Rating: 
Summary: Easy to install, consistently works great!
Review: I have Windows XP (which I also recommend) and the installation process for the Linksys router was flawless. As for linking with my wirless card, XP makes it easy to change your default settings so you can avoid the problem other reviews mentioned with having a built-in ethernet card that the software defaults to. I highly recommend this product.
Rating:
Summary: brilliant and simple
Review: This is really a very simple and brilliant component... I work everyday with computers and networks, and am used to have to 'fiddle around' to make things work, but this linksys component is as easy to set-up than the Apple commercial for Imac, i.e. plug it, plug it, and play... I just plugged it on my cable model, then fired my Cisco wireless card on my laptop, called the web page buil-in in the router to set password, SSID and Wep keys, configured the same on my laptop, and it worked...Simple and Brilliant.
Rating: 
Summary: Decent unit, but poor tech support. VPN users should read!!
Review: I bought this unit to connect my Gateway Athlon desktop running Windows 98SE and my new company-issued Dell P4 laptop running W2K, and share a Roadrunner cable internet connection via a Toshiba cable modem. The Gateway is hardwired to the router, the laptop wireless via a Linksys wireless PC card. To connect to my corporate e-mail, I must use a VPN connection to the corporate server, and then connect to the mail server with Microsoft Outlook 2000 via Microsoft exchange server. I've been doing so for years without a hitch on the Gateway. Hardwired to the Linksys router, my Gateway easily connected to both the VPN and the MS exchange mail server. The cable internet connection was shared successfully between the two computers, and I could transfer files from one computer to another, share the printer, digital camera port, et al, without a hitch. HOWEVER, I could not access my corporate e-mail account with the laptop, either using the wireless Linksys PC card or using a hard-wired connection with the Dell's built in 10/100 3com NIC card. I could complete a VPN connection, but when Outlook tried to open the program responded "The Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable". Yet I could connect the laptop directly to the Toshiba cable modem, and access my corporate e-mail with either the ethernet port or a USB connection. Oddly too, the VPN connection appeared "dead"; ie, I had no internet connectivity for my web browsers, etc, when the VPN was connected. I tried unsuccessfully changing a number of different settings in W2K and in the Router's web-based configuration utility. I studied all the online documentation at Linksys' web site, but found nothing specific to my situation. I searched the web for answers, but was unsuccessful. I e-mailed Linksys corporate support, and got a e-mail full of suggestions for port forwarding, DMZ, ad nauseum, none of which worked. I then spent over two hours on two separate calls to Linksys' tech support. The first tech thought I needed to upgrade the firmware and told me where to download and to call back if I needed more help. The firmware he suggested refused to load on the router. I called back, jumped through a few more hoops, before the technician declared the modem "defective" and that I should return for an exchange. I was on the verge of returning the both Linksys units for a refund, and buying Netgear wifi equipment (which I'd read here are more VPN friendly). I'm stubborn, though, and made one final Google search of usenet rather than the internet. After an hour or so of searching, I stumbled across a recommendation to change the router's internal IP number from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.xxx.1. It was for a somewhat different problem and a different brand of router, and I had no idea whether it would work or not but I was desperate. I opened the web based configurator and changed only the internal IP address for the router. I repowered router and rebooted the laptop. I was amazed (and delighted!) to see my laptop seemlessly connect to the VPN AND my Microsoft Exhanger server e-mail account. And I turned off all the security-reducing port forwarding and WAN filter disabling that Linksys' tech support had urged me to implement to try and get it working. All of that was absolutely needless. I recounted this tale of woe to the local computer store where I'd purchased the unit. He was dismayed that Linksys' tech support didn't have such a simple solution on hand. It only took 10-12 hours of my life in web searches, software tweaking, et al, but the router finally worked perfectly. It's a good unit for a simple, straightforward "vanilla" installation. However, if your configuration is "out of the ordinary" or complicated, I would recommend staying away from this product unless you're already a networking guru and don't require support from Linksys.
Rating:
Summary: Very easy, very fast, very nice!
Review: I received this item from Amazon in three days, and was up and running in about 30 minutes. That includes one direct connect desktop, and two wireless laptops. I had the cable modem connected to my desktop, and wanted to add high speed capability to the two laptops. My neighbor has a similar setup that I wanted to duplicate. I followed the easy to understand instructions included, and was all networked in no time. I think a previous review stated that it takes longer to unpack the items than to connect everything. This is about right. I have used Linksys products before, and am very happy. Bottom line, you will be very pleased too. You will wonder why you waited so long.
Rating: 
Summary: Half Decent product - Nightmare support
Review: Great product if it works. If you are as unfortunate as I was to get a defective router, be prepared for an experience out of Kafka. Try for hours to get to Linksys tech support. Become a teacher of English as a second language. After several times being told how to set up a router, regardless of what your issue might be, try to get an event number, so you don't have to start from scratch with the next tech -uh oh - no can do - the Citrix server is down. Eight months and I still can't get an RMA for a warranty exchange. If they can stall for another four months, the warranty will expire - they are batting .666 so far. Can you spell "Netgear" or "Microsoft" or "Cisco"? I can.
Rating:
Summary: Setting up my wireless network went off without a hitch
Review: This wireless router was very simple to hook up and get running with my two desktop computers and my cable modem. Installation took about 10 minutes and most of the configuration was done automatically by the software that came with it. If you are looking to build a wireless network in your home or small business, I highly recommend this router.
Rating:
Summary: why you should avoid buying this product
Review: After seven plus hours of time on the phone and on hold. I have not yet been able to establish a fully functional installation of this product. The quality of technical support and customer service at linksys seems very low. Staff is unfamiliar with basic concepts related to networking and email. At this point I cannot use linksys to send email and I have spent three hours on the phone waiting for assistance. My sense is that the company does not know how to train or support tech support staff and that it doesn't really care as long as the product sells. I wish I had researched this company's customer support history before I bought the produce. I would hesitate to buy from this company again, and I may have to return the product.
Rating:
Summary: Works great on Linux, even works with windows!
Review: It took me longer to get it out of the box that it did to power it up and get it working. I have quite a mix of computers and OS's both hard wired, and wireless. I'm running it on DSL with PPPOE.
Rating:
Summary: Smooth!
Review: I had this thing up and running in no time by following the quick start guide. Someone should tell the folks at Linksys that we don't all buy this to share a broadband connection, though. The setup wizard on CD wouldn't even progress at all, since I don't have a broadband modem to turn on and configure. What a dumb first step to be mandatory... at least they included the quick start card - I'd have never gotten the router going without it. I have a wired 100 Mbps connection in the basement where the router is and two wireless connections using the WUSB11 adapters upstairs (two floors up and on the other side of the house), both running at the full 11 Mbps with very good signal quality. This is amazing, since nothing else in this wireless world seems to be able to penetrate the basement (not even my cell phone or our wireless intercom system - both of which are useless in the basement)! This router has range/power to spare!
Rating:
Summary: Easy to setup, use
Review: My setup:
* BEFW11S4 (router) connected to Road Runner cable modem
* WPC11 (PCMIA card) connected to a Dell Inspiron Laptop 1Ghz 512 meg ram
* WUSB11 (USB wireless network adapter) connected to a generic desktop with a 1Ghz AMD Athlon/256 meg ram. I had no problems setting this up and getting it up and running quickly. The quick install guide was helpful and was all I needed to get up and running. It would have been helpful to have a hard-copy of the complete user guide, though (the complete user guide is on the CD in PDF format). I would recommend this process (described in the quick install guide): * Hook the router to your cable modem/DSL
* Hook one PC to the router WITH the supplied ethernet cable (don't attempt wireless yet)
* Once it works with wires, install the wireless network card to a PC and attempt to communicate
* Now, you can (and should) change your SSID, enable WEP encryption on the router and the PC. This makes your wirless network more secure. You must see the PDF install guide to read about security.
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