Wireless networking made easy (for most)
Written: May 15 '02
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Pros: Cheap, compact, easy to set up
Cons: Would probably not work in anything bigger than an apartment
The Bottom Line: The technology that they fit into a box like that is amazing. Works perfectly (for my limited needs)
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| calebu2's Full Review: Linksys (BEFW11S4) 802.11b Wireless Access Point |
As soon as I found out that the same wireless technology used in my office could be used in my apartment, I saw all the fun possibilities (as well as the serious business applications, but there are considerably fewer of those).
I figured out how to connect it to my cable modem so that I did not have to pay AT&T for the home networking option (AT&T do not offer tech support on how your network should be configured, so you'd better hope that like me you got it right first time) - simply a case of connecting all the wires into the necessary slots and then loading up a browser on my desktop computer.
The day to day running of the router is simple - it automatically registers new computers and figures that you probably want to use Microsoft networking within your home (not outside of it), so all of the settings are ready and pretty much secure for networking a large collection of PCs together.
I configured the router to have the same wireless network name as my office so that I did not have to change the settings on my laptop when I return home and if it weren't for the 11 mile gap between home and office where there is no wireless service, the system works seemlessly (!)
Everything that you could want to change is available through a simple browser driven menu system - most people won't need to change anything, but if you find that you are using some weird piece of software that needs ports to be opened, the router software has everything you need to figure out which port needs opening and then to go ahead and open it.
The most useful feature by far on this item is the no hassles reset button, especially for techie wannabies like myself. if you manage to screw up the settings (and believe me there are enough that someday you probably will), you just hold in the reset button on the back and it puts you back to factory settings, which are in general pretty close to the settings that you would want in the first place, anyway!
My three minor concerns with the unit are that (a) it occasionally ignores a setting that you give to it - eg. I tell it to open a port and it ignores me the first time. No big deal, it always responds within the first two tries. and (b) The range on this unit is not amazing. Theoretically, the wireless feature works all the way to the elevator shaft in my apartment building, but in terms of useable service, it is confined to everywhere but the extremities of my 700sq ft apartment. So it fits my lifestyle perfectly. (c) it causes interference with my cordless telephone (which is supposed to work on a completely different radio band). I blame the telephone, but my fiancee blames the router.
The tech support people are extremely helpful - While they were quick to point out that an issue I was having was the fault of my cable company, they were completely right and were able to give me enough background information on the problem to explain my situation properly to AT&T when I called them up.
So on a day to day basis, I am able to do plenty of cool things with this item, such as stream video (taken from the TV tuner on my desktop computer) to my laptop in the other room and save myself $10 a month on home networking fees.
At the price that this item now retails for, it is definitely a good buy. I just have to ask myself now why I am sat at the desktop computer writing my review when I could have been lying in the hammock on my balcony doing the same :)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149
Driver Availability: Other
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Epinions.com ID:
calebu2
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Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 2 members
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