While the German-made AVM FRITZ!Box might be new to Australia, it's one of the most popular SOHO routers in Europe. And we can see why.
The striking AVM FRITZ!Box has arrived in Australia in two versions, the $399 7390 and $299 7270, sold by PCRange and Internode. We've tested the 7270, which is not cheap even if it’s the lower-priced of the pair, but it comes with many features that will save you money, such as print server or media server capability.
Configuring the internet/VoIP connection is done quickly and easily thanks to the excellent install wizard. I had the ADSL and VoIP connection running in less then 10 minutes and could not find any problems. We also extended the USB 2.0 port with a USB hub and attached a USB printer and a 1TB USB hard drive to it; the sharing was done in a second and worked easily as well.
The FRITZ!Box 7270.
Simon Hackett, the MD of Internode, points to the ease of setup as one of the killer features of this new router. I can see why.
A nice feature of the FRITZ!Box is without a doubt the inbuilt DECT base station, which allows you to link GAP-supporting DECT phones directly to the FRITZ!Box without having to use an external base. There's also a free FritzAp for the iPhone app, which allows you to configure your iPhone to a home phone with its own extension as soon as it is connected to the WLAN.
One more thing worth mentioning is the extremely quick web interface and the quick responding router. The firmware update can be done via the web interface as well, and the router will automatically connect to AVM to get the latest matching version.
The 7270's big brother, the FRITZ!Box 7390.
The FRITZ!Box is also pre-configured to work with Internode’s FetchTV IPTV offering; all boxes shipped by PCRange in Australia will be pre-configured to work with FetchTV.
For a price of $299 it's not a cheap router, but if you can use the features it offers there's not a lot that can stand up to the FRITZ!Box 7270. This is a super router and well worth the money.
Available from PCRange, retailing for $299 (7270) or $399 (7390).APC rating: 9/10 (Editor's Choice)This review is featured in APC's April 2011 issue, on sale now in every newsagent and also available for the iPad/iPhone. For more information about what's inside this issue and how to get it, see here.