Linksys WRT330N Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming Router Reviews

• Awesome Product, XBOX Live Open NAT

  
  By A3B7MS7NXTFUU7 on 2007-02-28
  So far this router is very good. I know that it has some bad reviews, but I had to see for myself. As soon as I got it I immediately updated the Firmware. It works great with Vista. I have an Open NAT through XBOX live !!!That's right, OPEN NAT ON XBOX LIVE!!! My VOIP does not have anymore choppy calls. The wireless G strength is just incredible. I am able to get a 54Mbps through 4 concrete walls and then some. This router replaced my WRT54GS ver 6 because of the NAT issue in XBOX live (Moderate NAT). I recommend this product to anyone. I can definitely see this product being XBOX Live certified next quarter. I give it 5 stars because it solved the XBOX live NAT issue and has overall increased my QOS.
  
  

• Wireless-N technology is so far the best

  
  By A19LF2T1WUY4PK on 2007-05-14
  At first I was leary about getting the Linksys Wireless-N router because there were many reviews that said it wasn't working to their expectations. I received the shipment much earlier from Amazon.com and it arrived in great condition.
  
  I followed the instructions that were explicitly provided in the package (along with screen shots) and once I hooked it up, I proceeded to go to the Linksys website to download the latest 1.000.3 version of the firmare for the router. Everything works great.
  
  I used to have a Netgear RP614 and I haven't been able to get the 10Mbps that my cable company provides (and I'm paying for it too). I got the cable technician to come check out my box and he said that I need to switch over to Linksys because their cable company uses the Cisco servers. In case you didn't know Cisco is the parent company of Linksys so their hardwares are compatible. Now I get about 9.5 Mbps on my Linksys Wireless-N vs. 7.5 on my Netgear.
  
  The wireless transmissions are much faster than the Wireless-G and the security features on this router varies on how much security you actually want to implement.
  
  [...]
  
  

• Awesome! w open nat, for ur xbox live sessions

  
  By AJSNQ7GZS5DBM on 2007-05-13
  This was an expensive buy, esp. since i already had a pre-n router from belkin (which worked great). but i wanted to separate my media center/xbox traffic, from my normal (internet) traffic. So i bought the wrt330n. I now daisy chain the wrt and my belkin pre-n, and run computers and the xbox/medai center on separate routers. The wrt has settings that prioritize media center traffic. It can also prioritize voip traffic (for all u skype users), which is great!. Havent had any problems, yet.
  
  

• THE BEST WIFI MONEY CAN BUY!!!

  
  By ACKMZIWOMHAP0 on 2007-04-04
  This is truly the best WIFI you can get on the market right now. Its lightning fast its 4 machines put into 1. Most importantly I've had the best gaming experience ever. Now i can host games on Xbox live without lagging the rest of my teammates and that is no fun. The Linksys WRT330N Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming Router is well worth its money and a great investment. I recommend it highly to anyone that needs a great WIFI for whatever reason!
  
  

• 3 stars only for potential...

  
  By A3218F88F1GPG0 on 2007-02-20
  This potentially could be the best router on the market, especially for gamers. With that said it has too many bugs right now and mine is constantly down. It was released too soon by Linksys. If you are considering this router, stick it out with your old one untill they release the firmware that resolves the issues it is having.
  
  
• Love it...
  By ANP1ZL1A29EB on 2007-07-01
  UPNP works fine with XBox Live. Update to 5 stars if I could after changing DTIM/Beacon/Frag-RTS Thresholds and NICs to match router running only N. Flawless performance now. No 3rd party out there for this due to the architecture (it's an odd bird basically) so that's out if you're a tweaker. Works great, however. Recommended but needs some tweaking as it's highly configurable.
  
  
• Looks are deceiving
  By A1H3WDB0AP3TC1 on 2007-09-06
  This router looks very nice, but don't let that fool you. I got it home, installed the software step-by-step and set up my wep-2 as well. My wireless N adapter picks up the signal just fine, but the router will not let me connect to the wep-2 and access my internet connection. I then tried to uninstall the software and use it without the WEP-2. This also did not work neither on my desktop using wireless N, or my laptop using wirelss G. This product is EXTREMELY BUGGY and I do not recommend this for anyone looking for a reliable internet connection... Seriously consider this before buying - stick with wireless g for now and wait for the bugs to get resolved.
  
  
• Thank you...next!!!
  By A35NRY63Q2I0TO on 2007-09-09
  Don't waste your money. I paired this with a Linksys WUSB300N. It reported speeds from 240 to 300 MBPS. Great huh! Since my Linksys WRT55AB only reports speeds up to 54MBPS, the 330N should be much faster right? WRONG. In reality it had a greater lag time, much slower overall actual speed (tranferring network files and internet use with a laptop, a desktop and an XBOX 360), and less range than the WRT55AB. Also, when paired with the XBOX 360, the WRT330N can not satisfy the network demands for streaming video, which the 55AB does fine. It does not matter whether the router is direct connected to the XBOX or the PC, it is still insufficient. I have the most current product version and the newest drivers. With 25 years of computer use, I know what I am doing, unfortunately with this router, Linksys does not.
  
  
• its complicated, but it does its job.
  By A28HBJOYP6BL62 on 2007-07-11
  Its complicated, but it does what its supposed to. Set up took me a while, and I have experience setting up networks, dont get me wrong, I am by no means a "networking expert" but I have experience doing this stuff, and it doesn't usually take me a long time.
  
  But I have no problems with it now that its set up. I switch to this after a disastrous trial with a Dlink Xtreme. I recommend this over the Dlink as far as high end gaming routers. ^^ I enjoy it ^^ however, I cannot figuer out how to get WPA2 encryption to work, and I'm having trouble having my ibook accept my WEP key, even though it works fine on my PC and my room mates Dell notebook. Hmm must figuer that out, but I have read from the reviews that it does seem to have problems with the macs. :(
  
  
• Doesn't work the way it says
  By A3MD802DW51TJ6 on 2007-07-18
  I could not get this product to work with my cable modem (a problem I have not had with other routers). The Linksys help center is a complete joke. I would buy another brand.
  
  
• GREAT Router for Mixed Networks and Xbox / Media Center Use
  By APGJR4N9OWN6N on 2007-10-22
  I bought this router based on my need for faster wireless connections around my house. I had a great deal of traffic on the G channel but wasn't getting the throughput I needed for streaming media center content or maximizing connectivity with Xbox Live.
  
  This router was easy to setup and enabled me to move to WPA2 security which gave me better range and speed than WEP. The router automatically balances traffic for media center, VOIP, and gaming use. It's been ROCK SOLID for me with no need to reboot since I got it. I consistently get 54mb connectivity for my wireless G devices and have an open NAT for Xbox live.
  
  I'd recommend this router for people that want maximum speed across their wireless network, have gaming/VOIP/media center traffic on their home network, or simply want something that will provide great security and load balancing.
  
  
• XBOX live OPEN NAT- Ultra fast Wireless N
  By A2DQTUVQROFJCV on 2007-11-27
  Wow... this is a great router. I had the WRT300N and it was good but for gaming it was horrible. When playing xbox live, it took forever to get players to play. I replaced it with the WRT330N and it fixed everything. Now I have OPEN NAT on XBOX 360, gaming on my comp is super fast and my labtop can pickup the signal from my backyard. Its very easy to install and haven't had any hiccups yet. The security is flawless and very easy to customize. With the OPEN NAT for XBOX and ultra fast wireless setup, you will not go wrong with this router. Wireless N is here.
  
  
• Worth the price
  By A1KLKPXJK0BRY3 on 2007-11-30
  I bought this product to replace another Linksys 802.11n router. The old router only did 100BaseT over the wired connections but had decent speed over the wireless links. The rest of my network was already running gigabit over copper.
  I did not use the setup program which Linksys provided. Instead, I opened the user guide in an acrobat window and connected to the router via the html configuration page. As I stepped through the menus, I found that the instructions in the guide were organized well for this process. Novices may want more information about some of the options than is provided in the guide. Experienced or expert users probably won't need it.
  I did not get this gaming router for gaming, but because it had received better reviews than the other wireless/gigabit routers and the price was acceptable. therefore, I turned off QOS. Also, I set the router for a pure Wireless-N network. My two wireless computers were already running Linksys wireless-N network interfaces.
  In the security section of the guide, Linksys provides solid advice for configuring your network's security. Turn off SSID broadcast, use strong keys, use the strongest encryption for your situation, if feasible restrict wireless access by MAC address, change keys and passwords periodically.
  I configured the router off-line from my network. Then, I removed the old Linksys and inserted this unit. The WRT330N was configured to use the range of addresses I had been using on my Netgear gigabit firewall. The wireless segment was on a different range of addresses.
  When I plugged in the router, all the wired segments (two PCs, one D-LINK D323 NAS, and a print server) worked fine without any need to re-boot. I did have to re-boot the wireless systems.
  Performance is good across the copper links and I can't see any noticeable degredation. On the other hand, there does seem to be a degradation of wireless performance. Distance is still good and connections are reliable. However, speed seems to have declined by 10-15% at a PC about 30 feet (through two walls and a floor and across ducts and wires). I haven't tried adjusting the antennae on the router yet, but I don't have too much hope for improvement. That PC still gets 110+ mbps, so it's a workable link - even with streaming video from the networked drives. I haven't done a firmware update (version shipped was 1.00.3 Jan 2007) or even checked if one is available.
  That loss of performance is the reason I gave this unit four stars instead of five.
  It would be nice if the firewall offered more actual options, but I can live with that. If worse comes to worse, I'll run the outgoing circuit through a dedicated hardware firewall. That would probably be overkill, though since I already have four firewalls (internal and ISP) in line.
  
  
• Wireless-N (draft) is still draft (read not working)
  By A3C6KS68IZXS71 on 2008-02-11
  I just purchased a new Dell XPS1530 laptop including the latest Intel wireless-N internal card (as of Feb 2008). I wanted to upgrade from my Linksys wireless-AG router and this looked like the best wireless-N router available. First off, it would not connect on N with WEP security option. I got it to work with the less secure "personal" security options. The network status reported 130Mbps connection and I was getting 6 - 8 MB per second on network file transfers. This is fast, but I was three feet from the router. When I moved to 15 feet away or downstairs (10 feet if you ignore the floor), I would get at best 2 MB per second and on occasions 300 - 500 K per second. The network status would often report the speed to be 130Mbps but transfer files at really slow speeds. Sometimes the network status would jump around from 130Mbps to 54Mbps or even less once or twice. I ignore the network status because it does not reflect the realized transfer speeds. I was getting a mostly reliable 1 MB per second.
  
  I put by Linksys wireless-AG back on and got a VERY constant and reliable 2 - 3 MB per second transfers and almost never below 1MB per second. With my wireless G, I was/am able to stream a high quality (8Mbps) DVD movie from my PC upstairs to my Laptop and TV downstairs without ever (so far) getting skipping. With the wireless-N, it worked maybe 50% of the time.
  
  I returned the wireless-N router. As a side note, I am fairly technical and don't believe the fault was in the router setup. Yes the fault could be with the Intel wireless card (but Intel is big and this is their latest card).
  
  
  
• Works Great!
  By A10TWOMIA78DMU on 2007-08-12
  I bought this to update my router to take advantage of my new 802.11n notebook. I didn't have any problems with installation or setup. Not only did it work well with my notebook, I noticed a considerable increase in the speed of my desktop as well (1 Gbps). I'm not a gamer but I do on-line trading which requires faster throughput as well. Works great, no complaints and it's sharp looking too!
  
  
• Loving it every bit.
  By A2B6N99T5I52BD on 2007-12-11
  I got this router back around Easter time, and ever since then, I have been a happy man. Everything this router provides are solid - and don't get me started on the RANGE this thing has. It is truly remarkable, and I would strongly recommend this for those who have a two-story house and a basement, so you can receive excellent signal strength and speed WHEREVER you put it.
  
  I tested this router out in my two-story house in Florida (the house is quite the size) and I got 100% signal into my garage apartment which isn't even connected to my house! There is one small thing about this product though - it does have the tendency to stop sending internet through its radio, and it happens to me a few times a month. However, this is no big deal because I disconnect my cable modem and router, then plug in the cable modem after waiting 10-20 seconds, and then the router when the modem finishes the restart process. Otherwise, it really isn't a big issue for me since my modem and router are within reach.
  
  Overall, excellent product and security setup isn't that hard at all. If you do choose to get this product, don't forget to update the firmware (that's what I did).
  
  
• Everything seems fine except 1 major problem
  By A1I8AMMK1FBFWS on 2008-01-14
  I saw the great reviews from amazon for this product and I just got it last weekend. Everything seems to work fine until 1 day later, the DSL seems to have drop out. Activity light in DSL modem is not flashing. So I reboot both router and DSL Modem. But then the next day I found the same thing happened again.
  So basically, it cannot be connected for more than 1 day. Except that, everything works great: it is much faster than my old G router (even with the same wireless card, interesting) Easy to set up, etc.
  
  
• Great Router
  By A37FCD5RRBY63L on 2007-12-18
  Router works great !!!. Connected it to the cable modem in Basement.
  Still get strong wireless signal in 2nd floor. Wireless speed is pretty good.
  
  Highly recommend this one.
  
  
• great router - very poor customer service
  By AAM0T7231MJ9F on 2007-12-30
  I had some problems setting up this router,so I called there customer service. Bad ideal,I spoke with them twice and neither time the information they gave me wasn't any good. My son's friend looked on the message boards to find the problem and low and behold he did. My wireless Gateway is running a solid 270 mbps which is awesome and they xbox360, ps3 and wii are running at top speeds. The other two wireless computers are a bit wild with there speeds but the connections are always very good or excellent. You will need N cards in your computers to get this kind of speed. Just want to say Amazon your great with your service, I had to exchange this router and they did so within a week - Great Customer Service - Thanks
  
  
• Going Bonkers
  By ACMW999UPS5VV on 2008-01-03
  Unfortunately the WRT330N wireless router is defective. It works for a short while then drops its signal...then it cycles from signal to no signal every 5 to 10 seconds. Worked with technical support on three sessions yesterday (6 hours)to try to fix it. Nothing worked. They say they will replace it through suppling store. I have it ready to return. Much inconvenience.
  
  
• Linksys WRT330N Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming Router for Online Gaming
  By A2FKDFQHAWXQ8B on 2008-02-08
  Great product, easy install. I am able to play MMOG without significant lag. I am also using the Linksys Wireless N USB Adapter.
  
  
• Buggy - Don't Recommend
  By AFREF0JJTTY8X on 2008-03-18
  The WRT330N is a bit buggy, so until Linksys can fix the kinks with a firmware update, I wouldn't recommend buying it (or maybe it cannot be fixed and it is just a pretty piece of black plastic). The first unit I had would turn off the wireless broadcast at least once a day (even though the wireless indicator light was on), so none of my computers (some with wireless G, some with wireless N) could detect the SSID. The only way to get it back up was to unplug it to reset the router. As you can imagine, doing this on a daily basis was a bit frustrating. Called Linksys customer service and they go through the same routine with all their products, i.e., what is your operating system, unplug the router, wait 15 seconds, turn it back on, etc. etc. After 45 minutes on the phone going through their scripted and mindless "tech support" methodology, they decided, I had a defective unit and issued me an RMA for a replacement unit, which they put a credit card hold for and when I received it, turned out to be a refurbished unit from some other unlucky customer. While the replacement unit doesn't drop the wireless signal, it emits a rather weak G signal, so that all my computers with a wireless G gets a "low" signal and only transmits at a putrid 24 to 36 mbps (even when i am 10-15 feet from the router). I had more reliable and stronger wireless signals with my old WRT54G router. Linksys probably released this unit sooner than they should have to capitalize on those of us who wanted the wireless N protocol.
  
  
• Works Great!
  By AZU2JDR2GVICQ on 2008-04-02
  Works great for us. We can game on one pc and download videos on another, with the signal having to go through walls and floors, without any problems. Setup worked right out of the box and optional security settings were easy to figure out. We tried Belkin's N router and it was a nightmare from the moment we plugged it in....and Belkin had the worst tech support I've ever encountered! (not sure about Linksys support since everything has worked for a year without issue)
  
  
• Works great, so they must have fixed the problems...
  By A2M22I1YXU2CJ8 on 2008-04-28
  I hesitated to buy this router b/c of a some negative reviews early in the product's release. But, the reviews from teh other companies' products were even worse! I have always used Linksys routers, so I decided to stay with them, and I am glad I did. The setup was the easiest ever for a wireless router, and I was set up in about 5 minutes and playing online on my PS3. I'm not a big computer nerd, so I don't know about speeds, etc, but I have never had a problem speedwise w/ the PS3 or my laptop. Would definitely recommend this router.
  
  
• Great while it lasted, 1.5 years later must be replaced.
  By A2FWOBSR97NJUI on 2008-08-03
  This router worked really well for quite some time. The wireless strengths is admirable and virtually the same speed as the wired connection. It worked well for a year and a half, but now has some serious problems. I've checked out everything else in the "picture" of my network and I am 100% certain that 1) The router is slowing my internet connection by 60%, seemingly capping downstream at 5000kbps. Plugged into the cable modem, itself, flawless 15000kbps connection. 2) A dozen daily short disconnects caused by my printer being connected via ethernet, removing it solved the problem. 3) Unable to even upgrade the firmware anymore, as the page will allow me to select the file but responds with absolutely nothing. So basically, my router is completely failing at it's job. Now I'm still within the replacement window, but this is not exactly the most comfortable situation to be in - How long is this going to take, and how long is the rest of my family besides me not going to be able to use the internet? So now on top of my connection woes, my family is gonna have to go a week or two without internet. I'm not too happy with this device, which is certainly more expensive than other routers, failing in less than two years. It's just not right, so 3 stars. That, and their tech-support is horrible. They don't even have this router anymore, and when the router they told me they'd replace it with was a WRT310N, a router worth $60 less than the price I paid for the WRT330N and no external antenna. I got pissed and demanded a choice in the matter if I'm going to be "downgraded", and made sure to tell them I wanted a WRT54GL instead, as I know the custom firmware will do its job and give me a good router. Look elsewhere..
  
  
• Works Great
  By A1LUH0LRAY47XQ on 2007-02-24
  Im not exactly sure what problems this is supposed to have? Mine works great was extremely easy to set up and works like a charm! I havent had it go down yet. Perhaps the other reviewers didnt update the firmware? they released it on the 7th of this month. I would recommend this router to anyone.
  
  
• Poor Quality Control
  By A2A3CSAYMZO6OK on 2007-04-03
  I tried setting up the router, but was unsuccessful. The web interface didn't work with IE7, and web pages were being displayed garbled. I had to download Firefox to talk to it. The 1 gigabit output switch worked properly, as did DHCP. I set up the router for my cable modem, with static IP address and DNS servers. I couldn't connect to the Internet, even though the router thought I was connected. After a frustrating interaction with Linksys customer support, it was decided that the router was defective and I returned it. I also found from customer support that this model is not being supported under Vista.
  
  
• router
  By A3RM3KLTKGBSGM on 2007-09-17
  Great router. No reason to wait until standard gets ratified. It always connects faster than my G router would. Setup a breeze and haven't had any problems.
  
  
• Gaming router
  By A3TOU3FYVPCXLH on 2007-11-21
  Fast, no lags. We have a network of 6 computers usually running all at the same time. Great product.
  
  
• Best router experience I have ever had
  By A2UW6T74BWOL4U on 2007-11-29
  Set up took less than 15 minutes, and that included transitioning from my old Linksys router. No one in my house experienced any interruptions. The speeds are as advertised - I'm ususally running 5-6 PC's at a time, and everyone has experienced better speed and no down time. I have been recommending this router to everyone I talk to.
  
  

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