.modem-help.com/mfcs.php?mid=138
http://www.modem-help.com/mfcs.php?mid=138&nid=9915

Class IV – Globespan/Virata Chipset

Globespan have merged with Conexant, but prior to the merge they produced their own chipset upon which several modems/routers were based.

OS:
Manufacturers: SAR (Solwise), BT, Gentek
Models: SAR715, Gentek BB0060, BT Voyager 2000 etc

More:
http://www.modem-help.com/chipsets.php?mid=155
http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl-sar715.htm
http://www.adslguide.org.uk/hardware/reviews/2003/q3/bt-2000.asp

Class V – ARM9-based network processor
(ADSL Modem: ST20166 & ST20174, Router: Samsung 2510, Wireless: TI TNETW1130)

These types of routers seemed to be most widely available after Class I and before Class II and are usually only wireless with a print server.

OS:
Manufacturers: Safecom
Models: SWAMRU-54108, GWAMRU-54108G

Notes

Ebuyer have on several occasions sold Safecom or Origo equipment under the “Ebuyer/Ebuyer Value” brand name.
The class numbering is not an industry standard and is merely an easy way for us at RouterTech to distinguish between different types of router.


Last updated by Neo on Friday, September 4th, 2009
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