Jan 13

Verizon Westell 7500 Modem Router

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Picture of Westell 7500 Modem

Verizon Westell 7500

The Westell 7500 wireless router is a great choice for Verizon DSL highspeed internet subscribers. Westell has a longstanding tradition of providing the highest quality DSL modems and wireless routers and the 7500 model is certainly no exception to this. This modem/router is ideal for anyone who wants to connect more than one computer up to their broadband internet connection.

The Westell 7500 is compatible with many different computers running almost any operating system you could imagine. This particular modem has a built in wireless router which makes connecting to your DSL internet a breeze. You won’t even need to deal with having both a DSL modem and a wireless internet router as this device is both in one.

Some people may wonder if they can use the 7500 Westell as a modem alone and connect a different router, possibly one with a faster wireless connection or more range. The simple answer to this is yes, you can. You can certainly use any wireless router you’d like with this DSL modem. Or you can simply use the built-in wireless feature to connect as many devices to the internet as you would like.

Westell 7500 Specs

  • Wireless Connections – Compatible with 802.11b up to 802.11n.
  • Antennas – 2 adjustable antennas to provide you with the best possible signal.
  • Encryption – Fully compatible with WPAv1 and WEP data encryption standards for secure wireless browsing.
  • Network Features – DHCP, Firewall and USB connection
  • Ethernet – 4 ports set to 10/100 auto detect for wired Ethernet applications.
  • Physical Dimensions – 1.3 x 7 x 4.9 inches

Westell 7500 Price

The Verizon Westell 7500 wireless DSL modem/router combo normally retails for around $60. You won’t have to pay $60 if you want one though. You can find them used on amazon or ebay for around $20 to $30, less than half of what you’d pay to buy one of these modem routers new.

Buying your own DSL modem router to connect to your broadband internet connection can save you money every month on your internet bill. Verizon typically charges a monthly fee to lease their customer premise equipment. For what you’d pay Verizon to lease this modem for a few months you could own one of your very own.

The only downside to this is that if anything ever happens to your Westell 7500 and it isn’t owned by Verizon you will have to replace it yourself. If you are leasing a modem from Verizon and something happens to it they will replace it, no questions asked.

However, odds are your 7500 is going to last longer than a few months. Most people have them for years without any real problems. I would personally choose to save money, especially in these tough economic times.

Westell 7500 Features

The Westell wireless router 7500 features everything you would expect from a top of the line DSL modem router combo such as the following:

  • Westell 7500 Port Forwarding – You can use port forwarding to configure services behind your router’s firewall such as a web server or ports for downloading torrents or running your own FTP server.
  • Westell 7500 Bridge Mode – Bridge mode allows you to extend your wireless connection by creating a bridge with your wireless modem router. You can use another wireless access point or router and have it connect seamlessly to the Westell 7500 to share the internet connection.
  • Westell 7500 Gateway – Gateway mode allows more than one computer on your home network to access the internet at the same time. This includes multiple connections via Ethernet as well as wireless connections ranging from 802.11b to 802.11n. You can connect almost an unlimited number of devices to this router for fast broadband internet access on Verizon’s DSL network.

Westell 7500 Wireless Setup

Setting up your Westless 7500 wireless internet couldn’t be easier. This device is definitely what I’d consider “plug n play”.

  • Step 1: – Locate the panel on the side of your Westell router.
  • Step 2: – Run a phone line from your phone jack to the phone jack located on the side panel of your modem router.
  • Step 3: – Connect the power cord that came with your router to the side panel an then plug it in to the wall.
  • Step 4: – Check the status lights. Within a few seconds of plugging in your modem you should see the lights begin to flash indicating that it’s starting up.
  • Step 5: – Click the wireless connection icon in your system tray to connect to your Westell 7500’s wireless network.

For more information about setting up and troubleshooting your home network check out this home networking guide from Verizon.

Westell 7500 Drivers

In order to get the most out of your Westell 7500 you will need to download all of the appropriate drivers and software updates necessary.

Finding the Westell 7500 driver download for Windows is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. If you check the official Westell 7500 website you will see that the driver is listed as N/A.

They do however offer Linux Tools you can download which can help you to get your Westell 7500 configured under Linux. Why they have no Windows drivers openly available doesn’t really make any sense to me. Your best bet for finding drivers for your Westell 7500 series modem router is to contact Verizon directly for assistance. They will be able to provide you with a new copy of the original driver CD.

Westell 7500 USB Driver

If you plan to connect a single computer directly to your modem/router you will need to install the latest version of the Westell 7500 USB driver onto your computer. This driver will allow your computer to “talk to” your DSL modem and make a connection to the internet.

Unfortunately, like I stated above finding the driver will be somewhat of a monumental task. You’d be better off searching for the original CD that came with the router than trying to find the device driver online. I spent the better part of an hour searching for this elusive driver with no avail.

Westell 7500 Firmware

Downloading and installing the latest firmware on your 7500 Westell will ensure that you’ve always got access to the latest features and technologies available. For example, if a new version of your encryption protocol is released then a firmware update may make this new version available to use on your Westell router after installation.

If you’d like to download the latest firmware you will have to visit the Westell website. Get the latest Westell 7500 firmware update now.