4. 2930n Hardware and Architecture

The Draytek Vigor 2930n offers a nice mix of hardware and functions. Rather than running Linux, the unit uses the real-time VxWorks environment. It also uses an Intel IXP422 network processor with wired and wireless capabilities, built around the Xscale core. This chip is best described as a fifth-generation 266-MHz ARM processor. The 2930n includes 8 MB of Samsung flash ROM for boot up and operating instructions, plus 64 MB of Samsung SDRAM for runtime workspace.

Its Ethernet LAN ports use an IC+ IP175C five-port 10/100 Ethernet switch to support four Ethernet LAN ports and to exchange data with the two WAN ports (both of which attach to a fifth Ethernet port to link the WAN and LAN sides of this device to a wireless network interconnect).

Unfortunately, the 2930’s wireless module uses an RF shield that blocked out its wireless interface part numbers, which the vendor would not disclose. That said, careful comparison with other products convinces us it’s an Ralink Draft 11n daughterboard that incorporates an RT2860T (the package of which is visible) along with an RT2820L (also visible). The 2930n offers decent wireless networking performance with bandwidth that is close to its 100-Mbps hard-wired Ethernet ports (but wireless bandwidth is shared, not switched).