Motorola SURFboard® Wireless Cable Modem Gateway (SBG900) Reviews

• Solid performer, suprisingly easy

  
  By A347NL5CV4F4F8 on 2006-01-01
  I work in the computer/software industry and am generally critical of the cheap throw-away quality of most electronics. I was nervous about this purchase because I had read two other reviewers mention 1) The Motorola SBG900 allocated two IPs from the broadband provider such as Comcast if you connected more than one computer, and 2) the range was poor. I doubted the first, and I live in a small house for the second.
  
  I have been using a DLINK wireless router for the last 1-1/2 yrs. Reliable but it has a high-pitched hum that is incredibly irritating. I returned the first, only to get another with the same whine, so I figured it was a manufacturing/component flaw. I stuffed it in a corner of the basement to keep from hearing it. This was my experience with my DLINK wireless router, not the Motorola.
  
  So here's what I found re: the Motorola SBG900. Powered it up, Comcast prompted me to download their "installation software" when it detected an unknown cable modem, clicked Yes 5 times, and was on the Internet. Then I configured the wireless portion to match the WEP 128-bit settings from the powered-off DLINK (used the same SSID, Shared Key, etc.), activated the firewall, hid broadcast of the SSID, and both my laptop and desktop connected without a hitch. Even I was surpised. Their wireless NICs are DLINK and Intel, so compatibility wasn't an issue. I never even opened the manual which comes on the CD. I was happy to see a number of WPA (next generation) security options when selecting the encryption mode. However, I didn't bother with that now, but may later, since I'm already on 128-bit WEP. Also the range is the same as my older DLINK, so I'm very content with this purchase. Very happy to reduce the clutter by consolidating devices. Even in the world of MIMO and future technologies, 802.11G (54Mbs) is fine for my needs. I recommend this cable modem.
  
  

• Works like a champ out of the box!

  
  By A2XSQFTS6ZGVO5 on 2005-01-19
  I don't know what the other reviewer did, but this thing works great, right out of the box! It was a no brainer. I traded in a Lynksys modem and Netgear WiFi router. THAT combo wouldn't let me videocam. This Motorola does!
  
  But this Motorola was a much cheaper option, works with Comcast and supports webcams with no additional setup. I'm so glad I got it and HIGHLY recommend it. It's cheaper and takes up less space if you need to purchase both a modem and WiFi router. It was SO easy.
  
  

• Space saver

  
  By A26IEMHUKTFXOP on 2004-11-10
  Why buy modem and router when U can have them both in one box ?? - it`s great space saver :) - i`v got very good signal in every place of my house - even outside. I can strongly recomend this item. Work perfect witch my build in wireles card in my laptop.
  
  
  

• Ideal product. Reasonable price, easy setup, great function.

  
  By AMFELQNU1PTJ8 on 2006-01-11
  Bought this direct from Amazon based on the great price, combo features, and good reviews and was not disappointed. I use mine with an Apple Powerbook. Literally took it out of the box, plugged it into the wall, plugged it into the computer with an ethernet cable, called my cable company with my MAC address, modified some modem settings and activated WEP (as instructed in the pdf manual), disconnected the ethernet cable. and was surfing wirelessly in less than 20 mins. Range is great too in my 1200sqft two story townhome. Three to four bars throughout including my patio out back. Can't comment on further extent of range for those of you living in mansions. Overall, great product.... am very satisfied. Would definitely purchase again.
  
  

• Just OK, needs more features

  
  By A2B5QQJHGXA4G3 on 2006-09-25
  The SBG900 is a decent combination cable modem/wireless router, but it has some shortcomings that may or may not matter to you. There is no WAN uplink, so it can't be used as general gateway unless you are connected to the internet via the cable modem coax. There is only one wired ethernet port, so if you want to connect more than one wired device you'll need another piece of hardware. (There is also a USB-based internet connection, so you might be able to hook up two wired devices but I haven't tried it.) The firmware doesn't support MAC spoofing, which is a pain but not a showstopper for most people. The range is worse than I was expecting: The signal is mediocre from one room away, two rooms it is nearly unusable.
  
  It was very easy to set up. I had it up and running in about 10 minutes, most of which was spent on the phone with comcast to give them the new MAC address. Configuring all the security options was pretty painless as well, and I haven't experienced any dropped connections or other problems since I set it up several days ago.
  
  This unit is great for people who aren't looking for many features and don't need much range. Anyone else may find it lacking.
  
  
• SBG900 instant setup!
  By AW6KXUIBEV9Z1 on 2006-10-07
  I started by calling my internet provider(Cox). Once they registered the correct MAC ID the modem worked almost instantly. I never even opened the CD that came with the modem. I configured the modem from a wired connection on my laptop, including setting up a WEP key, then I was able to set up the wireless connection later. I also have two other computers wirelessly connected. We have a large(>3000sqft colonial) house and one of the pc's is in a family room over the garage at the oposite end of the house. After configuring the keys on those computers they easily connected wirelessly. I walked in every room of our house with the laptop and my connection was 100% at all times. I still plan on attaching my printer to the USB port but don't have the correct cable yet so I can't comment on that aspect.
  
  So far I'm thrilled!
  
  
• great products at reasonable price
  By AXVIUXEF58XCJ on 2006-01-21
  This products works perfectly with my Dell laptop and customer services are helpful. The only catch is actually from my Windows XP operation system: you need to download a patch from Microsoft for the wireless part to work appropriately. Overall, the products works beyond my expectation and after three weeks I have nor have any problem.
  
  
• Very Good Product.. Very Bad Technical Support!!
  By A3SZL8K9FAKSRZ on 2005-10-17
  Have a good range and a good security system..
  I had a small problem when I first recieved it.. it was software-related.. I called the technical support. They were not really helpful.. They suggested to return it to Amazon.com .. I hate that.. I tried to press the very small reset button behind the modem. Every thing went ok.. and it worked as best as new..
  
  
• Great Little Gizmo
  By A54XLOTGBE1MP on 2006-01-18
  Easy to install using provided CD, even for a baby boomer. Faster internet access than with old modem and excellent wireless reception in entire house. Phoned Motorola tech support to change firewall setting and received excellent service. (Their service was more prompt than Comcast was at switching over to the new modem.)
  Have no complaint with this item.
  
  
• Motorola SBG900
  By A1VG3AEWFBR23K on 2007-04-02
  I purchased this device today and feel obliged to write a review as I had used the reviews on this site to make the decision for the purchase. For starters I had a similar experience as most of the other reviewers. To provide a bit of background I was connecting one Macintosh, one PC and a Vonage device to the modem, I use Comcast as my Internet Service Provider(ISP). I am replacing a RCA modem and a Netgear router.
  
  The modem took only a couple of minutes to setup, and similar to one of the other reviewers, I waited for over 15 minutes for registration of the MAC address with Comcast. Once registered I was able to connect instantly with the Macintosh - no issues whatsoever, which I have found to be typical of Apples. I had a bit of difficulty with the PC, not sure why, but the problem literally resolved itself! I suspect this is an issue with my PC, rather than the modem. In any case it works flawlessly now.
  
  I experienced quite a bit of difficulty with the Vonage device and spent about two hours with the tech support. The issue ultimately was the firewall setting on the cable modem. Again, I do not believe this is an issue with the modem but rather an issue that Vonage would likely experience with any device. I believe it was more an issue with poor Vonage tech support.
  
  Here is a quick breakdown:
  
  Benefits: Excellent packaging, ability of one device to take the place of two (router and modem in one), reasonable price, increased speed performance when compared to my previous modem - both in terms of speed and range (which is admittedly a roughly three year old RCA 802.11g model), ability to connect via Ethernet and Universal Serial Bus (USB).
  
  Disadvantages: Would have been nice to have a second Ethernet port, but not really a necessity.
  
  In summary I believe this to be an excellent cable modem and probably the best on the market. The price is reasonable given the functionality and it was great to eliminate the wireless router and accompanying wires.
  
  
• Installation Difficult With Comcast
  By A24QA35EEB7CH7 on 2007-08-04
  I tried installing with with product's installation CD. Was unable to connect to Comcast cable network. Error message stated cable service needed to be activated by my cable company. Called Comcast who couldn't figure out the problem even though "all the lights were lit up". The outlet worked with the cable tv so I know there was no problem with the line. They couldn't get a signal from the modem although the CD showed modem passed all connectivity tests for the computer hardware.
  
  I don't think it is the modem. Instead I think the problem is with Comcast customer support!
  
  
• Just What We Wanted
  By A2BMPRCHC1JHFB on 2007-01-10
  We were looking for a wireless router because we were renting a modem through the cable company for $3/month. We found the SBG900 that could pay for itself in three years. The SBG900 does just what we wanted it for. We both use Macintosh Powerbooks. I used to have to take mine to my wife's study where the connection was. My wife wanted to move around the house to go online wherever she felt comfortable. Now, I can work online in my own study or move around the 2,200 sq. ft. house as my wife does. With Macintosh, setup is a breeze: Call the cable company with the MAC ID, use the ethernet cable once on one computer, that's all. It doesn't interfere with our 2.4 GHz cordless telephone either.
  
  
• Yay, Motorola!
  By A11IJ43V2HUMJ8 on 2005-09-25
  The Motorola SBG900 Wireless Cable Modem Gateway is a cinch to hook up, and get connected, manage your wireless network, etc. It's good - no problems with it either. I have multiple devices and they all hook up nicely. I'm going to buy another SBG900 for my mom since it is easy to hook up and use.
  
  
• I love this item
  By AT8PEGF2XX3R4 on 2005-12-30
  I love this Motorola Product. I bought it after returning a Lynksis router. I love the space and clutter savings by combining the modem. It installed the first time with ease. The user interface is intuitive and easy. It links right up to my 802.11B Sony Vaio and my DLink 520 802.11G PCI card in my PC. I was pleased with how easy it was to get up and running and to change the settings on. I will be a Motorola customer for years if all their products are this good. Thanks Motorola
  
  
• Motorola SBG900: Excellent product so far
  By A2VH43VJ0PQM98 on 2006-09-24
  I just bought this excellent product! So far, it's working as advertised. We use it with my housemates - 1 desktop connected via ethernet cable, and 4 wireless laptops, one of which is more than >4 yr old thinkpad. It worked so fast without any prolem. Their technical support helped me in setting-up the wireless network via phone conversation without any waiting time.
  
  Thanks for customer reviews from amazon, I get a glimpse on the actual experience of those who bought it ahead of me.
  
  I will write a review again if I find a problem on this unit, which I hope I would not.
  
  Edited: 25 Dec 06
  i commented on this product after 1 wk of using it, and now it's almost 4 months and still i'm impressed with it. one review said that the range is not good, but i beg to disagree. it worked even when i'm on the yard and 5 apartment units from where i installed it and there is no degradation in quality. even when i use it simulatneously with my laptop, desktop, 3 housemates and 2 visitors, there seems to be no change on its performance.
  
  i even created a local area network on my computers, and oh boy, it's so fast, i read/write on my next computer wirelessly but as if i'm using my local hard disk when i read/write gigabytes of files on my 2 computers. because of it, i don't need an external HDD to backup my data.
  
  the LAN works impressively even when there is power outage in my internet service provider.
  
  i usually don't write review on other products unless i'm extrement disappointed or impressed. i think it's unfair if i don't share my very satisfactory experience with this product.
  
  
• Product performs as described
  By A2MPKAGFZ1CF56 on 2007-05-26
  A very cool product in more ways than one. First, the user guide on the cd is very comprehensive, and should address just about any problem. Setup was smooth, with a short software install. As soon as I gained a connection through my provider, I went into the setup menu on the modem and changed the passwords, enabled security and firewalls, and setup the network. It was configured and working in less than 30 minutes. The best part, is the modem plus router in one unit. No more wires and plugs around the desk. The unit is actually in the basement where the cable coax comes in the house. No need to even have it in the office. The signal strength is good, as my neighbor several hundred feet away detected my network, (but could not log on because of the WPA passkey security settings). I later disabled the broadcast of my network name in the modem settings, so it doesn't show up if someone searches for all available networks. The price is a little higher, but remember the 2 in 1 feature, and less wires and plugs. I am very pleased with this product and would recommend this product to anyone, especially the first time wireless users such as myself.
  
  
• total CRAP so far
  By A1K7UR1PGQX8CH on 2006-04-19
  i've had this about a week, it works great unless i have too many programs open at the same time. i use emule, bitcomet, and about 4 chat programs and i guess that overloads it & it disconnects.. my old wired-modem NEVER disconnected.. heck even dialup didnt do this.. im very disappointed i was looking forward to getting that 100-foot network cable out of my floor, but i think i might have to drag it back out.
  
  
• After 2 years and many laptops this is still a great product.
  By A3NDEZSQ7Q5G64 on 2006-09-06
  I have had this cable modem/wireless router for over two years. I went back to school and have hosted many study group sessions in my home where we were all connected to the internet through this router with no issues. I have used my work and two diffent personal laptops with this router and only had one issue.....I could not get connected to the internet after a bad thunder storm recently. I disconnected the power and the cable, waited a minute then reconnected them and all was good with the www again. As for the signal.....I have a great signal in all rooms of my home and out in the yard. I have an RV parked in my driveway and I can even get a great signal out there. (It is a nice quiet place to work and study.)
  
  I highly recoment this product.
  
  
• Amazing combination.
  By A28Y90PASK5P2D on 2006-09-30
  This is a great combination of Cable modem and Wireless router. It takes up so little space compared to having them separately. If you're using comcast you will need to call up the customer executive to get its mac id added to your account. But installation takes only 10 mins and it runs smoothly. Also its software for changing preferences and firewall settings is one of the best I've seen. For a little more or just the same amount of cost as a wireless router and modem, you can buy it in one.
  
  100% recommended!!
  
  
• Easy setup and great value
  By AI9F1J08J6J47 on 2007-02-28
  I have a Windows XP Desktop, an HP Photosmart All-in-One C5180 Printer (with Ethernet Networking capability) and a new Laptop with Windows Vista.
  
  I installed the modem software on my desktop and the CD walks you thrugh the setup step by step. I have the printer plugged into the Ethernet port, my computer plugged into the USB Port and my laptop came with a wireless card. Now I have a wireless internet and printing capabilities on my laptop with a network setup, all with one piece of equipment!
  
  So far the modem has performed beautifully. The firewall setup is controlled online. Just make sure your firewall does not prevent current and future software installations.
  
  Overall a great buy.
  
  
• Decent product with a few short-comings
  By A1NIAZGBDVXB0Y on 2007-06-10
  Overall, this is a pretty decent AIO (all-in-one) product. Some things you need to be aware of is that the cable modem portion of this does require a stronger signal than just a regular stand-alone surfboard cable modem. Also, you are required to use its DHCP built-in server, whether you like it or not. You can set static IPs within the settings if you wish though. There are a number of tweaks you can do with this and some areas could be more robust, such as with the wireless security, but in general it is a decent product for a home user.
  
  
• From a Mac User
  By AUG3ORU3MMEXS on 2007-07-09
  The product works great. My only complaint is small. The user "book" for the product comes on a cd which I could not get to run on my Mac. The cd was intended for a PC and includes the driver for a PC which my Mac didn't need. Therefore I had to figure out how to change the settings on my own so it's a secure network. Not a big deal for me but if you are not very computer literate it may be more difficult.
  
  
• Great item!
  By AN235TBBL6NJX on 2008-02-22
  I recently switched from DSL to Cable and asked the cable company to supply the modem. Since my DSL modem had a router installed for both wireless and wired use, I "assumed" that the Cable modem would as well. It did not and I would have had to pay monthly rent on it plus go out and buy a router.
  
  I did some research and found that there was a combination product and order this. It works great and solves the issue of having two devices doing the job.
  
  The installer that came from the cable company was impressed and said he couldn't understand why they didn't offer this item. It's been in about 6 weeks now and I have no issue at all with it.
  
  I would recommend this to anyone having the same needs.
  
  
  
• Motorola again
  By ARG5WUIY7S4NY on 2006-09-03
  I had a SBG1000 for the past three years. It was an excellent unit, but since Cox rolled out DOCIS 2.0, I wanted the extra speed. I first tried a Linksys WCG200, but that unit has significant problems with mild traffic rates and rebooting (see Linksys support forums for more tales of woe.) I went back to Motorola in the 900 and have been good to go since. I especially like the fact that the unit does not have to be rebooted to effect changes like the 1000 did. I also agree with a previous review Motorola support is good, vs. Linksys. I do miss the sleek form factor of of the 1000; the 900 looks like something from the Jetson's bookcase.
  
  
• motorola comes through again
  By A1XDMOZT88ZVY1 on 2006-09-16
  I am using a SBG900 SurfBoard cable modem with my wireless ready laptop.it's so easy to use I just clicked I accept to cableone start page that's it nothing to program no cd-roms to run I never even opened the user guide.I truely enjoy it.
  
  
• Perfect Hardware, but Tricky to Use Software
  By A1CNPZ80JR29Z8 on 2006-11-10
  The hardware and associated software have functioned flawlessly. However, the software security settings required a tech support email and a phone call. The default firewall setting blocked most Internet radio channels and several automatic services such as Microsoft Windows Internet time.
  
  
• No Brainer
  By A2IZWA1A5EGY2Q on 2007-01-09
  This is an easy-to-use device that works almost as soon as the broadband connection is screwed in. It has a great range and the wireless/modem combo saves space while conveniently merging two abilities into one. I'm surprised there are not more gateways on the market.
  
  
• Two products in one and behaves like a charm!
  By A3Q5AA4PMIQG3V on 2007-03-21
  I have Comcast for IP provider and had a Linksys Wirelss G router - trying to pair with a DLink cable modem. It would not work and I had more headaches that anything. I know it was not the Linksys product since it had worked with a rented Motorola modem just fine. After too many problems to discuss, I gave up - ordered this product and have a perfectly working, EASY TO CONFIGURE wireless network. Thanks - I should have done this ages ago!
  
  
• Works as a charm
  By A2K5KPXVRN2CPP on 2007-05-14
  The Gateway needs almost no configuration, you can just plug it in, and works, takes a few minutes to auto detect the frecuency it the cable network, then u just need to change some configuration, to match your preferences mostly.
  
  Wireless has a pretty descent range, u can have a computer conected via USB and use the network port to other computer/switch.
  
  Im very pleased with the product, works fast, reliable, easy configuration, and saves the use of a modem and a gateway, you can have it in the same, and if u need more than 2 computers (network and usb) you can use a switch.
  
  
• Works Perfectly. What More Can You Ask For?
  By A20DN94ADJKE06 on 2007-10-23
  My first experience with a home wireless network was with the Linksys Wireless G Gateway (WCG200). THAT was a depressing ordeal. Getting Comcast to recognize it was a nightmare, and it dropped connections constantly. I returned it and got the Motorola SBG900.
  
  Talk about night and day. The SBG900 setup was incredibly simple. Getting Comcast to recognize it just required a quick phone call. It's been running perfectly since I got it last week. I have an XBox360 connected via ethernet, and a PC about 10 meters away that's connected via a wireless card. I've watched streaming videos on my PC and played XBox Live on the 360, so it's pretty safe to say that I've stress tested the modem. I haven't run into any problems yet.
  
  Are there any downsides? Well, one thing to keep in mind is that you WILL need to physically connect your PC to the Gateway in order to set it up initially. It is also recommended that you configure the security settings via a physically connected computer. If you have a laptop, that's not a problem. But if you have a desktop, you may need to lug it across your home in order to configure the modem for the first time. This isn't a *huge* issue, but just keep in mind that your 5-minute install might turn into a 30-minute install. (By the way, the modem comes with a CD that automatically walks you through the install process).
  
  Overall, I'm very pleased with the performance of this device. My life would have been simpler if I bought it to begin with.
  
  
  

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