D-link DI-804HV Router

The DI-804HV has been replaced by D-Link (with the pricier DIR-130, typically about $90) -- which is too bad, because this was a great little router!

With an original sales price of around $60-$65, this little guy could support multiple site-to-site VPN connections easily & seamlessly. Of 5 I had deployed, only one ever had any problems (its VPN engine would lock up, forcing the remote site to reboot the router to regain VPN access. Curiously, they would NOT lose Internet access, just the VPN).

I never tried to make VPN connections with other types of routers (I learned my lesson a long time ago with Linksys equipment -- for VPNs, I now use a sole-source, and if possible, keep the exact make & model on hand for replacements!), but between DI-804HV boxes, this little guy was a trooper!

Setup can be a little daunting, as the setup menus were not particularly straightforward -- but once you get the hang of it (assuming you're reasonably Net-Savvy), it's not all that hard to understand (face it, there ARE too many possible options to make the interface THAT much easier to use!), but more importantly, you can export & import the settings to make subsequent configurations easier.

BTW: In my environment, I kept a main office connected to 3 satellite offices. The main office & 2 of the satellite offices had static IP's (making it suitable for both ends to actively attempt to keep the connection up), and the 3rd was on a DSL with dynamic IP (meaning it always had to initiate the VPN connection). The latter was admittedly (and predictably) less stable than the others, but all were generally worry-free.

I wish there was another product this strong at the $50-$60 price level, but alas my search for replacement has so-far been unsuccessful.