Airlive WMU-6000FS

[DanTheBanjoman]

To read this review go to: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AirLive/WMU_6000FS/

Please Digg the review to help us promote it.

[Mussels]

oh god i have one of these, rebagded but flashed to the airlive firmware.

Its a terrible device with many crippling flaws.

I'll read the review, and see what you found out before commenting in response.

Edit: as the review was conducted under XP, many of the bugs i found wont be present.

• Under windows vista, you cant access the shared files (they loopback to a hidden local folder, or outright cant be accessed)
• very slow speeds to the built in HDD caddy (3MB/s in my tests)
• Torrent program has no pause or stop feature
• Torrent program has no methods to set a specific ports for torrents, making it hard to setup port forwarding to the device
• Repeater mode never worked at all. Out of all the wireless modes, the only one that i succesfully made work was as a basic wireless AP.
• Built in torrent program corrupted torrents larger than 4GB
• 4GB file size limit, due to only working with FAT32 (NTFS support is read only)
  

[DanTheBanjoman]

Can't say I've really noticed "crippling flaws". Sure all features are quite basic but it didn't cause me any trouble. Plus, it beats the 11Mbit AP I had till now :P

[Mussels]

i was editing

Hmm it seems you never even tried the built in downloading or torrent features.

[DanTheBanjoman]

I see now :P

Actually, my Windows 2008 machine had no problems accessing any shares. Benchmarks were done on XP simply because I required a machine with a decent wireless NIC thus did the tests at work. All those machines run XP. I've also been able to connect with Windows Mobile.

I could use it as AP, connect it to another AP and make an ad-hoc connection. I agree on the performance, it's far from stellar.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by DanTheBanjoman

I see now :P

Actually, my Windows 2008 machine had no problems accessing any shares. Benchmarks were done on XP simply because I required a machine with a decent wireless NIC thus did the tests at work. All those machines run XP. I've also been able to connect with Windows Mobile.

I could use it as AP, connect it to another AP and make an ad-hoc connection. I agree on the performance, it's far from stellar.

when i accessed empty shares all appeared to work, but once files started to pass a few hundred MB i started noticing things we're off.... 4GB files were copying, or the shared folder was smaller/larger than it should be. thats when i noticed it was actually storing some files locally.

When i checked into it, i found comments that the device uses an outdated sharing method that vista isnt completely compatible with - it does work somewhat with USB sticks, but it only works on HDD's in FAT32 mode, while the devices internal formatting tools insists on formatting to a linux standard. (so the only way to get shares working is to format the HDD in a windows machine to FAT32, before installing it into the airlive unit)

I bet if you try it again with a 2.5" IDE drive, you'll find as many problems as i did: the thing really only seems to work well as an access point, all the other features are extremely slow or buggy.

[DanTheBanjoman]

Originally Posted by Mussels

when i accessed empty shares all appeared to work, but once files started to pass a few hundred MB i started noticing things we're off.... 4GB files were copying, or the shared folder was smaller/larger than it should be. thats when i noticed it was actually storing some files locally.

When i checked into it, i found comments that the device uses an outdated sharing method that vista isnt completely compatible with - it does work somewhat with USB sticks, but it only works on HDD's in FAT32 mode, while the devices internal formatting tools insists on formatting to a linux standard. (so the only way to get shares working is to format the HDD in a windows machine to FAT32, before installing it into the airlive unit)

I bet if you try it again with a 2.5" IDE drive, you'll find as many problems as i did: the thing really only seems to work well as an access point, all the other features are extremely slow or buggy.

I started the review with a internal disk, it died though. Makes nice ticking noises. I didn't notice any buggy behavior you mention. Perhaps a different firmware? (and of course the Vista issue)

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by DanTheBanjoman

I started the review with a internal disk, it died though. Makes nice ticking noises. I didn't notice any buggy behavior you mention. Perhaps a different firmware? (and of course the Vista issue)

the hard drive access issues only existed in vista. at the time i had an XP laptop, and it could always connect fine.

[hayder.master]

very nice review dan , im use other product called ALFA but it is simple have two options which wireless lan and USB output , also im use airlive product but i use a airlive router but this router is great it have many specification and work as simple server like users permissions and bandwidth controller and many many things
i read this review and im like this multiple options in one device

[AlexPPC]

Hallo,
I have this device since months, but still never use it. Just put the HDD and formatted it.
Took a look over the features. Look cool.
Does anybody know is it possible to connect some kind of camera into the USB host on the device?
I need this in order to put the device and the camera in one room and to monitor the room via the camera remotely, from another room.
I'll appreciate any help.


Brgds
A

PS. Or maybe it is possible to connect an IP camera via WAN in ad-hoc mode? The purpose is the same as above.

[AlexPPC]

Originally Posted by AlexPPC

Hallo,
I have this device since months, but still never use it. Just put the HDD and formatted it.
Took a look over the features. Look cool.
Does anybody know is it possible to connect some kind of camera into the USB host on the device?
I need this in order to put the device and the camera in one room and to monitor the room via the camera remotely, from another room.
I'll appreciate any help.


Brgds
A

PS. Or maybe it is possible to connect an IP camera via WAN in ad-hoc mode? The purpose is the same as above.

Just add question:
Possibility to record the camera on the HDD ?

[Mussels]

no you cant add anything to the USB ports other than mass storage devices. Buy yourself a wireless camera and a TV tuner.

[AlexPPC]

Originally Posted by Mussels

no you cant add anything to the USB ports other than mass storage devices. Buy yourself a wireless camera and a TV tuner.

Thank yo ufor reply !
I need definitely the surveiilace function rather than recording function.
So, I would like to have a camera connected to the WNU-6000FS.
Could you suggest a solution or ther is no way?
Maybe someone has wrote a special firmware about this router, featuring this?

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by AlexPPC

Thank yo ufor reply !
I need definitely the surveiilace function rather than recording function.
So, I would like to have a camera connected to the WNU-6000FS.
Could you suggest a solution or ther is no way?
Maybe someone has wrote a special firmware about this router, featuring this?

there is no way. you need to buy a device made for that task.

[daragez]

very nice review!....thanks to the link!....

[AlexPPC]

Thank you Mussels,
for the prompt reply.
It seems I have to use it -by-manual only
Another question :
Is it possible to download via the torrent client integrated in the last version a file larger than 4GB ? I have heard the FAT32 system does not support this.
How you recommend to set up the device for this purpose ?

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by AlexPPC

Thank you Mussels,
for the prompt reply.
It seems I have to use it -by-manual only
Another question :
Is it possible to download via the torrent client integrated in the last version a file larger than 4GB ? I have heard the FAT32 system does not support this.
How you recommend to set up the device for this purpose ?

If you can make the unit format to its linux file extension, then yes you can use 4GB+ files. If you're using a fat32 device: no. the files just come out corrupt.

[AlexPPC]

Originally Posted by Mussels

If you can make the unit format to its linux file extension, then yes you can use 4GB+ files. If you're using a fat32 device: no. the files just come out corrupt.

Thank you , mussels,
I will follow exactly you r advice.
Another question i face:
Is the software of WMU6000FS device the same as the software of WMU6500FS device ?
the main difference - the different HDD size is known. But what about firmware?
I am asking you on order to try to upgrade the WMU6000FS with a firmware for WMU6500FS.
Does it matter?

brgds
A

[Mussels]

i dont know the differences between those units, nor if the firmware is compatible.