Cisco-Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Cable/DSL Router
by Linksys
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List Price: Our Price: $16.45 You Save: $53.54 (76%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Cisco-Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Cable/DSL Router
Customer Review: It Came, It Saw, It Connected
Summary: 5 Stars
Even though I can lay claim to the title of 'techie,' networking is something that I understand only in theory. When it comes to practice, I am a klutz. Having barely managed to set up a wired network for three computers in one room, I've been studiously avoiding shifting to wireless. Despite the hopeless mess of cables I put have to put up with. The purchase of a new portabe changed all that since I wanted to be able to tote it about the house.After much incantation with a networking specialist I decided on the Linksys BEFW11S4. With for Ethernet ports it could take over for my existing hub, and the portable already had wireless built in, making this the ultimate in low cost networking. And the cable/dsl connection fell right into my connectivity improvement plans. So in short order I was sitting on the floor of the 'computer room' with the router in one hand and the quick start instructions in the other.
Much to my amazement, everything worked. The existing Ethernet connections never even blinked, and in no time the portable was talking to the router's handy, HTML-based setup and administration pages and to the other machines on the net. Since then I've added a cable modem and a wireless printer server. Each time, whatever problems I had were never due to the router missing a beat.
The router's manuals are adequate, but reticent about the more complex built in facilities. Perhaps rightly so, since an innocent playing with low level network protocols is an invitation to disaster. They do spend some time on setting up security, and this is important - an unprotected wireless network is vulnerable to any machine that knows its internal name. Plan on installing a firewall on every machine in the net, and lock down shared drives with passwords.
I'm not a veteran router wizard, so I can't tell you that the Linksys BEFW11S4 is better than everything else on the market, but it has left me completely satisfied. Now that the availability of the new 'superfast' routers has driven the price of these down there really is no excuse not to start out wireless right from the beginning.
Customer Review: Working from home just became ultimately more productive
Summary: 5 Stars
Like a lot of people I have a desktop PC at home for the family and laptop for work. I had an existing AT&T/Comcast cable modem setup with my family PC at home but was not able to utilize it for my work laptop. Before, I was required to use the 56k dial-up modem on my laptop to connect to my company's intranet (slow, and tied up my one phone line). With this product (along with the wireless PC card for my laptop) my problems have been easily solved. I now can slip in the wireless PC card into my work laptop when I'm at home and effortlessly surf the net (privately) or work from my easy chair using my company's Virtual Private Network (VPN). I have my existing PC connected to one of the four Ethernet ports.When I do work from home now I'm not tying up the phone line when downloading email. I can now do conference calls from home and receive those last minute presentations that are sent 2 minutes before the meeting starts (this was always my biggest issue before), use NetMeeting, etc. The performance of my work environment through the WLAN is virtually the same as if I was sitting at my desk in the office.
Installation was very easy with the Quick start guide going though an easy step-by-step process. I have Windows 98 on my family PC and Windows XP on my laptop and had no installation issues with either one.
I get good signal strength throughout my 2-story 3000 sq. ft. house with the transmitter on the second floor (Most of the time I get 3 or 4 bars out of 5 on the strength meter, working from the lower floor. Linksys now makes a signal strengthener to go with this product if that is an issue for you.
One helpful installation hint: After installing and getting everything functional be sure to turn the Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) feature on. This will make your Wireless network secure so that your neighbors can't access it w/o the encryption key that you generate. This product features 64-bit and 128-bit wireless encryption. The .pdf manual has easy to follow instructions for how to set this up on the WAP and for your Wireless PC card.
Customer Review: Very Easy Setup
Summary: 5 Stars
The reason I like this product is ease of setup, and the fact that it has some wired ports. Some wireless routers have no place to plug in a CAT 5 cable, so even if your main computer is only a foot away, you will have to buy a wireless network card which adds to the cost of your system. My main desktop computer is plugged directly into the Linksys, and my notebook operates wireless. The manual is pretty good, and after making sure that your computers are set to DHCP (not hard to do) the Linksys will work as a rounter and gateway to the Internet by just plugging everything into the right holes. If you use Linksys wireless network cards and adaptors as well, the entire operation is pretty painless. Orinoco PCMCIA cards have a bit more range, but you have to jump through few more hoops to get things right.Some tips: 1. Don't expect miracles when it comes to distance. A lot of factors come into play, including what your home/office is constructed off, and interference from other devices in your home/office. Try to get the unit up high for best coverage. 2. While the rounter does act as a firewall, if a hacker does get to it, and knows the default password (hardly anyone ever changes the default password) they could get through. So, change the password. 3. Change the SSID address. When used as a wireless router, this "should" keep your neighbors from using your router as a gateway to the Net, or getting into your computers when files are being shared. I took my notebook to my neighbor's home and was able to get into my files and surf the Net with no problems. 4. If you are sharing files and folder, use passwords. While I don't want to make anyone paranoid, these are simple changes that should help with security. 5. Linksys support is okay, and it is 24/7, but you have to get the right person. If things don't work out call back. You'll never get the same person twice.
If this is your first adventure into networking or wireless networking, Linksys makes the process pretty painless.
Customer Review: A simple, elegant & inexpensive wireless web setup
Summary: 5 Stars
Overall I am very satisfied with the Linksys BEFW11S4. It operates exactly as expected. I did have to call the support line on two occassions to correct two separate problems but they were easily corrected.The first problem prevented me from installing the Linksys software on my computer because it kept telling me I was already connected to the BEFW11S4. The support line helped me resolve the problem without much fanfare. Be forewarned, however, like the Amazon review states, there are a lot technical aspects to setup if your setup doesn't go without a hitch. That being said, support was very helpful and the most professional technical support line I've encountered.
After I got the BEFW11S4 up and running, I noticed it connected to the internet slowly, much slower than my hard wired DSL. Internet Explorer also stalled on virtually every link. My DSL "only" runs at 1.5mbs max so the 802.11b standard is more than sufficient and I knew the DSL wasn't the problem. After a week of hoping the problem would miraculously disappear, I called support. A short phone call later, the problem was fixed.
Enough about problems. The BEFW11S4 operates seemlessly. My connection is excellent and is as if I were still hard wired to the internet. I only have to broadcast across a small room, but I suspect it would work fine for greater distances as well. My only concern is picking up a neighbor's broadcast. But I have no problem as of yet even in a moderately dense Manhattan neighborhood.
Setup is very easy. It involves only connecting your modem to the BEFW11S4 and plugging an AC adaptor into the unit. On installation you do have to hard wire the BEFW11S4 to your computer, however.
In summary, this product works great! If you can take advantage of the $$ rebate from Linksys the cost is only $$$. With the WUSB11 receiver and another $$$ Linksys rebate, my total cost was $$$ to be free of phone cords running across the room. See my review on the WUSB11 for an evaluation of the receiver.
Customer Review: Great Product, Easy Setup, Must've Fixed the Earlier Flaws
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one great product. Im extremely impressed. I just got the UPS today (Super Saver Shipping takes WEEKS). The first thing I did was plug in the power cord. Great, it lights up. Next, I hooked up the closest computer to it through one of the wired ports. Great! Now I can configure etc etc (though the default settings were enough for me). Next I started dumping the stack. I had had a lot of protocol setups already there for the USB cable modem and for a network card as well as VPN... Most of them I didn't need and I knew they would cause me trouble. So, I took out everything except for the network card and TCPIP for it. Cool, still works. Then I went to hook up the other computers (I did the internet last). Installed software, plugged in USB device, DONE! No kidding, I began writing messages on the other computer right after that. VERY EASY comparing to the 5+ Hours it took me to set up ICS (a whole other story). Anyway, PCI card. Same thing. Install, open case, take out old wired card, put in new card, hook up antanne, power up. Then, I ran into some slight trouble. After going through a couple bad network cables and finally finding a good one, I noticed I still couldn't go to Yahoo Google Etc. Using my keen eye developed in first setting up the modem (our tech dude just plugged it in and left) I noticed there was no DNS. There was the problem. The Router was supposed to get this information off the modem (since it was under Automatically Detect Settings with DHCP and all). So i reset the router, still nothing. I "Power Cycled" the modem (ie unplugged it and replugged it from the power) then reset the router and I'm writing this message now from a completely wireless computer (aside from all the other associated cords). Highly reccommended. If you can't figure it out try tech (though they're supposed to be terrible :( or call a friend. I love just not having to have a computer on 247 in order to have router like features.