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Linksys Etherfast Wireless AP + CABLE/DSL Router 4port Switch

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$39.99 - $49.95
From 2 Merchants

Linksys Etherfast Wireless AP + CABLE/DSL Router 4port Switch Review

by Becky Waring

Well-designed gateway with firewall options and good documentation.

The Linksys EtherFast Wireless Access Point + Cable/DSL Router w/4-Port Switch (BEFW11S4) is a solid overall 802.11b gateway, with very good firewall features and excellent hardware performance at a nice price.

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The well-designed purple-and-black case offers a full set of informative LEDs, so you can easily troubleshoot your LAN and cable/DSL connections. Dual antennas strengthen its range, and it has a useful four-port ethernet switch with uplink port so you can daisy-chain it to another ethernet hub.

The gateway equaled the best performance of the Orinoco gateway--but only with the Orinoco card. For some reason (probably the drivers), Linksys's own $70 PC Card yielded subpar results, though the $75 Linksys USB adapter did well.

Card and gateway setup went smoothly, though we'd have preferred a quick guide or basic configuration wizard for the gateway (wizards were included for the cards). We installed the gateway quickly by skipping the online setup guide, and checking a few pages of the printed manual. For a new gateway user, however, the Linksys docs give almost too much information. For example, "Cabling," the first step in the setup procedure, delves into the pin-outs for both straight-through and crossover ethernet cabling. Though having the right cable is important, so much detail may confuse novice users. At best, it takes too long to wade through.

Firewall options include the ability to designate one computer as a Web server (with direct connection to the Internet), along with port filtering and forwarding that enable specific applications to bypass the firewall when needed. You can also manage the gateway remotely from outside the local network.

UPSHOT: A reliable workhorse, the Linksys BEFW11S4 is easy to set up and offers extensive firewall configuration capabilities. PC Card performance was sluggish, but the gateway performed well. Documentation and support are excellent, as is the hardware design.

SUMMARY

Linksys EtherFast Wireless Access Point + Cable/DSL Router w/4-Port Switch

Web-based setup, up to 128-bit encryption, four LAN ethernet ports, IP and port filters, allows one machine to be Web server (DMZ); one-year parts and labor warranty; unlimited toll-free 24-hour phone support.

$145
800/546-5797
www.linksys.com

User Reviews for Linksys Etherfast Wireless AP + CABLE/DSL Router 4port Switch

Reviewed by: neo111

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: inexpensive. signal strength and range are decent.

Weaknesses: relatively slow with the g-card and it was not so easy to hook it with the verizon's dsl modem - both somehow share the same ip address.

Overall Evaluation: for $35 that I've paid for this router it is worth the money - gives you the freedom to run around the house with your laptop and stay connected. give it a try.
Reviewed by: ViperMage

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: Ease of Use, Tech Support

Weaknesses: Long term quality, Tech support

Overall Evaluation: I have had a very mixed experience with this family of products. I had a Ver 2 that worked fine for about a year, but it was not X-Box compatible. When I showed tech support a website proving that, they agreed to exchange it for a ver 4 at no cost. They sent me 3 different refurbished ones that were DOA. After I got very angry, they sent me a brand new one that worked for a little over a year. A few months ago it started requiring a reset every few days before it would work correctly. Recently that became everyday, and the WAN Port just died completely a few days ago. I called tech support, but they would just run me through the generic, reset, upgrade firmware, and call us back. As far as actual wireless use, it always worked fine without security. The moment I would use any type of wireless security, I would have to fiddle around, change settings, and change them back to get it to work. It was way too big of a pain in the a$$ to use it with security, and I didn't want to use it without security...so I rarely used the wireless features.

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