Linksys - BEFW11S4 Cable/DSL Wireless Router - BEFW11S4
Linksys Wireless Access Point - 4-Port Cable/DSL Router 802.11b

I had to spend a half hour on tech support to figure out that the IP address range needs to be changed from 192.168.1.x to 192.168.2.x because my DSL modem was using 192.168.1.x. Once I changed that, the router worked fine, but Linksys really could have included that kind of troubleshooting information in the user's manual on the install CD. A paper manual would have been nice, too.
 
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Do your own research, google "linksys routers suck", or go to a number of forums, this router can not hold a internet connection up. It drops spracdically as well when trying to download music or music videos. Tech support is clueless. Basically you get what you pay for, s***.
 
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This router worked right out of the box, I connected it to my cable modem, computer and network printer with no issues what so ever. Very easy to configure.
 
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I'll begin by saying I purchased a Netgear MR814 from another e-tailer. When it arrived after six days it would not power up. Rather than chance a repeat I came back to Buy.com and ordered the Linksys BEFW11S4 which arrived in two days. With rebate it was half the price of the other e-tailer's Netgear MR814. Within thirty minutes I had replaced my old D-Link router and Linksys AP and was up and running. Fast ground delivery, ease of installation and setup, excellent performance and great value left me thinking, "What was I thinking when I didn't go back to Buy.com and Linksys in the first place?"
 
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Bought this for a neighbor. I have the Wireless-G version (which I LOVE). The -B version was easy to install but had some connectivity issues at first and tech support was hard to get to on a Friday night. Eventually the neighbor tried calling in the middle of the night, got thru, got support, they had him reset the router.....everything worked fine. He is using the ports for hardwired computers and will add on wireless as he upgrades computers. For his usage...its all he needs and at a nice price.
 
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I am on the site now to purchase a second AP for a backup. I am so please with the unit I want to make sure I have another in case of lightning or failure. The one I have in service now has been in use 24/7 for over a year. The range issue is what surprises me most. Two of my neighbors are using my AP at 11 and one is not even next to me but we have a home in between. He is using a usb type card inside his office. I can take my laptop in my car two blocks away and still connect at 5. I just had to write after reading some of the reviews. It is like they are talking about some other product.
 
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This products rocks. All it took me to setup the router is 5 minutes and I was able to connect to the internet, VPN access to my company and use the wireless access with security setup. The wireless range is excellent. I have been using wired routers before, but I found this product to be the easiest to setup of all others. The instructions were simple and straight-forward. 11Mbps is more than the bandwidth I can get on my DSL connection. Unless you are doing large file transfers between your laptop and PC on a regular basis, you really don't need more than what the B router provides. It is a no-brainer purchase for $39.
 
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I needed technical assistance to properly configure and install this router, but the tech support at LinkSys was professional, patient and competent. Once installed, I have one system hard wired (100 mbps) and 5 portable wireless notebooks (11 mbps) that work well throughout the home & office structure and even outside on the deck. The newest notebooks with built-in wireless or Windows XP and PCMCIA cards seem to recognize the router automatically and it's been seamless since it has been installed. I have used it for printing, file sharing and DSL access without any complaints.
 
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Can't really add much to that - if it were *any* easier, it would have to jump out of the box and plug itself in! Read the instructions, make sure you understand your PC's network settings, and you'll have *no* problems. DON'T Use the CD that comes with it - you don't need it. Point your browser at the router and make a couple of fast, intuitive settings and you're off to the races. I used a wired version of this router for a couple of years - and *this* one is even easier to set up and use. If only the iMac - which *claims* to be so simple to use was as easy to set up - I'd be in heaven. Fast, Simple, Inexpensive, Uncomplicated - I was up in 15 minutes - tops (included opening the box) I heartily recommend this router - and Buy.com as a seller - at least $20 less than anyplace else I checked. BTW - don't forget to enable WEP - I found another wireless AP in my area - the range is better than you might guess.....
 
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I have been using this wireless router with a linksys card for my laptop for about 9 months now. I really dig it. The reception has been good even though the further away you get, the worse the signal gets but I can use it a couple of rooms away. Being able to bring my laptop into the living room and watch tv while I surf is really a great thing and it was definitely worth the investment for me. I never used my laptop so much.
 
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I've purchased this router from BUY.COM using the DoUWantIt service (www.douwantit.com). Since the power supply for this product could not be used in Portugal, I contacted the Portuguese Linksys representative to buy a suitable one. They told me that they didn't sell standalone power supplies. They redirected me to a wholesaler that gave the the exact same answer. Inquired on what a regular customer should do in case of a power supply failing outside warranty, I was told the whole router should be put into the trash!! I've contacted Linksys international to ask if they would stand by this posture. The only thing I managed to get was an email saying that my case had been fowarded to someone with the authority to handle it. Up until today I don't have my problem solved. My router is still in the box. I'm now taking different steps in order to get an independent power supply, since Linksys was unhelpful. My impression of Linksys is, thus, very bad. I advise to proceed with caution if you plan to buy a Linksys product. Paulo Cunha Portugal
 
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Wirless can be tricky when you set it up the first time. A few things to keep in mind. 802.11b uses the 2.4ghz frequency range, and can confict with other devices in your home. Cordless Phones, Alarm Systems and Microwaves are just a few of the devices I've found cause interference. I've found that if you have a conflicting device, you should try changing the channel in the wireless settings. I've also found that some interferences just can't be worked around. If you find your signal to be very weak, when you're near the router, or you find your signal connects and then drops for no reason, it's probably due to interference. You might nead to try another networking alternative... HomePhoneline or Powerline Routers can be good 2nd choices. Also, If you do get the router setup and working, MAKE SURE YOU USE ENCRYPTION! You don't won't someone driving by your house and jumping on to your internet connection, or worse hack into your computer. Another safety measure is to turn broadcasting off once you've established your settings. This way, your wireless network won't be visable to anyone passing by. Yes, you can become a target from your neighborhood hacker kid, so don't think it can't happen to you. Good luck and happy networking.
 
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I bought the Linksys Router after having tried Microsoft's router and this was a lot better. With MS's router I had to install software and connection would be a problem. With the Linksys, I just plugged it in, checked the router settings in IE and was ready to go. I have a Sony Vaio laptop with Win 2000 Pro and a bulit in Wireless LAN card and it took me a few minutes to configure it properly, but once it was done, I was on the net. So far I haven't had any probs with range or speed. I have liked any Linksys product I have seen so it was no surprise this was a winner too.
 
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I received this just 2 business days after ordering it. Installation was a snap. Everything required was included (the power cord could be longer) Be sure to read the instructions first. I used the quick start guide instead of the set up wizard. Everything was spelled out clearly in well-ordered steps. I was back online within 30 minutes of starting the installation. The signal is very good (poor signal was a common complaint from other reviewers). My other machine is 45 feet away through 2 exterior walls and 6 interior. Get the firmware update which adds support for ZoneAlarm and a few other options. I fully recommend this item.
 
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The router and wireless combo is a good value but overall a bad idea to purchase together. A smarter idea would be to buy a router and the access point seperately. It is more costly but much more effective. The wireless router has poor range compared to a stand alone access point and it isnt as wirelessly expandable. I bought the product a year ago and was forced to run a CAT5 cable through my house to connect another access point to it to add range. If there were two access points I could wirelessly bridge them but the router doesnt offer it. And after adding the access point the wireless half of the product broke and since i was no longer under the warranty i had to purchase another access point to stick on top of it anyway. It is a great value but is not as smart as other options. Also its WEP passphrases generate differently then the PC cards and access points so you need to manually enter the 26 digit codes to use it.
 
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Despite some reviews I read this wireless device was very easy to set up, configure and get working with my hard wired PC and the wireless laptop. It works fine in all corners of my home (1950's bungalow). I'm connected (via the wireless port) to the company's VPN including my Exchange server. It will do a "seek" for the exchange server every once in a while and I lose the online connection when the laptop goes into hibernation. Added bonus -- even though I selected the free delivery option it was at my door within 48 hrs.
 
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Just want to add the BEFW11S4 losing connection while using your cordless phone.The product is great and ease to set up and if you add the booster you can access your system almost 1/8 mile from your home. Its great product and if you want to be part of Free Wireless Community, you can add extended YAGI (Home made) antenna and you can surf the net almost a mile.Just make sure check the FCC regulation ans safety procedures.Thanks Linksys for great product...
 
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Ok. I'm sitting downstairs in the library typing this with a wireless connection. The install is painless. The signal strenth is good. No complaints here. This is way COOL! I love it! The controller is located upstairs in the middle of the house. I plan to do more playing with it and will try the patio but this was what I really wanted! Total install time was less that 45 minutes. And that's with me actually reading the manuals. Get one. I don't think you'll be sorry!
 
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I installed a network at home and can go anywhere in the house and get great connection. I decided to install one at the office and have 8 computers connected with operating system from Win95 to XP and all working and connected first time.
 
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Good value for money, and it works!!! I'm just buying my 2nd of these, and can only speak highly of them. Couldn't afford a cisco (so?), and had a very bad experience with the competing Siemens product (NOTE: Do NOT touch that POS with a 10 foot pole!). Sure, it has imperfections, but is great value for money. The range has as much to do with where you place it, as it does your propensity to believe the BS that any Marketing Department puts out. Overall, though, I've found it to be good - as have many who have shared their reviews here. Easy to set up. Good documentation. Works reliably and does pretty much everything I want it to do in a home/office environment.
 
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I installed the linksys router in a matter of minutes. Now I no novice at this, but as easy as it was anyone could do it. The range is not as good as advertised but what is. I can connect with my laptop to the wireless Internet everywhere in my house at a good speed. Unless you have a 5000+ square foot house this unit will provide you with wireless Internet virtually anywhere on your property. It also provides an easy interface to the setup/rules of the router. I bought this unit because it has wired and wireless ports, and its price. It has meet my expectations in every way.
 
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I read the reviews and now wonder why all the problems! I had it up and running in less than 10minutes with one call to tech support and found out that if I would have held the router reset switch 5 seconds longer I would not have had to make the call in the first place! Range all over the house but with the linksys card v.3 my downstairs bedroom cut down to half. Three Thousand square ft. house and router up stairs great signal, never lost once and even works half way across the street! Orinocco gold card gets 100 percent everywhere! This product is great. The s4 for me is the greatest thing since sliced wheat bread.
 
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This will be the 3rd Linksys Cable/DSL router/wireless access point device that I've purchased. I installed one in my home for my desktop to connect to via a wired connection and my work laptop via a WPC wireless card. It worked great. I wanted to share a printer, so I purchased the wireless print server and that works great as well. I then installed the same set-up and friends' house in LA and now about to install the same network at my cousin's house. I even convince my boss the buy the same set up. This product suite definitely has my vote. Additionally, their website is very helpfull if you happen to run into any problems, which I haven't as of yet.
 
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I don't understand why there have been any complaints about this guy at all -- it rocks! I have it on the second floor of my home, wired to my main PC (WinXP), wireless to my band's PC (Win2K) in the basement, 2 floors below. Link status 100%! Full 11Mbps connection! Using the Linksys USB adapter (WUSB11) based on other reviews, and the whole setup is flawless. I'm no network geek but setup was simple--provided you bother to RTFM. Had to troubleshoot a bad CAT5 cable between router and cable modem, but once that was replaced the box practically set itself up. The MAC address cloning capability is really key for me, but there are plenty of other bells and whistles too. I may or may not run into difficulties (only had things up and running for a day), we'll have to see. But for now, I'm totally psyched about this thing, and the price can't be beat with a stick. Woo!
 
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I bought the Linksys BEFW11S4 (v2) along with a PCMCIA wireless networking card (v3). With the free shipping and the tax savings, I saved $85 versus going to Best Buy. It arrived in 4 days. The equipment is great. The WAP/router is sturdy, a breeze to set up, and fairly straight-forward to configure, though I recommend reading the manual before doing anything else. The wireless laptop card installed without incident in Windows 2000, and the first thing it did was automatically upgrade the firmware, wirelessly! (therefore, make sure you install/turn on the WAP/Router before you install the card!). As far as performance goes, my house isn't huge, so I haven't really tested the limits of the range, but I get a reasonably good signal anywhere within about a 30' radius, including through brick walls. I can receive data at about 60k/sec, about the same as my wired DSL connection. I can now work or surf on my backyard bench, in bed, on the front porch, in the kitchen, bathroom, anywhere! And no dogs tripping on the wires and pulling laptops off the table! I love it! I also have two desktops hard-wired. Everything is great, and with the hardware firewall I feel much more secure than before with just Zone Alarm. With Zone Alarm, a LanGuard port scan showed some unauthorized open ports related to the Microsoft Endpoint Mapper. Not anymore. I was able to open and forward the right ports to continue running a web server, ftp server, and mail server on my desktop (though I had to reconfigure the IP address that they listen on, to 192.168.1.xxx). One recommendation: as soon as you fire up the WAP/Router, change the password IMMEDIATELY!!!!! The default password is not unique and if a hacker happens to get in before you change the password, he could change it (though I think there's a hard-reset button on the back of the unit to restore all factory defaults). Oh, the router also has VPN pass-through, so I can tunnel in to my work Intranet securely while my wife can still surf on the other computer. This didn't work before, when we were using a 2nd NIC and a crossover cable to share the internet connection. Overall, 5 stars! Good job Linksys!
 
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First of all, I agonized over this purchase. Will the Linksys BEFW11S4 work with XP? What about the firmware? Will Tech support be there if I really need it? The range, what if the range is poor? I don’t know what all the fuss is about. My gear works and works really well! I set up with a XP desktop that remained hard wired. Connected to the Internet net via a Win2000 laptop, using a Linksys WUSB11 2.5 adaptor. Can’t complain about the range, it’s maxed out, even with WEP 128 enabled! I get whole house coverage, second floor included. Perhaps the BEFW11S4 version 2 firmware is the answer (1.40.2, Nov 28 2001). Granted, the instruction manual does not cover XP setup at all. So you have to know your way around XP’s networking settings. If you know how to read, and are capable of understanding the rudiments of networking, go ahead and buy it. It ain’t that difficult ladies.
 
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I ordered then Linksys Wireless Access Point / Cable Modem along with the Linksys Wireless PCcard for my wife's laptop. I connected my desktop unit to the built in switch and was immediately able to browse to the ADMIN console page. After rebooting my cable modem I was able to get a DHCP address for the router and my workstation was on the Internet through the router. Next I configured the SSID for the wireless config of the router (left out the WEP for later). I was able to get the laptop working as soon as the card was finished installing the driver and I had wireless coverage throughout my house and even in the backyard. This all occurred in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I've only owned the product for 2 days but it is working great. Definitey a great value.
 
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Now that the router is set up and working it's a really great piece of equipment to own. I was disappointed when I was told that my computer with windows 95 would work and than found out this wasn't the case - so I bought a new one (it was about time anyway) and now I don't have to deal with extra telephone lines or ethernet connections - I can move the extra computer anywhere in my house and the internet is available. The linksys people are very good and so long as you call them at the right time you usually don't have to wait too long. It's also good to know that one computer needs to be hard-wired to set up the system (I tried to put a wireless card in the computer and they couldn't configure the router).
 
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A friend of mine owned an older version of this Wireless AP and complimentary wireless PCMCIA card that he got some months ago and I saw first-hand how bad the signal-reception was past 50 feet. So needless to say, I was a bit reluctant to "swallow the same poison," as my range requirements were somewhat greater than his, and yet I demanded a quality wireless solution and wanted something affordable. Well, between propaganda from Linksys promising much improved range/reception with their new version 3.0 WPC11 card and another friend's account that the range on the newer releases of the same gear were much improved, I went ahead and ordered it last week from BUY.COM and have not been disappointed so far. Setup was a snap, had 128-bit WEP encryption up and running in no time. Placed the AP on the middle-level, hooked up to the cable-modem, and it reaches all corners my house including basement and upper-level, regardless of walls or other obstacles, retaining over 50% signal-strength. It even makes it clear out to my mailbox, but just barely. Signal-strength on the back-patio and front-porch is excellent. I don't understand why Linksys didn't just release the new-and-improved equipment under a different model name to minimize confusion, because it would appear as if the bad reputation of the older versions of the product taints the quality of the current releases (which are version 2 of BEFW11S4 and version 3 of WPC11, as of March 2002). I cannot recommend this product enough to anyone considering an affordable wireless solution for their home or small business needs.
 
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I use this product in many situations, especially in homes where wired ethernet is difficult (Houses in the area where I work are very old). The Linksys box is priced well, reliable, easy to troubleshoot, and still maintains enough advanced features for those running specific apps (Linux w/static IP, DMZ for servers, etc.,) Overall the range is decent and the wired ethernet moves swiftly. Highly reccomended.
 
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I bought the BEFW11S4 wireless router and two WPC11 cards. The router was easy to set up, it took less than 30 minutes to get up and running. It was easy to follow the instructions. The wireless connection is fast but range is a problem. From the router to the wireless card is about 50ft and 3 walls; at this point it is on "very low signal" but transfer rates still top 200 KBytes/s. The range is what made me give it 4 out of 5, although these are the only wireless products I've delt with so maybe that range is actually good. I might invest into getting a longer ethernet cable and place the router closer to the center of the house. I am happy with the router but did have a few soradic connection problems the first week after setting it up. I went to the linksys website and got a firmware upgrade for the router, I haven't had a problem since then. Now I have a desktop and two laptops connected to the internet; it's great for when the whole family has to access the net. A side note: if you get the WPC11 PCMCIA card for a laptop get the WPC11 v2.5, it has better range that the regular WPC11.
 
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I placed the access point in my study located in my basement and I can roam my entire 3 story house with my laptop without any loss of signal. In one part of the top floor of my house the signal strenght is red, however I have no degradation of data transfer. We just concluded a Netmeeting conference with family members located in Central Asia from the top floor of the house when the signal strength was red and we were able to talk in full duplex mode. The installation and setup was a breeze- only taking 10 minutes. XP helped ease that process. I highly recommend this product configuration
 
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The setup for this was really easy, it took about 5 minutes to setup. Had occaisional delay problems when using internet explorer to connect to 192.168.1.1, netscape seemed to work fine. The problem with this system is compatibility with the Cisco 350 card, which it will negotiate and pass data without WEP, with WEP it will negotiate, but with a connection that is not useful. I called tech support, but tech support said that WEP is not supported for this box! Note the word "Capable"....
 
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Several WiFi reviews here mention very short range. If your cordless phone is the new 2.4Ghz type, as an experiment, remove it's battery and unplug it's base station to see if range improves. Since they compete for the same channels, you often can't use both at the same time.
 
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In response to the post from umina@theuminas.com Short Range Applications Only I read your linksys review at buy.com. I too had some signal strength trouble but when I looked on the linksys web site I found that the unit will not work well on an outside wall, unless you want it to work outside that wall. An outside wall will direct the signal in it's own direction due to the wall being grounded. An RF signal tends to be directed towards any close by grounded object, such as the bottom horizontal elements of a CB antenna or the body of a car. Also, the linksys web site mentions that the worst place for signal strength is directly below the unit. That's because there is no ground plane to pull the signal downward (as I described above). I would recommend that you move your unit to your first floor (about 4 to 6 feet high) near the center of your house for best range. It worked fine for me.
 
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Be warned, tech support is free but I waited for 45 minutes just to talk to a live person. Eventually figured out how to configure the router with MSN's Ares Netcom 800 DSL modem on my own no thanks to LinkSys technical support. I think this was the exception though. Configuration instructions are simple and easy to follow. Once up and running product works great though a tad short of its distance claims as listed on the package. I have a 3 story 4000 sq ft home and have no problems getting a link anywhere in the house. I don't think you can ge a better wireless product for the money!
 
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I don't care what other people claim. This product has the about half the range of a typical 2.4 GHz phone. Not to say that you will have full and clean signal strength throughout, but being a digital signal, you can be sure that the throughput will be more than sufficient. As far as setup, just follow the instructions for the PC Card and the Router/AP and you will be up and running in about 15 minutes. Very simple to setup, operate and the freedom of no patch cable and a notebook computer is worth every penny for this product, and then some.
 
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LinkSys 4 port WAN router with NAT and built in AP. What more could you ask for? Works great.
 
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The router works well, I just wish it had the capability to attach a printer without having to buy another device. Service is poor. I used it three times during setup (due to a VPN issue) with the following results: 1st call - waited 20 minutes to talk with a technician, he couldn't wait to get off the line and gave me incomplete information. 2nd call - waited 20 minutes, talked with a very helpful technician. 3rd call - waited 5-10 minutes, an operator intercepted the call and said there was a backlog, but I was one of the first to have a message taken and the call should be returned soon. It was returned 26 hours later. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, the product rates an 8 and the service rates a 3. Subsequently, I have purchased, but not installed, a Linksys Wireless USB Network Adapter and a 2-port print server. I hope the new equipment works as well as the router, but I really hope I don't need their technical service.
 
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The BEFW11S4 is a great overall router unit if you need to network computers in a mixed mode environment. It has a 4 port switch, and the wireless can be turned off, making it exactly like similarly priced cable/dsl router/switches... It connects directly to your cable/dsl modem and uses Network Address Translation to make all the traffic on your network look like it's coming from the same machine. My cable/dsl provider discourages the use of such a device as it allows you to use a single modem and account for multiple computers. As such, I've had to change the BEFW11S4's MAC address (but that's not hard to do) so my provider can't tell it's a "Linksys Cable/Dsl Router", and I'm good to go. As far as the wireless side goes... it doesn't come with the ability to filter wireless traffic by mac address, however it does support unique ESSID's and for the really paranoid, 128-bit WEP encryption. (Unfortunately, anyone who knows computing will know that both unique ESSID's and WEP passwords can be defeated... The mac option would have been the best bet.) Since I don't really care all that much about security, I still consider this cable/dsl router/switch/wireless access point a good buy.
 
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I recently purchased this product and the wireless LAN card for my laptop (WP11 I think), and I am very pleased with the operation of it thus far. I have a 2100 sq ft. three story townhome and the router sits on the bottom floor. I have no problem connecting to the internet at any point in the home or in the yard. Be aware that the signal strength indicator in the menu bar is misleading. I have found that it says I am getting a weak signal but I pinged the router from all the different areas of the house with similar connection rates throughout the house. I also would recommend that you get your information together from the DSL/aDSL/Cable service ahead of time before you start configuration of the router. The instructions are adequate and you shouldn't have a problem getting up and running in no time. My total set up time was around 30 minutes. I also recommend plugging directly into the router and getting it set up first, then getting your wireless LAN card working after. Reasoning, it will help you troubleshoot if you can't get something working the first time. Good luck. I haven't used any other like products by different vendors, so I can't compare, but I really like this product.
 
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I have been using this device for nearly 9 months. It is working well, but I have had several problems, some of which I have resolved, but others are inherent. First of all the construction is rather flimsy. I had the device in my bag to show some people at work, and the plastic back panel of the switch where the antennas are mounted to got cracked. In fact if you are not careful when adjusting the antennas, you may also crack the back panel, since that brittle plastic seems to be the only thing the antenna is mounted to. I have also had some problems with the device locking up, requiring you to unplug it, but this seems to have been fixed by the latest firmware from Linksys. Also, every configuration change you apply requires the switch to reboot, which takes about 10-15 seconds.
 
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Installation and setup is a little challenging. I was able to get it working by using Linksys' knowledgebase on the web. Linksys tech support is not worth the time...don't bother. The network is fast and reliable to about 35 feet and one wall. Beyond that, it's hopeless. I've heard the same thing from a number of other users. As near as I can tell, Linksys' claims of range exceeding 300 feet are nothing but lies.
 
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Just wanted to clarify a couple things in the reviews previous to this (and my own...). "Green" status is NOT necessary! "Yellow" will work just fine for many applications (cable modem or DSL web surfing, for instance) as even on "yellow", you are far faster than your network link. "Red" even works, too, but you are probably only a little faster than your network link. The "geometry" of your antenna placement is also important. The "rabbit ears" are omnidirectional -- their radiation pattern looks kind of like a doughnut (the antenna sticks straight up through the middle of the doughnut...). If the antenna on the device you are using is in a bad place geometrically, then your signal strength is going to be markedly affected. Rule of thumb for "best" placement is centrally located on a single floor, "high" up on a wall somewhere. The whole floor is then in the "fat" part of the doughnut. My situation here is perhaps a little easier than folks buying this particular product, however. I got into this wireless game a "long" time ago, before they had this product, thus I have two blue boxes doing the job that this one blue box does. My advantage is that I can wander around the house with my AP, whereas my firewall/router is relatively restricted to the point where the cable modem sits. I just have one ethernet cable to worry about from the firewall to the AP. Easier, not better, and markedly more expensive! (sigh) The fundamental caveat here is simply that "your mileage (footage?) may vary"! (a popular southeas Michigan phrase :-) ) Experimentation works well with this product. Small geometry changes can give big effects, not always in the "right" direction, however... The bottom line? It's still cool to just camp out in the recliner, feet up, with the laptop and surf the web. This product lets you do that.
 
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It took me only about a half hour to connect my befw11S4 and get my high speed cable connection to work. I speeded up the process by calling my cable company to get exact settings in advance. The WPC11 into my notebook worked first time. Very easy to install. The complants I have would be that the wireless notebook works for about 50 feet on the second story of my home where the router is. Not so good. But it works very well downstairs and throughout the bottom level of my home including outside. I had to get a firmware upgrade for the router which went easily except Linksys failed to tell me that additional settings would be needed after the firmware upgrade. All in all, it's working well. Linksys support is below average. e-mail support takes 24 hours. Call in support is answered by a receiptionist and a call back is suppose to occur. I had to keep calling back and keep asking for someone to call.
 
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I got the 4 Port Router and Wireless PC Card hoping to eliminate the possibility of installing cables throughout the house. After setting up (which took a while because I didn't read the directions carefully), it worked fine - Speed is not an issue with my cable modem... I couldn't be happier
 
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All of the problems we have had with this wireless router are covered in other reviews, but repeating the information tends to validate it for others considering this unit. First of all, we had a very knowledgeable networking professional install this system. Even though I've done a lot of minor installations of hardware, and consider myself a pretty patient guy, I probably would have packaged this up and sent it back to buy.com if I'd tried to do it myself. The instructions are nearly worhless. Even after studying the instruction manual prior to installation, our pro could not get the system to work. It would connect to a webpage instantly (at a distance of 5 ft), but the page content wouldn't load. After an hour's worth of frustration, he finally concluded the PCI card may be faulty and since we had purchased two, he placed the second one in the PC. No luck. Finally he called Linksys. After being on hold for 20 minutes, the online tech simply went down the list of things we had already tried and then ran out of suggestions. We were transferred to someone "higher up." He had the answer instantly: there is a firmware upgrade that needs to be added to the card! This information was NOT obvious on the Linksys information page . We had accessed their page as part of the set-up process. After he "flashed" the card with the new firmware..voila...it worked. Now, why didn't the first online tech have this basic information? Now we can connect, BUT the wireless system will not work in our house at a distance greater than about 25-30 feet; it is advertised to go up to 500. Yeah, maybe if you have all your machines in one big open room! We can barely get a workable connection at 30 feet and that requires constant fiddling with placement of the unit and the antennas. We're giving up and using one the hardwired ports for our remote machine, and we'll try the wireless port for the two that can sit within a few feet of the router.If you want to try this unit, the suggestion, given in another review, to contact Antenna Systems (sales@antennasystems.com) is an excellent one. Unlike calling Linksys, you'll not be put on hold and they know what they are talking about! As the Antenna Sys rep warned me, "these claims about performance are pure advertising, they don't have much to do with reality." He also told me that realistically, their antenna system (which will set you back about another $120) will extend the range only by about two room lengths in an average home. So, if you want to connect two or more computers that are within close range, this is an excellent product (if you have the patience to make it work). If you have high-hopes of creating a wireless network throughout your home, proceed with caution.
 
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Linsys Wireless has great ease of use. What a great system. Using the WUSB11 for the connecting devices made it even more easy. It also has great range. I would strongly recommend the product to anyone.
 
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I've used the BEFW11S4 for about one week now and really enjoy the product. I had already run CAT5 to various areas in my home but now use my laptop without the burden of the lan cable. When you get your WPC11 wireless cards for computers, be sure you are getting the new v2.5 series of cards, they seem to be more reliable than the originals. Order the BEFW11S4 and expect 50-100ft range indoors and you will not be disapointed. If you are looking for several hundred feet of range, you will probably not be happy. Customer service is 24/7 but takes up to 45 minutes to get through. I purchased it to replace a BEFSR81 an am very satisfied with the new wireless option, the setup screens and flash upgrades are very similar to the BEFSR41 or BEFSR81 with a few options added for the wireless feature. Order it and enjoy!!!
 
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After six weeks of reading reviews like this and doing a little research, I decided to scrap my Intel hub and purchase the Linksys WAP w/Cable/DSL 4Port Router and Linksys Wireless PC Cards. Actually it was a Christmas gift from my wife...lucky me. Anyway, I had a desktop and two laptops that I wanted to link together and share my cable modem with. Setup was relatively easy and only took about 30 minutes. I decided to simply plug my desktop into one of the ports rather than make it wireless since I had no plans on moving it around regularly, which saved my wife about $150. I opted for 128 bit signal encryption and enabled the DHCP server so that all three of my computers could share Internet access off of one IP address. The system is working terrific. I have a 2400 Sq. Ft. one level home and have no problems with range or speed. Even outside on the back patio the signal strength is still excellent. Linksys may need to upgrade their signal monitor though, because even when it says that there is no signal, I can still surf the web and transfer files between computers with great speed. Most cable modem users will never see speeds above 1.5MBPS anyway, which is actually very fast, so the fact that Linksys only estimates speeds of about 11MBPS up to 30 feet should be a moot point. Unless you regularly transfer huge files between computers and have something like a T3 line, then you will likely never see a loss in speed. Most people who purchase this system simply for the capability of being mobile with their laptops should be pleased with the speed of their Internet connection just about anywhere around their house. Also, with my laptops and desktops being assigned IP addresses from my Linksys DHCP Server rather than from my service provider, they can't be scanned or pinged by outside intruders, which makes them invulnerable to little hacker kiddies. The router itself has an effective built-in firewall of sorts, and the firmware utility that allows you to configure your router through your web browser is also excellent and easy to use. Although I have not tested any other wireless products such as this, I see no reason for anything more than what Linksys delivers in this system. I have absolutely no complaints and am more than satisfied with this product. The only other thing Linksys may need to improve on is the spelling in their online manuals and instruction sheets. Who writes those things anyway?
 
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The Linksys router is great. I had it setup in about 10 minutes. (5 of the 10 was getting the WEP key entered in my laptop as not to kill my corpoarte WEP key). I have the router in the basement of my 2 story house. I have great range in all rooms and my back yard and deck. The newest Linksys firmware supports 128k encryption.
 
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