Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch - BEFSR41
Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router - 4-Port -External

Just the switch I needed.
 
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This purchase was just what the package said. Received in plenty of time and very happy with my purchase.
 
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The unit works really well. It's been up 3 weeks with no problems at all. But, to get it operational using AT&T DSL was problematic because it appeared to be configured correctly using the supplied setup wizard. It turned out that the local IP address of the router needed to be changed to 192.168.2.1. There apparently is a conflict with DSL modem supplied by AT&T.
 
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Simple easy @home network. Not everything needs to be wireless with all of the security concerns that accompany it.
 
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I bought this router to replace a D-Link one that had intermittent connection problems. The initial setup had some issues as the router could not connect to the Internet via my DSL modem. It took a couple of calls to tech support to get it working. However, it appears to work well once it is up and running.
 
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Bought this router based on Linksys reputation and other reviews posted here. Have slightly older "system" and could NOT go wireless. This Router is GREAT! Took about 10 minutes to install using the included installation CD. No problem connecting with my Cable Modem. No problems with linking my compter with the wife's. Now both systems share resources and printers; Kinda sorry I didn't do this long ago.
 
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The Product Is Working Great For Me
 
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I have been using this router for two years with no problems. I connected a hub to it and now I'm running five computers with no problem. I would highly recommend this ratter to anyone
 
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I used many routers, Linksys remains top quality. This router took 10 min to set up. But you need to follow the setup procedures with the CD, even if you set up many routers before. There may be some handshake between the router and the cable modem/internet provider to get the router to provision the IP address of your connection into its tables.
 
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This item only took 11 minutes to install!
 
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This Linksys external cable/DSL router is great. Easy to set up and works great.
 
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This box was easy to setup following the step by step instructions on the installation CD. It works great. One "con" Had a momentary power failure during a thunderstorm. Box lost its settings or connection to my DSL modem. Had to push the reset button on the back and reinstall from scratch (a five minute job).
 
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Easy to setup and manage. Worked great over different OS platforms. A great device for ICS and files and printer sharing.
 
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My mistake was to purchase this unit and wait a year before using it. I am a workaholic and do not have time to set up equipment I buy right away. When I finally found the time to set it up this router, ran great – for 2 months, and then quit. It is passed the warrantee and so I am looking for a new router. These things should last longer then 2 months.
 
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works fine and lasts quite a long time
 
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I own two of these routers and have had no problems. They are full of features and come with an easy-to-use web interface. I highly recommend them.
 
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The BEFSR41 is a great little router, but it needs a real SPI firewall and an improved firmware to go with it. I was going to upgrade to the BEFSX41 until reading the reviews of the BEFSX41 firewall and other limited capabilities. After reading that decided to stay with BEFSR41: it costs less and is definitely rated more highly by users here. Those with problems with it need to know how to fix them. Dropped connections may be due to bad new firmware: if so, rollback to an earlier firmware ver. 1.44.2z works well for many users. Disconnect or turn off modem to configure the BEFSR41. Instructions in the long online .pdf manual downloadable from Linksys are full and complete. More info on configuring the modem is available from dslreports forum, the grc forum, and other linksys users forums. This is a great router for the amazing price!
 
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This item was shipped and recieved promply. It is attractive looking, nicely packaged, and extremely well documented. I have DSL and a home network of three laptops. I was previously using a hub and had a number of external intrusions. The "setup CD" that is enclosed enables anyone who is currently connected to the Internet via broadband DSL to transfer the operation through the router automatically. I have XP (home and professional) on my machines, and I never had to open "Control Panel" or "Network Connection" once. Each machine interfaces with the internet and each other. Badda Bing!
 
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This is a great little router. Easy to set up. Easy to use. No problem... as long as it works. I have had mine for fifteen months, i.e. three months more than the one year warranty, and it just died on me. I know I'm not the only one since I've seen at least two other reviews signaling the same problem. All in all though, it is still good value so I'm buying a new one. But be aware that after the eyar of warranty, it can die on you any time. Come on, Linksys, build us something that actually outlives its warranty!
 
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The word "Networking" always made me apprehensive. I finally got the nerve to install this Linksys router for my multi computer household, and I'm glad I did. This was a snap to install-the included software did all the work. Took just a few minutes and my daughter and I were sharing blazing DSL speeds. this is a terrific router that I highly recommend.
 
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Just got the router, simple install! Only had it for a weekend but I'm very happy with its performance so far. Good buy especially with the rebate.
 
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I tried Efficient Networks, very bad choice. The Linksys is simply the easiest, most user friendly and configurable router out there for basic router/network use. When they say "plug & play" that's what it means. Just read and follow the quick install directions and your done! I have 2 of these, a back-up just in case. And, Buy.com is the best and most efficent company I have ever delt with. E-mails are answered promptly. Bottom line, you can't go wrong with Linksys.
 
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Opened the box, plugged it all in and had 3 PC's blazing on the internet in under 10 minuets. I didn't have to read the manuel or install any software! I can't get any easier than this!
 
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I got tired of having to troubleshoot my Linux Redhat machine which did everything this little workhorse can do, but with much more labor (and now I don't have to keep an entire computer running). I plugged this in, plugged my DSL modem into the WAN, plugged it into a hub, plugged in my three computers and they were instantly on the network and connected to the internet (XP Home, XP Home and Win98). Without doing anything else, I went to www.grc.com and tested my security and ports and I am completely locked down. I've never done anything easier than this. I bought the Linksys for its UPnP which put it leaps above the competitors in my book. You can't go wrong with this unit.
 
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Its just like they advertise, it setup fast and works great. using in a simple home network, One machine W2000 and other W98, network works great, DSL sharing works great. It took about 1/2 hour to get both machines onto DSL and the Router, no errors. This is impossible to beat for the price
 
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My cable service is with Millennium Digital in the Pacific northwest. They originally recommended renting a Motorola SurfBoard as a cable modem. However, I went ahead and bought the Linksys Etherfast Cable Modem and the Linksys Cable DSL Router. Both products were a snap to install and are performing flawlessly. However, here are some tips: (1) After you install the cable modem and have followed all of the directions, if it is still not working, then unplug it for 10 seconds and then plug it back in. (2) With the ROUTER, Instead of following the directions, use CD-ROM that comes with the product and run the setup wizard. BTW, you may also have to power-down/power-up the router a few times to get everything working.
 
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Some trouble at first. After repairs works fine. Have three computers on line.
 
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I have used several different brands of routers and I can say Linksys has done a pretty good job. Hardware setup is easy. So, I will talk about the software. First, as long as you have designated which computer is going to be DMZ, you will have no problem doing voice chat or file transfer over AOL IM, MSN messenger, and ICQ. Secondly, the router sometimes has problem assigning ip to the specific computer on the network, it is not going to a big problem if you don't care which ip u are getting. Finally, this is a router with 4-port SWITCH, NOT HUB, therefore, you will FEEL that you speed is somehow capped even when no one else is downloading stuff on your network. Overall, it is a good buy.
 
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If you're looking for a Cable/DSL router that will be easy to install and work flawlessly for simple tasks such as web browsing and e-mail, look no further. This Linksys router (with the newest firmware upgrade, at least) is perfectly suited to these tasks and is even reasonably good at more complicated things such as allowing an VPN client to operate behind it over IPsec.

However, there are still a few issues with the Linksys router that have not been solved by even the newest firmware releases
- Client machines cannot reliably access ftp servers using ports other than the standard port 21. Even in passive mode.
- It is difficult to enable IDENT (used by many IRC servers) on more than one machine at one time. You can, however, use port forwarding to connect any one machine at a time.

These issues are not of much concern to most users, I suppose, but for me they are decidedly inconvenient. However, I still recommend the Linksys to most of my friends because it is so simple to set up and because it performs well. I can hardly believe that such equipment is available for only $70.

Come on Linksys - one more good firmware update could make this the undesputed champion of budget Cable/DSL routers!
 
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For someone who is not an expert with computers I found this product very easy to use. I have Charter pipeline internet service. To install I was told to shut down my computers, unplug the power cord to my cable modem for 10-15 minutes. After connecting the cables and allowing for the the down time I plugged in the modem fired up the machines and that was it. I have an IBM running windows 98 and a Sony VAIO running XP. Both machines read the router perfectly with no internal changes needed by me. For me this was truely plug-n-play. This is a very good buy for the money. I
 
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No problems, no pain. This price is great - cheap, buddy!
 
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I purchased this router about 2 months ago. I am very happy to say that I am very satisfied with the product. It was easy to setup, provided me with a way to network my pc's and share the broadband connection. It is very reliable, it hasn't gone down yet, so I am happy. Grab this one if you need it, Linksys products have been the best networking products to date!
 
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This is the easiest setup I have worked with. Plug it in and you instantly have several PC working together.
 
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After reading several reviews, and installing several of these units for others, I've come to realize that most people buying this unit (or similiar) don't have a clue about networking. EVERY Linksys broadband router I have installed has worked flawlessly. If there actually is a problem, it is usually user error or the broadband service is having problems. And, if a feature on this unit doesn't work out of the box, a firmware upgrade normally fixes the problem. Plus, every broadband service is different. What works for one service probably won't work for another. With all this said, and you can't figure the problem out, let someone who knows how computer networks work install your router (because, I agree, Linksys tech support is kind of sucky... ) Bottom line - this product works well
 
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I have used this router quite successfully since purchased with the exception of an occasional need to reboot. My gripe is realy simple, out of the blue the router stopped functioning which means I can no longer access the internet (the unit is now an expensive hub because that still works). Linksys has a 1 year return policy and this is my 13th month with the product. They don't have an exchange, upgrade, or pay a fee for fixing the unit. I spoke to customer support and there was no flexibility, 1 year is 1 year. I now have to go out and purchase a new one all together. I will now look for a unit with more than a 1 year warranty which means I won't be purchasing another Linksys.
 
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INSTALLED LINKSYS CARD. PNP FOUND CARD PUT DISK IN PICKED OS AND THAT WAS IT.PLUGGED INTO LINKSYS CABLE MODEM. THE CABLE GUY CALLED IN THE NUMBER AND IT WAS UP AND RUNNING, YOU TAKE THE ROUTER OUT OF THE BOX READ INSTRUCTIONS INSATLL DISK FOLLOW ITS INSTRUCTIONS. THEN HOOK UP THE CONNECTORS AND SURF
 
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This router was easy to set up. Tech support was great in helping set up second computer on the network. I am running XP on my laptop and 98 on my desktop. Same ISP for both(ha ha AT&T). I am using it with another fine Linksys product (cable modem). You won't be disapointed with this!!!!!!!
 
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We have 4 computers in the house, and with our Linksys router we only need one IP address. This saves me $15.00 each month on my broud band bill.
 
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My experience installing the router/access point was generally good, but I found working with Linksys a bit frustrating. I'm a novice on networking (very proficient in other computer areas). I am good at following instructions. There-in lies the rub. Linksys offers pretty good instructions for all but Win XP. Since I had nothing to follow, and the automatic install in XP didn't work quite right, I ultimately called Linksys tech support. A tech service rep told me they were doing me a favor by telling me how to install it under XP (and then proceeded to lead me down several false paths). Bottomline, after about 30 minutes chasing wrong paths, we hit on the real problem and got the router successfully installed. Working great now (at least from my frame of reference). If your using XP, and not network literate, you may be challenged; LINKSYS has a ways to go to be proficient in helping with XP installations (both written and oral). One "gotcha" that may save some of you time ... To configure the router, you have to enter an IP address in your browser. I assumed that when I entered the IP address in Internet Explorer (details are in the instructions) that when IE noted the web page was not available offline and asked me if I wanted to connect or work offline, I wanted to work offline (since I obviously couldn't connect through the router yet since it wasn't configured). That was a false assumption. Even though no connection exists, it needs to "connect" to the router. I wasted lots of time figuring that simple one out. Hope this helps.
 
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Awesome product. Sets up in minutes. Shares my cable modem. Firewall too. Works with online games. Get's people the hell out of your room. Great rebate.
 
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All I wanted to do is hook 2 computers up to the internet on one connection. I asked 5 people how to "home network" for a DSL connection and got 5 completely different answers. Fortunately one guy recommended the EtherFast for security and ease of installation (At the time, I was attracted to the "under $100" pricetag). In one hour I was up and running. It would have taken half that time if my DSL provider would have told me that they use ADSL (ADSL is a specific type of DSL that requires one extra setting at the router). The EtherFast router keeps my computers connected whether they are powered on or off, and eliminates the need to buy expensive software based firewall protection.
 
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After using a software based home telephone wired network for 2 years this is a breath of fresh air! It is so much faster and more reliable. I highly recommend Linksys. It's a snap to set up for a dynamically enabled cable modem. Just plug the wires in, reboot and you're set. I believe their documentation could be better. Their booklet describes more than one router/switch product and they're all jumbled together instead of in seperate sections for each product. But overall, it's a great product that I have no problem recommending!
 
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This Linksys Router is easy to set up and works like crazy. I have it at home (3 computers), at the office, and bought two for friends. Each computer on the home network has the same excellent speed of connection to the internet. Set-up is easy with web-page type interface. Now, in general, setting up stuff like this, it would probably help to have someone to whom the term "IP address" is meaningful, and who might have fiddled with a home network before because each computer has to have several settings adjusted in their OS. But I was new at this when I hooked up this machine, and the instructions were clear, and I got it running after about 30 minutes! And it is incredibly fast. There really is no speed degredation that can be observed. I get about 1200 kbps on DSL (that rocks!) either through the router or directly to the modem. Fantastic!
 
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Before getting this unit, I checked around and it seemed as if some of the reviews (by end users) were mixed. Some folks had problems. My experience was very positive. The unit arrived less than 48 hours after ordering (no small feat this close to Christmas) and I had it up and running in a few minutes. After entering some initial setup information you're up and running. Highly recommended. An excellent value with clear, concise documentation. One final thing, as others have mentioned, change the Admin password but the unit now ships with Remote Administration turned OFF by default. The built-in defaults provide excellent security and protection for systems on the local network.
 
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The easiest piece of networking hardware I've ever used. I had it installed within 10 minutes. This is even after having to reconfigure a PC for ATT cable after their transition from Excite. It seems faster than the server setup I used to use. Very happy!
 
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This is a great product for any home user needing to share a broadband connection. It is easy to setup and be surfing the Internet securely behind a firewall almost right out of the box. It also has any advanced features if you have a need to customize the access the PC’s have to the Internet.
 
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Outstanding value. Excellent product. Easy of use. I recomend it.
 
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This is a great little router and I'm sure the problem I'm having is a isolated one, but here it is, for your consideration. In my home I had three computer running through the router to a DSL line with no problems, I was very happy. When I added a fourth, I found that the fourth port didn't work. It's not the cable, or the computer (when I plug it into one of the other ports it works fine), but it's the one actual port on the router. This is disapointing because I found this out after my 30 days were up on returning the item. So, it looks like I'm going to have to uplink a second router just for this one computer... an unnesscary cost if the router worked right. Other than that though, this is a great product. Very easy to use and I'm generally happy.
 
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I bought this router a year and 2 months ago. Unfortunately it only had a 1 year warranty because it died after 14 months. It was easy to set up and worked great while it worked. I called the company and thier policy is 1 year warranty only. SO no I have to buy a new one. It may be a fluke, but if you buy this router you may be replacing it in a little over a year. Buy the way I am going to try a D-link this time.
 
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I have DSL with dynamically assigned IP addresses. The step by step instructions enabled me to network and share DSL with 2 windows computers in 35 minutes. I'd recommend this product to anyone wanting to share a DSL among 2 - 4 PCs
 
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First of all, let me state this: Dont ever rely on anyone's advice who works at Best Buy. I am an IT Security Professional and should know better, however they endorsed the Netgear NAT product over this one. I purchased the Netgear product and never could get it to worked. They steered me against the Linksys because of firmware issues. However, I took the Netgear back to Best Buy and bought the Linksys last night, and it has worked like a champ. Before I used a USB Stingray DSL modem with Black Ice and Black Ice was constantly sensing intruders. Now with a Speedtouch Home and this Linksys in tandem, I hardly get any intruders. The device has a nice feature to block WAN requests which means essentially that ICMP requests will be blocked (people will get no response when they try to ping your ADSL public address). This is a great feature that adds a high measure of security from all the SCRIPT KIDDIES who dont know the He** what they are doing anyhow. If you find someone who persistently tries to hack your box, gather all the evidence and report them to dshield.org as well as trace their IP back to arin.net and call the ISP for their provider. They need to be reported. Anyways this unit is AWESOME.
 
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