| Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router |
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Model: WRT54G
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 1702
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: Windows XP Professional Edition
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
Wireless data rates up to 54 Mbps--5 times faster than 802.11b
Shares a single Internet connection and other resources with Ethernet wired and Wireless-G clients
Interoperates with 802.11b clients at 11 Mbps
Advanced wireless security with 128-bit WEP encryption, MAC, or IP address filtering |
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| Description: |
| LINKSYS WRT54G - Wireless-G is the emerging 54 Mbps wireless networking standard that's almost five times faster than the widely deployed Wireless-B ( 802.11b ) products found in homes, businesses and public wireless hotspots around the country. The best part is, since they share the same 2.4GHz radio band, Wireless-G devices talk to existing 11 Mbps Wireless-B equipment. Operates as a DHCP Server NAT technology to protect against Internet intruders Supports VPN pass-through Easy configuration with web browser based configuration utility |
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| User Reviews (1702 total): |
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Easy Setup, December 13, 2006
By JF (MA, USA)
I read reviews on this product about how difficult it is to setup the Linksys router. My roommate also told me he bought one and returned it because he was not able to set it up. You may think I am fool but I bought it anyway. I am that type of person who likes to be challenged. I followed my instincts and bought it. I may say, I am religious too so God helped me. Initially I put the CD that came with the computer and followed the instructions to do the connections. Note: I did not complete the installation using the CD but to make sure I connected everything right. The wizard shows you how to connect the router to the modem. You don't even have to use the CD to do the connections. Throw it away and just look on the box that your router was in when you bought it, and you will know how to connect the router and the cable modem. When you do the connections right without installing the software, you still will be able to connect to the internet. Your next step is to make it is secure with a key/password so people don't use your internet for free and slow it down and to prevent hackers. If you are not able to go on the internet, call your Internet service provider, Comcast, for example, and tell them you want them to configure your service so that you can go on the internet wirelessly as well. They have to do it on their end so you don't have to stay on the phone for anything.
Next, Click internet explorer and on top at the address bar area, where you type a website address, type your default routers IP which is 192.168.1.1
You will be prompted to type in a username and password: The default is "admin" for both. You can change the password instead of using "admin" later when are in the settings area. This password is only to enter into internet explorer and change the settings any time you want. It will open your router's settings. Click on "wireless" and make sure it is enabled. Next, click on "wireless security" and select WEP, then select 128bit, then type any phrase in the "Passprase" area and click the Generate button. It will generate the Key that others will use to connect to your network. Make sure you write down the keys. There will be four set of keys. Any of them should work. Congratulations. Throw away the CD and spare yourself all the headache others went through.
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I Expect Better From a Cisco Product, December 11, 2006
By Benjamin M. Jordan
The WRT54G is a good product for everyday home use. If your home is large or has thick walls, I wouldn't expect the signal to travel through every part of it, however. My first complaint is that the router comes with the signal strength at a default of 50%. I had to hack it to boost the strength to 100%, since there is no option to do so in the default firmware. Secondly, the software that comes with it does more harm then not. It loads a bunch of proprietary programs that frequently conflict with the Windows software already on the machine. I suggest throwing out the CD as soon as you get the device.
These two things aside, though, it is a nice product for the casual user. If you are serious about your wireless network, though, I suggest going with a more powerful router, like the Cisco 1202.
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Great!, December 11, 2006
By J. Eboh
I have the v6 one and it seems to be working really good. it took me about a half an hour for it to work, but after it did I was surfing the internet like i usually did when my computer was connected directly to the modem. but it seems that my connection is a little slower, probably because I was messing with the router so I could let one of my programs acess the internet. [...]
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Router drops internet connection 10-15x per day, December 10, 2006
By John S. Miranda (Tucson AZ)
This router is basically non-functional. It drops our connection constantly all day long. If you visit lniksys's site and read their forums you'll see lots of dialogue on frustrated users being told to upgrade firmware, etc,etc, and still getting no results.
This unit is a piece of crap, shouldn't even be sold. I've had a wireless b connection for years that works perfectly, thought to buy the g to speed things up, and am so frustrated i'm going to throw the unit in the trash. For $40 its not worth hours on the phone with some remote tech that won't result in anything.
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Works great!, December 8, 2006
By os1kne
I have been using Linksys networking products for about 10 years. I have used products made by NetGear, D-Link, and others as well but I prefer the Linksys (not that the others are bad).
In my opinion, the Linksys routers and switches are great for home and small office use. The wireless routers can be a bit tricky to set up with the security features - but once set up they work flawlessly. There may be other wireless routers that are easier to set up - but I doubt that they have the security features that this router has and if you are using a wireless router, security features are important!
I'm sure there are other responses from people much more experienced than me, but I've probably set up around 10 small networks and I have never had a failure with a Linksys hub, switch, or router. I have had 1 or 2 bad network cards, but out of 50+ that's not too bad.
All in all, Linksys makes a very good product for the price. I haven't had the need to contact their tech support in several years (it used to be good), so I can't comment on the problems reported on tech support.
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don't even bother with the setup wizard/CD, December 8, 2006
By vinnieme (sacramento, CA)
even though they stress all thru the instructions to use the setup wizard/CD - DONT. i tried the setup wizard via the CD 3 SEPARATE TIMES and still couldnt get out to the internet. then i exited out of the setup wizard, unplugged everything, plugged everything back in, and BOOM! i was surfin.
so basically, ignore the instructions. plug everything in. type in 192.168.1.1 (the routher's GUI) and go ahead and configure your linksys from there. have fun!
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bad mass-produced product, December 7, 2006
By art/music/books (New York, New York)
i bought the Linksys WRT54G a couple years ago (v1) and encryption never really quite worked (WEP or WPA); the connections would always be excruiatingly slow, or there would be no connection. then one fine morning i woke up to find it inexplicably bricked and it was a dead unit. so i complained to Linksys and fortunately they shipped a new unit (v4). unfortunately, this unit also had defective WEP/WPA connections. after being frustrated, i decided to scrap Linksys altogether and opt for a Buffalo G54 Cable/dsl Router with aoss instead -- Buffalo products are 1) cheaper 2) easier to set up 3) WEP/WPA works out of the box 4) more compatible with Macs 5) could double-up as a Wireless Access Point (using Repeat mode).
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BEWARE Mac airport users, December 7, 2006
By pam
Linksys does not provide tech support for Macs...and gives out a lot of bad information via telephone techs in india, so don't waste time and money on this router if you have a mac(I tried 3 different WRT54Gv6..). Hours later I finally got my Mac Powerbook G4 connected using bridge mode and manually setting the IP address, but it was so slow, I returned the Linksys and bought a D Link which worked right after I plugged it in. I think that other versions of the Linksys router may work better with Macs.
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the WORST expereance I have had with support & hardware, December 5, 2006
By john hawick (anchorage AK)
I bought this router to connect my brand new hp 9000 laptop to my existing cable modem.After over 3 hrs on the phone talking to increasingly arrogant rude techs,I got nowhere and was given up on by THEM! I returned it,bought a belkin and got it working with out even needing to call support.I understand things can go wrong with IT stuff,but I have never have been more rudely treated.If you enjoy being abbused these are the people to deal with.
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no-return policy, December 3, 2006
By frustrated (New York)
LinkSys has a no return policy, something pretty strange for an electronics company. I bought a lemon and they offered to replace it...the replacement didn't work either. Hours of diagnostics on the phone, router didn't have much range past a few feet in an apartment building. Maybe it works better in a house. You must pay for shipping when it's replaced, and must pay to return the lemon replacement. When you run out of patience, you are stuck with a non-working router. Belkin is better and has a 30-day return policy. I would never buy another LinkSys.
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Broken, November 29, 2006
By Nvila (Atlanta, GA USA)
Some versions of the firmware don't play World of Warcraft - miscalculates the checksum for a particular packet, leading to the game being a 'ghost town'. Consistently, well documented among many owners. Google this before buying it, I had to throw mine away.
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It works., November 29, 2006
By adam18 (Las Vegas, NV)
It seems like other reviewers either love or hate this router, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents. I had a very simple purpose for this router, connecting two laptops wirelessly to a high-speed cable modem. I was terrified to even begin the install procedure because I've had such trouble with wireless networking products in the past, both from Linksys and other companies. But, I must say, the technology is finally easy to use! The install CD did it's thing, I picked a wep key during install, put it in my other laptop, and literally within 5 minutes both were up and running. Beautiful!
Granted, my requirements were very simple. My condolences to those with more involved wireless networks. I may have to update this review when I buy my new laptop or desktop in the near future, as well as try to hook up my printer wirelessly.
Also, I'll second anyone who says how much Linksys tech support sucks.
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Don't waste your money, November 28, 2006
By bluwaterbaboon (VA United States)
This router is the worst product Linksys has ever put on the market. Whatever you do don't try to use a PC and an Apple on the same wireless network, they don't have the software to cover that. Don't try to call them either, you will be on the phone for a couple of hours before they try to blame the problem on your ISP because they (the customer reps) are incapable of doing anything but following the checklist. I spent over a week trying to get the router configured and all I had to show for it was a sore ear and a pad full of useless notes. I got a different answer for the same question from each representative that I spoke with. Do yourself a favor and look into another router. We ended up going with a Westell wireless router and have had no problems (straight from the box). I cannot think of one nice thing to say about this router... Okay I guess the color is nice.
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Linksys WRT54G is a dud for Apple/Macintosh use, November 26, 2006
By Super Shopper (San Diego, CA)
Avoid this product like the plague. After discovering that there are zero instructions for Mac users, and after over one hour on the phone with out-sourced tech support, this baby is going back in the box AND back to the big box store. My old Linksys was great: easy to set up and reliable. So sad to have to switch brands!
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Does not work with Macs, November 23, 2006
By Richard J. Wagner (Washington, DC USA)
I bought one of these for my brother and was pleased with it at first. Setup was surprisingly easy and we had wireless access throughout the house for his Windows machines.
So when I wanted wireless access in my apartment I bought one for myself. I tried skipping the installation CD since I have a MacBook and figured the default setup should be fine. Unfortunately I could not get an Internet connection working. When I tried accessing the router's configuration through my Web browser, it was in Italian! Apparently the router autodetects your language and if you have a Mac it thinks that you speak Italian. With no way to fix the configuration, I returned the Linksys and got a Netgear WGR614 which worked fine and is better looking.
When I visited my brother again with my new MacBook I couldn't get on his network. After much tinkering and research I found that a bug in the Linksys router software prevents Macs (and presumably Linux or Wii) from getting IP addresses. I was able to fix it by installing an outdated version of the software, but that kind of problem is unacceptable. Do not buy this router if you'll be using anything other than Windows.
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3 Dead Rounter in under a year, November 20, 2006
By J. Olson
Linksys used to be great, I had routers that lasted many years, and was very happy with linksys. Now, I'm on my 3rd totally dead router in under a year. Getting help from linksys is a pain. They have become unreliable.
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TOTAL JUNK, November 19, 2006
By L. Edwards
The first Linksys (bought over a year ago....works fine) --- Ive bought two more of these in the last 30 days and both have failed after a couple of weeks -- will not reconnect to the internet - will not reset - will not do anything except a huge headache -- I've now returned 2 and will buy from a diffent company on the next one
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Not worth the hassle., November 18, 2006
By Brian (Bloomington, IN USA)
From day one, back in late August 2006, I've had problems with this router--which I bought only because my ISP wouldn't install an extra cable outlet in my apartment without written permission from my new landlord. Since I work from home, this wasn't an option at the time. I'm not a tech guy, I don't care much for gadgets, but I'm not stupid either, and I couldn't even get this thing set up without calling support due to lack of documentation and the assumption that everyone buying this router uses some version of Windows--I don't, I have an iMac. Once set up, the router worked fine for about a month, and then I started experiencing connectivity issues. I called support again and they figured out some issue with 'mac cloning' or some such, reset my static IP, and all was well for another week, when the same issue--losing connection with the router after 10-20 minutes online--arose again. So I called support AGAIN, got a guy after 7 minutes, but he directed me to their website to download a firmware update, and then basically hung up on me. Unacceptable. So I called back, sat on hold for 40+ minutes before being disconnected without ever speaking to anyone. Finally, after a third try, I got someone on the line and he got me to the firmware and helped me install it via their web interface, only for me to experience the same connectivity problem the very next day. My ISP is coming Tuesday to install another outlet. No documentation. The install CD is configured for Windows and wouldn't work in Mac OS X. Online help sucks. The 800 support line sucks. This product sucks. Do not buy it.
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Linksys sells wireless routers that do not work!, November 18, 2006
By bgreer16 (HOUSTON, TX United States)
This was my third Linksys router and all three devices did not work. I owned the first 3 years ago. The latest two were this G model. I could not believe that two models in a row would be faulty, but sure enough they both were. I replaced the second Linksys router with a Belkin model today, and here I am minutes later writing this review. The pain created by Linksys is beyond belief. I even took my iBook to the Apple store convinced there was a problem with my laptop. The Mac was fine of course. No more Linksys for me!!
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Version 6 works out of the box NO issues!, November 17, 2006
By AS (FL United States)
Pluged it in and good to go, I skipped the installation disk in fear of what nonsense is loaded on that... went to the admin screen, a little overwhelmed with ALL the features, it could be more stremlined, for a novice user they would be entirely lost, install disk is ment more for the wirless application (easy setup), but my experience self, got through just fine, enabled the maximum security features (more so then the easy setup button, which itself is good but does not suffice my network requirments). Heard lots of issues, was weary, but out of the box works great, no issues, no dropped connections. And for that reason, since it works I do NOT intend to flash the firmware to the latest, as the saying goes if it isnt boke don't fix it. BTW home network is a mix of print server, wired PC, wireless Apple powerbook, everything running smoothly.
EDIT
Be sure to compare apples to apple, my version 6 firm 1.00.7 works great! Ooops bummer for everyone else newer firm 1.01.0 introduced a QoS upstream bug, guess I got real lucky. Check your version!!!!!!
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