Linksys BEFCMU10 EtherFast Cable Modem

Rating:
Summary: Try again with Version 3
Review: Bought a Linksys BEFCMU10 (version 2) in January of 2003. Initially had a few problems requiring that I reset the modem. Problem turned out to be an ISP problem. Problem fixed and had a year and a half of excellent service.
Yesterday, my Linksys BEFCMU10 failed. I bought a new (version 3) and am back in business.
At $10 per month to rent a modem from my ISP, I am still money ahead buying my modem. However, the Linksys modem does get hot and the heat is probably exacerbated using the modem with a stakable Linksys router as I do.

Rating:
Summary: WARNING-Frustrating & time consuming technical support!!!!!
Review: Please be careful of Linksys' technical support! I called the Amazon.com provided number to make sure I could replace my cable company modem with a purchased Linksys modem (I already had a Linksys router and notebook adapter). I was told it was a straight swap.

However, be warned that once you swap out the modem, your Internet connection is gone! What I wasn't told by the Amazon.com tech support person was that I would have to take the MAC address off the modem and call my cable ISP and give them that number. The Linksys instructions do say that (but only after you have swapped modems), but the person I talked to before I purchased this modem did not, so I got caught off guard and had to search for the cable company's telephone number and call them to complete installation.

After this was done, my notebook adapter could not connect to the Internet. Before the day was over, I had placed three tech support calls (to the number provided in the modem instruction). All three calls went to INDIA!!!!

While the Indian tech people do speak English, it is with an accent. They can be very hard to understand. They also have no ability to troubleshoot!!! They must follow a script.

Additionally, each tech support person had to ask the same questions all over again (e.g., model number of the modem, router, notebook adapter, cable provider name, and operating systems of your computers). [Note: Linksys prints the model numbers in extremely small type, so they are really hard to read. Additionally, you have to turn the modem and router upside down to find the model number.] Somehow the Indian tech support people think this all can change since your prior call an hour earlier.

The result is that you can not tell them what you encountered (I caused the problem that required the third call, but they were not interested in knowing what had happened).

On my second call, the man didn't really want to help me and insisted that I go to the Internet address www.linksys.com and select "Options" and pick "netsetassist" or "netsetassistant" to download. I could not understand which name even after he repeated himself. But at that address, there were no such "Options." Doing a search using "netsetassist" or "netsetassistant" didn't yield anything.

While American tech support can be bad, I found this Indian tech support time consuming and frustrating. It is as if they do not understand the Linksys product and therefore are forced to start always from the beginning regardless of what problem you have, or the level of detailed knowledge you can provide.

Yes, I'm finally got my wireless network work after installing this Linksys modem, but it was not a pleasing experience. It didn't need to take so long, or be anywhere as frustrating as it was.

In any case, be warned that you may be dealing with inflexible people who, at times, have as much difficulty understanding you as you them. The product works, but the tech support is really terrible (for reasons that are not necessary).

Rating:
Summary: Great Cable Modem
Review: My only regret is that I didn't buy this sooner. I've been renting my modem from Charter for over 2 years now. This modem was a breeze to set up. I followed the instructions, got it hooked up, then called Charter and gave them the mac address. He had me fill out a form that came up on my computer when I clicked IE, then restart the computer, and everything works just fine. I returned Charter's modem to them the next day and will be happy to see that rental charge off my bill from now on!

Rating:
Summary: Works Great. A Breeze to Install.
Review: Works great. Took less than 5 min. on the phone with the cable company to get it registered in their system.

Rating:
Summary: Another fine LinkSys product!
Review: Once again, perfection has been created. As usual they fubared the first few releases. But, after fixing all the lockups (version 2 and earlier) there seem to be no problems. Great product strongly recommended. (Version 3 and later only - if there is a later.)

Rating:
Summary: I am very satisfied!
Review: I just set up a home network, which is now working very fast with zero trouble. I use all Linksys produts, this Cable Modem, and Wireless-G Router with Speedboster and Wireless-G PC Adapter for my notebook computer. The set up of this Modem was easy, and I like the fact that I can stack up the router on top of the modem. Overall, I am happy with this network.

Rating:
Summary: Version 2 is broken
Review: Since it was released, the BEFCMU10 has experienced technical problems that linksys has attempted to fix by comming out with new versions of the same modem. These technical issues cannot be resolved by the end user. Updates to the modem software must be sent "down the line" from the cable end of the modem. The firmware that is shipped with version 2 of this modem is very unstable. If your ISP is not making the update availible to the modem, dont buy it.

Rating:
Summary: What more can I say, but....
Review: I don't know that I could add any more to Bill Buenbrazo's excellent review on the Linksys BEFCMU10 EtherFast Cable Modem, but I will try.

I too have Comcast for High-Speed Internet service. However, I was renting my cable modem from them for the past two years (after all what's five bucks a month right?). For the price of the Linksys modem and what I have been paying rent on for the past two years (do the math) it finally sank in that, "Hey, you should really buy this modem." Well, I finally listened to myself and did just that.

The Comcast folks were very helpful during my transition. Make sure you follow Bill Buenbrazo's setup instructions and you won't go wrong.

I must stress one important thing though... you need to call your high-speed provider and make sure you give them the model number, serial number and MAC address of the modem before you even try to connect and then as Bill said, "7) Make sure your cable installer or you(buyer of modem), tells the cable office the correct MAC address. Errors will lead to no Internet."

Remember, when all else fails read the directions, but I will say that I have never been disappointed with any Linksys product I have purchased yet.

I also have a Linksys PSUS4 USB PrintServer with 4 port switch, a WRT54G Wireless-G Router, a Linksys WUSB54G Wireless-G USB Adapter, and a Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Firewall Router (4-Port 10/100 Switch / VPN Endpoint).
So far, all have been working seamlessly.

Would I recommend Linksys, hmm... I believe I just may be doing that already.








Rating:
Summary: Overall a good modem
Review: I am a loyal Linksys customer, but I will try not to be too biased here. Overall, this modem is great, and it never fails. BUT it never fails IF you only do casual web surfing. Things starts to get ugly when Kazaa or BitTorrent or any P2P sharing program is running. I had to reset it every couple hours. This modem simply cannot take abnormally heavy duty load. So if you are just a regular web surfer, get this modem. And if you are doing a lot of P2P sharing, skip this modem.

Rating:
Summary: Try again with Version 3
Review: Save money from the monthly modem rental fees and buy this one for keeps. I honestly believe that Comcast's piece of crap modem they gave me for rental (I believe it was an RCA-brand modem) caused my connection to drop off at least once a day for a few hours at random times of the day. Ever since I bought the LinkSys BEFCMU10 EtherFast Cable Modem, I've never been kicked off once. Comcast is still my cable provider, but now (thank God) I have a different modem. Save your money and sanity from the crappy Comcast RCA rental modem. You'll thank me later.