Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router Reviews

• Works well once you work out any configuration kinks.

  
  By on 2003-06-11
  I bought my WRT54G and WPC54G back in Jan/Feb. I had a wired Linksys 4-port router for YEARS and it was a SOLID performer.

  Setup for the WRT54G required some aches and pains. Granted they tell you right on the box that it is based on draft protocols, but I would have straightened a few problems myself with clearer communication or documentation from Linksys. Registration for this product should include subscription to a technical e-mail list notifying users of firmware and driver updates as well as the lates technical articles and an 802.11g ratification update. I don't mind that the product is based on "draft" protocols, but proactively notify me about updates! You can even use the .NET Alerts to IM me about new firmware!

  It was after I performed a firmware upgrade that I started to encounter problems maintaining a connection with the router. I upgraded to enable the SocketCom 802.11b CF NIC for my iPAQ to use the WRT54G. The upgrade is mandatory for many 802.11b devices to hear the WRT54G and I believe it's the standard shipping firmware now.

  Anyways, after I upgraded, my WPC54G started dropping connection every 4-5 minutes. I could manually force XP to reconnect only to find myself disconnected 4-5 minutes later. It was HIGHLY annoying and made the wireless useless.

  I just got off the phone with LinkSys support (yes, at 2am EST Wednesday and a 1-800 number!) and they recommended unchecking the "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network". Voila! I've been connected continuously ever since.

  A previous technician told me via LinkSys online support chat, that I should try changing channels. But he could not tell me why this would fix the problem. Of course, it did not work. But I believe that chat support for complex technology products can get tricky.

  Other than this annoyance, I have been very happy with Linksys hardware. It gets the job done and is rock solid once you get it up and running. I can't remember the last time I had to reset any LinkSys router.

  I recommend that everyone do a security lock-down on their wireless hardware. Disable SSID broadcast, enable 128-bit WEP, and refrain from enabling remote administration.
  
  

• WPA security support. Great range.

  
  By on 2003-07-28
  I am using this AP/router with the Linksys WPC54G PC card on a Sony Vaio laptop running Windows XP. I did not use the set-up CD-ROM but used the web based application to configure it. Since my ISP uses PPoE I had to fill in my user name(with domain name) and password. Also my ISP gave me DNS numbers to fill in under the DHCP settings even though I have my TCP/IP settings for the connection set to "Obtain automatically". Basically that's all there is to configuring the router-ISP connection. The order that the modem, router and computers are turned on is VERY important. If you can't connect after configuration go through the power-on cycle again in that order. Configuring the security, however, is another matter.

  Linksys supports the newer more secure WPA security protocol. There is new firmware for the router and a new driver for the card from the Linksys site. Both installed easily. Nowhere in the instructions or on their web site will you find how to configure WPA, though they have supported it since May. Since WEP 128 is almost useless for protecting against specific attacks to your network I strongly recommend using WPA. On the router and the card you will need to use "WPA-PSK" (Pre-Shared Key) not just the "WPA" option which is also available. For encryption use TKIP. The key can be anything from 8-63 characters in length. A Group Renewal key can be set for 0-99,999 seconds. I set it to 0. WPA-PSK uses part of the IEEE 802.1x authentication and so this authentication will be enabled and greyed out by default. Under the IEEE 802.1x authentication use PEAP for the EAP type unless you have a smart card for authentication. Also uncheck both boxes for "authenticate as computer when ...." and "authenticate as guest when ....." As is often stated, change the SSID and don't broadcast it and use MAC filtering for added security.

  For the price (including the Linksys rebate) this router with all it's features (though hidden) is hard to beat.
  
  

• Great product!

  
  By A1E7DQPCYRCXVC on 2003-10-23
  Note: I don't know if any of these "reviewers" have even checked for the updated firmware on Linksys' website. The new firmware version (currently 1.41) fixes a lot of the reported issues mentioned on this website. Linksys does not ship its routers with the updated firmware as it costs too much to recall every single router in all the stores just to flash to the newest version.

  Anyways this product has a great range. I currently have two 802.11b adapters and a 802.11g adapter and they perform excellent in my environment. Quite amazing because my house is literred with 2.4ghz phones. Also I have 3 computers using the "wired" ports. All devices seemlessy interact with each other. Of course transfers are a little slower to any of the wireless devices (excluding the 802.11g device). I have had no connection drops and the unit is a lot colder than my previous router (the BEFSR41W). My old router used to warm up a lot but this one doesn't suffer from that issue.

  I definitely recommend this product to anyone looking to buy an excellent router backed with excellent support. Unlike many other companies Linksys updates their firmware quite often with new features.
  
  

• Versions 1 - 4 were great but version 5 is a different story

  
  By A1GWLHT83J98FN on 2005-11-21
  The Linksys WRT54G and WRT54GS routers have been the number one most popular wireless router devices available for the past few years. So this begs the question why Cisco would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by needlessly changing an almost perfect product. The fact is that versions 1 -4 of the G and the GS (with Speedboost) versions of this router were fantastic. Those earlier routers run a flexible and powerful Linux based firmware that has been perfected for the past few years a numerous updates and tweaks. However, the earlier WRT54G product has now been replaced with a less powerful wireless product (version 5) that has had its onboard flash RAM chopped in half from 4MB to 2MB and its system RAM cut from 16MB to 8MB. Instead of the flexible, reliable and powerful Linux firmware the new WRT54G version 5 routers run the licensed VxWorks firmware instead. There is nothing wrong with using VxWorks and over time Cisco will probably work out the bugs but for now the newest wireless routers are not reliable.
  
  Why would Cisco do this to its most popular Linksys brand of wireless routers ? Apparently it might be a case where the first four versions were too flexible for their own good. The open source Linux firmware with the large amount of flash and system memory was attractive to many third party independent software developers that were turning the WRT54G and GS routers into powerhouse micro Linux wireless computers with a functionality approaching and often surpassing the $600+ wireless routers that Cisco sells. There might also have been an excess number of product warranty returns for the WRT54G routers due to so many people flashing them with non-Linksys third party firmware that sometimes can "brick" a router or make it unusable.
  
  Your solution is to either look for a previous version of the "WRT54G" router before version 5 or purchase the "WRT54GS" (SpeedBooster) version 4 which as of the posting of this review is still available in the stores and it still uses the popular Linux firmware. You will pay $20 more for the GS model but compared to the version 5 of the G model it is worth the extra money. The GS models 1 - 4 are all good with GS version 3.0 and 3.1 reportedly being the most flexible of the bunch and GS 4.0 being the latest. If you want to use third party firmware you may want the GS versions 2.0 - 3.0/3.1 since they have the most flash RAM while still having newer Broadcom based processors. Finally, if you do plan to flash your WRT54G with third party firmware the ones before version 4 of the WRT54G wireless routers are supposed to be easier to work with.
  
  How do you find which version you are looking for? Look on the bottom of the box near the scan tag for the serial number of the router. For the WRT54G wireless routers look for CDFA or a CDF9 or lower (CDF8, CDF7, 6, etc.) Any serial number with CDF5 (v2.0) through CDF9 (v3.1) are the most flexible for use with third party firmware. Unless you want to use a more risky third party firmware I recommend that you read the manual instructions on how to carefully flash these older router models with a newer Linksys firmware which is designed for that specific router version. The latest official Linksys firmware for each specific version of router can be obtained from the Linksys support site. Completely avoid the WRT54G routers with the "CDFB" (v5.0) serial numbers since those are the buggy VxWorks versions. You could also simply purchase the WRT54GS (v4.0) routers that say Speedboost on the box. You will see the "CGN6" serial numbers on the box and as of this review these were still using Linux firmware with software based SpeedBoost enhancements but the RAM and hardware inside seems to be essentially the same as the older WRT54G (v4.0) version 4. The WRT54GS v2.0 (CGN3) through v3.0 (CGN5) are also good and will have more flash RAM available if you want use the wireless router with third party firmware. I would like to note that flashing the router with firmware other than an official Linksys releases obtained from the Linksys support web site will void the warranty and can result in a "bricked" or damaged router.
  
  PROS: The most popular, flexible, reliable and highly rated wireless router on the market before the WRT54G version 5. Previous versions could be flashed with powerful third party firmware. The latest WRT54GS v4.0 routers can still be purchased and except for the SpeedBoost software enhancement (including a different version of Linux based firmware) they are essentially the same as older WRT54G v4.0 routers.
  
  CONS: The latest version 5 has less Flash and System RAM and uses a buggy non-Linux based firmware. There is no rumor of this yet but in the near future Cisco might also release a newer WRT54GS router non-Linux based router (WRT54GS v5.0 ???)
  
  CONCLUSION: With all the changes to the memory and the firmware this latest G model is really a very different product and Cisco should have changed the model number altogether. Neverless, I hope that Cisco works out the bugs in their current version so that the G version can at least partially return to its glory days. There are rumors that a still newer model popular Linux based router might be re-released with the model name of WRT54GL but until that happens we can still purchase a very good WRT54GS v4.0 Speedbooster model.
  
  THE BOTTOM LINE: I give five stars to the older WRT54G models and five stars to the latest WRT54GS model. But I give only one star for the newest WRT54G version 5 which averages the score to only 2.5 stars (rounded down to 2 stars since v5.0 is the newest and most abundant WRT54G model that you can find in the stores).
  
  

• Very Fast and esy to get going

  
  By AR6KTVQXA9QFK on 2003-01-26
  After being a happy owner of linksys router for several years, I order this router and one g card the day it's available.

  I got it to work within 10 minutes using all the defaults and the quick installation guides on my VAIO running XP. Well prior experience sure helps here in getting the router configured via the web interface.

  It takes another couple hours to get my self familar with the technology, i.e., RTFM. Here are a couple things you definitely need to do to lock it down unless you want to be an ISP for your neighbors :)

  (1) First it is wide open using the default. Change the SSID to something else other than linksys and turn off the broadcasting of SSID.

  (2) Enable 128 bit WEP fast.

  (3) Lock down the mac address so only your g (or b...) cards can talk to the router.

  (4) While at it, you may as well change the channel.

  Other than these, I am very happy with it.

  Have fun surfing....
  
  

• Bad Experience
  By A4WFI422FSCB4 on 2004-03-15
  Purchased this router to set up a home network with a new laptop. On the box I took comfort in the advertised 24/7 customer support. I had trouble configuring the network and establishing the advertised security features. I called the customer support 800 number. My call went to India. I had allot of trouble understanding what the support tech was saying. In the end, the call was useless as the tech took the position that as long as each computer could access the internet there was no issue with the router. I'm now at a loss for setting up my system and am contemplating return of the unit.
  
  
• Linksys Wireless WRT54G - Not fully compatible with all 802-
  By A2CE6OE1YE22KF on 2003-02-12
  I just purchased a the Linksys WRT54G wireless AP / Router. I'll
  admit the setup was very easy using a web interface. Anyway, backward
  compatable...not yet?!!? It seems from talking with a CSR
  professional at Linksys that their product doesn't even fully work
  with their own wireless PCI or PCMCIA cards. I hope you get it right
  soon. Anyway, as of this date 02/11/03, Linksys doesn't have an
  update that will work with my wireless products. And did update the
  firmware from 1/28/03, it didn't fix my problem.

  As for my equipment...I have a Toshiba e740 and a Gateway Laptop with
  a Cisco 350 PCMCIA card. Both of these devices work great on the job
  where we have an entire campus of Cisco Wireless 340-350 access
  points.

  
  I'm hoping to speak w/ the Product Manager about your WRT54G Wireless
  AP / Router. I'm very concerned that you put out a product without
  testing it w/ other products, non-the-less, your own. Your CSR Rep
  even told me that most of your own 802.11b cards aren't working either
  w/ your wireless AP / router which frustrates me extremely. How can
  you put a product out that advertises that it is backward compatible
  with 802.11b? The access point doesn't work with 802.11b products and
  you advertise it does? SAY AWAY FROM THIS PRODUCT till Linksys gets
  it right.
  
  

• The speed! the speed!!!
  By A2BZXAW5VULD31 on 2003-02-01
  Got this with a Wireless g PC Card for my laptop. The original installation wizard did not work for my broadband service (Cox) but I was able to get very specific help from their web-site knowdlege database which resolved the issue.

  Once I had the internet connection going I found that I kept losing it on the laptop intermittantly. That was fixed by changing the speed setting on the router to 'auto' from the default of '54mbps.' (don't know why it's shipped like that).

  Some other concerns which I think need to be mentioned. If you're using the free version of ZoneAlarm (like I was) for a firewall, it won't work with the wireless network. I've tried various settings and then finally found out that I will have to upgrade to the 'pro' version for the firewall to work while allowing the network to operate. Haven't done it yet, so I don't know how well it will work, but I gather it should.

  There is very little documentation provided with both the router and the PC Card. And security issues are totally ignored. It appears that to make it as easy to install (for all sorts of users out there), they have opened the system as much as possible but don't even mention security. Do go to their web-site and get details on securing your network (it's nicely detailed in there).

  In particular users should be aware that the network is set to broadcast it's SSID which is factory set for 'linksys.' This is an open invitation for hackers to hack into your system. Diable the broadcast feature and change the name of your network to something unique.

  The MAC address filtering is also a very good feature (where you can define the unique MAC addresses of all your computers) and the network will only allow those computers access (of course, a good hacker will be able to overcome this, but it does make it much more challanging). Again, no mention in the documentation - get it from the web-site.

  The network also supports 64 bit and 128 bit encryption. I have not yet set up the keys so can't really comment on it. However, encryption (particularly 128 bit) will degrade speed somewhat, but it is probably worth it. I'm planning on working on this aspect next.

  Once the system got going, it was a beauty. I would give it five stars, but am not because of the lack of documentation, particularly as it relates to security.

  I have not tried it with the old 11b standard. But tech-support did confirm to me that if I have adaptors running on the g and b standard, the WHOLE network WILL slow down to 11 mpbs (the 11b standard). So be forewarned. However, this may not be an issue for users if all they're doing is surfing the net, etc. (the speed is more than adequate).

  Also, the signal-booster (for the 11b routers) will not work with the wireless g router, even though both operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency.

  However, signel stregnth is pretty good and I can move my laptop pretty much anywhere in my house. It does flactuate but dudes/dudettes - 54 mbps is a LOT of speed - some degradation from that won't be noticable to most users. This speed rocks....

  I don't want to give the wrong impression here. I really like this system and would easily recommend it to others. However, just be prepared to work on a few issues.
  
  

• Buy WRT54GL instead
  By A3BQU88WXIQFFQ on 2006-01-15
  I just wanted to add some information about this product that should be known by anyone considering purchasing this.
  
  First of all, it is important to know that Linksys has changed the WRT54G from earlier versions of the same model. The latest version of this product model has less RAM and runs a different firmware (essentially an operating system) than previous versions of the same product. That's right; Linksys completely changed the product, but continued to use the same product model. Is that even legal? It shouldn't be in my opinion. :(
  
  This newest version of the product (version 5 or "v5") is what I have, and it's been nothing but trouble. I bought it after reading dozens of glowing reviews... which turned out to be for the older versions of the same product model.
  
  Linksys has now created a new product model which is identical to the older WRT54G versions (v4 and newer) which received all the 5 star reviews. This is now called the WRT54GL. It is identical to the WRT54G v4 and newer. Again, this should not be legal. They had a highly regarded product, then took that product model and applied it to an inferior product calling it the same, and then took the old product and gave it a new product model, and started charging more for it. I'm so disappointed in Linksys. Linksys is not the premium manufacture which I once thought they were.
  
  In a nutshell, all the 5 star reviews you see here, are for the WRT54GL product model. Buy that instead. All the 1 star reviews, are for this product. Take a look at the older reviews for more evidence of this.
  
  
• Kick butt!
  By A36E74GC31JITU on 2003-01-16
  At first, I was very disappointed with the range of the router. But after further investigation, I realized that the setting for 'transmission speed' in the router setup was set at 54 Mbps instead of the default of 'Auto'. Once I changed this to Auto - things ignited.
  I live in a three story apartment and have the router on the bottom floor. I am able to get 48 - 54 Mbps on the third floor - Impressive. Even with my 2.4 Ghz phones on, I get great signal strength and quality. If your seriously looking into going wireless - this product is a must have!
  
  
• WRT54G v5 Warning
  By A14CJ7A6VNMC4V on 2005-10-31
  NO 3rd Party Firmware exists for this model. The problem is the amount of RAM (2/8Mb) and the OS is VxWorks and not Linux.
  
  The version Amazon shipping is v5. If you want to use 3rd Party Firmwares, DO NOT BUY A WRT54G v5.
  
  To find out which WRT54G you are buying look at the serial number on the box. If it starts with CDFB then it is a v5.
  
  For the others who don't use custom firmwares, be aware that v5 is running on a new platform with new firmware (rev 1.00.00 as of Oct 2005) so problems may arise.
  
  
• Like a Rock
  By A12AYONFLIYMSZ on 2003-02-02
  Why did I wait to go wireless? Well, it probably had something to do with security. But 128 bit WEP rules, baby! And so does this product. I have a 3900 sq. ft. house, and I can't get anything but excellent reads on this thing. I only have two words of caution:
  1) Windows XP wireless connections by default enable IEEE 802.1x authentication. I had a problem with my wireless Dell dropping the connection if that option was enabled. I could not find anyone at Linksys or at Dell who could explain why, and the router has no interface to configure this item. I blame the Dell, not the router. Once that checkbox was disabled, I had no issues and no drops. Like a Rock.
  2) You have to download the user manual from Linksys. They only include a quick setup guide and a CD rom. The complete user guide can be seen at:

  ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pdf/wrt54g_ug.pdf
  
  

• Linksys WRT54G Delivers as Promised
  By A3KZ04F9JOJFNI on 2003-05-26
  After reading every review here of this item, I was a little hesitant to purchase it but decided that there was just as many or more positive reviews as there were negative.

  I purchased the Router, the 54G Notebook Adapter and the 54G PCI adapter at the same time.

  I was in the process of installing the software for the router and ran in to my 1st and only problem. The install CD reported that there was no internet connection when going through the checks, when infact there was indeed a connection. I called Tech Support (only 5 min wait on a Friday afternoon) I'm sorry to report that the first Tech was clueless, and even told me after 30 minutes on the phone that the problem was my Windows 98SE Operating system. I knew better than this, told him thanks and hung up. Five minutes later I contacted Tech Support again. (If you don't get someone knowledgeable the first time around, just call back.) The lady that responded to my question immediately asked who my Internet Provider is and upon finding out that it is Adelphia told me to disregard the Setup CD and do the Setup manually as per her directions. In five minutes the Router was configured to my host PC and my Laptop was also running (didn't need any help with the Laptop and had installed everything for it earlier in the day) My router is located on the top floor of my house and so far my signal rate is at least 65% throughout the house and I can say this is just fine for internet access. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend this router. Tommorrow I will install the PCI adapter in my other PC. Oh by the way, I am running three different Operating Systems. Windows 98SE on the host computer, Windows 2000 on the Laptop and Windows XP on the second PC.
  
  

• Please do not purchase this product
  By AOABU91FA7WPX on 2005-12-28
  Linksys released a new version of this product in the October/November 2005 timeframe, which is version 5. Versions 4 and earlier were well-tested and rock solid. However, the new version 5 has many issues. The difference between version 4 and 5 is that Linksys changed the OS from Linux to VxWorks, however it is impossible to tell this by looking at the box, or by ordering online. By doing this, they took a product that was tested and debugged for a couple of years, which made it very stable, and changed it to one that was rushed out the door and is poorly designed. Please ignore any comments that were made before the November/December 2005 timeframe for this product. Those comments are for a product that was completely different at the time.
  
  Out of the box, the router does not function well at all. It cannot access many websites and the graphics do not load on many others. Download speeds were very slow. Also, many online games and gaming systems such as the PSP and the X-Box do not work well with this product. Linksys did release a new firmware version on December 9, 2005. This new version is 1.00.4. It fixes some issues, but still has many more. If you want to download the new firmware version, go to www.linksys.com. Go to "Downloads" which is at the very top of the page. From there choose the product "WRT54G V5.0 - Wireless-G Broadband Router". Go to the Firmware link and then download the firmware. Save the file to your computer. It is a zipped file so you will need to unzip it before you can update the firmware. From the configuration page of the router, there is a "Firmware Upgrade" page under the Administration page. Go there and choose the unzipped file on you computer. This should upgrade and then reset your Linksys router.
  
  The 1.00.4 version actually does perform much better than the default version that was shipped with the router. The download speeds are much better, and the accessing of most sites has been fixed, along with some of the online games. However, there are still some sites that do not load properly and several online games do not function properly. A couple sites that I still cannot access are:
  www.2kgames.com
  www.mbtrading.com
  
  Some more sites that are somewhat slow loading and I've heard of other people having problems accessing are:
  www.tmobile.com
  www.ebgames.com
  www.nvidia.com
  www.gogamer.com
  www.costco.com
  www.realtor.com
  
  One online game my wife and I play frequently is Disney's Toontown (www.toontown.com). This game still does not function properly with the 1.00.4 version of firmware for the WRT54G V5.0.
  
  I do not recommend this product at all. Versions 4 and lower of the WRT54G are very stable and perform very well, the reason why some of the comments are very positive for this product. The Version 5 does not work well at all. Please do not purchase this product. If you are still thinking about possibly buying the Linksys WRT54G, I urge you to go to www.google.com and search for WRT54G version 5. You will get many web sites and messages boards detailing the problems others are having with this product. From what I have read, the WRT54GL is the same as the WRT54G version 4, where the L stands for Linux. If I were you, I would go ahead and purchase the WRT54GL product instead, or go with another manufacturer such as Netgear. I do not want anyone else to have the headaches I have had with the WRT54G version 5.
  
  
  
  
  
• Linksys has Abandoned Quality for Profit - Buy Netgear Instead
  By A2TWZ1AWU3DFF1 on 2006-03-21
  In late 2005, Linksys reduced the amount of memory in their WRT54G version 5 router to 8MB and changed the operating software to VXWorks. Previous versions had 16 or 32MB and operated on Linux. Increased profits appear to have been their sole motive.
  
  Ultimately, they turned a reliable and very popular product into one that should be avoided at all costs. The current WRT54G frequently drops connections or locks up. I now see similar erratic performance in even Linksys' higher-end SRX routers. Some may recommend this router based on its past performance, but their information is out of date.
  
  Another problem is that the 12-volt AC adapters that come with the WRT54G almost always put out 16 or 17 volts, but some go as high as 22 volts. This defect will certainly reduce the lifespan of the router, but if you call Linksys, they'll tell you that they're okay. It looks like the bean counters at Linksys decided not to scrap a shipload of bad adapters.
  
  I now recommend Netgear routers to my clients. I can't afford to let Linksys hurt my reputation.
  
  
• Caveat Emptor
  By A9L6L5H9BPEBO on 2007-01-14
  My Linksys wireless router went bad in five months (mid-December). That's what I was told by their tech support. (They were wrong on that one, because I wouldn't be able to write this review right now if it were so.)
  
  I found tech support and customer service an exercise in exasperation:
  
  One told me to go on the internet to request a new router. He couldn't explain how I could do that if the wireless router was bad.
  
  Another one told me she could take the request by phone. That seemed easier.
  
  They promised a replacement by the first week of January. It has yet to arrive.
  
  Their customer service apologized but the warehouse was closed from December 8th to the 27th. (Okay, that happens.)
  
  Second call to customer service was disconnected. There were frequent disconnections with tech support too.
  
  Third call to customer service never answered. There were no prompts like: "There's a two minute wait" or "There are three customers ahead of you" or "Thank you for your patience; please continue to hold." The only way that I knew I was still connected was that I saw the minutes and seconds moving in the phone window. After 11 minutes, I hung up.
  
  Last Sunday it took one hour to get someone to tell me that Customer Service wasn't answering. I had to call Tech Support. A supervisor verified that Customer Service phones weren't working.
  
  Fourth call, I was put on hold by the representative for eight minutes. Then, he told me that my order was being held up because there was a hurricane in the Pacific. (Can't they fly around it, I chirruped.)
  
  Another rep told me that I would have to get a new replacement number. Turns out, I didn't need one.
  
  Still another told me the shipment was delayed because they were moving their warehouse.
  
  Still another told me that my replacement was on back order, and he could not give me any time frame for delivery.
  
  You must provide a credit care for replacement or for tardy return of the old router that has gone kaflooey.
  
  They get one star because they are polite, and their English is comprehensible.
  
  UPDATE: Feb. 6, 2007. Discovered that Linksys charged my credit card $84.52 for router not received after seven weeks. It took 17+ minutes to connect to Customer Service, and another 15 minutes to get the transaction cancelled, and assurance that my card would be credited. They said, "two days."
  
  UPDATE: March 20, 2007. Linksys attempted delivery of the router after cancelling February 6th. It arrived one quarter of a year after my original complaint.
  
  
  "Let the Buyer Really Beware!"
  
  
• 2 Day delivery and it works great. Bravo to ...
  By A14JBDSWKPKTZA on 2003-01-28
  For an item that is not even available in Best Buy and the other major stores when I went to buy it, the fact that ... has these in and out of stock, and that I received it in only a couple of days is knowledge enough to make this a winning situation.
  What about hookup and use? Another 5 star performance. Having never hooked up a wireless network before, I took the advice of the quick start guide that came with the unit, and used their included CD. They strongly recommended that you use the CD rather than manually configure, and they were right. Having seen the problems that some others were having with setup, only to be resolved (some of them) by exactly following the directions, I decided to do it that way right out of the box. I'm glad I did. This setup using the CD was about as easy as learning how to open a refrigerator door for the first time. Shutting off what they tell you to shut off, and turning on what and when they tell you to turn things on, resulted in a delightful install. Not even one glitch. The CD determined my internet connection, determined my system configuration, asked me a few questions, and bingo I was up and running.
  I bought the PC Card for laptops as well, and that was just as easy to install. Within 10 minutes I was surfing the web from all over the house. No Wires !
  Pertaining to the speed issue: I got 54Mps while I was in the same room. When I went into the living room, it went to very good instead of excellent, and gave me 37Mbps. Let's get a perspective here. A standard modem works at 56K tops. This router works at 54Mbps that's megabyte not kilobyte. Their are 1000 kilobytes in every megabyte. So 54 Megabytes per second is about a thousand times faster than a standard modem. I hooked the Linksys wireless router up to a broadband connection which is running at a maximum of 700 plus Kilobytes on the download end, and 100 to 150 upload speed. I know I am getting specific, but the point I am making is that it does not matter what the connection speed you are running at any given moment, based on how close the base unit is to the PC card. What is important is that your internet connection will never even approach the speed capabilities of this router, so don't hassle yourself with any concerns over varying connect speeds of the wireless network.
  Broadband hooked up to this wireless setup flies. As soon as you click on a site, it appears on the screen.
  Anyhow, just for reference, I am using a Dell Inspiron Notebook, hooked up to the broadband cable modem that was supplied by Comcast. The operating system is Windows XP. Installation was as near automatic as can be. They do supply instructions when using Windows ME, 98 etc, that includes one more step than XP.
  All in all this is a 5 star piece of equipment. Follow the directions exactly. It is easy. Hope this helps.
  
  
• DON'T BUY THIS - Get the WRT54GL instead
  By A39AXS6CKWBSHI on 2006-06-27
  This has far too little memory in it to be effective. I switched from my old Netgear MR314, because I wanted to upgrade to 802.11g. I had read that you could upgrade the firmware on the WRT54G. As I soon found out, starting with version 5.0 (they're now on version 6.0), they changed the chipset and decreased the memory to go with a smaller OS on it that's not based on open source. It's still possible to flash it, but I still think this is too little memory to be effective. I'd rather use a product that works as it supposed to out of the box to begin with.
  
  The result? I am not exaggerating when I tell you that 1 out of every 4 e-mails would not send. Getting to web pages was even more frustrating. Probably 20-30% of the web pages I tried to access would time out.
  
  Geek speak follows. I apologize.
  DHCP? TERRIBLE!! The DHCP server built-in on this device would pass out an invalid DNS server address (the one I had reserved for my print server). I had to hard-code that address on my VoIP adapter and all of my computers for them to resolve any domain names.
  
  
• Don't buy this version 5
  By A2X39VCMZADK75 on 2005-10-27
  Do not buy this new version 5 if you ever want to upgrade the firmware with 3rd party enhancements. This new verison 5 don't run on Linux anymore and the memory is only half of version 1-4.
  
  
• Better than the wireless B router that I had...
  By A2VFD7DMW5KWPT on 2003-09-21
  Got this 2 days after I had ordered... Very timely and wonderful of Amazon to ship it out so fast. So, I plugged the WRT54G in and it did not work right away. But I realized in my haste, I didnt install the CD. So, after I inserted the installation CD everything worked fine. I was getting 54mbps and was flying on my notebook w/ a G pci card). But after a couple hours of tinkering w/ it, I kept getting dropped from my connection w/ the router. (trust me this is very annoying, especially if you are trying to take an online exam for school) So I called Linksys Tech and they didnt know what was going on, all they did was read from a pre-written script. So, what I did was tried using different frequencies and it did the trick. Of course I still get dropped occassionally but not as often, I can live w/ this. Remember, first thing you should do is enable WEP & dont broadcast SSID & change ur SSID name & change ur router password. Overall I really like this item, its much more stable than the linksys BEFW11S4 router that I had previously. Just remember to go to Linksys' site and flash ur router. Hope this helps someone who is on the fence about this product. Oh yeah and recently PCMag reviewed this router and it was their "Editors Choice"...
  
  
• Awful, awful, awful. I really wish there was a "0" star option!
  By A185WQ9R19UXC9 on 2006-01-27
  First of all, if you are like me and are not very interested in technical jargon and will not look into it unless something is really wrong, then this review should help you out. I work on a computer all day long. I can use the internet, can install software, work with spreadsheets, Microsoft Office products, etc. What I CANNOT do, however, is build computers, write software, perform any kind of weird mods, etc.
  
  I'm just a regular guy.
  
  A regular guy that doomed himself by buying a Linksys router.
  
  The first thing you need to know about these worthless products is that there are different versions.
  
  Versions 1 through 4 (V1,V2,V3,V4) were popular with people that liked to install some kind of third-party software onto the routers that would allow them to tweak their performance.
  
  Version 5 does not allow such capability. Don't ask me why. I guess Linksys did it to save money for some reason or another.
  
  Personally, I couldn't care if the thing ran on magic fairy dust, I just want it to WORK!
  
  I had a V3 for a few months that was atrocious. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn't. I downloaded all of the latest firmware updates from Linksys to no avail. Technical support is nothing short of a joke. It's outsourced to India or somewhere similar where the person on the other end of the phone will not be able to understand you. You will not be able to understand him. He will be reading a script given to him by Linksys and will not be familiar with the product. The most useful piece of advice I got out of the two guys I talked to was when I finally got frustrated and told them "thanks anyway, buddy, but you aren't helping me out" they both told me to "Have a nice day."
  
  I took the V3 back and what I got in exchange was a V5. I didn't know that these were supposedly worse until I found a site devoted to Linksys products and their problems (www.linksysinfo.org). If you go there, check out the reviews, warnings, and horror stories about the WRT54G V5 router, the WRT54G series altogether, and Linksys' refusal to acknowledge any problem or put out any firmware that is in the slightest bit useful.
  
  I want to go ahead and also warn you that there is NO WAY to know what version of these things you are getting if you are looking at it in the store unless you know the code on the box. Those are listed on the site above somewhere. Right now, I couldn't care less what version it is, to me they are ALL junk.
  
  I always heard that Linksys was the best. This router has really shown me otherwise!
  
  So anyway, here is my experience with the V5:
  
  When I first got it and installed it the connection seemed to be fine for a little while, but then it just suddenly went out. For the record, I was running totally unencrypted just to make sure that the problem wasn't with an "advanced" function.
  
  This would happen periodically, sometimes I would have signal for 3 hours, sometimes for 30 minutes. Doing some research, I found out that this is pretty much everyone's problem with the V5.
  
  When the connection went, I had to go through a little ritual with the router and laptop to get it back:
  
  I unplugged the router, plugged it back in, pulled up "Network Connections," disabled and then enabled the "Wireless Internet Connection." I did this 2 or 3 times. This is the dance. This is what your internet surfing revolves around. I work from home from my computer so in order to get anything done, I have to do "the ritual" several times through the day. It has been the standard operating procedure to get my "trusty" router up and running again.
  
  One evening not too long ago, I noticed that my connection had not been lost for over 5 hours of steady work. Remember that I have been running this thing UNENCRYPTED (I bought the thing FOR its encryption capabilities) to avoid it acting up from any so-called "advanced" system bugs.
  
  So when the signal gave me 5 glorious hours up uninterrupted service I got cocky...
  
  (Bad mistake, my friends! Read on...)
  
  I pulled up the interface, and switched channels from default channel 6 to 11. I figured that maybe changing to another channel wouldn't hurt and may even help. Everything was still fine.
  
  Then I enabled WEP (the enryption thing).
  
  Let's just say that the "fit" hit the "shan."
  
  I knew that I had messed up as soon as I clicked the button to save the new settings. The interface went totally black and my connection was instantly dropped.
  
  I went through my usual routine to get it back up and running (unplug, plug, disabled, enable, wash, rinse, repeat...). Well, the connection came back up with a screaming 1.0 Mbps. Nice. I will say that when it is running, I consistently get 54Mbphs all over the house even if I am downstairs (the router is located upstairs).
  
  So I went back to the interface. The same place I have always gone before. When it pulls up, however, it is NOT the same. I double-check the address: http://192.168.1.1/. Yup, that's right. It has similar features, but looks TOTALLY different. To top it all off, the Host name is now "Lauren." I never named my host before. Who the hell is Lauren?
  
  Desperate, I ran to linksys.com (at a blistering 1.0 Mbhs) to see if there is newer firmware. There is a 1.00.6 that was released Jan.17th. I didn't have that. I rejoiced.
  
  I downloaded as quicky as that 1.0 Mbhs (repetition of speed for emphasis) would allow. I read the "read_me" file and it informs me that I must be wired into the router. No problem, right?
  
  Problem. I plug into the router and...nothing. I check everything. Local Area Connection should be working right? Nope.
  
  I again perform the ritual (unplug, plug, disabled, enable, wash, rinse, repeat...). No dice. Lauren has me in her stranglehold now.
  
  I went back to the interface with the plan of disabling the WEP. Funny thing is, this interface says it's disabled.
  
  Before I got cocky and changed the channel/enabled WEP I was running at 54Mbphs. I was unencrypted and dropping signal every hour or so, but I was at least speedy. After this, my connection was intermittent at best. Once in a while my speed would "turbocharge" up to 2Mbphs, but those moments were fleeting.
  
  I haven't even shared the best part:
  
  I tried to call technical support. Yes I am a glutton for punishment! Thank you for asking. I figured that if, for nothig else, to start the ball rolling on a warranty return (the site says you need to get a case ID # to start the process).
  
  I get a:
  
  "Boop-beep-beeep! Your call cannot be connected as dialed. Please hang up and try your call again. If you feel you have reached this message in error..."
  
  Here is the number: (1-800-326-7114) Try it for yourself. It seems to work now, but on that night it took FOUR HOURS to get through.
  
  I try the "Live Help" on the site. This part kills me: I cannot keep a connection long enough for someone to come up to speak to me.
  
  When I finally got through to technical support, the guy at the other end asked me what version the router was. I told him that it was version 5. He promptly informed me that there was no such thing. Yes, I am serious.
  
  After an excruciating 30 minutes in which he blamed everything from me to my computers to my neighbors to hackers and the place where I bought the router he FINALLY gave me a Case # just to get me off the phone.
  
  After I got off the phone with him I bit the bullet and reset the router by pressing the button on the back. If you do this, make sure you are NOT plugged into the router with your PC or ESPECIALLY the internet. I, personally, don't know why but this was stressed to me by persons much, much more capable with these things than I am.
  
  It came back up as before. Channel 6 and unencrypted, which is how it will remain until I figure out what to do with this infernal thing. I would sell it on Ebay or something but I don't know if I am evil enough to charge someone for this kind of pain.
  
  Let my story serve as a warning. DO NOT BUY THIS ROUTER. DO NOT BUY A LINKSYS PRODUCT. STAY AWAY. STAY FAAAAAR AWAY.
  
  (Remember that part in the movie "Red Dawn" where they go see their father in that concentration camp and he starts screaming "AVENGE ME! AVENGE ME!" because he knows that he will never get out alive? Yeah, I kind of feel like that guy when I am "talking" to you guys through this review.
  
  
  Sigh.
  
  
  ***Update***
  
  I called Linksys customer service today in an effort to allow them to stand behind their product and allow me to exchange this V5 for a V3, what I originally had. Yes, the V3 died on me and was not great either, but upon doing some research after all this, I feel that with the available 3rd-party firmware available, a V3 would be my best bet.
  
  I finally got through to someone after waiting for 10 minutes. He seemed helpful enough and I explained my situation. I verified that I was, indeed, using the latest firmware from Linksys and that the problem was continuing. I asked for the replacement multiple times, each time he would put me on hold to speak to his "team leader." I politely agreed to hold each time. Each time he would come back, he would say that Linksys would exchange my V5 with another V5. I explained to him that I did not want a V5. I wanted the V3 that I originally paid for. I want the product that had the exact specs that I researched when I decided to purchase a Linksys router. That product is the WRT54G V3.
  
  He asked me a few more questions and then put me on hold to talk to his "team leader" once again. When he came back, he told me once again that his "team leader" told him that Linksys would not exchange the product. They would send another V5. I told him that perhaps it was better if I spoke directly to the team leader.
  
  He seemed to agree and again I was put on hold. He came back and told me that I was going to have to wait "5 minutes" to speak to the team leader. I was again put on hold.
  
  Same guy comes back with an offer to troubleshoot my router. I refused, since the only thing that has done for me before is to knock me offline and make the entire thing screwy until I reset it back to default.
  
  He asked me some more questions, which I answered. The entire exchange was polite and civil, until finally I once more asked when I would be able to talk to the "team leader." It was then that I was hung up on.
  
  Once more, I want to warn people AWAY from not only this router but ANY LINKSYS PRODUCT. I can understand a company cutting a few corners to save money, but since the V5 is a completely different product than the V1, V2, V3, or V4, Linksys has released it silently as the same product, therefore essentially lying to the public.
  
  I will not let this rest and I will continue to update this product review with my "progress" with Linksys. Hopefully, this will help others steer clear.
  
  Wish me luck...
  
  
  ***Final update***
  
  I was all ready to throw in the towel and go get another brand of router. I was speaking to a more tech-proficient friend of mine that convinced me to give Linksys one more shot. He told me to search for another V1 trough V4 WRT54G and upload some third party firmware on it. Seeing no real harm in trying, I found a V3. I brought it home, plugged it up and immediately downloaded what is presumably some of the best third party firmware available for these routers. It's called "HyperWRT +tofu." I don't know if the author would approve of me putting the website up on this review but you can just google what I have in parentheses to find the download.
  
  I did this a couple of days ago and, let me tell you, this thing is a DREAM. The firmware not ony makes the router reliable, it makes it more powerful as well. It increases the range and speed of your internet connection. Additionally, it added features to the interface. Most importantly, though, is that it was EASY TO SET UP. I just downloaded the software, went into the user interface, and browsed for the file. I hit the button, the file updated, and I was in business. The website even told me some great recommended settings.
  
  I know that it must sound like I am peddling this firmware or something, but that's only because it has saved me so much grief. If only I had done some research back when I first bought this router I would have saved so much time and effort. If you do use this firmware, there is a donation tab on his website.
  
  After all said and done, the V3 is chugging right along. It sends my signal faithfully, the speeds are fast, and I haven't dropped a connection yet. It's encrypted and I have even been able to choose just what computers to allow on my network, something that may sound like no big deal but is basically an act of God for someone as computer-inept as myself.
  
  In conclusion, I would have to say that this router is great ONLY IF:
  
  You get a pre-V5.
  You download third party firmware (be sure to download and install it plugged into the router, not wirelessly)
  You don't waste your time with Linksys customer service or tech support.
  
  I really hope my (VERY LONG) review has helped someone out. It's been a long, strange trip indeed. Also, in spite of my happiness with the router now, my awful experience with Linksys makes me keep this rating at a 1 star. It's unfortunate, but I believe its necessary to warn others away from atrocious customer service and a company that intentionally lies to its customers.
  
  
• AOL Home Network
  By A3N80NVU7VPN7R on 2003-01-14
  The router installed very easy but the WRT54G router will not work for sharing broadband connections if you use AOL as your service provider. AOL uses their own version of PPoE and Linkysys routers won't work without special firmware. Linksys technical support told me they have no information on whether or not they intend to provided such firmware for the WRT54G, although they do have it for two other routers. If you want to share an AOL broadband connection, make sure you check the Linkysys site before ordering this router.
  
  
• Easy setup, dropped connections with WEP, but fine with WPA
  By A2KWR5YQB1D99F on 2004-10-02
  I set this router up this morning in a couple of minutes. I am a professional software engineer and an experienced user. I don't have any significant networking expertise, but the technical terms don't intimidate me and so I probably can do these sorts of things more quickly than non-technical users. That said, install -- particularly without any security settings -- was really simple and took a matter of minutes.
  
  Setting up WEP, a common security protocol, is a little hairy because you end up typing in this long hexadecimal string into your Windows machine. It doesn't take much time -- 1 or 2 minutes -- but it is a little bizarre and may scare some people away. With WEP, I noticed, as have others, that the router dropped my connections VERY frequently (*).
  
  I did some reading on the web, and it seemed that the WPA-PSK security protocol is generally considered to be better than WEP. So, I set it up instead. I'd say that it's easier to set up than WEP. Pretty much all I had to do was choose a password on the router setup screens, and then type the same password on my laptop.
  
  Once I started using WPA-PSK rather than WEP, the dropped connections stopped. Now, I don't know if all operating systems or PCs or network adapters support WPA, but mine (Dell Inspiron 1150 running Windows XP) does, and so I don't consider the flaky WEP support a disadvantage.
  
  
  (*) UPDATE to this review: Turns out that the problems with WEP were due to settings and drivers on my PC. I eventually fixed those problems. The WEP problems were NOT due to this product.
  
  
• frustrated
  By on 2003-01-28
  I have windows XP with a netgear 802.11b card. When the router did not work linksys told me that it was the card. When my Netgear card worked fine on a different vendors wireless network, and a Cisco card I borrowed did not work with the Linksys router, the run around started. After 7 hours on hold or explaining networking to user support at Linksys, I was told that many people are having the same problem I have, it is a 50/50 chance of working with non linksys 54G cards. He then told me that they don't test with other vendors cards and it may not have been tested at 802.11b at all. I have to wait 1 week to see if the new firmware will work. Do not buy this product. It will probably work if you have a Linksys card, but then why do we push so hard for standards if a company can put a product like this on the market.

  **UPDATE**
  The firmware upgrade on the web site worked great. Now my 802.11b card works great and I get coverage throughout the house. I still am very disappointed with the tech support.
  
  

• DESCRIBED IN ONE WORD: AWESOME!
  By A1TSEU90KLIEP1 on 2003-01-17
  I received my Linksys WRT54G Wireless 54g Router and Linksys WPC54G Wireless 54g PC Card and I all I can say is WOW!
  After an upgrade to 802.11B several months ago (BELKIN wireless router and card) I was very happy with the wireless world in the home/home office environment. However, after receiving my LINKSYS 802.11G setup (thanks Amazon for superfast shipping!) of both their .11g router and PC card I can say that it is worth the upgrade to the new standard!
  While I was able do everything I need to do (Internet, Network printing, and file access, Games, etc) with little delay on my network with the 11B, The linksys is a noticeable improvement. That slight hesitation with .11B I often encountered is now a distant memory. Range and signal is far superior to what I had before. In a 2 story townhouse with God knows how many old coats of lead paint and numerous potential interference issues, I have yet to not maintain a connection signal of 54. After a walk around my yard and surrounding area with my laptop, I suffered no serious drop of signal until hitting the far edge of the router's range
  As always with Linksys, setup is quick and painless. Within 5 minutes of opening the box, I was plugged in, rebooted and surfing the web. In a worst case scenario, Linksys has always given me super tech support for any questions or minor issues I have run into in the past (I have owned several Linksys Wire Routers) so I have no fears if something pops up in the future. Backwards compatability with 11B cards helps ease the pain of those folks out there hesitant to leave behind a high dollar investment in their old cards to upgrade to this router. I have a Belkin .11B card that is performing with no problems (albeit at the .11B speed) as well as my new Linksys .11G card in another laptop.
  Though Linksys may have leapt out of the gate before the 802.11g standard is completely agreed upon, I have no doubts based on what I have heard and read that any changes to the standard will be handled via easy firmware upgrades to the router (how many times have we already had to update firmware on wire and 11B hardware?) with little to no pain.
  Bottom line, I am by no means a rocket scientist or computer super genius, but I do know what I like: quick,reliable performance with minimal impact to my wallet or daily schedule. As in the past, Linksys delivers all that and more as is their norm.
  In an age where nanoseconds are often the difference between 2 items, this sets the standard bar a notch higher for the rest of the wireless community.
  
  
• Don't be afraid...
  By A2NKIZP0SZXN4W on 2003-11-25
  If you're looking to jump into wireless, this is a simple decision. Don't let the more technical reviews scare you away because if I can make it work, you surely can.

  Your cable modem connects into a clearly marked port on the back to provide service to the device. There are 4 ports available to connect your desktop PC (or multiple if you already have a wired network). The wireless setup is simple. You match the channel on the Router/AP to the channel on your receiving PC card and it works. You won't even need the directions if you follow this step: Go to your Internet Explorer window in the address line type: 192.168.1.1 and you'll be in the router setup page. Presto, it's all there.

  I'd highly recommend turning the static WEP encryption on to make it somewhat more difficult for anyone to jump on your network. That gets a little tricky, but it took a novice like me about 5 minutes and that's mostly because you need to hand type a long string of characters into the receiving PC (generated automatically by the Router when you turn WEP on).
  
  If you're undecided about B or G like I was, let me leave you with the advice that pushed me: Forget the money, you're going to hassle yourself with a premature upgrade in a few months, maybe a year to save what? $20? History seems to show that we'll need the bandwidth/speed sooner rather than later.
  
  Don't forget to update the firmware on this thing every month or two (it's a button on the setup screen - easy). They seem to be making it better all the time.
  
  

• Probably the WORST pc peripheral I have ever bought
  By A1YSQD6GIOKR4F on 2003-07-29
  I implore you to ignore the hyped up reviews, which were obviously posted by Linksys personnel.

  I won't go into great detail, but let me say this:
  1. I am an accomplished computer programmer (MFC/.NET/DirectX)
  2. I am very familiar with Windows platform & TCP/IP protocol
  3. Configuring this router was a nightmare.
  4. I've had to replace both the PCMCIA card and the router.
  5. It still only works whimsically.
  6. I have yet to see drivers designed so unprofessionally.
  7. I have yet to see a router's web interface so poorly designed
  8. Linksys tech support [stinks].
  9. Linksys online knowledge base is a joke.
  10. Unlike other reviews you may have read, I actually bought [this], and I do not work for Linksys, or any other competing company.
  11. Do yourself a favor, get a different product.

  Have a nice day ;)
  
  

• Don't buy version 5.0!!!!
  By AIXK0TS54I7GX on 2005-11-22
  This version is a garbage. Don't buy!!! I guarantee you will regret with it. I really regret that I bought into its high rating and didn't spend time reading the newest reviews about version 5.0. When you think everything is settled and enjoy surfing net, shoot, the router gets off. How can they name this model the same?! It is definitely a cheat.
  
  UPDATE: (11/25/05) I got a version 4.0 from compusa today. The ones in CC and BB are all version 5.0. (They are for Milford, CT though; your local stores may be different)
  
  
• DO NOT BUY
  By A1B51KQ6J763QN on 2005-11-22
  This router (version 5) is a total piece of garbage. I have set up many wireless networks, and never used a worse router. The positive reviews here are undoubtedly from people who purchased previous models. Version 5 simply does not work well.
  
  
• Stay away
  By A1RBI2EI8M0STI on 2005-11-23
  I have the newest router version 5. This is a piece of garbage. Do not buy.
  
  When I first tried to setup the router, the install software that came with the router crashed on two different computers(one XP and one ME). I had to use the web interface, which worked fine.
  
  However, the router crashed about every 8 hours--lights flash, but pinging, web access, everything else is dead. The only fix was to reset the unit.
  
  So I upgraded the firmware to the newest v1.00.2.
  
  Still crashes every 8 hours. UPnP does not work.
  
  Save your money, and your sanity--Stay away.
  
  

• Quicken Deluxe 2009
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