Arris SBX-AC1200P SURFboard Wireless Network Extender with RipCurrent Reviewed

[thiggins]

Arris' SBX-AC1200P SURFboard Wireless Network Extender with RipCurrent is a nice little powerline-connected Wi-Fi extender, but trapped in a G.hn world.

Read on SmallNetBuilder

 

[Nathaniel Sbar]

One thing from your review that's missing and I'm somewhat curious about. Did you do any testing of the Arris and Comtrend products to see if they're compatible with each other? It would be interesting to know if g.hn is doing a better job if enforcing a standard than homeplug.

 

[sfx2000]

It interesting, but I think that the RipCurrent products need to be seen as a system solution, rather than individual components - and there it makes a lot of sense to be honest - this is different from the mesh solutions delivered by some startups and SOHO players.

And this tells the future perhaps - the RipCurrent Router at the moment is a customer owned device - but if you view this as a managed services device offered by the incumbent operator, it makes a lot more sense, considering Arris' expertise and experience in that market sector... and that's why they need to be seen as a whole-home solution, not as individual components.

SDN/NFV is getting ever closer to the home...

Consultants need to get up to speed here.

#greybeards

 

[thiggins]

One thing from your review that's missing and I'm somewhat curious about. Did you do any testing of the Arris and Comtrend products to see if they're compatible with each other? It would be interesting to know if g.hn is doing a better job if enforcing a standard than homeplug.

No I didn't. What HomePlug compatibility problems are you referring to?

 

[Nathaniel Sbar]

I've read some articles around that state that when you mix homeplug adapters from different vendors, and not just ones with different chipsets, speeds plummet. I can't find the references on a quick search, so I'm just relying on memory to make that claim. When it comes to g.hn, pcmag has a review that describes Arris's Ripcurrent as a proprietary version of g.hn. I've been getting the impression that mixing and matching within either standard isn't a good idea. That, and the fact that there's finally two g.hn vendors made me curious as to which standard is further behind in vendor interoperability and not just on network performance.

 

[YongPak]

I am new to the forum and I have a question for this type of product.
I saw the review but it seems review based on use Arris router to SBX-AC1200P.
Does this product work when you use own router to 2 SBX-AC1200P?
The setup will looks like this..
internet <--> Any router <---> SBX-100P or SBX-AC1200P <--power line --> SBX-AC1200P

Or do I need to buy Arris router?

 

[thiggins]

Yes, you can use an SBX-1000P connected to your current router's LAN port to form the G.hn connection for the SBX-AC1200P.