Cisco-Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster
by Linksys
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List Price: Our Price: $14.88 You Save: $85.11 (85%) 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 WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster
Customer Review: excellent product, east setup ...
Summary: 5 Stars
Am using it with Win 98 Desktop via ethernet cable, and Win XP notebook via WiFi. It has the WPA (Wireless Protected Access) that makes your wireless network inaccessible to outsiders unless they punch in the network key code.
Installing the router was easy. The included setup CD made all the task easy with step by step instructions. Installed it on my desktop first via dedicated network cable. some minor problems that were sorted by:
1. power down of modem, router and my desktop. and restarting - modem then router then desktop.
2. wait of 5 minutes after the router was configured for WPA during the installation process.
3. my mistake: i noted incorrectly the network key code for WPA during installation process. and wasn't able to access the internet via WiFi. then i had to use my desktop, open my IE and type http://192.168.1.1 to access the router setup. I got the correct WPA key number and got going from there.
entire process took about 45 minutes.
(Note: i got the version 4 of the router. you can not find the Version number from outside. You have to open the box and look on underside of router. on searching the internet, i found that Ver 1 of this router is best. but i couldn't find it.)
Customer Review: A Great Router - Fast - Reliable
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me preface this by saying I already owned a Linksys G router (Version 1) and the one I bought and about which I'm writing is version 7. So that's a big step. But the point is, I was familiar with Linksys and already had one installed.
Whereas my first installation some three years ago made me pull my hair, this one was fast and easy. It took no more than one hour.
Just remember to use the default password, not your old one, when you go in to configure the router. Actually, most of the configuring is done for you. But if you have even a basic knowledge of wireless networking, this is a very simple router to install.
It improved my speed on all of my computers immensely. But by way of disclosure, I must tell you that I also installed a new modem. I was tired of dropped connections and a very slow Internet --- especially since I pay for the fastest speed Cox has.
I highly recommend this router. Be sure and upgrade your firmware as soon as you get it installed. And keep the firmware updated. Upgrading the firmware is a very easy and fast operation and should be done.
The instructions are good. They're brief but all you need. Be sure and read everything as it will help you with any issue that comes up.
Customer Review: Cheap, reliable, and a good performer.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've worked in IT and networking for more than ten years. It was not that long ago that a router with these features was only available from Cisco or 3Com for many times this price, and was much more difficult to set up. (Cisco has since acquired Linksys, but has thankfully resisted the temptation to mess up the design or jack up the price.)
The WRT54GS is easy enough for computer novices to set up, yet offers enough options for experienced users or moderate-sized networks that might need special considerations. Linksys was one of the first to use a simple web interface for setup, so no arcane "programming" is necessary.
Range of the wireless signal is good. As with any wireless network, the effectiveness will depend on the quality of the receivers and the building's construction, but I have been able to get a usable signal at my next-door neighbor's house. Keep this in mind when you set it up, and secure your network with the provided encription, or else you might leave it open to unwanted users.
This little router is perfect for wireless home networks, but is capable of serving a small business very well, too. Either way, it provides reliable performance, and doesn't take a network engineer to install and maintain it.
Customer Review: I'm composing this review from bed...
Summary: 5 Stars
...on a laptop wirelessly connected to this router.
In reality it is my machine 30 miles away at the office composing the review, via remote desktop each keystroke on the laptop is wirelessly submitted to the WRT54GS Router, which in turn forwards the keystroke over the wire to my work machine 30 miles away, which then processes the keystroke and puts an updated screen graphic on the wire to be transmitted back to my laptop - all without any discernable delay (well... maybe a tenth of a second or so). I am truely amazed by modern technology - and since I've purchased this router I've been able to telecommute to work, walking anywhere around my house that I choose, unteathered.
The unit has performed without error, and I found setting it up to be a snap with the bundled software. I have an xbox, a desktop, and a wireless laptop all connected without issue. It did take a little investigation to get a few of my windows games functioning, by enabling port forwarding on the appropriate ports, but this would be common to any router. The setup utility to enable port forwarding was easy to use - and the documentation guided me through the necessary configuration changes not only to the router, but to the gaming computer as well.
Customer Review: Robust router for home network use.
Summary: 5 Stars
I am using the Linksys 4-port wireless-g router with Speedbooster and have done so for better than a year. Before I purchased the wireless version I was using the 4-port router also by Linksys. In both cases I have been very happy with the ease of use, to include; setup via the installation instructions, navigation through your favorite web browser to configure the router, and the upgrading of firmware provided to you via the web by the manufacturer.
I live in a 2000 square foot single family home with solid walls. The router is located in a back room of the house and my general use is in the family room, located three walls away. The connection to the Internet is as strong as if I were plugged directly into the router itself!
It does help to start with a fast Internet connection, but based upon my experience you would be hard-pressed to top this router in the wireless-g category of 802.11g products. The new wireless-n certification is already in the pipeline and assures to be a bit faster and have greater range than the wireless-g. However, the cost to value ratio has this router on top and my recommendation would be to pick this established and robust router and wait a year or two before considering the upgrade.