Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch (BEFSR41) Reviews

• My PC and my Mac now share high-speed Internet access!

  
  By A3O06V8NAPKJO9 on 2001-09-04
  We have a PC upstairs, which is our primary computer, and a Mac downstairs in the tv room. I wanted both to be able to share our broadband Internet service. I looked at several routers, both wired and wireless. It came down to the Linksys (wired version) and SMC Barricade Wireless. I kept coming back to Linksys because a friend owns one and raves about it.

  Besides the fact that it looks really cool, it almost took me longer to get it out of the box than it did to set it up. No kidding! Using the QuickStart guide, I was up and running in less than ten minutes. You hook up the necessary cables, restart your computer, log-in to the Linksys website to configure your router, restart your computer again, and you're good to go.

  I wasn't as optimistic about setting up my Power Mac G3. However, I was pleasantly surprised and it took me all of about five minutes before I was doing some high-speed surfing on that machine as well. Fortunately, my Mac has an Ethernet port so it was just a matter of attaching the CAT-5 cable from there to the Linksys and setting the TCP/IP control panel to the Ethernet and DHCP options. I saved my configuration, opened up my browser and spent the next two hours high-speed surfing with no problems.

  I have no problem recommending the Linksys, especially for its ease of setup on a PC and Mac network. While I would have preferred a wireless setup, they've received mixed reviews and I was concerned about Mac compatibility. After seeing how well my Mac performs with this Linksys, I'm ready to make ours a wired household!
  
  

• Easy to Install. Easy to use.

  
  By on 2000-05-11
  I worried this product would be hard to install, configure and use. This sounds silly since I'm an engineer working at a dot-com company, building a large Internet network. Even engineers get stuck with computer hardware they can't get to work. Also, being net savvy, I tend to want my network hardware to work MY way and not in some configuration deemed "good" by marketing monkeys. All fears quickly faded, however as the router was up and running with my network 15 minutes after opening the box.

  Ease of use is important, as I frequently distrust technical support for networking products. No fault of Linksys, but years with inept customer service apes, trained only to hold phones, ruined me. If I can not get a product to work in short order when other, equivalent products exist, I quickly return, exchange and try again. Thankfully, I did not have to do so. The Linksys jumped all hurtles without effort.

  Ease of use goes past the install to the packaging and into the web-based configuration. The packaging comes with a quick start guide. Smart. Impatient males with more eagerness than brains don't want to read manuals, even short ones. The quick start has everything you need to get online in short order. If you need the advanced features, like port redirection, a DMZ host, or PPP over ethernet, the manual is friendly and the configuration screens are kind. Five minutes after surfing the web, I reconfigured my PC to have a static IP address (rather than the DHCP generated address, given to me by the quick start guide), and set up port redirection for my web server.

  DHCP is great, especially if you take tote your laptop between home and work. DHCP is a service, run on a network, allowing computers on the network to ask what their IP addresses, gateways, DNS servers and subnet masks are. The DHCP server replies, allowing computers to dynamically configure themselves based on what network the computer is on. Thus, you can conveniently carry your laptop into work, hook it up without reconfiguring the networking. If you're me, you're likely too lazy to set up a UNIX computer on your network just for a DHCP server. So, having the Linksys Cable/DSL router provide DHCP is a big bonus.

  Net novices may wonder if this router is a risk to have. With all the media attention, you likely think an army of computer and network savvy teens are just waiting for you to go online, so they can infect and hack your computer. I've never had a problem, but then, I'm cautious from where I download software and with whom I interact. One risk is placing a bad password on your router, allowing others to reconfigure your network. I envision several lazy people not bothering to change the default password on their Linksys routers, creating some minor havoc.

  However, because the router uses network address translation, you have the potential to be safer as outsiders see only the IP address of your router and not your host. So far as I know, the only listening port on the router is the embedded wed server and any in-bound port-forwarding you set up, so people trying to get in, from the outside, will likely rely on you to do something dumb. A few dumb things include an easily guessed password on the router -- your first name, or the word "router" are really terrible ideas -- downloading software from any web page with the words "d00d" or "kewl," or setting up a web server from an old Linux distribution without checking CERT advisories for known security holes. More dumb things exist. Use common sense, but never fear making mistakes; it's just a computer.

  If you have several computers in your home and want them all to be networked, the Linksys can do the job. Yes, only 5 ports exist on the back, but 10 megabit per second (MBPS) hubs are less than $30 and 100 MBPS hubs are around $100. Multiples of either hub can be added, to get up to 255 computer on your network. Though, if you have 255 computers, just using hubs will lead to frightening performance problems, but one hopes, anyone with so many computers, knows better.
  
  

• Rox

  
  By A34SHL7JJVHLNJ on 2000-06-02
  Per LinkSys, USE DHCP. I have a Linux box on my LAN which I was planning to forward FTP, Telnet, etc. requests to. The user manual suggests DHCP should be turned off for this to fly.

  Not true.

  In the router configuration, specify the starting DHCP IP address as 100. I then configured my Linux box to a static address of 192.168.1.2 and forwarded accordingly via the router's Forwarding tab within the Advanced configuration.

  Everything flew as advertised.

  Finally, be sure to specify "Client for Microsoft Networks" as the default Primary Network Login and be sure to give your ISP the "WAN ADDRESS" of the router if needed. (my cable modem ISP only hands out a dynamic IP addresses to a specified MAC address - 5 minute phone call to change it)

  Curator

  BTW, the LinkSys tech support number is 800.326.7114 and is as 24-hour shop. Unfortunately I was picked up by an operator that took down my name and number to be called back "due to heavy call loads". The turnaround time was about an hour and the staff was XLNT once I finally got them on the horn.

  Definitely 5 Stars.
  
  

• Pays for itself in a year

  
  By A1QOZFOC54UYOV on 2000-05-30
  I bought this Router as an alternative to paying an extra $14.95/month to MediaOne just to add a second computer to my cable modem. Set up was super-simple. The documentation is great and the web-based configuration couldn't be easier. HOWEVER.... As the user, "vdpluijm", stated in another review. The tricky part is calling your cable/DSL provider and getting them to switch your service (authentication) without telling them that you bought a router to avoid paying them more money. You'll need to say that you bought a whole new PC (and NOT a router). When the helpful telephone customer service representative asks for your "new computer's" MAC (Ethernet card) address. You need to give him/her/it the WAN MAC address displayed on the Router's web page, all the while, lying about what windows you're looking at on the screen. Other than that, the Internet sharing is great and it's nice to have your own DHCP server for quickly connecting a laptop with no configuration issues. Also, chicks dig the router's many multi-colored flashing lights.
  
  

• Incredible value

  
  By A3A276HARIYM4Y on 2000-05-22
  The combination of features and the price make this a great unit. Before I start, a word of warning - I use the product with RoadRunner in Columbus, Ohio; we are a pure DHCP with no login style of cable system; your "mileage" may vary depending or your ISP.

  I had this unit setup and working in 5 minutes. 1 - Turn off the cable modem and your PC. 2 - Install the DSL router. (Use good quality NON-crossover cables.) 3 - Turn on the cable modem. 4 - Turn on the DSL router. 5 - Turn on the PC. You are done. For most people, this is all that is needed.

  Open your browser and point it to 192.168.1.1 and check the release level of the software. Then, check LinkSys and verify you have the latest version. A couple of the early releases had a few "gotchas".

  I have used this router with a combination of machines running NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 2000 (Professional and Advanced Server), and Red Hat Linux with no problem (There shouldn't have been since this is a standard DCHP server and NAT box.)

  I just finished a 60Mb down load with no problem.

  Some people may need more functionality than this box delivers (advanced filtering, etc.) This is NOT a $2000 Cisco router and it doesn't try to be. Check you needs and if you are a typical SOHO user; this unit will most likely fill the bill.
  
  

• Product did not work - poor technical support.
  By A34712VPBXHWG5 on 2000-04-26
  Product did not work properly. Router would corrupt anydownloads over a certain size (about 300k). I am not the only personwho had this problem. . . For most people, the router seems to do it's job well. However, I and a few other people have not been so fortunate. I have tried mutliple units, and experience the same problem. Obviously, there are a few issues they have not yet worked out.

  The technical support was horrible. Getting an actual technician on the phone was next to impossible. Usually they simply had somebody take my phone number and/or e-mail address so they could contact me later. Out of four calls, I think I was contacted twice - both times a substantial amount of time after I had originally called. When I actually talked to them, they were rude and could do nothing to help. They would not even acknowledge the problem, despite the fact that several other people have had the same problem.

  Instead, I recommend you spend a few more bucks and buy a more reliable product. The Umax Ugate 3000 might warrant purchase.
  
  

• Great idea for internet Access only
  By A1DCPPP6X01Z67 on 2000-05-26
  When I installed this it took about 15 minutes to shut everything off, plug everything in and get into the management interface. It tok me no time at all to configure this switch and get online. Then, I read, that only one person could be "live on the interent" at one time. I have 3 people plugged in this switch and all 3 of us play games online. We also use netmeeting alot. This device will only allow ONE to play at a time or use netmeeting. This is a serious oversight on the part of linksys. I returned my switch because of this. It is great if you want inter access ONLY. Two people playing games? NO Two or more people on netmeeting? NO. Really think about what you do online and see if this limitation will affect you before buying this product.
  
  
• Great Product...I wish it was more reliable
  By on 2000-08-28
  Everything about this product makes you want to likeit:

  1. Excellent features; router/firewall + 4 port hub(100/10 Mbps) 2. Good configuration flexibility such as DHCP served or static IP's, port forwarding and filtering, DMZ facility for video conferencing and on-line work where NAT can really screw you up. 3. Really easy to configure via a web interface, just type http://192.168.1.1 plus username/password and you're in! 4. A great price point for what you get.

  THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE A SOHO NETWORK ROUTER CATEGORY KILLER

  EXCEPT.....my machine regularly 'seizes up' and cannot access the Net. The MTBF is utterly predictable at ~48 hours and a quick power re-cycle clears the problem. I've had my machine for 6 weeks now, so there has been adequate time to confirm that this is a persistent fault. From reading many posts on Usenet and www.dslreports I *know* other BEFSR41 users have this problem too. In fact another reviewer on Amazon talks about it. I just sent Linksys support an email detailing the problem with an IP Monitor log from one of my machines. Yet to hear back. I take reliability very seriously, and these days equipment such as the BEFSR41 *should* be more reliable. Accordingly I cannot recommend it unless you are happy to live with the same situation that I currently have. It's a real pity, given the many positive attributes.

  P.S Amazon service is great. ...
  
  

• easy to set up, nice to look at
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2002-01-21
  About 5 minutes after I opened the box containing my Linksys Ethernet Router, I had it connected and set up without reading any instructions... the unit is clearly marked and you've really got to go out of your way to screw up.

  The instructions tell you what IP address to log into via your browser to get a snazzy looking login screen and administration pages. Linksys is known for its reliability and ease of use and I got recommendations from other users of this product.

  My less than perfect rating for this item is their total lack of acknowledgement of the Mac platform... it is to their own detriment. I have this set up with my Mac G4/400 (AGP), but mostly due to the ease of use of the Mac platform.

  This router comes with documentation for every flavor of Windows except 3.1, but does not give any instructions for Mac OS... not one word. It's hard to believe a manufacturer would have a potential audience of about 20 million Mac owners and not exploit the fact that their product works seamlessly w/ the Mac platform.

  Even their website remains silent on the Mac OS, which did leave me having some guesswork and figuring out stuff on my own as well as consulting MacFixit forums, etc. The enclosed CD has additional instructions, but you guessed it... nothing regarding the Mac. For shame.

  The LEDs are pretty straight forward and it's easy to see at a glance which port is having activity. The unit is designed so that additional routers can stack and fit in an inter-locking fashion so that the legs of the unit above fit in indentations of the case below. The legs have rubberized feet pads to prevent scratching of nice desks.

  If you have broadband connectivity, you owe it to yourself to get a router such as this one to protect you from hackers. The Linksys Etherfast Router is known for having a dependable hardware firewall. Even if you're a Mac user, you can't do better for the price than this unit... you just may need to do some searches on the Internet for instructions by other Mac users to ease your comfort level.
  
  

• Great way to share the Internet!
  By A3VK2YVHWSVQHB on 2000-04-26
  I purchased one of these to share my Road Runner cable modem connection among the computers in my home. It only took a couple minutes to replace my 10Mbit hub with this router. The 10/100 switch in this thing was a dramatic speed boost from my hub and the NAT (Network Address Translation) used to share the Internet works flawlessly and is simpler, more flexible and configurable than Windows 98SE's Internet Connection Sharing. Not only do you get the 10/100 switch and NAT, but you get a basic IP firewall which greatly helps protect your computers from intruders on the Internet. Regarding the comment from someone wanting two DMZ hosts, you cannot have two DMZ hosts with one IP address.
  
  
• Excellent Product
  By AF47E5ZGTIQB3 on 2000-10-28
  I'm a Cox@Home subscriber, and my PC was the 'Server' for 2 other PC's for my kids, through an ethernet hub and the use of Wingate internet sharing software. Wingate was good, but could be temperamental at times.

  This little jewel (Linksys Router) solved the problem of my PC having to be on all the time for the other two PC's to access the internet, and eliminated for a second NIC in my PC, which of course frees up resourses in my machine.

  Installation was a snap, just by following the instructions. However, it took a few tries and I did have to tinker with the TCP/IP settings a little. If you have @Home cable service, on the first PC you install, you will open up your browser with the address of 192.168.1.1, and input the following data per the instructions:

  1. No "Host Name" needed. 2. "Domain Name" should be set to your assigned @Home name, i.e., CX000000-X. 3. You should click "Specify an IP Address" and enter your static IP address. (if you don't know it, it should be on your @Home paperwork, or there are instructions included on how to 'ping' yourself to get it.) 4."Subnet Mask" should have automatically filled-in itself (255.255.255.0) 5.The "Default Gateway Address" I found on my Cox@Home paperwork, and it was similar but not identical to my IP address. 6."DNS(Required) 1: and 2:" were also included on my paperwork, but for Cox@Home subscribers, these items were listed as: 'primary dns server ip address' and 'sec dns server ip address'. An entry under "3:" was not required.

  On #5 and 6 above, if you don't have your paperwork from your original @Home installation, you will probably have to call your provider to get the numbers.

  Performance has been the same or better as before with the hub. My son does some interactive gaming on the net with some state of the art graphics and programs. No problem! Napster works fine. The added benefit of a REAL firewall is nice. "GRC.COM" doesn't know any of the 3 PC's exist! No more superfluous Black Ice or Zone Alarms hits.

  I wish I'd heard about this product sooner. I read all of the other 180 or so reviews on this site before I bought it, so I had professional networking friend standing by if needed, but I did it all myself! ....

  Pax, Jon
  
  

• Wonderful product, but you don't need it with Windows98 SE
  By A2LSVKJVDUK5X6 on 2000-08-10
  First, I want to say that I respect LinkSys, they make wonderful network products, and this is truly a great product. Now, the sobering news is if you have Windows98 SE, you really do not need to spend all the money on this product. Win98SE comes with an Internet Sharing driver. You install this driver on one PC you designate as an 'Internet Router', and also install an additional network card on that machine. A good LinkSys network card retails for around $20. You plug your cable modem / DSL modem 10Bt connector into card 1. You can simply connect a second computer to card 2 by using a standard 10bt cable. If you need more than 2 computers to share the internet connection, then a small 8-port hub can be had for under $50, and you plug card 2 into one of the ports on that hub. Simple as that. All computers see the network. The requirement of some cable modems that need to be connected only to a NIC (they require a MAC address) is satisfied here as well. The designated "Internet Router" PC becomes your firewall and all PC's use the same IP address. Only the "Internet Router" PC needs to have Win98SE. The software generates an install disk that you load only once on the other PC's in your network which can be Win95 or Win98 machines. This enables internet sharing on them.
  
  
• Warning for PPPoE ADSL users
  By on 2000-10-13
  This router is housed in an attractive stackable case which easily mates with other Linksys networking products. An easy to read array of LEDs gives a clear indication of networking activity on both the LAN and WAN ports.

  One initial annoyance is the power transformer. For some reason Linksys chose to not make it a wall wart (good) but did not give it enough cord to reach the floor (bad). So you will end up with the transformer either on your desk or dangling in mid air.

  Setup is a breeze with the built-in html configuration interface and quickstart document. Even a novice could get the unit configured within five minutes. Support for things such as DMZ and DHCP is an added bonus.

  If your ADSL provider does not use PPPoE you will probably be fine with this unit. Unfortunately, mine uses PPPoE. Linksys is supposed to support PPPoE beginning with firmware version 1.30.

  The current firmware version is 1.36 and was released on 10/12/2000. While I applaud Linksys updating their firmware frequently I was not happy waiting for the PPPoE support to be fixed and already returned the unit.

  The router would work fine until my ADSL provider would "refresh" my IP address; the linksys unit would then be unable to obtain a new IP. Using the html web interface seemed to debug the problem only seemed to aggravate the situation. Their support page suggested doing the "power dance" by unplugging the router and/or the ADSL modem in varying combinations, which was unsuccessful, time-consuming and aggravating.

  I'm sure Linksys will have this fixed in time just be forewarned if you are a PPPoE user.
  
  

• Great possibilities, pitiful documentation, non-existent svc
  By AT8YWJ9SEL4T8 on 2000-08-04
  I have been using the router for over a month now, and have hadtime to get to know it, it's manual, and service people enough to make a comment or two on the unit.

  First, let me say that you can't touch it for the price. Whatever shortcomings it has (and there are definitely shortcomings), for [the money]there is nothing that does what it *can* do, or do it as well. If you simply need to split a dsl or cable modem connection between several machines, it's the only game in town at this admission price.

  If you don't mind losing the firewall protection, even it's issues with identifying (if you talk on Dalnet, it needs to be configured differently. You can email me on this) can be rectified. Be sure to go to Linksys' home page and download V1.33 or higher firmware, it makes it lots easier.

  The documentation is so far below the standard of the unit it "describes" that I could write a book on it's lack of information. For the basic features, it should be three times as in depth. I think Linksys didn't research this market well enough to know that most purchasers of this unit are amateurs to networking, and not Information Systems techs. A little "why and wherefore" explanation would have went a long, long way. And there is no, and I mean that exactly as written "NO" support for any advanced feature. Not in the manual, not at the oddly named "customer service" line. This is ludicrous, these features are the very thing that makes this unit flexible enough to get any real usage from. It is, possibly, the worst manual I have ever seen to come with a unit that was obviously intended to be a powerful tool for the masses.

  Email or phone support was pitiful, with one glowing exception. Nicholas Mack with Linksys sales not only got involved in helping me, but stayed involved until we both figured out how to make the router do everything I needed it to do. He sent me advice, firmware updates, and we emailed repeatedly and found solutions to the problems. In return, I reported what each step accomplished on my machine for him to pass along to others. Without Nicholas' intervention, I would have sent the router back long ago. Linksys should give that boy a BIG raise. He is the reason I recommend this unit today.

  So, here is the lowdown. The unit is capable beyond it's pricerange, nothing does what it can in this cost area. The manual will help you if the very most basic setup is ok, and you have some idea of how to get around on your machine already. Otherwise, get someone who does. Beyond that, the manual works good for leveling short legs on the kitchen table, that's about it. Customer service will answer direct questions about the unit only (once you get them on the phone) and will not help you with any software (including the microsoft network software it is designed to work with). So if it isn't "where do I plug this cord" you will probably be left frustrated and heading back to the refund line. If you are lucky, you may get one of the few Linksys people who not only know how to make it work, but don't mind telling you.

  In short, this is the most amazingly capable, absolutely non-suported device I have ever used.

  As a PS- My "setup wizard" disk was not packed with the unit, and a short Cat 5 cable would be a very welcome addition to the package.
  
  

• Fantastic!....(once configured properly!!)
  By A2OLQ18EOBZPE6 on 2000-11-18
  This router is absolutely fantastic! At first I was having all kinds of trouble because my DSL connection uses PPPoE with dynamic IP addressing. What was happening was after a varying amount of time, my DSL provider (Earthlink) would change the IP address during my session and the router is not able to recognize the change and therefore, it hangs. You then have to unplug it and reboot your computer. I have read about other people using PPPoE with dynamic IP addressing having the same problems. It was getting frustrating. After messing around with this router for several days, I have finally discovered settings that alleviate this problem. I'm sure many people will find this helpful, and it will save you a lot of aggravation if you are using PPPoE with dynamic IP addressing. First off, you need to flash the latest firmware to the router. You can download the firmware at the Linksys website Make sure you have at least Firmware version 1.36 or higher. In the web configuration utility, enable Connect on demand, and check the Keep Alive box. Now, here is the most important part! Set the idle time to: 9999 minutes. It lets you login to your DSL provider and keep the same IP address for over a week. Try it out! Maybe this tip will work as well for you as it did for me! This router is fantastic and the speed is incredible! It is the best router you can get for the price in my opinion. Even if you don't know the first thing of networking, you can figure it out, it really isn't as hard as you imagine it before you purchase it. Once you have it, it seems to explain itself, and is extremely easy to configure. A great device to add to your office or home network. Definately 5 stars!!
  
  
• Works fine with PPPOE, Win2000, WindowsNT, and Linux
  By AZ0TA88HQ76QK on 2000-07-07
  I purchased this product after reading the reviews here on Amazon.com.

  The 4-port version was easy to setup and configure, and I did not have any problems when configuraing the router to work with PPPOE and my ISP. I am now running a Win2000 platform, a Linux platform, and periodically my laptop from the router. Linksys does not provide any instructions for configuring Linux to work with the router, but if you're familiar with Linux, networking, and TCP/IP you won't have any problems.

  As per another reader's comments, I too have a mix of static and dynamic/DHCP IP addresses. All you need to do is set the router to start at a higher IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.100) and then the other IP addresses (e.g. 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.99) can be used as static/fixed IP addresses. This works great if you're like me and want at least one DHCP-managed IP address for a laptop or similar.

  All outbound activity (from your computers to the Internet) works without any configuration changes. Individual ports (e.g. FTP, Telnet, etc.) are not exposed/available unless you configure them in the router, and when you do expose a port you map it to the specific/static IP address of one of your computers. This is a much better approach than attempting to use Linux as a firewall, since with the router you know exactly which ports are open/visible to the Internet.

  I also like that (by default) a feature called "WAN Blocking" is enabled. If an Internet user PINGs your IP address, they won't get a response.

  Consider doing a firmware upgrade from Linksys' website. You'll need to download the upgrade, unzip it, and then connect to the router and apply the upgrade. Note that this wasn't a difficult task.

  The documentation for the product is pathetic. If anyone from Linksys reads this, please hire better Tech Writers or spend more time on producing thorough documentation (ie., "Linksys Router for Dummies").

  In summary, a solid product at a good price. I now have a firewall and router/hub in a single, compact unit. Spend a few $ more and buy the 4-port version of the router if you ever think you might need more ports in the future.
  
  

• Great device - but some caveats
  By A39UPQZB14VGH4 on 2000-08-19
  Up until a few months ago, I had relied on dual NIC cards and proxy software to get both of my machines to use my cable modem. Worked OK, but there were a lot of problems, specifically with apps that needed to open ports (like Realplayer), or secure Java apps.

  I bought the Linksys router on the advice of a friend, and never looked back. Setting up was a breeze - ten minutes from box to surf! Suddenly Realplayer worked fine, and no more Java security errors. The device also lets you forward ports for specific IPs, so apps like Napster also work well.

  The downside - certain apps will not work with the router. Particularly, certain types of VPN software (like Cisco VPN). This is not due to a bug in the router, but is a side-effect of the way that VPN works.

  Bottom line - for 99% of your networking needs, this little device delivers it all at a price that can't be beat. But if you intend to do some really esoteric stuff like VPN, you may run into glitches.
  
  

• Wow. Linksys has a hit!
  By on 2000-07-07
  I don't know where to start. First, this unit replaced WinGate running on an old 486/66 w/16Mb RAM, which was acting as a software router between an InternetConnect ADSL line and a. I was having timeouts every evening. I don't believe it was WinGate's problem, it was that I was running it on old 486/66. (You get what you pay for, which wasn't much. GRIN!) [Nothing against WinGate, I wished I had a better machine to use it on.]

  Anyhow, I wanted a replacement and found this Linksys Switch/Router. It truely was Plug and Play! I plugged it in, replacing my old Linksys hub, and the 486/66. We haven't had a timeout since then! It's been very reliable.

  We have had this switch for several months, and early on, my brother couldn't on the MSN Zone. We upgraded to the latest firmware, 1.22(it was very simple to install!), and then he could play on the MSN Zone, specifically Asheron's Call. Note: he has to be in the DMZ zone on the router (an advanced option), and we have protected his computer by using the suggestions on Steve Gibson's website, ... . If you haven't been there and you are thinking about buying this product, you MUST, repeat MUST, go to that site to protect yourself (and the Internet for that matter). Once there, read everything about ShieldsUP!

  Finally, this is very simple product to install, especially, if you let it be your DHCP server, the default. Don't try use static IP's on your computers unless you know what you are doing. There's no phone support, but your neighborhood teenager would love to help you set this little gem of a box! Note: this product works perfectly fine with static IP's from your provider, either the cable system or the DSL provider. I'm trying to distinguish between static IP address for the DSL/Cable line versus the static IP addresses on the computers in your network. If the previous sentence doesn't make sense, please find your neighborhood nerd/teenager for help.

  I've never used Win98's ICS so I can't compare that to this product. Sure it's free, but that computer has to be up before the other computers can access the Internet.

  Also, I am using firmware 1.22. Have had no problems with it. I've downloaded large files (1-25MB) with no problems. My brother and I have had no problem sharing our ADSL line to four computers simultaneously. Good luck and Happy Surfing!
  
  

• BEFSR41 works great. I love it.
  By ACDUPC4QGE99F on 2000-09-17
  I love this thing!

  There's many benefits to this router's firewalling capabilities!

  My personal network is connected to an university campus network. Because the campus network is a bit of a hacker haven, my systems used to detect about 3 to 5 hacker probes/scans a week. The probes no longer reaches my machines.

  Another benefit: I can now confidently use Windows file-sharing in my personal network, and leave it turned on all the time. No more worrying about people snooping my data, or storing their files on my server.

  And another: Someone once printed test pages to my printer (attached to a NetGear Print Server), probably thinking my print server was his. That problem won't happen ever again!

  You could set up an old PC as your firewall; but then you'd have to load and configure the operating system and firewalling software, and you'd have a bulky/noisy PC running all the time. This router sits quietly behind my desk, takes up little space (about the size of a VHS tape), and consumes very little power. Trust me, it's worth the price.

  Think of this router like a solid door to your house: It is solid, is mostly unobtrusive, is easy to use, and keeps strangers from peering in and wandering in unannounced. I can't imagine a home without a door; and I can't imagine a network without a firewall of some kind.
  
  

• Surfing good, anything else, like gaming, its bad
  By A3G0SUUYVOIXZC on 2000-05-25
  Easy to setup for surfing and email. But trying to get gaming going, specifically for Microsoft Allegiance, was a dismal failure. I think in part due to the limit of 10 ports you can open. Also, I was unable to get a behind the firewall static IP navigating out through the router. Moral is. Base usage, web surfing, email, certain games, its okay. Advanced usage, go for something like the umax ugate-3000. I sent the following to linksys, along with several other messages, but have no responses. ===== LinkSys BEFSR41 4Port EtherFast Cable/DSL Router is INCOMPATIBLE with Allegiance (I think).

  I have a cable modem run into a LinkSys 4 port cable modem router. Put my gaming machine into the 'dmz' and opened ports 28804 and 47624. Game drops me to the lobby (if I'm lucky) about 2 mins into a battle. I think the issues is I am unable to open the full range of ports (2300-2400) in the LinkSys configuration, as the linksys router will only let me open ten (yes, ten) ports.

  LinkSys support is less than useless.

  Game runs fine ( and is great fun ) over direct IP connection through cable modem->smc 10/100 hub.

  Moral of the story, if you want decent gaming, and want to use a router on your cable modem/dsl, get something like a umax ugate-3000, netgear, or webramp. Currently reevaluating router choice. If anyone is interested, I will let you know how it comes out. One LinkSys BEFSR41 4Port EtherFast Cable/DSL Router for sale.
  
  

• Great product - works with PPPoE DSL
  By AHQKZEBZKY1YF on 2000-07-14
  I'm a user of Bell Atlantic's PPPoE DSL. I had a hard time getting software NAT's to work to share my internet connection at home, and when I saw that Linksys was providing support for PPPoE DSL (all Bell Atlantic DSL is PPPoE, Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet) I had to get this.

  Be sure to install the firmware update for this hub before using it. You can get the firmware at [their website]. That will update your router with better support of PPPoE.

  If you have DSL or cable, get this product! It's easy to configure, all of the settings are done via a web browser. It's got port forwarding so you can have all web requests from outside your LAN go to one IP, all FTP to another internal IP, etc.

  Highly recommended! This one's a keeper!
  
  

• Beware - Firmware Glitches
  By A3O3WZWEE64TKF on 2000-08-25
  One the surface of it, this looks like a great device - and in some respects it is. But beware. If you do large downloads, ftp transfers, use Connected on-line backup or Xdrive service, you will find that this router actually creates bad TCP/IP packets with unrecoverable CRC errors and the above mentioned services will fail.

  I spent days (literally) working to resolve this issues with LinkSys tech support. It took me 11 calls to them, and about 18 hours of telephone haggling to get to a senior tech support rep who casually said "Oh yea, the CRC error stuff - we know about that. There is something wrong in our Firmware, but we don't have a fix for it. Keep checking at our web site for new Firmware releases."

  So I kept checking, and ultimately downloaded three successive new versions of Firmware over the coming 4 weeks, none of which resolved the problem. By the time I decided to give up and return the device, I was past the 30 day liberty period for returns. So I donated it to the thing to the trash heap.

  It takes a minimum of 60 minutes to get through to a qualified tech support rep at LinkSys, and they don't keep detailed history records of previous calls on the same issue, so you get to start from scratch with each new support call. Beware!

  The most frustrating part of this is that LinkSys knew there was an issue and didn't post something on their web site about the limitation. Stick with a brand you can trust - like Cisco.
  
  

• Fast, Simple, and Affordable
  By A3DPP7Y1JULOVW on 2001-11-17
  Linksys has become one of the most popular names in home/small office networking. Linksys has produced a series of broadband routers that are versatile and easy to configure.

  The router will work out of the box without any setup in the ideal DSL or Cable Internet setup. Plug the broadband modem into the WAN port, the computers into the numbered ports, and the power adapter into the wall.

  Unfortunately, the ideal situation is rarely the most common one. Thanks to Linksys' knowledge of providing ease of use, setting up the router to work is a breeze. You have the option of reading the included manual, which is printed not electronic, watching the CD-ROM video, or setting up the router without instructions. Any three of these options are available, and none are better than the other. Though, I would recommend reading the instruction manual at one point or another.

  Setup is achieved by visiting the router's homepage on the network with an Internet Browser. The first step is the most important one. Change the router's password. If this doesn't happen, anyone with knowledge of your broadband IP address can access and reconfigure the router remotely.

  The most important options second to changing the password are all located on the main page in a logical order. Once the values are entered into the router's memory, any computer connected to it will obtain necessary connection information via DHCP without additional setup. The data for the various blanks can be obtained from your ISP.

  The router comes with a variety of more advanced features. By default all ports are blocked, so no outside access to the internal network can be achieved. Port Forwarding allows requests to specific ports (i.e. port 80 for a web server) to be forwarded to a computer on the network. Setup of this feature is necessary in order to run servers or host games over the Internet.

  The router can handle a maximum of 253 computers connected to it. This is a limit set forth by standards, not by the router's capabilities. I set my Linksys router up to connect to a web server, and a pair of hubs, which link all of the computer nodes together.

  The router performs well when four to six computers are accessing the Internet simultaneously, although it can get lagged and not process requests from new computers requesting DHCP (auto configuration) info from it.

  Overall, the router is a great buy for anyone looking to share a DSL or Cable connection amongst multiple computers. For those who do not want to install network cabling, a wireless model is available from Linksys also.
  
  

• Linksys Router
  By on 2000-04-20
  This excellent product not only offers a way to share an IP adress with a low cost, but with a internal switch network.

  Its easy to use and is offered 24 hour around the clock tech support.

  This product is great
  
  

• Router: maybe. Customer service: Extremely poor
  By on 2000-07-27
  I'm not a network person, but after reading the generally positive reviews of the Linksys BEFSR41 router, I ordered it from Amazon. My main concern was getting some type of firewall protection, and various software options were causing problems with my Mindspring/Earthlink DSL connection. Their excellent customer service explained that it was because of their PPPoE system (whatever that means). They recommended a router, and specifically mentioned this router.

  It was easy to install, and initially worked just fine. An unexpected plus was the fact that the other computers on my home network also had fast access to the Web. But after several days, I had problems establishing a connection. The frustrating part was that the other network computers were online when the main computer wasn't.

  I tried resetting the modem, rebooting my computer, changing cables, fiddling with addresses and various protocols on the network (dangerous territory for me), and everything else I could think of, but the connection sometimes worked, and sometimes it didn't.

  It was then that I had a chance to call their tech support people. I was told they'd call back, but it would take at least 6 hours. They finally called back, and what a miserable experience it was; they were arrogant, surly, and clearly anxious to move on to the next customer. They offered absolutely no help except to tell me to wait for the next firmware upgrade--due in one week, they said.

  It's still taking me about 10-15 minutes of fiddling around with things to get a working connection, so if the new firmware upgrade doesn't help, the router is going back.

  I hope this review helps. I'm not trying to trash this product, because it clearly works for most people, and when I can make it work, it is really great. But if you are like me, and not really familiar with networking, you should be warned that Linksys is not going to be there to help you.
  
  

• Better than Win98SE
  By on 2000-08-28
  This is a fairly decent product for internet sharing. Although touted as a firewall-it isn't. However it is a better alternative to using Win98SE. First of all, not everyone has Win98SE. Secondly the workstation acting as the proxy server has to be ALWAYS on, plus you do need a second NIC for that computer. Thirdly, the proxy workstation now has a lot of extra overhead by being a proxy, so this machine WILL run slower. Forthly, there is absolutely NO security, so you are now vulnerable to the internet. The Linksys at least does NAT. If you have a business and want a real firewall with VPN capability I'd buy a SonicWall, but for a home user with no real security issues the Linksys is one of the better products out there. The DSL problems I was reading about here are probably issues with your Telco, not the Linksys (imho).
  
  
• Linksys 4-1 DSL Router is GREAT! and EASY!
  By A3GSUW9KO0GGJ2 on 2000-07-04
  I purchased the DSL router because I have a cheap 4 port Linksys hub (works well) that I purchased 4 years ago at a local Best Buy so I am familiar with the name. Linksys has made a name for itself in providing quality at a great price. I started searching for a DSL router about a year ago when I got onto DSL but really did not need it at the time, now I have multiple systems that need to access the Internet and I do not want to spend too much money.

  Here is the import information about this product. I bought it, plugged in the power, plugged the WAN connection to the DSL router, plugged my two systems into the 4-1 DSL router (not using my old hub at this time), restarted the DSL modem, made sure my systems were using "Obtain an IP address automatically (they were), and restarted the 2 computers.

  I never thought it would be this easy. I have been in computer infrastructure systems for 17 years and things rarely work this easy when you are connecting to systems outside your network.

  FYI, I have been on Southwestern Bell for Telco and Internet access since April 1999 with very few problems and I use a dynamic IP not a static IP. The Linksys DSL router works with my dynamic IP for two computers connected directly to the BEFSR41 DSL router.
  
  

• You NEED this box!
  By A1RPTVW5VEOSI on 2000-04-30
  If you've got cable or DSL internet access, you NEED this box!

  What does it do? Well...

  1. It's an internet firewall. It prevents anyone from the outside getting into your computers.

  2. It's a Network Address Translator. It allows you to connect 4 different computers to one Internet connection- and this can be expanded up to 253 computers, with the addition of inexpensive hubs.

  3. It's a 100baseT switch. This means it allows all the computers you connect to it to communicate with each other at speeds of 100 million bits per second- that's nearly two million times faster than a 56KB modem!

  And it's very easy to set up- I had my home network running in a half hour. All you need to use it is a network card in your computer- something most computers come with these days- and enough ethernet cables to connect all your home computers to it.

  Like a lot of people these days, when I remodeled my house I ran two pieces of Category 5 wire to every phone outlet; now I can plug a computer into any room of the house, and it's on the internet.

  If you've got more than one computer in the house, and a high speed connection, you need this box. Even for just one computer, the firewall features alone are worth the money to make your system completely hack proof.
  
  

• Nice product but DSL users need additional info in manual
  By AJ9Z39ATUVWDR on 2002-01-02
  This router is great once set up but some simple additional information in the manual would have saved me time when setting it up.

  I have DSL through SBC Pacific Bell and the Enternet software it uses to connect requires you to "logon" with a username and password (sort of like dialing in without having to dial in). If you have this same way of getting online through your DSL, you'll have to authenticate through the Router after you install it and not through the Enternet software - meaning you'll need to put in your username and password when configuring the router. After you connect the cables, type 192.168.1.1 into the browser to type in your username and password - and don't forget to check the PPPoE box! This may be second nature to more advanced users but the manual doesn't mention this.

  In fact, you can delete your Enternet software altogether (I'd recommend uninstalling it before you connect and power up your router).

  As a beginner, I didn't know this and spent a frustrating hour trying to connect through the normal DSL Enternet software.

  However, after it was set up, it worked flawlessly and is a great way all your computers working on the same DSL connection. Customer service from Linksys is OK, but like most tech support, trying to explain my problem to an undertrained rep who didn't seem to care much made me want to pull my hair out.
  
  

• Works and installs like all equipment SHOULD!
  By on 2001-01-28
  Already had two computers running Windows 98SE via 10/100 network interface cards and a 4 port hub. When I had DSL installed, I could surf on one or the other computer, but not at the same time. Did not make much sense to have a broadband access and only use one computer. Now several members of the family can surf on the computers, simultaniously, at 1.5Mbps. Removed my old 10/100mbps 4 port hub and replaced it with the Linksys hub/router. Standard Windows 98 software and network interface cards in each computer is all that is required (use 10/100 cards to get the full effect of the broadband speeds). Attach the external DSL modem to the Lynksys router, and follow the straight forward instructions. Very simple! You even get to get rid of the pathetic Enternet300 software (PPoE) that comes with the DSL access as it is already built into the router! The DSL people do not like to tell you that your broadband can be shared . . . . . . One benifit that I did not count on was that a very effective firwall was part of the hardware. With the hardware firewall and Norton Internet 2000 on each of the computers, it is bullet proof! Internet based snoop-ware does not even show that there is a computer on this line! Very important when running an "always on" DSL connection (Norton has caught several cases of "Back Oriface" trying to get at my computers . . but no dice!) This is the way all hardware should install.
  
  

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