Aztech DSL5028EN (2T2R) ADSL2+ modem review

There are several reasons why one will change the TMnet provided ADSL modem to a third party modem. It’s either your modem is broken or you have outgrown the default modem and found it insufficient in terms of performance and features. I’ve read lots of people ranting on Facebook about the TMnet modem which frequently disconnects after long usage and does not offer features like port forwarding and many more important functions.

I have the Aztech DSL5028EN (2T2R); a ADSL2+ 300Mbps modem router courtesy of Aztech Malaysia and this is my review and opinion about the product.

Appearance

The Aztech DSL5028EN comes in a fairly small package which is the first sign that the product might be small to. First thing that I noticed is “One to one swap, 2 years warranty” and “TM Approved for Streamyx”, I’m not excited about the TM approval but the one to one swap warranty is something that really piqued my interest.

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Features and specification of the Aztech DSL5028EN is printed on the back of the box. Opening the box we have the Aztech DSL5028EN and the power adapter itself, a resource CD that contains two PDF files in it, a warranty sheet, a guidebook, a RJ11 and RJ45 cable also a DSL splitter.

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The Aztech DSL5028EN itself is a fairly small modem compared to its competitors and for me the most interesting part is the DSL splitter design which is so much better than the rest.

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Specification

The Aztech DSL5028EN is an ADSL2+ modem. For your information, ADSL+ supports up to 20Mbs downstream but unfortunately TMnet only offers packages up to 8Mbs.

The Aztech DSL5028EN packs 300Mbps WiFi connectivity which is essential for home use. Four 100Mbs Ethernet ports, a telephone port and a single USB 2.0 port that only supports printers. We have a WPS button, on/off switch and a tiny hole for reset button to revert to factory default setting. On the front there isn’t much to talk about as there are only the LED indicators.

User Interface

The Aztech DSL5028EN user interface is as user friendly as I expected in previous news article about this modem. Configuring this modem should be a piece of cake even for beginners.

Username Setup

To have the internet connectivity first you have to setup your ISP username. There are two ways to configure it, either using Quick Start for normal user or advanced setup for more control. In the video below I will show you both methods and also ran a Speedtest. Since the TMnet DSL terminal exchange is very near to my residential area, 8MBs downstream or above is my normal speed while for the upstream 0.4Mbs or above is acceptable. The Aztech DSL5028EN shows me a healthy Speedtest result.

Wireless WiFi setup

Now we have internet connectivity but we must secure the wireless connection from unauthorized access. Pick your own SSID name and Pre-shared key as the password, and then follow as my video below to ensure a secure wireless connectivity. Only share the password to the people you want to give the network access.

DNS setting

DNS settings are also an important thing to configure. As default the Aztech DSL5028EN is using TMnet default DNS addresses which works fine but if you have your own preferred DNS address, like I do, then this is the way to change it. You can use Google DNS too, but in this video I’m using Symantec DNS address.

Port Forwarding

Many of people might think that you only need to setup port forwarding for torrents or P2P downloads. Basically this is a feature that is locked in most provided TMnet modems. Port forwarding is not only for torrent, but it’s also used for multiplayer online games to get better connectivity between you and the server. Before you setup port forwarding please make sure that you enabled the port number in Windows firewall or just disable it. In my case I wondered why this modem can’t port forward at first, and I even got in touch with Aztech support, but after I did another inspection I noticed that my latest Windows 10 TH2 updates has re-enabled the Windows firewall, so please make sure you check the firewall settings first. The setup is a breeze as shown as the video below.

Parental Control

This might be a useful tool for parents who wants to control their child internet usage. This tool allows you to block any listed website within a pre-determined of time. In the video below I also demo-ed how it works. Configuring it is also easier than you might think.

Performance

The Aztech DSL5028EN does its job very well. I do remember one of the rants on Facebook saying that their default modem will be disconnected after several hours of usage but the Aztech DSL5028EN is totally fine. During my month-long test period, I never turned off the Aztech DSL5028EN, I let it run 24/7 like I usually do with my modem and it did not even get disconnected once.

About the USB port on the Aztech DSL5028EN, actually it’s only for printers but I don’t have any printer to try it. Even if the Aztech DSL5028EN could support USB storage I don’t think that you can use it to stream media from it. From my experience you need at least an USB 3.0 port, Gigabit Ethernet port or 5.0 Ghz wireless network for smooth media consumption. Trust me; I have experienced laggy video moments when streaming high bit-rate anime with the D-Link DSL-2750E.

I hope Aztech improves the parental control setting. Currently you are only able to block only a single site; I hope that Aztech will release a new firmware that enables a list of at least 10 sites for better control.

The wireless coverage is good and well spread as my other 300Mbs modem, I still can access my WiFi access point even if I’m about 50 meters from home. The wireless coverage also depends on your house construction, so please don’t use my result as your benchmark.

Conclusion

The Aztech DSL5028EN is faultless, it perform very well and have no disconnectivity issues during my test. All I need is a good SysRestart after downloading a huge torrent file to refresh new IP addresses. It happens to my other router too, with Streamyx I also recommend you to first restart the modem if you are experiencing slow connection. If it still happens please contact 100 or just twit them on twitter to reset your ADSL port.

The Aztech DSL5028EN come with 2 years one to one swap warranty policy and is priced at RM89, inclusive of GST. It is a fairly cheap modem with decent features. Compared to the default TMnet modem, the Aztech DSL5028EN is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. I award it Pokde Bronze award and I would like to thank Aztech Malaysia for providing me with the Aztech DSL5028EN.