Cisco-Linksys WET11 Wireless Ethernet Bridge Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After reading the specs on the Linksys WET11 and downloading the user manual from their website, I decided to purchase a unit. I am very pleased with this product and it works as I had expected.
Setting it up was a breeze. The antenna is screwed on to the right side of the unit (which is surprisingly small). Plug in the power supply. I then hooked it up to a PC laptop with the supplied RJ45 cable and ran the setup program. I have an SMC Barricade 7004AWBR router with a built in wireless access point. The WET11 was configured to use the same SSID and channel as the SMC and then set to DHCP. All done.
The unit can then be connected to your ethernet device in one of two ways. One is directly to your desktop or laptop, for example. The other is to hook it up to a hub or switch and from there wire it up to one or more desktops or even laptops. There is a switch on the unit to select which mode will be used. While I do have a wireless card for the laptop, it's nice to have the flexibility of going wired for desktops.
The icing on the cake is that I now have wireless connectivity for my Mac Beige G3. I've been looking for a solution and the WET11 solves it. Before, I had to run a long RJ45 cable to it from the router. Now I can connect it to the WET11 through either of the two options mentioned and get on the web as before, except it's now wireless. One tip - set the Mac to a manual IP address. For some reason, setting the Mac for DHCP does not work. For me a very minor issue.
I have not seen any dropped connections for the few days I've had it and it sure runs cool. All in all, it has met my expectations, perhaps more so with the Mac. For the money, I see no comparable product out there. Check it out.

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The versatile wireless Ethernet bridge from Linksys can make any wired Ethernet-equipped device a part of your wireless network. At home, use the wireless Ethernet bridge to connect game consoles, set-top boxes, or computers to your wireless network to share your high-speed network connection. In the office, convert your Ethernet-wired printer, scanner, camera, notebook, or desktop into a wireless networked device.
It's completely driver-free, so it works on any platform and with any operating system. Because there are no drivers to load, setup is a snap--just plug it into your device and configure the network settings through your Web browser.
You can also use the Linksys wireless Ethernet bridge as a kind of "cableless cable" to connect remote areas together. Maybe the Shipping department is all the way across the warehouse from Receiving. Or maybe you want to set up a home office in your detached garage. With a wireless Ethernet bridge in the garage and an other one (or a wireless access point) in the house, you're connected--without the hassle of cabling.

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Netgear GS605NA Giga Switch 5Port Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just purchased this switch for a home network just hoping to solve some router issues. I ordered it from work so I could not recall if my 3 year old Dells would do Gigabit or not.
Sure enough they did and this thing just works like a champ and no fan noise like some competetive brands. The transfer speeds are exceptional.
The manual completely left out the meaning of the LED colors. A quick web search answered the question.
Green - 1000
Yellow - 10/100

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The NETGEAR GS605 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch connects up to five network devices at up to 1000 Mbps over Ethernet cables.
Sturdy and Reliable Design NETGEAR's GS600 series switches are designed for use in a home and small office, housed in a compact white case that blends into your home decor. A fanless design keeps operation both silent and more reliable, and ports are located in the rear to reduce cable clutter. Each port has status LEDs for link and activity. The switch can be placed on a flat surface or vertically on the included stand.
Simple Setup and Stellar Performance Plug in your Ethernet cables and connect a power cord, and you're ready to go. There is no software to install or settings to configure. The switch features auto negotiation, which automatically obtains the right speed and mode, and Auto Uplink adjusts for the different types of Ethernet cables. There is no need for toggle switches or special crossover cables. The device can seamlessly integrate 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps devices on the same network and honors Layer 2 priority tags.
All ports deliver up to 2000 Mbps speed and the switch supports 9,000 byte frames when set to support jumbo frames. There is a 1 Mb packet buffer memory and support for a MAC address database of 4,000.
The NETGEAR GS605 5-port Gigabit Desktop Switch has a rated Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of 87,600 hours and is backed by a 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box GS605 5-port Gigabit Desktop Switch, AC power adapter, vertical stand, installation guide, warranty/support information card.

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Netgear FVS318G PROSAFE® 8-PORT GIGABIT VPN FIREWALL Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted to upgrade my network to gigabit as well as improve security over my current WRT54Gv8 router. After much research I settled on this unit, its really one of the only vpn/firewall with 8 port gigabit and was excited when I received it. I've configured many routers and never had issues like I did with this router. It was so bad I may have received a defective unit. Ultimately I returned it.
1. The connections are on the front, not the back the way Amazon photo shows. I knew this but just wanted to share so you have less surprises.
2. UPNP is broken and is well known error. As a pro level router UPNP isn't a priority.
3. The netgear forums that will let you know just how many problems this router has, are locked to the public, and only when you have the router and register with the serial number can you actually see the vast complaints. The forum is locked as this is a pro level router.
4. Dropped connections regularly and was completely unstable
5. Required frequent reboots and seemed to take 2 minutes or so to reboot.
6. Would lock up my cable modem and require even that to be rebooted.
On the upside
1. the firewall is very nice and configurable. All ports open as expected and is very flexible.
2. The level of control is so superior to the WRT54gv8 I'm currently using - if only it was stable.
3. QOS worked as it should and was not a gimmick like my current router.
I'm content with 802.11G speeds so I planned to use this vpn router and have the WRT54Gv8 be an access point. In the end the constant instability forced me to return it. I put the lowly consumer router back in service, updated the firmware for good measure, and returned to the stability I had prior.

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Netgear ProSafe FVS318G Firewall FVS318G-100NAS Network Security & Firewalls

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Cisco-Linksys BEFSR81 Cable/dsl Router with 8-PT Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)Due to the increasing size of my home network, I decided toupgrade to the 8 port BEFSR81 from the 4 port BEFSR41. The two areidentical in size. A Cable/DSL router is a MUST HAVE for those whowish to share a broadband connection. 99 percent of DSL providersutilize what is known as Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet(PPoE). This works just like a normal dial up connection where youhave a username and a password. Normally, this PPoE is done viasoftware installed on your computer. This has many limitations. First,the host computer must always be on for others to utilze aconnection. In that sense, each computer is not independent of theother.
The Linksys has PPoE software built into it. Each computerplugged into the unit can access the internet independently of eachother. Better yet, you never have to see a username/password screenwhen connecting to the internet.
In addition to allowing one toshare a connection, the Linksys also acts as a hardward firewallpreventing hackers from accessing your computers. A must have! Youcannot be secure enough these days!
The unit is easy enough to useNovice to expert. While they're are many advanced features, it is notimperative to set or configure them. The html based interface of theunit is extremely intuitive and easy to figure out. The unit itselfleaves a very small footprint.
The linksys supports DMZ which isknown as a demilitarized zone. It basically allows one local user tobe exposed to outsiders. It is used for such tasks asvideoconferencing and internet gaming where constant two waycommunication is essential. In addition Quality of Service (QoS) isonly offered on this 8 port model. It allows you to prioritizeinternet tasks such as http, ftp, telnet, etc.... Not really thatimportant unless you have many users on at once.
Many cable modemproviders utilize a system where they "lock" your cablemodem service to either 1 modem, or 1 network card. This is to preventyou from sharing or using your connection with other suchcomputers. They're is a hardware number encoded onto your network cardand modem. This is known as a "MAC" address. To circumventthis, the Linksys cable/DSL router has a box where you enter in theMAC address of the item that the cable modem service is locked to andit will emulate it. Very clever and works very well!.
One thing theLinksys cannot help you with is running cables throughout your houseto different rooms! Right now I have managed to run ethernet cablesthrough 5 different areas of the house. I have networked our homeLaser printer (HP LaserJet 2100TN)and have added a WirelessLAN setupso now with a laptop I can surf via wireless broadband!

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A simple and inexpensive way to share your one IP address over yourentire network, the Linksys EtherFast cable/DSL router connects up to 253 PCs toa high-speed broadband Internet connection or to a Fast Ethernet or Ethernetbackbone. Configurable as a DHCP server or client, the EtherFast cable/DSLrouter acts as the only externally recognized Internet gateway on your localarea network (LAN). The router can be configured via SNMP to filter internalusers' access to the Internet and serve as an Internet firewall againstintruders.
The router features advanced functions such as dynamic and static port routing,DMZ hosting, filtering, forwarding, and quality-of-service capabilities. All ofthese functions can be easily configured through any networked computer's Webbrowser.
The Linksys BEFSR81 router comes with a one-year limited warranty.

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Cisco-Linksys BEFSR11 Cable/dsl Router with 1-PORT Review

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(More customer reviews)This lil' linky does wonders for it's price. I got it up and going in about 15 minutes. First I connected my cable modem [provided by roadrunner] directly to the WAN port and out from the LAN port I connected my already existing HUB with both my computers already connected, and in about 2 - 3 steps and one restart both my computers were prtected by a firewall. It couldn't get any easier. I was prepared by downloading the latest version of the firmware before i even got it in the mail and before anything i upgraded and everything worked perfect.
I recommend this product for anyone with a Cable/DSL connection and more than one computer. That includes beginners and advanced users. A definate plus to anyones home office.
It takes more time to reconfigure applications like napster, webcam32, and ICQ than it does to setup the router. And don't forget a 3' CAT 5, because it doesn't come with the product.

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The Linksys BEFSR11 EtherFast cable/DSL router connects multiple PCs toa high-speed broadband Internet connection or to an Ethernet backbone.Configurable as a DHCP server, the EtherFast cable/DSL router acts as the onlyexternally recognized Internet device on your local area network (LAN). It alsofunctions as a firewall to shield your network from unauthorized users bymonitoring all incoming data packets. The router can also be configured tofilter internal users' access to the Internet. This product comes with a limitedone-year warranty.

Note: All Linksys routers now include a special edition of Norton Internet Security! Claim your free CD-ROM by calling (800) 814-0180, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific, seven days a week.

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Cisco RVS4000 4-port Gigabit Security Router - VPN Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased the RVS4000 primarily due to its gigabit WAN port; very few wired firewalls have a gigabit WAN port. Not having a gigabit WAN port is a reasonable design because WAN ports in many SOHO firewall applications will likely connect to T1 (1.5 Mbps) or T3 lines (45 Mbps) at most. Since these data rates are lower than that of an ordinary 100 Mbps ethernet port, a gigabit WAN port is more than what is required of a WAN interface.
However, I wanted to use a firewall/router on the network inside of my primary NAT/SPI firewall which is primarily a gigabit network. So, a gigabit WAN port was an important feature because it needs to connect to a gigabit switch (not a WAN link).
Before my purchase, I read many customer reviews that complained about slow data rates through the WAN port. These reviews were very discouraging since the Linksys had a gigabit WAN interface. This was until I found a benchmark test that explained the negative reviews. The RVS4000 (primarily due to its industrial-grade security features) has a WAN to LAN data rate of 15.9 Mbps; very slow for a gigabit interface. However, this can be improved upon by configuring (turning off) the security features of the firewall. Unless you configure the firewall as a non-gateway device, don't expect orders of magnitude improvement in speed.
Here's the good news. The benchmark clocked the RVS4000 LAN to WAN data rate at 530 Mbps. Since many disk drive interfaces do not have a sustained data rate this high; you will not see this number when transfering files. I have a couple NAS RAID boxes with gigabit interfaces that top out at around 100-150 Mbps (individually). I can get higher network utilization numbers when doing several files transfers between different network endpoints simultaneously. Network file transfers tend to be very CPU intensive, even when using SCSI hard drives. The CPU intensive part comes from having to package up the data into IP packets and managing the data transfer.
The bottom line is that I am very satisfied with this firewall and its gigabit WAN port. But understand that it needs to be configured properly to optimize its performance and functionality. You don't need to be an engineer or rocket scientist to do this; however, you will need a bit of understanding about IP networking. If you use the RVS4000 as a primary firewall (configuring all of its security features), I suspect it will do that job rather well also.


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As broadband speeds increase most 10/100 gateways do not have the power to support those higher data rates, and thus become the bottleneck in the network. The RVS4000 10/100/1000 4-Port VPN Router works at Gigabit speeds to meet the demands of todays networks. It features Linksys proven SPI Firewall with an integrated Intrusion Detection and Prevent System (IDS/IPS). Its built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch can connect up four PCs directly, or additional hubs and switches. The QoS features provide consistent voice and video quality throughout your business. In addition the RVS4000 features a Virtual Private Network (VPN) security engine that creates encrypted IPSec tunnels through the Internet. The IPSec VPN tunnels enable remote users from at home, or on the road to easily, and securely connect to the office network through a typical wired or wireless broadband connection. When used with another RVS4000 or other Linksys VPN router, branch-to-branch connections can be established allowing users in a remote office to connect to the corporate network.

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Cisco-Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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!

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The Linksys EtherFast cable/DSL router connects multiple PCs to a high-speed broadband Internet connection or to an Ethernet backbone. Configurable as a DHCP server, the EtherFast router acts as the only externally recognized Internet device on your local area network (LAN). The router can also be configured to block internal users' access to the Internet. A typical router relies on a hub or a switch to share its Internet connection, but the Linksys EtherFast router channels this connection through the full-duplex speed of its built-in EtherFast 10/100 four-port switch. This combination of router and switch technology eliminates the need to buy an additional hub or switch and serves your network as a completely dedicated, full-duplex backbone. Now your entire network can enjoy broadband Internet connections supported by its switched backbone. This unit requires an external cable or DSL modem with an Ethernet RJ-45 interface. This product comes with a one-year warranty.

Note: All Linksys routers now include a special edition of Norton Internet Security! Claim your free CD-ROM by calling (800) 814-0180, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific, seven days a week.

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Cisco-Linksys EZXS88W EtherFast 10/100 8-Port Workgroup Switch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a great little box for connecting a small network without breaking your bank.
The EZXS88W has a great work/size ratio. It's small enough to set on top of a computer case and provides eight ports of full duplex, 10/100 networking.
It has a very informative display to give out info for connection speed, duplex connection and collision. The setup is as simple as plugging in the power and network cables. I have yet to run into any problems with this unit and would recommend it without a second thought.

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The EtherFast 8-Port 10/100 Workgroup Switch is a quick and easy way to boost your network's performance while migrating to the power of Fast Ethernet. With support for half- and full-duplex speeds, the switch allows your network to run at 10 Mbps, 20 Mbps, 100 Mbps and an incredible 200 Mbps.
The 8-Port Workgroup Switch is designed to meet the needs of small-business and home networks. The eight-port rack-mountable switch is great for enterprise and medium-size business use.

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NETGEAR RP614 Web Safe Router with 4-Port 10/100 Mbps Switch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As other reviewers have noted, the router is very easy to set up. However, it has two major flaws which would keep me from recommend this unit:
1. The router randomly locks up several times a week. It requires a power off then on in order to start working again.
2. The router times out idle TCP session after a few minutes, and there is no way to disable or change this timeout. After the timeout the connection is dropped and has to be re-established. This is a *major* annoyance for people like me who use ssh or telnet to log into outside machines, but it can also cause problems with chat clients or other network applications if you are idle for a few minutes. This behavior has been confirmed by Netgear tech support, and they don't have a solution.
Between these two flaws, I recommend against buying this unit. Netgear's previous generation product (RP314) was rock solid, it's sad to see Netgear go so far downhill.

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The NETGEAR RP614 Web Safe Router with 4-Port 10/100 Mbps Switch lets you easily share a broadband connection by creating a secure network with double firewall protection.
Simple Setup NETGEAR has made setting up network devices as painless as possible with their interactive Installation Assistant that guides you through setup step by step. Configuration is done through an easy-to-use web interface.
Outstanding Performance and Security The RP614 features four auto-sensing 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports that will figure out each network connection without any need for manual switches. The RP614 allows for transfer of movies, music and photos at up 200 Mbps so the video and sound will be clear.
Two security methods are utilized to keep the network secure: Network Address Translation (NAT) and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI). SPI safeguards against popular Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. For parents, content filtering allows you to set filters so that children are unable to reach websites with certain keywords or domain names, such as those associated with pornography. Web access can also be limited by the day of the week and time of day.
Styling That Fits In Your Home The RP614 has a svelte design with silver-and-gray styling that won't look out of place in your home.
The NETGEAR RP614 Web Safe Router with 4-Port 10/100 Mbps Switch is backed by a 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box RP614 Router Gateway, resource CD, power adapter, Ethernet cable, and warranty/support information card.

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