Cisco-Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster
by Linksys
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Our Price: $159.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $12.50 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Cisco-Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster
Customer Review: Linksys WRT54GS Router with WUSB54GS USB Adapter
Summary: 5 Stars
The WRT54GS Router was used to create a home wireless network. It is wired between a DSL modem and and XP desktop computer using Cat5 patch cables. The Linksys WUSB54GS USB adapter was added to a Vista desktop. Both units were installed WITHOUT using the supplied Linksys software CD's. Initially an internet connection could not be obtained with the Router wired between the DSL Modem and the XP computer. The problem was that the address of the ZyXEL DSL modem and the Linksys router were both the same - 192.168.1.1 Changing the Linksys Router address to 192.168.2.1 resolved the problem resulting in excellent fast internet access on the XP computer. To install the USB adapter on the Vista computer, a Vista driver was downloaded from the Linksys web site to the Vista system. This driver is compressed and must be decompressed before it can be used (double click on the downloaded file to decompress). With the Vista system booted, the adapter was connected to a USB port. Vista will discover the new hardware. The Linksys USB Vista driver was then installed using normal windows driver installation procedures.
Results have been excellent. The Vista computer is located 60 feet from the Router. The signal strength indicator has 3-4 of 5 bars green. A laptop located 70ft from the router also has good signal strength. Operation has been fast and perfect with no signal drop out or other problems. This is a rural location with no interfering signals. Based on my results, I would recommend this equipment.
Customer Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
I just bought this product and it works great. After doing a lot of research on which wireless router to buy, I narrowed it down to this one, and I am happy with the decision. Several different un-biased sources told me that the Linksys routers are the best, and I have to agree.
Reception: The range seems to be excellent. I installed this in my 3-level tonwhouse on the top floor, and I still get excellent reception throughout the house, even down in the basement.
Ease of use: Installation could not have been easier! The product comes with a CD that guides you step-by-step through the installation. To be honest, if you're of average or better familiarity with computer technology, you probably don't even need the CD. The CD instructions just make it dummy-proof. Setting up the encryption also a breeze.
One final note: even if you don't think you need wireless, but want a LAN in your home, I recommend getting this instead of just a 4-port switch or hub. I say this because the product has 4 ports in the back and also acts as switch (or hub, I forget the difference between the 2). In fact, that's pretty much how I use it. I've got my desktop wired directly to the router and whenever I'm in my home office that's the way I use it (ethernetically, I just made that word up, but it sounds cool). I just use the wireless secondary for my laptop when I feel like working on the computer out on the deck or elsewhere in the house.
Customer Review: Not for novices
Summary: 2 Stars
BOTTOM LINE: IT REQUIRES SPECIAL PREPARATION AND SOFTWARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BOX TO USE THE DEVICE. So I'm a pretty smart guy when it comes to technology, but I had quite a great deal of trouble with this little jewel. The instructions in the box are, well, not in the box. There is a CD and a quickstart guide, but no manual. Not a good start, but I played along. It says to run the CD before plugging it in, but I didn't believe it needed this, so I pulled out the router and all the cables and noticed that there was a sticker on all the holes on the back of the router that said "Run CD before plugging in any cables." I still thought that I was smarter and pulled out the cables, but there was card on top of the cables that said, well, you can guess. So I ran the CD and there was a Wizard that told me to plug in the router (but it says... nevermind) and then to plug in the ethernet cable to the router, then to connect the router to the computer via an ethernet cable (this is a wireless router, right?). So I did this and it said "Congratulations, you've installed your wireless router!" Um, but its not wireless if there are wires connecting it to my computer. What next? No advice in the box, none on the CD so I called tech support who told me that I needed to download new firmware and another program to use it as a wireless device. BOTTOM LINE: IT REQUIRES SPECIAL PREPARATION AND SOFTWARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BOX TO USE THE DEVICE. I have not the words.Customer Review: Great product
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this router and got it just a few days before Christmas. My husband got me a DSL line for Christmas and I bought him a Toshiba Laptop with the new Vista software for Christmas. Before I wrapped this laptop for him I hooked up the wireless router to my cable modem. I installed my desktop in an instant. I couldn't believe how fast I hooked it up. Their installation disk was all self-explanatory and everything worked to perfection! The laptop and its VISTA were the challenge. I was glad that I attempted to install this router then and not found the problem on Christmas morning. It would not recognize the router. I called Linksys tech support and boy what a surprise! I waited no more than 2 minutes to speak with a tech and he came through like a charm. I needed to download a patch for the vista and he was very patient with me as I had just turned on this computer and the vista is a pain in the butt to use compared to the XP I have on my desktop. He stayed on the line with me until the computer was functioning wirelessly with the router. My husband has been on his laptop non-stop since Christmas and I have not had any problems whatsoever with this router. It also has you name your router for security and I believe I had to put a password in as well. The installation went so fast I forgot. I feel very confident with its encryption features. Being new to DSL from dial-up, I would recommend this product to anyone from beginners to experts.Customer Review: Works Well and Easy To Set-up
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this Linksys router because my previous Linksys router (a WRT54G) got fried during an electrical storm. Yes, we had a surge protector but the jolt came through the cable-tv coax line -- it also fried my cable modem.
I've had spotty results with a Linksys wireless NIC, but their routers are top-notch. Setting up the router was a breeze. I did it manually, using the settings I had used on the fried router, so I can't comment on the "easy setup button" on the front of the unit. I used the Linksys CD to set up the wireless connection on the laptop (which I had problems doing manually). The instructions and screens presented by the CD were straight-forward and the Windows XP wireless setup completed without a hitch.
I have only my laptop connected to it, so it's working strictly as a hardware firewall. The previous router handled three computers, two wired and one wireless, with no problems and I expect this one will work just as well with multiple computers. My only regret is that I didn't wait for the MIMO (sp?) routers that use two-channel transmission to speed up the wireless signal. I have tried the WRT54GS in wireless mode, with the router in the bedroom and the laptop in the dining room (two rooms away on the same floor) and had 54mb signal levels with no apparent decrease in performance versus a hardwired connection. There's not much more I can ask of a wireless router.