Buffalo AirStation 54Mbps 802.11g Wireless Router The Buffalo AirStation 54 Mbps Wireless Cable/DSL Router offers fast 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless performance and allows you to securely share your Internet Broadband connection. Security features include WPA, WEP and SPI firewall. In addition to fast 54 g performance, WYR-G54 includes optimized LAN/WAN Routing and a high-speed 10/100 4-port switch. The combination of speed and security makes the Buffalo AirStation 54 Mbps Wireless Cable/DSL Router the perfect choice for your wireless network.
1 Good inexpensive 802.11g wireless rounter for a mac :)
Followings are my review on this Buffalo Airstation WYR-G54.
Pros:
-Price. I got mine for an after-rebate price of $14.00 shipped
-Perfect compatibility with a Mac. It works fine with my PowerBook G4 (OS 10.3.8)
with an AirPort Express card.
-Size. Small (3 ? x 5 ? x 1")
-Easy set up (auto recognition of the AirPort. But no Mac instructions. See below.)
Cons:
-The included CD is for Windows only.
-No Mac manual or instructions are provided.
But don't let this discourage you, Mac users. The Airstation recognizes your Mac (under OSX with AirPort ) immediately without configuring the wireless router. To enable security (WEP or WPA), use a Web browser, type 192.168.11.1 in the address field of the browser, and go. The rest of the security set up is explained via the browser. Simple instructions to follow. I set up my entire wireless network with security in less than 5 minutes. The WYR-G54 is a bargain. It provides very good 802.11g connections and functions, without bells and whistles that you'd find in more expensive models. I'm very satisfied with the Airstation and give 4 out of 5 stars (for lacking instructions specifically for Mac users.)
2 Japanese Firmware???!!!
I'd always wanted to try Buffalo because their products are often highly rated. When the WYR-G54 was introduced last September, Buffalo seemed to be saying that they were willing to design, produce and support an inexpensive ($30-$60), no-nonsense 54Mbs router based on proven technology at a time when most other companies are debuting high-speed, proprietary card/router combos. I took the plunge this week. When I initially plugged in the WYR-G54 everything looked great, all the hardware worked like a charm despite a shoddy packing job by Amazon.com. Unfortunately my router's configuration page was entirely in japanese rather than english. I called Buffalo tech support and it took them about 15 seconds to confirm that the router had been shipped with Japanese rather than English firmware and needed to be returned. The lack of suprise on the part of Buffalo tech support lead me to believe that this my router might not be an isolated incident. Despite my initial impressions regarding Buffalo's commitment to the WYR-G54, it is likely the case that this router is a low-priority within the company (see some of the remarks on broadbandreports.com). At any rate I'm returning my WYR-G54 to amazon (thank god they have a liberal return policy) and hoping to land a good deal on something equivalent by linksys or motorola.
