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Download Torrents With Your PC Turned Off

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the building-your-hardware-with-steroids dept.

Mr.Tweak writes to tell us that they have a review posted of a new wireless router from ASUS. What sets this router apart from others is that in addition to being a wireless router/gateway is that it also functions as a thin client system with a pre-installed 160 GB IDE drive (no SATA support sorry) and three USB 2.0 ports for peripherals. If you happen to use one of those USB ports for another drive the router will also support RAID 0 and 1, quite a bit more than the average router.

4 of 318 comments (clear)

  1. Power consumption? by slapyslapslap · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have to assume that power consumption is going to go up to power this thing. If I was turning off my PC to save power, I don't think I'd want this thing.

  2. Re:Why not just use a computer? by ForestGrump · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Because I'm afraid of having my data compromised.

    I use the router to interface with the interweb for what I need.

    Firstly, I script what I want the router to send/get. then I disconnect my computer, connect the wAN side of the router to the interweb. When the script is done, I disconnect the WAN side of the router, connect my computer to the router and copy off the router HDD. Sure it's a pain in the butt, but what am I to do? live without the interweb?

    Grump.

    -------
    This message uploaded to you by ASUS WL-700gE router using Interweb interface 3.02

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    --
    Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
  3. Re:Smoothwall anyone? by NetRAVEN5000 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How do you install any of those on a ROUTER?

    The beauty of this ROUTER is that you don't need to leave a PC on for your downloads anymore. Or, at least you can leave your PC's cycles to do something else, be it gaming, Folding@Home, or whatever else.

    Not only that, but now you don't need to run your fileserver AND your Web server, since it's got a built-in fileserver and Web server. It also has a print server if you've got PCs dedicated for that.

    Your router needs to be on anyways, so. . .

    --
    www.linuxpenguin.net
  4. This device needs a killer app: Skype by Dr.+Spork · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Seriously, I'm sure the processor in that router is strong enough to handle Skype. Just put a radio transmitter on it and bundle two wireless handsets , and you get what lots of people wish for: Skype without a running computer! (Maybe it should also plug into a regular phone socket so you can use your old phones.)

    Here's why it makes sense to do this on a router:

    For one thing, everyone's router is always on, so there is nothing extra in the house sucking power. Maybe more relevant: The router, when Skype is being used, can be set to automatically throttle back the up/down bandwith that it's passing to connected computers (or using for its own bittorrent). This helps prevent degradation of Skype quality. And third, this would be totally simple - just plug in the router, tell it your Skype login/pass, and all your contacts are imported (Skype itself stores those things).

    The effect with SkypeIn would essentially be: Vonage without the fees (or for $30/year for SkypeIn)... no, better, because Vonage sounds like crap when I'm using unthrotteled bittorrent. This would justify the price of the hardware, and if the manufacturer could keep the costs low, it would also be very good for Skype/eBay and its userbase. Maybe Ebay could subsidize the costs a bit, and offer free SkypeIn for a year, since anyone who buys this will also probably buy SkypeOut minutes eventually.