Lack of loopback

One of the biggest inconveniences is the lack of loopback on many of these devices. So you can’t test your ability to serve from your home, from within your home.

While technically correct–there is no spec for loopback, and poeple expect it to be there:

1. http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Home-Networking-Router-WiFi/Why-no-loopback-on-Cisco-router/td-p/2460058

2. http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Home-Networking-Router-WiFi/From-within-my-home-network-external-router-IP-does-not-work/td-p/1474663

3. http://forums.businesshelp.comcast.com/t5/Connectivity/NAT-Loopback/td-p/12175

DNS suckage

Cannot specify a custom DNS server

• for local DNS resolution
• or as an external resolver, like 8.8.8.8

Portmap suckage

Cannot port map a different source/destination on many devices, meaning port 2020 on the outside has to go to your LAN device on 2020, instead of 22.

DHCP management

Some have such slow UIs….want to see DHCP leases?

On any other good router, just SSH in and cat /var/lib/misc/dnsmasq.leases, or provide a simple cgi-bin for displaying this in the browser.

##Sharing your bandwidth
And of course, if you’re on Comcast, you’ll have xfinity WiFi served from your router whether you like it or not. Comcast insists that it doesn’t impact your speed, but I doubt it.

Auto-backdoor

Most of these new devices also provide remote manageability that is frankly quite scary. The ISP can reset passwords and other sensitive operations, remotely.