GlobeSurfer III review

Review: GSIII Gateway (router/modem combination) from Option Wireless 

This little gateway has some very impressive performance.  Option was good enough to send us a couple of engineering samples of their new Globesurfer III combination router and modem.   Compatible with HSDPA 7.2 and HSUPA 5.76, this device is unlike anything we have ever reviewed.   Similar in concept to the upcoming small MiFi devices from Novatel, the GS3 as we call it, is larger, without battery, and has two Ethernet LAN ports, a USB port, as well as WiFi.

 Once you slip your SIM into this device and plug in the power, it begins negotiating a connection and setting up shop.   We used an AT&T SIM from a loaner modem we had been testing, and we were immediately impressed.   Within 90 seconds the device had authenticated, and was up and running.   The handy little (~1” X 1”) color display window showed “AT&T” and “Connected HSDPA”.   There is a little “easel” door on the back of the unit to keep it standing up at an angle, the unit is also equipped with two keyhole slots to allow wall mounting.  

First thing we tried was a quick Speedtest.net test, and I was impressed, almost 3MB down on the first test, and ping just under 200ms.  This was almost double the speeds we had just experienced with the same SIM in an Option GTMAX modem.   In all fairness though, the GT MAX was oriented horizontally, and plugged into a Cradlepoint MBR1000 router, while the GS3 was almost vertical sitting on top of the Cradlepoint.  

After connecting to the Wifi, we spent some time in the Admin section of the gateway, and found it colorful, very easily navigable, and sensibly laid out.   This is a very capable little device, with integrated Print and File Server, oh and did we mention the RJ11 phone port?  That’s right, you can plug in just about any analog telephone to the standard POTS jack and away you go.  If your SIM does not have a voice plan, this may affect your cellular billing (this is NOT voice over IP), we recommend extreme caution.  When testing with a SIM not provisioned for voice on AT&T, we got a recording saying the call was not allowed.

After a day at the office, I took the unit home to give it a real test!   My kids were impressed, and so was I.  Wifi range on G-band was every bit as good as the Kyocera KR2 we had been using, given the internal antenna system this was extra impressive.  We did find that both Wifi range and incoming signal strength were much greater with the device standing up, laying it down took our signal strength reading from -68dbm to a -81dbm.  It seemed also that laying down cost us at least 50 ft of Wifi range as well. 

We put the unit through it’s paces, and it performed admirably.  On occasion the unit would switch to UMTS and operate somewhat slower, but still very acceptable for the area we are in.  The small display goes into screen saver mode and displays the time of day after about 60 seconds, but pushing the right button displays the status once again.  It would be nice if it flashed a status screen for a couple of seconds every minute or two.  

HIGHS: USB Output with built in Print or File Server.  Although we didn’t test them a very handy idea.  POTS jack for analog telephone, again we didn’t get a chance to test, but a great idea.  Reasonably priced considering you are buying a router and modem combined.

LOWS:  The easel stand that pivots out of the back of the unit is so narrow that it lends very little stability to the unit, particularly when you connect a couple of Ethernet cables to it.  The two Ethernet ports are so close together that fitting a couple of fat cables is a challenge, buy cables with skinny ends. 

OVERALL:  A great unit with many advanced features, but simple to operate.  With a price point below $300 we expect it to be a popular unit.
Watch this space, we will get a chance to try out more of the functions of this little beauty once we see production models.  

-MTF