HERE IS HOW THIS THING WORKS:

It gives you TWO options. First is to turn a wired network into a wireless network (this thing will operate as a Wireless Access Point, or WAP). Second is to turn a mobile USB modem into a wireless network (this thing will operate as a wireless router).

In the first instance, say you're on vacation and your hotel offers in-room WIRED internet, but not wireless (yes, this still exists in some hotels). You plug this thing into their WIRED connection, and with a little bit of configuration, you now have WIRELESS internet.

In the second instance, say you have a mobile USB modem (such as: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5632). You would plug the USB modem into your computer and have internet on just that computer. With this thing, you can plug the USB modem into it and with a little bit of configuration, you will then have WIRELESS internet for multiple devices.

@gilfilent - No, you can't put a sim in. If this is the same as the nifty Cradlepoint I just got from Amazon (for about the same price), then you have to have a device with a radio. I use an ancient USBConnect 881. My SIM goes in the USB 3G aircard, the aircard goes into this thing's USB port, and it shares the 3G connection over wifi.

Oh, and it's Mac compatible :)

Yeah, I could plug the 3G card into my Mac and share it out via the Mac's wifi, but somehow this seems cooler.

a mobile device need a mobile wireless to make it wireless so it can be mobile whatttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is this DD-Wrt or Open-Wrt comparable?

This would be fun to turn into a Pineapple.

Anyone know if this can be used as a wireless repeater? Can I extend my current wifi without wires?

I have an old 3Com travel router similar to this ZyXEL unit. It's handy when you're in a hotel that has wired, but not wireless, Internet. Or has WiFi, but the signal in your room is weak, or is slow (802.11b).

If you have a 3G USB device and want to share the connection with multiple computers, it does that, too. But only for specific USB devices. See the ZyXEL supported list here: http://us.zyxel.com/creative/3G/

Hmm, could I plug my Android phone into this, enable USB tethering, and it function in the same manner as a 3/4G modem...?

(Granted, if USB tethering is enabled on your phone, generally mobile hotspot is enabled as well, obviating the need for that function of this device. But still, I'm curious.)

Basically this turns your usb device from your cell phone company into a hotspot. If you don't have a cell phone that can do this for $30 bucks a month extra, this might make sense.

@mrln: "It's also only $40 here without a contract."

Of course it doesn't have a contract. It's essentially a wireless router with a USB port. It doesn't offer any internet connection on its own; it just uses one you already have and broadcasts it wirelessly if you have the right device to plug in to it.

@djames42: Yeah I know, it's not very mobile IMO, other than being small.

For me mobile is easy to tote around and i can put a sim in it.

If you can't figure out how you would use this, then it probably isn't for you.

That does not, however, mean that it won't be useful to other people. I know that's hard to believe for some people, but it's true.

Bit surprised a fair number of posters are having difficulty understanding what this is, given sellout sold a lesser model of these earlier and most people were impressed with that model.

In addition to what @chriscclark01 said, this also has a built in battery so it can supposedly handle electrical outages, as well as makes it mobile when there is no electricity available.

Further, it has failover if you set it up, so if your main wires connection goes down, it switches automatically to wireless. If I recall from when the 211 was offered, given the 222 has 2 wired ethernet, it gives the option of failing over both wireless and LAN.

It also does quotas.

These were about $300 a little over a year ago, and go for about $120 now. They are good for trade shows, setting up in places without wireless, and yes, you can do these things with a smartphone, but not everyone has a smartphone or wants one. It's also only $40 here without a contract.

So, does this thing have a 3G connection in it? I don't see any specs on GSM or CDMA....?

I'm in. Been looking for a portable wireless access point for hotels, and this has additional functionality that could be useful to my travel mates.

I have the step-down version of the (Model MWR-211, looks the same just 1 ethernet port instead of 2) and it work(ed) great with my Verizon 3G card. I used it alot for travel to turn hotel wired internet into wireless for my iPad/droid tablets. My version, you had to use the GUI to switch ethernet port between WAN/LAN (ie. input/output), this version appears to have dedicated WAN & LAN ports. The battery lasts approx 1.5 - 2 hrs.

I upgraded to a Verizon 3G/4G aircard, that's when it became a pain in the ass. The unit would not work. Zyxel documentation instructed me to lock my aircard into either 3G OR 4G mode, then in order to connect, I had to log into the router, dig through the GUI menus, select either 3G or 4G (the auto selection would not work) then hit connect. I had to this each time I turn the unit on. Even then, it was 50/50 on whether it would connect. My Cradlepoint CTR-35 (no battery) works great with both aircards. Zyxel needs better firmware b4 I'd buy this

@epsilon519: I don't think DD-WRT is possible. I've got an MWR-211 from a previous Woot! and it's a handy device to have in my kit bag, but I haven't been able to get it on the DD-WRT firmware.

Why would I want this instead of a cradlepoint or other travel router? I get what it does, but wonder how effective the firmware is compared to other devices, especially ones that can use wrt-based firmware?

Has anyone successfully used one of these with any phone?

I have a Blackberry Storm2 with a (usb-only) tethering plan, but no idea if this will treat my phone as a modem, enter device password (which I cannot disable), etc. It would be nice to have a hotspot, which my phone does not offer.

@spudly12: no

@kimbee27: Your Mi-Fi is doing basically the same thing as this but without the features of having the ability of disabling the Verizon data and using a wired ethernet connection wirelessly. This also performs faster than the Mi-Fi Hot Spot.

@jeffvan49 - This unit should work for your Xbox360. It can act as a wireless bridge, e.g. it can take home/hotel WIRELESS internet, and convert it to WIRED internet (which in turn you plug your Xbox into).

It can also take WIRED internet (e.g. hotel internet) and convert it to WIRELESS. Not a big deal, since any home router can do that, but this unit has a small form factor (smaller than my wallet) and is great for travel.

I also use it to give my WiFi-only iPad & android tablet internet when used with my Verizon USB aircard. I've used it at meetings to throw up instant WiFi in places where WiFi isn't available/free. The battery is handy when power isn't available (e.g. soccer field, public transit, etc).

@demonicgman: I've used my MWR211 for almost 2+ hrs on battery power. Not sure about other reviews, but 2+ hours what the manufacturer advertises and it that's based on using an aircard, signal strength will cause some variance on run time, just like using a cell phone.

@spudly12: Pretty sure no. The 1 USB port seems to be for specialty stuff as noted in the description (they could but they don't do phone tethering from what I've seen and read). The other USB port is for the 3G modems that are USB capable.

http://us.zyxel.com/Products/details.aspx?PC1IndexFlag=PDCA200920&CategoryGroupNo=PDCA200927

http://us.zyxel.com/creative/3G/

These are really used for the USB cell stick modems and services like Clear (not sure if Clear still has USB modems except on the used/ebay market).

@bdoug399: Wow, talk about selectively quoting someone's post out of context. Read the discussion to that point before you mince someone's words. Nothing "of course" about it to those that are/were having difficulty understanding what this is. At least 2 people asked if this had a SIM or other carrier lock, and others about this versus a smartphone. It's a correct statement and important to point out. The device is independent of the carrier, can work alone as a regular router, but it also works with many carrier specific data modem sticks that require plans.

i fail to understand this products value... It seems your buying a cute little router that costs forty bucks as opposed to paying twenty bucks for a bigger one.