ZyXEL C1100Z VDSL2 Wireless Modem Router - 802.11n WiFi, 4-Port Gigabit Ethernet for CenturyLink | High-Speed Internet Gateway for Home & Small Office Networking

Perfection! This router exceeded my expectations thus far.Setting up my older internet router was not fun nor quick. Far from it. I spent hours troubleshooting and then finally talking with a CenturyLink service rep. From this experience, I was apprehensive about putting down $150 for a new router. The main problem with my old router (Netgear product) was because it wasn't supported by CenturyLink and some time ago this Netgear router won't let newer computers and phones connect to the WIFI network (Ethernet worked fine). The Netgear router had at least two good features, which I can't seem to find on this Zyxel C1100Z router (maybe not yet?), which is creating a guest network and wireless isolation.Now, let's get to the Zyxel C1100Z: This router/modem came in a 10" by 10" by 2.5" box with the CenturyLink logo. There were CenturyLink logos and color throughout on the inside, so this looked like it could have come from CenturyLink itself. So far a good sign.The installation was simple and easy in 7 steps. Basically, I plugged the router into my DSL line and all the PPP username and password setup and internet settings was done automatically by CenturyLink. Done under 30 minutes. You can also change your admin username and password for the router.Compare to my last experience, I was very happy. Afterward, I still had to update the computers around the house to the new WIFI network. I was able to connect computers and phone to the Zyxel’s WIFI that the old router did not accept. Note: this could be due the unsupported nature between Netgear and CenturyLink and not the actual Netgear router.One unexpected snag was when I tried to use MAC authentication on this Zyxel router which did not work at first. A couple of hours spanning several days were sunk into researching why it wasn't working, but no solution came up. CenturyLink website didn't help either and just showed instructions on how to do the MAC authentication for the router. I was about to deduct a star for this review, when I had the revelation of updating the firmware to CZW002-4.12.009.0 and the MAC authentication works! Moral of the story: update your router’s firmware.In the end, a good buy and a good setup experience.