| Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B Cable/DSL Router |
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Model: BEFW11S4
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 1079
Platforms: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 4, Windows NT 5, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000 Server, Windows
Operating system: None
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b
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| Features: |
Connects to a broadband modem, a 10/100 Ethernet backbone, or wireless network
Long wireless operating range supports 300 feet indoors and 1,500 feet outdoors
Provides roaming, best access-point selection, load balancing, and network traffic filtering
Configurable through your networked PC's Web browser
Can act as a DHCP server for your existing network |
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| Description: |
| The Linksys BEFW11S4 is your all-in-one networking device This wireless router features support for the 802.11b protocol, which lets you wirelessly access your network and the Internet from up to 800 feet (outside), or 300 feet (inside) away |
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| User Reviews (1079 total): |
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Easy to set up and easy to use, August 28, 2001
By DVD junkie (Lake Forest, CA)
Very simple to set up and after that it's totally effortless.
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can't go any smoother, August 27, 2001
By happydad88 (CA United States)
Excellent product, no-brainer installation. Configuration is straightforward. With the latest firmware released on 6/2001, you have got 128-bit WEP support.
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strange issues but works ok, August 26, 2001
By definitive (Folsom, CA United States)
Setting up the router was impossible using the NIC card in the port replicator of my Dell machine. This led to massive frustration. However, it was smooth as silk using the NIC card in the Sony VAIO. The port replicator NIC card just refused to save the configuration settings even after upgrading the firmware. After programming the router with the browser based utility on the VAIO, operation was nearly instantaneous. Hooking up additional computers to the router was a breeze. It just works. I haven't had as much luck with the linksys wireless NIC card. It's manual is full of errors and has scant descriptions for roubleshooting. I have also noticed drastic speed reductions going through the port replicator nic card, as much as 3-8X. I am unsure as to why this is happening and maybe Dell customer support will help.
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Unstable wireless connectivity, August 25, 2001
By unknown
It works fine with wired connection. However, wireless connection is not stable at all. It either drops the wireless signal, or lock up network connection on wireless side. Tried several firmware upgrades and downgrades, still no help. Will return the unit and get refund.
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Forget any customer service, August 23, 2001
By honu-mom (Honolulu, Hawaii United States)
It broke within a week of getting it. Customer service has at least an hour wait. Can't help if you don't have all Linksys products. They don't do what they promise. Couldn't get them to tell me how to return the damm thing. It's a great idea but terrible follow through. I am going to buy the competition's model.
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Works fine in my home, August 21, 2001
By beckts (Petaluma, CA USA)
I used Linksys USB connections to two laptops. I have one pc workstation directly connected. Performance has been fine throughout the house. Everything installed quickly and ran as expected. I have had to reset the router when all three PCs were in use at times, but this has not been a big problem. I was able to configure my firewall to protect all three PCs behind the firewall and share files and printing in my home lan.
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Terrible Terrible Range, August 19, 2001
By Steve Foley (Boston, MA)
I can confirm the range of this thing is horrific (there are many parts of my small townhouse where it wont reach - even if I try to place it around the room) . I have a Buffalo Techworks AP in my office - its range is MUCH better (tested here too - works out in the yard). Endless firmware updates dont make a difference to the range - its a poor design. In short, dont bother. Get a Buffalo.
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Wireless LAN, August 15, 2001
By Bob Forrest (North Canton, OH United States)
Recently purchased the BEFW11S4 to add a wireless connection to my existing home network. I replaced my existing BEFSR41 cable router/4port switch with the new wireless BEFW11S4 router/4port switch.Typical Linksys quality and easy setup had me up and running in no time with the new wireless products. I took a few minutes more to download and install the latest firmware for this product. Interesting story when I got my laptop setup with a wireless PC card. I first tried a Linksys card but found the range limited and the reported signal strength low, even in the same room as the access point! I installed a Lucent Silver wireless card borrowed from my office LAN and found much stronger reported signal and a greater range of operation. The Linksys wireless PC card went back and I purchased a Lucent Silver wireless PC card and now my laptop connects well both at home and at the office.
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Very very poor range, sent it back, August 14, 2001
By unknown
After about 2 hours with linksys support, they decided the router portion of the product was bad. (Unlike other reviews about support, I had a good experience with support, they worked the entire 2 hours.) After exchanging the defective one for a new one, it took no more than 5 minutes to have 4 computers networked and talking to each other. I was so excited to have my laptop connected to the network and DSL with the Linksys wireless card and working great. The excitement quickly vanished when I walked 10 feet away from the access point and the signal dropped to 50%(clear line of sight) about 25 feet away, through 2 walls, the signal and connection quality was poor or non-existent if I moved my hand or arm in front of the card. I couldn't use the wireless feature throughout my house, let alone outside. I took both the BEFW11S14 and the card back. Have a Netgear system on order, hopefully it will work better.
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Better Than I Expected, August 13, 2001
By mike@gopbuttons.com (Central NJ)
Wireless and wired hookups were easy were fast and easy to install. I installed two wired commuters and one wireless (USB wireless connections). I had a couple of problems installing, due to a problem with @home.com's unique email setup. I called support on a sunday (waited a bit)and received expert advice from someone who really knew his stuff. I buying another system for my parents. Wireless runs fast. I highly recommend this product.
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Wireless=no connection, August 10, 2001
By J. Whiteside (NJ United States)
Worst purchase i ever made. I had used wireless before with Webgear but thought a wireless router would be a good upgrade. Setup was extremely easy, but connection speed from 5 feet was so bad my connection kept timing out. I was running Windows ME and was not aware of any upgrade patch, but for the money I said screw it and returned it for store credit. I'm running wire this weekend. Stay away unless you get a cash back guarantee.
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Hurray, 128 bit encryption at last, August 10, 2001
By memoryman1 (Portland, OR USA)
After a few hours of experimenting, I have a D-Link DWL-650 PCMCIA wireless adapter running with 128 bit encryption with a Linksys BEFW11SW Wireless Access Point. This required the latest Linksys firmware upgrade, 1.37.9b, dated 6/21/2001. Without this firmware, WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol) had to be disabled between the D-Link and Linksys products. I had a scare after upgrading the Linksys firmware, the box locked up on the hard-wire connection after I enabled WEP, but was everything was fine after a power cycle. The placement of the wireless access point is critical to good connectivity. Aluminum heating vents definitely block the signal. Luckily, I found a spot in my office that gets 11 Mb transmission to almost all of my 3400 square foot home, the key was to get the WAP away from the vent system, so it has a clean line of sight to the rest of the rooms.
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Terrible tech support, August 9, 2001
By gspratt@rotech.com (Philadelphia, MO United States)
Got this item plus Wireless PC Card for networking my PC and 2 laptops into my DSL. The wireless does not have the range advertised (or anything close). It does work within my house but signal is weak beyond 25'. I called tech support at Linksys and they are zero help (once you get through). Most of the time you get voice mail with a promise to call back that can happen at anytime and if you're not home, you're out of luck.It would not work with one laptop (a laptop that worked well on the DSL before adding the network) and they refused to help me with it because the network card was not Linksys. I still haven't got it networked in. I also needed to hook up to a Virtural Private Network, which it would not do at first. Then I downloaded the latest firmware which had an update for VPN's. Linksys sent me instructions which I could not understand. My corporate tech support took me through how to set that up or I would still be waiting. Mine is now up and working well on 2 of 3 computers but not without much grief and little help from Linksys.
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Beware of BEFW11P1 wireless router, August 8, 2001
By unknown
LinkSys written specifications say this router supports IPSec passthrough (needed for access to some secure networks) but their firmware doesn't. The latest firmware release for this router has the IPSec passthrough enable in the router menu but in exchange for this feature (apparently), the wireless network PC cards in my other computers became inoperable. So I had to chisel an older version of the firmware out of customer support just to get back to where I started. I often received conflicting information from their customer support and have since given up on them. On the one rare occasion that I was able to get through to a live person at LinkSys Sales department, they hung up on me while I was trying to explain my problem. LinkSys appears to be unresponsive to my issue and the bottom line is that I have to wait for how knows how long for them to make the required fix to get their router to do what they say they would do in the first place. A second issue is the advertised operating range for the wireless routers. What they don't tell you is that the range is line of sight. If you have intervening walls or other obstructions between a wireless PC network card and the router, ie,. you are using the router in yor house or apartment, you will lose significant signal strength. I didn't find this out until I complained to customer service about the weak signal at only 30 feet from the router.
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Works great after initial trouble and download of fixes, August 5, 2001
By unknown
I experienced all the difficulties described, but I got the 6/21/2001 patch from the linksys site and everything is hunky dory! It works fine. We have uptime that lasts for days now. We use it wireless with a pc and mac portable + a mac and pc wired in.Moral: download the 6/21/2001 patch and you should be ok. (Of course it's the release they should have come out with so that they didn't have to shoot themselves in the foot by releasing early.)
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If you use VPN, don't bother with this router!, August 3, 2001
By -dmr (San Francisco, CA USA)
This router isn't bad if you don't use the wireless option or plan on using VPN. But if the wireless option is poor, save yourself some bucks and get the much cheaper non-wireless version.Basically, my beefs are as follows: 1. Wireless... very poor reception... unless you are working within 15-20 feet of the router. 2. Use with VPN... constantly loses your connection... doesn't help with productivity at all.
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Excellent Product / Worst Support I've ever encountered!, August 3, 2001
By faa (Stoughton, WI USA)
If you want an awesome product that does EXACTLY what it advertises, this is it. But BEWARE. If you have to call support, you will be on hold forever and will never get a call back. I gave this product 5 stars because it works fantastic! The product itself is a dream, if you know what your doing. My only complaint is with the "utility" that shows your connection strength and speed. It's totally bogus. Many times it shows slow or no connection but I'm still able to surf or connect to the corporate VPN at 11M. The utility could definately use some work to be useful. Also, things are not set the same on the wap and linksys network card, even though they both com from the same manufacturer. Make sure you review the wap and card settings before tring connecting. One last comment. Make sure you know what you're doing and before you even start, get the latest firmware!! This is a MUST with any hardware you're installing.
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MAJOR Start-up issues, August 2, 2001
By Kristen Fitzpatrick (Watertown, MA United States)
I thought it was going to be a piece of cake. Take it out, plug it in, play with some settings, and voila! a wireless network. Was I ever wrong...Once I configured it, it worked for about 30 seconds. As soon as it is started returning information, it would reset itself. I attempted to call Linksys technical support, but could not get through to them since all the numbers published inside of the manual had been disconnected. That's one way to stop the millions of phone calls from pouring in!! I ended up performing a firmware upgrade and re-configuring the router. Once I did that, all problems disappeared and I've been running smoothly ever since (for about 2 weeks). I'm running W98 on my PC while my laptop is on W2K. I haven't experienced any compatibility issues between the two and their sharing printers like a champ. The range on Wireless PC card is decent. Like everybody, it has some limitations, but for the most part, it works from afar. Remember, even with a 10% signal strength, you are still able to surf the net without a hitch. Overall, I would say once the system is up and running, it works well. But, given the start-up issues that I, and many others, have encountered, I would think twice about buying this product unless you're really into PC networking technologies.
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underinformed, August 1, 2001
By unknown
I bought this item with great expectation of sitting out on my back patio with my laptop, surfing the web unincumbered by wires and modems. This after two months of trying, has turned out to be nothing but a fantasy. Not only is the system difficult to install, but I find that my DSL provider will not support any router that isnt supplied by them and therefore this whole system is now unusable. So beware consumer. Check with your provider to see if they can support the new hardware youre buying.
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I thought routers were supposed to hold your connection?, July 30, 2001
By unknown
Overall, this was the worst purchase I have ever made in my entire life. 1) It doesn't hold my connection, it dies out at a *MAX* after 2 hours of it working. 2) Whenever I make a router change it takes longer to propogate then ANY router I have ever seen. 3) The httpd on it dies SO fast, usually even before I get to make a change on the router configuration. 4) Oh my god, I thought this router was Wireless?! Across the hall in the next room my Laptop is at 0%-3% signal on this thing. Overall, go D-Link [the Wireless Router with 3 Port Switch that they made] Good luck.
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