| Linksys Compact Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54GC |
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Model: WRT54GC
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 181
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
All-in-one Internet-sharing Router, 4-port Switch, and Wireless-G (802.11g) Access Point
Shares a single Internet connection and other resources with Ethernet wired and Wireless-G and B devices
Compact form factor fits in anywhere
High security: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2 Personal), wireless MAC address filtering, powerful SPI firewall
Compatible with Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP |
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| Description: |
| The WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router puts you onboard for the newest wireless networking standard. Wireless-G is 54Mbps wireless networking that's almost five times as fast as the widely deployed Wireless-B (802.11b) products found in homes & businesses. They can interoperate with existing 802.11b equipment, making them more flexible thanother networks. The built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 connects 4 PCs directly and lets you daisy-chain out to more hubs and switches for as big a network as you need. To protect your data and privacy, the Wireless-G Broadband Router can encode all wireless transmissions using 128-bit WEP encryption. The powerful Stateful Packet Inspection firewall will defend against most Internet attacks. |
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| User Reviews (181 total): |
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.....but I give the setup 3 stars, October 4, 2005
By W. Duran (Del Rio, TX USA)
Laptop I set up with router : IBM Thinkpad T42
It was a challenge to get the darn thing up and running with the setup wizard CD. It ended up taking me to an advanced settings menu and when I entered the info it still could not establish connection. I ended up calling linksys tech support (which by the way is in India); they were professional and knew exactly how to tackle the issue. They had me go to [...]. (I really recommend going through this link if you get thrown into the advanced settings menu using the CD.) There I clicked on NetSet and it automatically checked the router and helped me establish internet connection. In my case, it stated that I needed to have my wi-fi antenna on and voila...internet connection was made on my laptop. I was then able to work wirelessly.
One suggestion though...if you go through the NetSet process, do not add in a passphrase until you fully understand how to configure the wi-fi settings on your laptop. If not, you may not be able to access the network because of the encryption.
Once I got the router up and running, I couldn't be any happier. It doesn't take up space and it looks wonderful.
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Setup was a challenge, October 2, 2005
By M. Hayashi (Los Gatos, CA)
I could not setup the router using the cd that was provided. I called Linksys and got an immediate response. I was able to download their setup program, "Net Set", which set up the router and formated all the wireless cards. Too bad that wasn't provided in the cd. The router works great over the entire large house.
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Works great on a Mac, October 2, 2005
By M. Messing (Knoxville, TN)
I had no experience with wireless networking or connecting to broadband (DSL) but I had no problems with this unit. After realizing that I couldn't use Safari 1.3.1 to configure the router, I quickly gained access using Firefox. I did get some coaching from the help desk at my ISP.
It works great and is really compact.
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Awful Product, September 30, 2005
By hate rma
It worked fine for a couple of days, then the dhcp stopped working for wired components, after that the wireless went out, one day later the thing wouldnt turn on and went totally crazy, blinking lights and then powers down. I hate having to go through a painful RMA process, maybe bad luck but I read about several people having the same problem but as well as some people with success.
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Connection Stinks, September 29, 2005
By Tiff (Dunwoody, Georgia United States)
First of all, let me say I'm not a "techie". I bought a new notebook computer because I needed the flexibility to use it around the house, so I wanted to utilize the wireless capability my new computer had.
I received my new router and set it up according to the directions. It wasn't working, so I contacted their customer service department. After different 3 calls, I finally got my router to work.
When I would use my computer, the connection was always very weak. You are supposed to be able to use it up to like 150 feet- I couldn't get mine to work correctly across my 13x16 living room. After dealing with this for about a month, I decided to return my router.
My experience was obviously negative. Perhaps yours will be better, but my overall recommendation is to not purchase this model. Linksys has a regular Wireless-G router, and that may be better.
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Wonderful device with easy installation, September 27, 2005
By D. Sferrella
I upgraded from a wireless 8011.b to this router. Installation was a breeze, I was up in 5 minutes. I have previously owned Linksys wired 4-port routers, so I trust the brand.
I have noticed the signal strength is considerable lower than my older 8011.b router. I have the laptop and the router located in the same location and rarely get over 66% strength. I get occasion page drops that require a refresh. No big deal.
Otherwise, I am completely satisfied with this small footprint. I love the linux interface that separates wired from wireless security. Nice touch.
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Wireless Router, September 27, 2005
By Frances M. Cadotte (columbia,sc)
This wireless router does not have adequate range to use from a downstairs pc to an upstairs laptop. The directions provided did not give hookup directions when using DSL from Bell South.
Compact Wireless-G ModelWRT54GC
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Linksys Wireless Router WRT54GC really rocks, September 25, 2005
By A. Ferraz (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
I can say I'm really satisfied with WRT54GC router. I've been using the router at home for 3 weeks now, and it works better than I could expect. The signal strenght is very strong, and I can use my notebook all over my home, using only the internal antena.
When I got the router it seemed to be so small that looks more like a toy than a real wireless equipment, but when I turned it on, it really surprised me. The initial setup is fast and easy, and after a few minutes you are ready to go.
It is so compact that you can carry it anywhere.
I really recommend the Linksys wireless router WRT54GC.
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Nice compact size router...but, September 24, 2005
By David Lee
i like it, it's a very small foot-print, space saving compact wireless router...but, the range is kind of limit. so i end up purchased the optional antenna...BAM! what a difference! now i can surf on the net in every corner of my house!
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worst router i've owned, September 24, 2005
By Michael H. Le
yeah, it looks nice, but in my experience... it doesn't work the way it looks.
after 1 week, the router stopped working. i had to reset it over, and 2 weeks later... it stopped working completely. i've tried resetting, but that doesn't really work. also a few of the settings aren't very convienent.
overall, it's a pretty nice looking but bad functioning router.
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works well, lower power usage, September 10, 2005
By J. Beale (United States)
The Linksys WRT54GC works. I'm using it both as a 4-port switch and wireless link. It is replacing an older linksys router + switch that together used 12 watts of power. I measured the WRT54GC to take only 1.5 watts from the AC line. Most people don't care about power, but this is on 24/7 and the little bits add up.
UPDATE Jan. 2007: both laptops I use it with sometimes have trouble connecting on powerup. Power-cycling the WRT54GC fixes this. Linksys claims there are no reported problems of this type, but I suspect it is the router's fault.
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Nice router, terrible wireless transfer rates, September 9, 2005
By Jason Tallon (Wausau, WI)
I picked this router up to replace my old Linksys 802.11b setup. The WRT54GC promised to be faster, and had quite a bit more flexibility when setting up wireless and firewall security.
Well, the flexibility is there. It's a nice setup, with plenty of configuration options. And as a wired router, speed is excellent.
But the wireless transfer rates are abysmal. My file transfer rates are less than a third that of my old 802.11b hardware. That obviously means there's a problem somewhere. I doublechecked every setting, upgraded the firmware to the newest version, and even checked my pcs to make sure the problem wasn't with them. And yes, the pcs are using 802.11g cards. I checked everything possible. I'm an IT person by trade, so I've got a fair idea of what I'm doing. None of it helped.
Range also seems considerably less than that of my old 802.11b hardware. However, given the transfer rates (bad whether close or far from the router), it may just be a related issue to the speed problem.
I can only conclude that I got a defective or damaged device. Which is a shame, because aside from the wireless transfer speeds, it's an extremely compact, powerful little router.
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very difficult to configure properly, September 7, 2005
By Matthew Freedman (USA)
I had to send this product back because even after spending six hours with tech support, the router still did not work properly.
The router comes with an CD "wizard" that's supposed to configure the router for you automatically. Unfortunately, the wizard could not detect my internet connection--even though the connection worked just perfectly when I plugged my DSL modem directly into my computer.
There's also a downloadable program at Linksys's website that's supposed to auto-configure your modem. That program is not compatible with this product.
Also, I had to set the router's IP address to 192.168.2.1 instead of the standard 192.168.1.1 because of the model of DSL modem I have. That's not particularly difficult, but there's no way to know that you need to do it other than trial-and-error with tech support.
I did finally manage to get an internet connection--a blazingly fast one, too. However, some websites simply refused to load, even though they worked fine when I tried plugging the modem directly into the computer.
Also, one of the programs I use requires that you manually open some ports on your computer. This was impossible for me to do--even though I followed all of tech support's directions to the letter, it still didn't work.
In the end, it just wasn't worth the hassle. There are plenty of other products available.
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No point buying this router for its wireless capability, September 2, 2005
By Keith
Its a great router and it looks nice, but that's about where it ends for me. I liked the small footprint this router made and I thought it was time to upgrade from my siemens 802.11b router.
Big mistake. The range of this router is so poor that you will need to buy an antenna to even make it to the other other side of a 2 bedroom apartment. Why this didn't come with an antenna to begin with is beyond me.
Stick with a router that comes with 2 antennas. This one was a waste of money.
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Needs refining, August 29, 2005
By Jack (San Francisco)
Out of the box, this router looks impressive. Slim, compact, and aesthetic.
However, after setting up the device and connecting, I have noticed the device frequently drops connections. This happens at least twice every half hour. So often that I am going to return this item.
Bottom line- it is unstable, unreliable, and needs refinement.
There is a reason why it is on sale and has a rebate available on it. Sale execs know that the only way to move this item off the shelf is to entice buyers w/ a special. Knowing that most of the sold units won't be returned (due to the hassle of it), they are willing to gamble that they buyer will give up on it.
Buy the regular WRT G router. It is a bit more expensive, but it is tested and proven.
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Excellent router both functionally and aesthetically, August 15, 2005
By The Grumpy Hacker (Milwaukee)
While it's really nothing more than an ordinary 11g (54Mbps) router with 4-port 100Mbps switch, its lack of any whiz-bang features doesn't detract from its sexiness. It doesn't claim to be a "travel" router although at less than four inches square and less than an inch thick it certainly could be used as such--even its power adapter is fairly small and light. With all the features of a typical home network router you can conveniently unplug it when you leave home and essentially never have to switch access points, plus you can network with non-wireless PCs which travel routers typically don't accommodate.
Linksys has set the bar high on industrial design with this unit, in my opinion, having included a few nice touches. First is the little swinging door over the reset button that acts as a foot for standing the router on its side--which actually gives me better signal coverage in my two-story home (I've found the internal antenna to be entirely adequate but I'm happy about the external antenna accommodation, should I want to buy one separately). Second is the inclusion of four little pads on the bottom to keep from marring delicate surfaces like finished wood and also to keep heat from transferring (although I've had it running 24x7 for a couple weeks now and if not for the LEDs you wouldn't know it was plugged in). Third is the inclusion of eyelets for the unit to be hung on screws in a wall.
I found the user interface for setup and configuration to be clean and easy to navigate, but being used to Netgear and Belkin it did take a minute to get used to. I used the included CD for the initial configuration with my cable modem, which went very smoothly, but was not necessary to use. All the typical options are there like WEP, WPA, DHCP, MAC filtering, firewall, etc.; as well as some more advanced wireless and networking settings if you want them. The only thing I wasn't really happy with was how MAC filtering is done: using a list of MACs without any other identifier to remember which is which, plus you have to manually copy and paste MACs from the wireless client list to the filter list instead of simply checking a box or button to add it. There's also no way to log out of the management interface.
All in all this product is very attractive--perhaps the most attractive piece of home networking gear I've ever seen--and very compact, significantly smaller than Netgear's current b/g routers' form factor of about 5x7. The web interface is also very polished. If you don't care what your router looks like or how big it is, there's probably no reason for you to buy this one. As for me, it suits my purposes functionally and aesthetically it has no equal. I love it.
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Super Portable and Very Capable, August 10, 2005
By Tan Rezaei (Newport Beach, CA USA)
This thing works better than most my other large size routers and I can put it in my briefcase and carry it around.
Setup was super simple and it has all the features of bigger routers.
Its a little larger than a gameboy advance to give you an idea.
Too bad the external antenna is real expensive, I'd like to see how much I would gain with that.
T
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Great for Mac users too!, July 27, 2005
By Motion Graphics Dude (San Diego, CA United States)
I was thinking of purchasing an Airport Express module, but purchased this instead. It has a lower price, similar size, and a built-in 4-port switch which won me over. It was easy to configure using Safari and it's built-in setup wizard (no software needs to be installed). I got a strong signal on my Powerbook (4 bars on the Airport signal).
It offers WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security. Plus you can define specific times of day the WiFi is active as well as specific computers which can access your network (handy when you are at work and want to make sure no one is piggybacking your WiFi signal). I also connected my PS2 and Vonage VoIP module and everything works flawlessly. I'm a typical Mac user who is used to easy setup and good looking equipment and I'm pleasantly surprised at this Linysys product!
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Excelent Product, Best Around, compatible with WRE54G, July 21, 2005
By Mr Salas (PR, USA)
Ok, simple and to the point.
1. The size of this thing is incredible. Freed up almoust an entire shelf from my room (vs the old blue routers)
2. I had the WRT54G V2 with the high gain antenas, and the RANGE is practically identical if not a little better.
3. My house is big and has big old concrete walls, so signal has always been a problem. This baby takes good care of it and since it is compatible with the WRE54G (Range Extender) Its doing a great job for me.
Bottom line, Its a well priced router, if you have other wireless G linksys router the only improvements are the looks and size. I upgraded because im those kind of gadget geeks, but im very happy. Sold my old router for 40 bucks in ebay, so only paid 30 for this one.
If you want something 1/5 the size of the older ones, buy it. Just dont expect miracles. It does the same only in a diferent wrapping.
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Something is wrong with its wi-fi, July 10, 2005
By Henry Rudnick (Santiago Chile)
For some reason sometimes this router gets into a loop when I try to connect my pocket PC. I have to unplug and plug the router again in order to fix the problem. I have had no similar problems with other wireless-G Broadband Routers.
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