Rating: 
Summary: Bad customer service & out-of-date firmware
Review: I purchased and successfully installed this product in September 2002. I was quite satisfied with it until recently. The problem began when I switched DSL providers. I cannot get the router to function properly with the new DSL service. I've gone so far as to have a networking technician out to look at it. As near as we can tell, the router is not picking up a gateway from the new DSL service.My extreme dissatisfaction with Linksys is (1)because their customer service is very poor and (2)because they have not updated the firmware for this product in over 2 years. With regard to (1), Linksys apparently does not assign case numbers to help calls. Consequently, when I tried a fix that didn't work and called back in, I would have to start from the beginning ("Tell us what the lights on the router are doing. Tell us what the lights on the modem are doing. Now power cycle the modem." Etc.) with a different technician. The technicians have a very limited knowledge. One went so far as to say she couldn't help me further because Internet Explorer 6 doesn't work well with the router. That's bologna; the browser is just a container for information. Another kept trying to pawn the problem off on my DSL provider even though I have a connection via the modem. With regard to (2), PPPoE protocols can change. Given that I can't get a gateway for my service, maybe they need to update their firmware. I'm going to get rid of this router and do what I should have done in the first place, hard-wire some CAT5 cable in my house. My recommendation to others is that you look at different solutions. It seems that Linksys does not want to provide sufficient support for this product. HomePNA will be passed up by wireless options, the new electrical networking protocol, etc. So, it might not make sense to purchase it anyway. Perhaps Linksys is just focusing its attention on newer technologies.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Solution
Review: I really don't understand why more people don't use HPNA. I have a newer house that has phone connections in every room, but no CAT 5 cabling (it isn't that new). The house is constructed so that adding CAT 5 throughout just does not make sense. It just seems to me that a lot of people have this sort of arrangement. I suppose that the wireless prices have finally come down. It's getting harder to find HPNA hardware now. Anyway: I already was using HPNA to hook up 3-4 Win 9x computers for game playing and file/printer sharing. I finally had it with the 28.8 dial up. We were not using ICS and so had to share a dedicated voice line for dialup. I added the cable modem and the HPRO200 was just the right thing for getting all the machines onto the Internet. - The router acts as a firewall, so there's no need for a clumsy software firewall. We can leave the machines on with no worries. - The HPNA hookup was easy. The DHCP worked great and everything just worked. I changed some of the kids' machines so that they use static IP, so I can watch the outgoing logs to see what they are doing. Again, no problems with that. - I did experience about a 2X slowdown (from about 1.6 Mbps to 0.8 Mbps) after adding the router. I obtained the firmware update and I am now back to full speed. Problems: - I was confused by the firmware versioning. The version number on the website was drastically different from the number I had, making me worry that I'd be applying the wrong thing. I called support and they said to go ahead and apply it. I'm guessing that the same firmware is used for the HPNA and the Ethernet router and that's what causes the numbering problem. Wish List: - More Ethernet ports. It would be nice if they could build in a 4-port switch as well. I had to buy a switch to hook up a few machines in the same room at 100Mbps. - Better logging. The router tracks only the most recent 100 or so accesses. This is great; I just could use more. See next item. - Document the "IP address" for access routing. You can enter a 192.168.1.xxx address for logging, but I don't know what this does. I'm guessing that you can set up a Unix machine to monitor a port on this address to receive all access log info. But I don't know the details. There's nothing in the pubs about this. - Be able to restrict a machine so that it can access only a few IP addresses on the net (e.g., AOL). We use the AOL parental control feature for the kids and it would be nice if I could set the router up so that a machine can only connect to AOL. I know that AOL/Linksys have an offering that does something like this, but I don't think it would have worked out. I think that there is a much more expensive Netgear router that offers this sort of control. Great product. Good performance. I like the configuration options.
Rating:
Summary: HPRO200
Review: I received very good technical support from Linksys for the installation of this router. I also called a few more times with some glitches, and I was very satisfied with Linksys technical assistance. The router works well.
Rating:
Summary: Home Networking/Cable Modem User
Review: I recently purchased the Linksys HPRO200 Phoneline 10M Cable/DSL Router and am very happy with its' performance. Although I did have a little trouble configuring Internet Connection Sharing, the Tech Support at Linksys was able to get me up and running after less than 5 minutes on the phone. I previously purchased the Linksys HomeLink Phoneline 10M Network Card Kit from .... I have a Windows 2000 system networked pier to pier with a Windows ME system. Although I was able to share files between both computers, I was not able to share my Broadband Cable Internet connection. With the Linksys Phoneline Cable/DSL Router I am now able to share my Internet Connection between both computers and I don't have to leave a "host" computer constantly running, as you would if using Internet Connections Sharing via a proxy server software program(or Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing). In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who is interested in sharing their Broadband Internet Connection between two, or more, computers. You won't have to pay for additional IP addresses, as most Cable providers suggest in order to share your connection. You will also benefit from the Router's built-in NAT Firewall.
Rating: 
Summary: Home Phone line to ethernet bridge with broadband router
Review: I started having some serious problems with my existing expensive SOHO HPNA/Ethernet/USB bridge/DSL router. Their tech support was mystified but basically, it required rebooting daily after a year and still limped along resolving DNS addresses and was "out of warranty." My home network is primarily home phone line 10 mbs and I needed to get a replacement so that I didn't have to purchase all new adapters and reconfigure everything. The HPRO200 is a silent gem. It works right out of the box with no configuration on my part. It just replaced my old router and could be tucked away because it was stackable. My old one wasn't stackable and required extensive setup via software. If you don't have the software, you have this nice art deco thing with 3 spaceage chevron-shaped lights that do nothing but blink at you. Don't put it in the bedroom, it will freak you out when you see it in the dark. The HPRO200 brought my Home Phoneline network back online and worked with all my HPNA 2.0 devices without a tweak to any of the PC's. It also shared internet perfectly. For some of you that have IPSEC issues, this supports IPSEC passthru but if you have a PC VPN client, you don't even have to enable it on the router. You can configure it to be extremely invisible from hackers on the Internet with it's web-based setup program but for most, they will be happy because it worked right after I plugged in all the cables. It was a refreshingly easy to install.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but SLOW
Review: I tried this phoneline network system for the first the time. The good thing is it is easy to use and requires no cables running around thehouse. The bad thing is it is exremely slow. Setup was a breeze but the speed was so slow it went slower than thw actual broadband modem. If you really want easy and speed you should go wireless. 802.11b has become so cheaper the system might be cheaper than the phoneline system. Even better is 802.11g, which is about 54 times faster than this phoneline system. I bought 54g and gave this system to a friend who is trying to network his first computers.
The verdict: This system is ok, but if you want a system without wires that is also easy and faster go 802.11b if you have a budget and if you have a little more money get 802.11g(also reffered to as 54G)
Rating: 
Summary: Good product, SHORT LIFE!
Review: I used to think Linksys was the name to use for solid networking products. This product has changed my mind. I bought an HPRO200 when it was first introduced and it took me only a few minutes to get multiple computers up and running on a peer-to-peer network with a mixture of ethernet and hpna, all using a cable modem and sharing files. All was well for about 8 months. That is when it locked up and died. Linksys support told me to purchase a new one and they would send me a new, sealed unit that I could take back for a refund. What I got was a reconditioned unit and power supply in an unlabeled box. No refunds for me! Fine... I got over it and loaned the reconditioned one to a friend. Yesterday, 7 months after buying it, the new one locked up just like the first one. There is no way I could possibly recommend that anyone buy the HPRO200. And, with the way I was treated by the support team I can't recommend the Linksys label, either.
Rating:
Summary: confusion reigns
Review: I'm a plug n play type of guy. The store clerk said all I'd need to set up the phoneline network would be the HPRO200 router, but if you've read some of the net reviews already, you realize that info started me off immediately on the wrong foot.
I got home and read the "so-called" manual, but it was so vague I couldn't even connect the different wires up to the router. I called Tech support and waited 30 minutes (as mentioned by other reviewers), but then I got someone who spoke Janglish and I had to hang up. I called again, and 30 minutes later I got another tech who's Janglish was a little easier to comprehend and I decided to give it a try. 40 minutes later...no success. Still couldn't connect. I'm not sure I ever even got the wiring correct. Anyway, the tech got tired with me and she told me to call back if the system didn't work with the last directions. It didn't.
Next day I called tech support again, and got the same tech and got a little further this time. At least I think the wires were connected correctly this time. We changed some IP addresses on my two computers, but all we managed to do was erase the modem from the main computer, and I was told to call the manufacturer to set it up again. I was a little upset by this.
But, then I read the internet reviews on this product and discovered I needed phoneline cards for each computer, I realized THAT was my problem; and that's where I'm at. I really want phoneline connectivity, so I will give Linksys another chance and get the cards...but really, you'd think that a big company like this would have a better manual, better instructional CDs, better tech support, and have some illustrations (good ones) of network setups with good visualizations of the hardware connections.
In the end, I do have to admit that my own ignorance was the main problem. But, isn't that where most of us are? I'll update you guys once I've got cards set up, hopefully with a positive report.
Rating:
Summary: confusion reigns
Review: I'm a plug n play type of guy. The store clerk said all I'd need to set up the phoneline network would be the HPRO200 router, but if you've read some of the net reviews already, you realize that info started me off immediately on the wrong foot.
I got home and read the "so-called" manual, but it was so vague I couldn't even connect the different wires up to the router. I called Tech support and waited 30 minutes (as mentioned by other reviewers), but then I got someone who spoke Janglish and I had to hang up. I called again, and 30 minutes later I got another tech who's Janglish was a little easier to comprehend and I decided to give it a try. 40 minutes later...no success. Still couldn't connect. I'm not sure I ever even got the wiring correct. Anyway, the tech got tired with me and she told me to call back if the system didn't work with the last directions. It didn't.
Next day I called tech support again, and got the same tech and got a little further this time. At least I think the wires were connected correctly this time. We changed some IP addresses on my two computers, but all we managed to do was erase the modem from the main computer, and I was told to call the manufacturer to set it up again. I was a little upset by this.
But, then I read the internet reviews on this product and discovered I needed phoneline cards for each computer, I realized THAT was my problem; and that's where I'm at. I really want phoneline connectivity, so I will give Linksys another chance and get the cards...but really, you'd think that a big company like this would have a better manual, better instructional CDs, better tech support, and have some illustrations (good ones) of network setups with good visualizations of the hardware connections.
In the end, I do have to admit that my own ignorance was the main problem. But, isn't that where most of us are? I'll update you guys once I've got cards set up, hopefully with a positive report.
Rating:
Summary: Functional but limited
Review: I've been using this product for about three weeks. It provides basic NAT router/firewall functionality at a dirt-cheap price, but definitely has its limitations and problems. The problems, especially, require a greater knowledge of TCP/IP than the average home user is likely to have. The firewall functionality is very basic. Having used Zonealarm and Internet Connection Sharing before getting the router, I was surprised at what I lost. The router has extremely limited logging, and no specific intrusion attempt logging. You also cannot block access to/from specific external IP addresses. (You can, however, block internal IP's from internet access). I've had lots of problems with bridging stability and DHCP. I've got one machine on the ethernet port, and two on the phoneline network (one of which is a laptop that often leaves the network). Every time a machine goes off the phoneline side of the network, either through shutdown or physical removal, the bridging stops working. Machines on the phoneline and ethernet sides can still see the internet, but cannot see each other. The only way to correct this is resetting the router. That leads to the DHCP problem. The router maintains its DHCP client table in volatile memory. Therefore, every time you power-cycle it (to fix the bridging), it loses track of all IP address assignments. Bringing another machine up on the network often causes duplicate address assignments because of this. I finally gave up and assigned static addresses to all the machines. (Which means that when my 13-year-old son brings that laptop to the network at his Mom's house, he's going to get quite an education in TCP/IP configuration!) Unfortunately, this product has very few competitors, and the few I have found are much more expensive. So if you want a phoneline router, this is probably still the one to get. However, I could only recommend it to someone who is comfortable troubleshooting the issues described above.
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