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Last time we looked at internet routers with integrated hubs/switches, we did a comprehensive roundup of 5 different routers from some of the better known companies in the business. Unfortunately, because the companies could not send in their products in time, we missed out on Netgear’s 314 router, and SMC’s Barricade, the latter of which we cover here today.

The SMC Barricade is a physically rugged and great looking piece of hardware. Like the Asante FriendlyNet, the Barricade comes complete with an integrated print server and com port for direct serial connections. The miniscule LEDs manage to indicate connection status and speed, though you can hardly see activity due to their size. The whole package comes with everything necessary to get you started, including a quick start guide and two Cat 5 Ethernet cables. This is one of the most complete packages to date, and it retails for around $115-130 on the net, which makes it around $20 cheaper than either of the Linksys or Netgear routers, and nearly $50 cheaper than the comparable Asante router. Remember, too, that the Linksys and Netgear routers do not include a print server, so you have a tremendous value in the Barricade in terms of hardware features.

The SMC Barricade Box & Package

So how does the Barricade compare when you factor in its connectivity features? Not bad – though in that area the router is not as cutting edge as the Linksys, or the Asante routers. Setup of the router is essentially as simple as with any other internet router. The router has the capability to forward ports to specific nodes on your network, but it only forwards single ports, even as of the latest firmware revision (r1.90). Linksys’ last firmware upgrade brought with it port range mapping, and other routers have the same capability as well. Thankfully, this is a firmware based feature, so SMC could introduce a similar feature with future firmware upgrades.

The lack of port range mapping is really the only shortcoming of the router. It features a very standard integrated DHCP server that allows you to specify the beginning and ending ranges of ports to assign. It also features a very robust and relatively intuitive access control system that allows you to selectively block or enable group access to different ports (and thus services). Some routers, such as the Linksys router, allow you to control UDP and TCP ports individually, but the Barricade assumes you specify both. DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) allows full access to a single machine, while the Special Applications feature lets you open up multiple incoming ports upon a specific outgoing trigger. This latter feature allows you to run some programs which send out requests using one port, and receive using different and multiple ports – the last I checked, RealVideo, NetMeeting, and several other specialized applications may require this type of specialized setup.