| Belkin Wireless-G Router DSL/Cable Gateway |
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Model: F5D7230-4
Brand: Belkin
Manufacturer: Belkin Components
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 244
Operating system: Macintosh
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, FastEthernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Creates a network in your home or office without cables
Ensures data and network security with wireless 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption
Offers backward-compatibility with all 802.11b devices
Sets up easily with Belkin Easy Install Wizard-automatically detects Internet settings and self-adjusts Router to get you online in under 3 minutes |
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| Description: |
| Belkin F5D7230-4 802.11g Wireless Cable/DSL Router - This device is a must if you have multiple computers and a hi-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection. With a built-in 4-Port Ethernet switch and support for 802.11g technology, you can share files, peripherals, or the Internet - with or without wires! DMZ Hosting Configures easily with any web browser or Easy Install Wizard 64- and 128-bit WEP data encryption Stackable enclosure and vertical stand (included) helps reduce the desktop footprint Includes - power supply, manual, quick install guide, RJ45 networking cable, & software CD |
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| User Reviews (244 total): |
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Almost there..., December 27, 2004
By Glenn (Melbourne, Australia)
I bought the wireless router because the cable was installed in one room of the house (for the XBox Live) and I often use the notebook in other rooms. I decided to go the fastest (54g) possible, as the price difference wasn't that great.
Setup for me was an absolute pain, but that was due to no technical notes relating to my individual ISP (Telstra Cable in Australia) - So just when I was going to give up for the night and call Belkin the next day, it magically started working.
As far as speed, most parts of the house only acheive 24mbs, and others less. I have yet to get 54mbs, 44mbs is common though, and more that acceptable for surfing. (I wouldn't run XBox Live or PS2 Network Play wirelessly!)
With all the positives out of the way, gee this router annoys me. I now keep a paperclip next to the router for the regular resets. I might try to get it swapped over tommorrow where I bought it, but it seems to require resetting 3-4 times per week.
At least it has a 30day DOA (where I bought it) and a Lifetime warranty through Belkin.
Would I buy it again? Probably.
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Needed a little help (ATTN SBC DSL customers), December 5, 2004
By Corey Smith (University Heights, OH United States)
First off: People who have EffecientNetworks SpeedStream 5100b DSL modems (I got mine from SBCYahoo DSL) will need to set your modem to 'Bridge Mode' to use this router. See your instructions to do this, it is pretty easy after you know you need to do it.
Okay, Router: I had the Belkin 802.11b router, and that thing was excellent for what it was. It was limited, No WPA and b speeds, but it worked perfectly out of the box and had excellent coverage. I don't have a g wireless card, but I figured I can future-proof myself a bit as well as upgrade my security to WPA. Out of the box you can see it has a different PCB layout than the b version, made me nervous since the b was such a solid performer. I hooked it up and it wouldn't connect to my DSL modem. I troubleshot for 2 hours and then called Belkin. They instantly diagnosed that unlike the b version, the g needs `bridge mode' on my DSL modem. So I contacted SBC and got excellent directions on how to do this, but still no connection. Long story short, I called Belkin back and got an AWESOME technician who tirelessly helped get this thing up and running. She even troubleshot my SBC-provided modem. We got everything set as it should be, no connection. Then I had to hang up to go to an appointment, and suddenly the router connected. Since then it has worked perfectly. No drops, no reboots and solid performance (does what it is supposed to do). Bottom line, it has been working perfectly for a week now, but seems a little more sensitive/touchy than the rock solid b version. However the features etc. are much more sophisticated. Within my test conditions wireless range is comparable to the b in the sense that they both give excellent connections throughout my house and yard, but it seems to reconnect every now and then. This is not a problem and I only know it is happenening because I see a "Wireless connection found" window every now and then, it is just curious. In all, this router is not as solid of a product out-of-box and through installation as the b version, but Belkin's excellent technical support makes up for that.
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Excellent Product - Best Parental Control Software, November 30, 2004
By Concerned Parent (Salt Lake City, UT)
This router was very easy to setup. I purchased it for the parental control. It uses technology licensed from Cerberian. This control is so good and fast that we completely forget it is keeping the bad sites from our computers. Once we were searching for cub scout pack meeting ideas and were blocked from a site. We used the override feature and quickly found that Cerberian got it right and the page should have been blocked. This is a great product, and worth every penny. I've purchased three additional units for relatives that wanted to surf without the smut.
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Great Router for Both Windows and Mac, November 10, 2004
By JT (Riverdale, NY USA)
I bought this router in July when my Siemens Speedstream wireless router somehow fried. To date, I have only had to restart the router a handful of times (all during electrical storms)and since I upgraded the firmware in September, I have had no restarts.
The router works seemlessly with my G4 Mac with a Belkin PCI wireless card running 10.2.8 and my Windows XP laptop using a D-Link PCMCIA wireless card. The mac address filtering feature included in the router software is a very useful security feature for apartment building living and setting it up is very easy.
I highly reccommend this product.
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Uses same chipset as more expensive Linksys and Apple, November 8, 2004
By Technology Evangelist (Beverly Hills, CA USA)
The Belkin uses the Broadcom wireless chipset, the same as Linksys, Apple, HP / Compaq, and many others, yet it costs far less. It's also got good parental control features that are free for the first six months. I got one for under $30 with free shipping and no rebate.
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Easy set up and works great; lacks some advanced features, October 26, 2004
By The Grumpy Hacker (Milwaukee)
I bought this Belkin wireless router to see if it'd work with my company's VPN so I could work from home because the two Netgear routers I've tried only let me do it wired--not wirelessly. I'm happy to say the Belkin does indeed let me do VPN wirelessly! I was also happy about how easy it was to set up--after I realized I needed to totally unplug my cable modem first. I've had continuous, error-free connections since plugging it in, and I'm even getting slightly better signals through walls and floors, using a mix of b and g equipment.
There are a few features I don't like about, or are missing from, this Belkin as compared to other brands I've used--I'll just list the major ones here: 1) Anyone on your network, whether they're allowed on it or not, can see certain configuration information on the web interface because it's not password-protected. 2) You can't see a list of associated wireless devices. 3) You can't set whether you want to use only open or only shared key WEP (you also can't set some other advanced wireless settings that D-Link is known for, such as transmit power). 4) You can't see details of what was happening in the security logs (e.g. it says "Blocked by DoS protection" but you don't know what was actually blocked. 5) You can't manually release/renew the dynamic IP of the router. 6) You can't turn off NTP or specify the server.
It also has some features I like that my Netgear routers don't have, like the ability to specify a local domain name, restart and reset the router from the web interface, and set DHCP lease time.
The only problem I've had with it is it doesn't allow the 802.11b bridge I have to do DHCP. I can set a static IP and it works fine, though, so I'm not too upset about it. Also, I can't comment on the parental controls since you have to subscribe to activate them.
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Watch out, October 19, 2004
By Boris Perehodnik
It seems like i'm not the only one experiencing dropped signal, it lasts one second, and occures every 2-3 minutes, in the middle of work, youre disconnected and reconnected within a second, but you have to re-log into everything. Tech support doesnt know anything, too much wirelesss interuption when the laptop is next to the router. I would recommend a more reputable brand
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Excellent Parental Control Feature, October 18, 2004
By nonamespecified
This router has a very good solution to the nagging
problem faced by many parents - how to prevent objectionable websites from being accessible to kids etc. Belkin has partnered with a third-party service to build a web filter into the router itself requiring no PC installed software to work. I was quite impressed with this feature, and now consider it an absolute requirement for any family PC. All the other parental control PC software solutions are much more inconvenient to use than this router based feature. Highly recommended.
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Quick, easy, reliable, October 8, 2004
By Justin D. Busch (Pgh, PA USA)
The router was extremely easy to setup, just like any other wired router, truly plug and play. The range is exceptionally good, with little sound interference and a constant broadcast of the full 54Mbps speed. The wired and wireless compatibility of this router makes it very versatile and convenient. The affordable price makes this router an excellent value. The only downside to the unit is the size, it seems unnecessarily bulky.
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great router when it works, October 7, 2004
By Prophecy Jones
well i love the belkin and there networking products. but this product i have had probelms with. and i dont know whether it is the router or my dell laptop. now i have read reviews about dells and belin routers not getting along. but when i call belkin i just got a bunch of bs and no i dont see how that should cause a probably and blah blah blah i never have got a straight answer from anyone. i had my first router for months and not a problem. but then all of sudden i tried to update the firmware and it went south. got a replacement and then weeks later it went south and now i have a new one just in yesterday and now im having the same problem. my dell laptop has a singal and all of a sudden it drops the signal. doesnt see it and then reconnects to the router. once again i call and get the same o answer. it shouldnt be doing that i dont see what the problem is. but the research i have done is that dell laptops and belkin routers have a problem the intel processors inside dells cuz conflict with the router and cuz the signal to be dropped. but when i aksed the belking people well that shouldnt happen. so i dont know what the deal is. but im tired of being on the net and the next second my signal is dropped. so im calling dell and then if that doesnt work im gonna get a linkys. if anyone has any suggestions please email i have tried about everything i know heeroyuy_g01@sbcglobal.net but besides that problem i have i had this is a great router.
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Painless setup, and works great, October 3, 2004
By R. Beauchamp (Atlanta, GA USA)
I've been using this router for a couple of weeks, and am entirely pleased so far.
Setup was quick and painless, and the box is right -- it really did only take about three minutes.
I'm using the router to connect wirelessly to my laptop, which uses an old 802.11b PC card from a different manufacturer. There are no compatibility issues; it works great and I'm glad I didn't have to buy a new PC card.
The range is more than sufficient in my house. My old 802.11b router was unable to reach from the spot I wanted it in, to the spot where I use my laptop. (It's only 30 feet away, but passes through a couple of walls and doors.) The Belkin seems to have no problem with the range, the walls or the doors.
I see a couple of other reviewers have noted the need to update the router's firmware. Mine came with the updated firmware already installed, so that may not be an issue any more.
Overall, my out-of-the-box experience was great and my daily usage has been hiccup-free. I've got no reason not to give five stars here.
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do not purchase this router, September 27, 2004
By David J. Martin
I have only given it one star because there is no option for zero stars.I have owned one of these routers for several months. It is a totally unreliable piece of crap.Constantly fails to connect to web sites. Constantly needs to be de-powered and re-powered to establish a connection. Do a little research and you will find many people with the same problem/opinion. Stores should not be selling this product at any price. Caveat emptor!
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Do NOT buy any of the Belkin Wireless Products!!, September 5, 2004
By Max Brenner (New York, NY)
After several hours of telephone support conversation, Belkin told me that there was simply too much interference in my apartment to allow for a connection between my Belkin Router my Belkin wireless notebook card. Mind you, I live in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, and the distance between the router and the notebook is no more than 40 feet. On top of that, I don't have any cordless phone. So there I went and bought a range extender to place between the router and my laptop. Since then, I have spent several hours of technical support ON A WEEKLY BASIS, because the way they tell me to configure the connections and the wireless bridge just doesn't work! Oh, how I wish I had just bought a very long internet cord instead...
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Easy setup, September 2, 2004
By Frances McCoy
This was my first time setting up a router. I've heard from a few people who had difficulty setting it up. I was nervous at first. The box say installs in under 3 minutes. I was pretty skeptical. I took it out of the box, put in the cd. The software is easy to use. It gives a good detailed step by step instructions. It's a matter of plugging in cords. It was so easy and I will definitely recommend it to people I know.
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INCOMPATIBLE with Intel Centrino processors, July 22, 2004
By Balanced Opinion (USA)
I bought the Belkin F5D7230-4 a few weeks back when I bought a new Dell inspirion 600m with Intel Centrino 1.5 GHz.
Though the setup was easy (nothing great because all routers are easy to set up). But I found that router kept dropping my connection every few minutes. I finally called Belkin support and they told me that Belkin routers have an issue with some Intel processors.
The tech support told me to call regular customer service. When I did, Customer Service said that even if there was a problem (notice they didn't deny it) it should have been fixed by now.
FINAL VERDICT: Save your money. Buy Netgear or Linksys routers. If you still want to buy Belkin and if your laptop has intel chips it will be a good idea to call Belkin customer support and verify if that particular router supports your particular processor. Also keep the receipt of your router in case you have to return it to the store. Remember, Belkin will NOT refund your money.
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Great for bridging, July 9, 2004
By Phillip Morelock (Los Angeles, CA USA)
This product did exactly what I wanted it to do -- I bought two of them and made one really big wireless network in my house. One is hooked up to my DSL and the other one range-extends the wireless network to the other part of the house. This particular model of Belkin router is super easy, and not at all flaky like some of the others I have used (...). I have used *a LOT* of wireless products and this is the best one by far. (I've set up: Apple, Linksys, Orinoco, D-Link, and Netgear stuff. Most of it is crap). This product is also good for people who don't use Windows.
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Not Disappointed, June 30, 2004
By someguyfromnyc (New York, NY USA)
AT first, like one of the other reviewers I also had some problems setting up the router with my Verizon DLS. But after looking it up online I found out that I needed to add "@verizon.net" to my user name after I did that the router connected and ran smoothly. The Wireless Signal strength and range are pretty good. Belkin has some good technical support both over the phone and online. Two things to suggest don't bother with the Easy Install Wizard CD that comes with the box it causes more headaches then it helps just use the Web-based Advanced User Interface. I know it says Advanced but it's pretty straightforward and simple, just read the manual of how to connect the router if you don't know. Also the router comes with most of it's security features disabled, just remember to Enable them. I highly recommend this router, works great, and it's pretty inexpensive.
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Really good customer support, June 11, 2004
By scissory (Alameda, CA USA)
I bought a 54g so that I could use wireless TIVO. The router has excellent range as my computer is upstairs and my TIVO is down stairs. The installation was SUPER easy. Just use the CD and you don't have to do a thing to get under way.The administrative web site was also easy to use. Configuring WEP and MAC address filtering were very easy. The only thing I would caution is that the web interface allows you to delete the MAC address entry for the computer that it's installed on WITHOUT warning you first. You then have to flash the router's memory and start over. Their tech support also rocks! I called 6PM on a Sunday and they took my call in less than 5 minutes and I didn't even have to prove I bought the router. I highly recommend.
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Support is Fantastic, June 4, 2004
By Mr Alan Heywood
I don't own this product however I did purchase a different Belkin wireless access point: the F5D6130 v2.I was having some trouble setting up the device. I called their European support line. The lady I spoke with was able to help me without transferring me once! She knew what she was talking about and I was up and running in no time.
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Waste of time, April 30, 2004
By patricks9 (New City, NY United States)
I had Linksys "B" router and wanted to upgrade to "g". I got a good deal on a Belkin G router and tried installing it. After two nights and almost 6 hours on the phone with customer service, I gave up and returned it. My past experience with Belkin products has been very good. However, now having used their technical support, I think Belkin's customer service stinks. They kept trying to blame my pc, modem and Verizon DSL. Well, after I gave up with their router and plugged my Linksys back in I was fine. Belkin has a long way to go with improving its tech support. This may have been one lemon but I'm turned off for life.
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