Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic product - except for the wireless range
Review: This is, without a doubt, the most flexible and easy-to-configure networking product I've ever encountered. The web-based interface is a snap to use, and can be accessed from any platform that supports HTML browsing. This goes for both the routing capabilities (with an impressive array of options, from PPPoE to MAC address spoofing to a great little feature known as DMZ, which exposes one of the machines on your network to the outside world) and the wireless capabilities. However, the wireless range and signal strength is downright pathetic. Linksys should be embarassed that they let this product out the door. In our setup, the signal drops to %70 strength 10 feet away WITHIN THE SAME ROOM, and plunges to %50 if you range as far as the next room. Forget about trying to get a decent signal on another floor of your house. I intend to return this product to Amazon and buy Linksys' standalone router; I'm hooked on the ease of use of Linksys' products, but I'm going to have to turn to another vendor for my 802.11b needs.
Rating: 
Summary: BEFW11S4 - A blue angel if you know how to make it work.
Review: BEFW11S4 from Linksys is a great product and has the right package for home and workgroup use. I bought two of them, one for lab and one for home. I would like it to have a larger range, but my wife thinks it's safer for use at home. The set-up menu is adequate for connection with fixed IP. But connection with dynamic IP, such as some cable modem,can be a big problem. It took me 5 min at lab and two weeks at home.Just before I was about to return it, I read my last email (...)and in it, a possible solution. And this time,it works. Thinking this maybe useful for other people like myself, I list the key steps below:
(1) Connect a computer directly to the cable modem FIRST and using ipconfig /all to obtain all information of the cable modem and its position on the network (i.e.MAC/Physical, gateway, DNS, etc.) and write them carefully down.
(2) At BEFW11S4 setup, goto Clone Mac address page under advanced on firmware's 1.36t6 and higher.Change the user defined Mac address to the Mac address you have recorded (These are additional steps beyond those which you have to do by the menu). The rest is standard using the information of (1) and dynamic IP option. Then it will fly like an angel !!!
Rating: 
Summary: Easy to setup and worked like a charm with cable modem.
Review: Just plugged it in and everything worked. The only thing you need to configure (if you want to) is the WEP encryption for your wireless card. I am using a Lucent Orinoco Silver PC Card and it flies. I got a better wireless connection (at 100 feet away) when I pointed the two antennas toward each other (creating an upside-down V). I even used my 900mhz phone, used two Nextel's Direct Connect and there was no interference whatsoever. Even if you are not a network expert, the manual is very easy to read and the configuration through your browser is easy to understand as well.
Rating:
Summary: Working fine in Guadalajara, Mexico
Review: I bought this router 2 weeks ago, it had a nice price and rebate...I installed it at my home, first in San Diego, CA and then in Guadalajara, Mexico, and after plugging the right cables and making a phone call to my cable company in order to configure the WAN, it has been working really fine...I have a Linksys PCMCIA card working with my two laptops: Dell Inspiron 8000 and HP Pavilion 5470...after configuring it as an infrastructure it has been working fine also.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!! beats SMC
Review: I was kinda skeptical when was ordering the linksys.... The reason is that I had plain linksys 4port router and it was giving me a headache. so I had to switch to SMC. Well let me move on: I bought BEFW11S4 Wireless and its analog of SMC... setup no problem for both of them. THe wireless range od linksys beats smc by 10%... in addition SMC even when next to router gives me 100% signal then 0% then 100% then 0% so in result I get VERY slow connection.. returning SMC to amazon. And I was inpressed by Linksys "looks" much nicer piece of hardware with removable antennas compared with SMC that is clumzy and overheats a lot. I am using compaq WL110 Wireless NIC. GO LINKSYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: If you have cable/dsl/satellite, I highly recommend setting up a wireless network. Lie back in your easy chair with your laptop. Better yet, add a supefast wireless connection to another desktop computer in another room. No need to run wires through walls or carpet. I have some friends that have purchased the same unit as well. Whats quite convenient is that we can bring our laptops to each other's apts and do online gaming...WIRELESSLY. I purchased two of these units. One for home and one for school. The freedom to roam around with your laptop and have lightning fast speeds is truly amazing. If you have Windows XP, it autodetects everything. You do not even have to do any IP configuring (regardless of wireless or wired connections). In Windows 98 or Windows ME, you will need to stick in the IP address, which should take all of 30 seconds. Great product, easy to setup, and great data throughput. Its really hard to tell the difference in speed between when I'm surfing on my laptop with the wireless PCMCIA card or with it connected on one of the Router's LAN ports.
Rating:
Summary: Works like a charm - knowing basic networking helps though
Review: Ended up buying this because of value proposition. Ended up getting the Linksys card to pair up with it. I would recommend upgrading the firmware right away. Mine came with one dated in June and after I upgraded it, I noticed that some of the settings I had previously configured had been lost. Also the DHCP IP that it is assigned by the cable co. had changed.
If one is aware of subnets and basic IP networking, it is pretty straightforward. I was somewhat disheartened by the fact that port forwarding requires the DHCP to be disabled.
The wireless component works fine, so far. I live in a high-rise so my perception of range is limited by physical constraints. I have not had any issues voiced by others on throughput but then again the max. range I have tested it is about 40 ft.
-> Bottom line - the mobility gained was worth it. The firmware is now fairly stable.
Rating:
Summary: More Than Less, But Not All That.
Review: I read the some of the mixed reviews, after I ordered mine, so I was more that a bit anxious waiting on the box. Boot and Setup went as advertised, and it was not until I tried the wireless that there were issues. Like a lot of folks, I have found that the wireless is that, less. With the signal traveling 45 feet through three metal frame walls, I was getting a weak signal. A switch in the router settings (Advanced > Wireless > Antenna Selection) to Diversity Spread bumped the performance up. And let's face it, for web traffic, what's the big deal if my wireless LAN is only at 2MBS when my ADSL tops out at 1.5MBS? My only big issue came with the update from Linksys. For two days I could not get into their site. And the teaser on the download page that this model supports Zone Alarm is not true. You might not get it, but overall I am happy with the unit. It will never have a home on my corporate LAN, but here at home it does the trick.
Rating:
Summary: So much for advertised specs
Review: I was very disappointed with this product. Put the router on the first machine and installed a wireless card on a PC in the basement. Everything was installed properly and there was no signal. Called technical support and was told that the signal could not go through the floor and a few walls.
I put the wireless card in a laptop and was able to get full 11Mbps transmission while in the same room as the router. As soon as I left the room, the signal degraded. Little or no reception less than 50 ft from router, and definately no signal in the basement, less than 100 ft away.
I truly do not recommend this product. Simply does not work as advertised. Great if you live in a small studio or one bedroom apartment, but in that case do you really need a wireless product.
Rating:
Summary: A piece of cake to install
Review: I have very limited knowledge of networking, but this was a piece of cake to set up. I installed one hardwired desktop and one laptop with a SMC wireless card. In ten minutes I was surfing the net thru my cable modem and printing wirelessly. I highly recommend this wireless router to anyone who wants to use their laptop in any room in the house or who just doesn't want to climb around in the attic running wires. The range isn't quite what they promised, but is totally adequete for any house under 3000 sq. ft.
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