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Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Cable/DSL Router

Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Cable/DSL Router

List Price: $69.99
Your Price: $49.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: THIS BASE WOKS WITH APPLE PANTHER: HERE IS THE PROCEDURE!
Review: When I started using this linksys product (I got it for free, from earthlink rebate) it worked fine with the macs, however to get it to work properly (because there is a glitch in the mac system beleive it or not) you must do the following procedure:
When using it with WAP Encryption:

First, you must set up the WAP passcode, and in doing this you must have one computer hooked up wired to set everything up. After doing so, type in "http://192.168.1.1/" in a new browser and set everything up, including your WAP settings.
Then get to System Preferences, and click on network, and then on the airport tab.
Select to join a specific network, and select linksys and the wap code (put the letters in lowercase).
After doing this click apply AND THEN switch back for it to connect to a network automatically. DO NOT CLICK APPLY.
DO THIS EXACTLY: Close the window and when it asks you to apply the settings then apply it and you'll have a connection.

yes there is a glitch with the system, but this work-around has been proven successful to me everytime.
Also the linksys base has a problem time to time, about once every two weeks or more, it just stops working (although the lights are still going on the base) and there is no signal. To get your signal back, redo the following procedure exactly and it will come back.
I don't recommend the base, because of tis tendency to get off once every two weeks, however it is a cheap wireless solution. To have a flawless connection though, you should stick with apple airport normal or extreme. You're gauranteed a connection and apple makes their products with care.
I hope this is successful to everyone who uses this base with their panther mac!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Frustrated and Disappointed
Review: I preface this review by noting that both my wife and I are fairly fluent with PCs and troubleshooting - so we are experienced. We decided to share our DSL line, and the IT guys at work suggested that Linsys had a good reputation, so we ordered their wireless router and a USB wireless adapter.

First, the router. It never installed correctly and did not find the internet signal. Both of us spent 3 hours trying to get it to work with no luck - AND we updated the firmware. The Linksys tech help line was unavailable, and then had a 45-minute wait. The technical help on their website had dead links, and their FAQs did not help. I finally decided the router hardware was defective and returned the unit. We then bought the Microsoft wireless rrouter and it installed without a hitch.

Now the Linksys wireless adapter... It also would not install on my wife's PC and when she tried to uninstall the software, it did not clean out the registry and caused the system to crash. After 4 more hours she managed to get it booting again, but still with a contaminated registry that was looking for files that had been cleared. I hate software that does not really uninstall itself and clean up its registry entries.

Needless to say, neither of us can recommend this product, despite a good reputation for Linksys in the past. Apparently, they are having lots of problems. A friend who works at a big retailer return warehouse indicated that a large percentage of their return problems were from Linksys.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Think twice if you intend to use it with Apple products
Review: I have used this product for almost a year and I have spent way too many hours trying to make the firmware work with my Apple systems. The latest upgrade (2-04) won't even allow you to save essential settings using a browser on Mac OS system 10.3.x. If you don't mind trying to find a pc or a software fix to simply change essential settings, then it might keep working long enough to make it worth an investment under $50. Otherwise, if you have Macs find a Mac-friendly solution.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Very Disappointed With This
Review: I just placed this unit in my network setup, simply because I have a Linksys cable modem and I wanted the units to be stackable with each other. It replaced a Netgear MR814v1, which worked flawlessly for over a year.

After a frustrating weekend, I was not able to get my Linksys unit functioning at all for a consistent period. The wireless status kept flickering between available/not available. Checked the firmware version, it's up to date. Messed around with the all the settings, nothing worked. Ran a [ping -t] test for about 5 minutes to the gateway, 94% Loss!!!! And when it did get through the TTL was always over 150. On the Netgear MR814v2 TTL was a consistent 64.

I've had many other Linksys products and have never had any trouble with them, I'm hoping that this is just an anomaly.

But anyways, I went to store and purchased the Netgear MR814v2. After 10 hours of use, not one unavailable message popped up. Unfortunately, this is a Linksys product I cannot recommend.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Communication Roulette
Review: I was one of the unlucky v4 owners. I had the router facing the wall to make it easier to pull the power and reset it, which I was doing constantly (3 hours of uptime was the best I could get). I always had to do a reset to start the day. It wouldn't even work as a wired, pass-through router. Finally, I searched the web and found out that I had LOTS of company. I replaced it with the equivalent Netgear router, which after a week has never required to be reset. I run Windows XP Pro and ZoneAlarm firewall, so don't believe those excuses, either. Amazon should really allow negative stars - 1 is WAY too generous.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: great solution for a great price
Review: i really enjoy this router, once i got it working. it took a little bit of tweeking. it took about an hour of playing with settings and the such to get this working with my equipment, but i expected that. however, now, for the price, this works wonders in my home.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Wireless? How about Signal-less!
Review: I bought a BEFW11S4 in late Dec 2001, and a couple of weeks ago, the wireless functionality ceased to function. Another customer only got 17 months of use - I guess I was lucky with 24 months! However, a 2-year life span is unacceptable for a piece of networking gear. Except for this unfortunate situation, I would have rated the router 5 stars. In fact, I liked it so much (while it worked) that I plan to replace it with the "new" Linksys wireless-g router, which hopefully will last quite a bit longer.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Dead after 17 months
Review: This unit died after 17 months of use. If not, I would give it a 5 stars.

I bought it (BEFW11S4 V2) in 08/2002 from Amazon. Every thing worked fine, easy installed. No problems at all before dead. Worked well with both Netgear and SMC wireless cards. The signals are better than the D-Link 614+ I just bought. But if you want to have a unit lasted longer than 2 years, Beware.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Works exactly as expected
Review: I started with a computer (a laptop) connected to a cable modem and a printer connected to the computer. Lots of wires and no mobility.

I installed the router to the cable modem, installed the wireless adapter in the computer and connected the wireless print server to the printer.

I now have a completely wireless apartment. The technology worked exactly as I expected and the result is a great improvement in the way I use my technology. The total installation time couldn't have been an hour. No options, not much software: everything just worked and I got exactly what I wanted.

I highly recommend the whole setup. I wouldn't ever go back to the old wired way of doing things. Ever.

P.S. "B" speed is perfectly adequate; "G" is faster, but since it's also faster than the cable modem, there doesn't seem to be much point for a small home network. The printer works just fine at "B" speeds, as does the computer. Why pay more, particularly when the standard isn't yet fully approved?

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't pick this one if you need constant connection.
Review: OF COURSE IT WORKS! BUT, how well? Especially if you're using msn messenger alot, it kept signing me in and out too many times. Then after a long while search of the problem (I even changed ISPs to try and figure out), I found the cluprit, it's the router, I should've known better. This product is a rip off, even its Compact USB Adapter does the same crap, Airlink+ is MUCH MUCH BETER, so I went for Netgear and sell that crappy router somewhere else. Go for Netgear, cheaper, more reliable, and more stable. Linksys is way way over-rated. Sorry, but we're all just customers, they should conform, not entirely us.


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