The Linksys BEFSR11 EtherFast cable/DSL router connects multiple PCs to a high-speed broadband Internet connection or to an Ethernet backbone. Configurable as a DHCP server, the EtherFast cable/DSL router acts as the only externally recognized Internet device on your local area network (LAN). It also functions as a firewall to shield your network from unauthorized users by monitoring all incoming data packets. The router can also be configured to filter internal users' access to the Internet. This product comes with a limited one-year warranty.
Note: All Linksys routers now include a special edition of Norton Internet Security! Claim your free CD-ROM by calling (800) 814-0180, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific, seven days a week.
The Linksys Instant Broadband EtherFast Cable/DSL Router is the perfect option to connect multiple PCs to a high-speed Broadband Internet connection or to an Ethernet back-bone. Allowing up to 253 users, the built-in NAT technology acts as a firewall protecting your internal network. The EtherFast Cable/DSL Router acts as the only externally recognized Internet device on your local area network (LAN), and can be configured as a DHCP server.
The router can also be configured to block internal users’ access to the Internet. Not only will all of your PCs now be able to enjoy your lightening-fast Broadband Internet connection, they will also be ablet to share internal network data. With the dual-function speed and power of the EtherFast Cable/DSL Router, your network will take off at speeds faster than you ever imagined possible.
1 Piece of garbage
This router is a piece of garbage. I've known several people who have these (or the 4 port version) and they all have problems with it locking up, and there is no way to fix it besides pulling the plug. There ought to be a class action lawsuit against Linksys for making a product this poor - there is simply no excuse. Didn't they do any testing at all before releasing it to the public???
Their ethernet cards are total garbage too - they cause your computer to spontaneously reboot under heavy network traffic. Do yourself a favour, and don't buy Linksys.
2 Easy to use router/gateway
Strengths:
Price. Reliability. Ease of use/installation.
Weaknesses:
No command-line interface.
Summary:
I bought the Linksys versus any other brand of DSL/cable router both for it's past performance as well as for the price.
This is actually the second one of these I've purchased. I installed the first in my home network and then purchased an additional one for my brother. The router has performed well and yet to have an issue.
I still install a software firewall behind the router on each of my workstations as the NAT that the router performs is still not enough to block eberything out.
3 Overpriced and not very useful
1. For the same money or less, you can get a linksys 4-port wired router, with built-in switch. The router being sold by Amazon one port, and has to be connected to an external switch if you want to connect more than one computer (a hub would work, but not nearly as well). If you're only running one computer, just run cat 5e cable from the cable or dsl modem directly to your computer's pci or usb adaptor.
2. The single star rating is for value received, not for the quality of the router itself. Linksys makes good networking gear. Whoever wrote that this router can connect all your pc's, without reference to needing an external switch needs to go back to school.
4 Installation turbulent, otherwise smooth sailing
I purchased this router used from an eBay auction. Because it did not come with a printed manual, I had to scour the Internet for information pertaining to this router. This unit is simply not a plug-and-play device, and a background in computer networking is helpful when installing this unit. My setup required me to manually configure the network settings for the TCP/IP protocol in order to first gain access to the router's web-based interface, and then I had to tinker with a few settings on the router itself to get my broadband connection running.
While the BEFSR11 features built-in firewall capabilities, don't be fooled into thinking that this device provides complete security. After testing this unit with the Gibson Research's "Shields Up" and "LeakTest" utilities, the BEFSR11 does not restrict outbound connections and did not pass the "TrueStealth" portion of the test. I suggest that you use the BEFSR11 in conjunction with a software firewall like Sygate Personal Firewall.
With the exception of my installation difficulties and average firewall, the BEFSR11 was a breeze to use. Just be sure to purchase a networking hub if you plan to use this with other PCs or to share your connection with your video game console.
5 only one port!
you would need a hub too, pretty pointless to manufacture a router with only one port.
6 Wonderful product... just died sooner than I'd wished
I've used this Linksys router without worries for the last year and a half, but I'm now shopping for a replacement. The LAN port no longer works properly, causing my broadband connection to come and go intermittently.
At first, I figured it had to be the cable modem. The router's been so hassle-free until this point that it was the last piece of the network I expected to be the problem... but even Linksys tech support (which we had no problem reaching) seems to think this is the issue.
I can't give it less than 3 stars--the firewall works, the router works, and tech support was good--just don't be surprised if it doesn't last as long as you might like.
7 Does exactly what I expected and needed
There isn't much to say about the product. It was easy to setup and worked perfectly the first time. I've had a lot of experience with Linksys products in the past, so I might be a little biased. I hooked it up with an 8-port Linksys hub and plugged in the computers and had a network in the time it took me to crimp the wires. Litteraly the only setup time is plugging everything in, unless you have to set up PPPoE for a DSL line (which is easy, as I have done that with this product).
8 I Love It!
I would highly recommend this router to anyone who is considering on buying a router. I love this machine as:
1. There are always firmware updates for it, and they come out quickly if there is a reported vulnerability in it.
2. Its very fast!, I prefer the 1 port model because if for any reason the router fails I can just replace the router and not both my router and switch.
3. This router does a very good job of keeping out intruders, my network avaraged about 1-2 a minute and out of the thousands this router have blocked only 1 or 2 have ever gotten though and both of those were my fault :) (diablo 2 game)
This router is very good for both its price, speed and reliability. I have only had to restart it once after a little more than a year of continuous use.
9 Why only ONE port?
Linksys has great, easy to install and maintain products, but I highly recommend getting at least a 4-port router. It doesn't cost any more (not much anyway) and when you need it, it's there. I have the 4 port -- I use two of them, and one for a WiFi base station but I love having extras for guests with laptops. If for no other reason, think about when you have to upgrade your PC and transfer files.
One port is the equivalent of having one telephone jack for your entire house.
10 Great Little Firewall
I use it as a cheap and easy firewall. I've had no probelms whatsoever. Setup was simple--great instructions and installation disk.
11 It does it's job well, but I wish I hadn't bought it now.
When I bought this device, I already had a hub, so I figured this would be all I needed. That was correct at the time. It has a great web interface that is easy to configure, and you can have NAT up and going within minutes. The port forwarding works great, and I was running a web server, email server, etc all behind this device with no problems. Also, if you buy this, be sure to go to their site and get the latest firmware. It includes some security fixes and a lot of extra features that don't come with it by default.
My only complaint about it, is not with the device itself, but more of the way of planning it. There are other Linksys devices that function as the hub, router/firewall, and a wireless access point too. Unfortunately for me, I have all of these as seperate devices when it would be better to have them all on one device.
Basically, if all you want is this device, then by all means go ahead and get it. However, if you are considering adding wireless access or a hub to your network, I'd consider getting a model that combines all of those functions.
12 Easy to configure. Functions better than advertised.
Unit was easy to configure. My network consisted of Win ME desktop & Win XP Laptop computers to Mindsprings DSL. The Win XP is also connected via wireless connection. Unit was placed into service within 15 minutes on both conputers after I finished reading the manual.
13 Exelente y Facil de instalar
Sencillo, solo lo configure, lo conecte y ya!, ahora con una sola direccion IP tengo para compartir mi conexi—n a internet con todos los computadores, hasta con los vecinos!!.
14 Can't beat this device
The Linksys Cable/DSL router works. You plug it in, connect your computer and modem to it and then add your internet username and password to the router using a simple web browser interface. That's as hard as it gets installing this device. I've installed several of these for clients where reliability and ease of use are key considerations. The Linksys router does what it's supposed to simply and effectively.
15 Great for workgroups, little trickier with domains
This is a great tool for sharing a DSL or cable connection. My only quirk is that a little more documentation should be put in regarding setup where a server is involved. Everything looked like it was set up right but it wouldn't work. Fortunately a friend of mine was savvy enough to rig it up and make it run.
That aside it is reliable. Once it was up and running I had no issues, save file transfer in AIM. (Workin' on that one)
I'd recommend it for anyone who already has a network switch and doesn't want to replace it. If your going to start a network and share braodband, I'd go with the 4 or 8 port version. Those ports can run out fast.
16 Easy to use but pray you'll never need tech support!
One of the best things about this router is it's ease of use. The web interface is easy to use and clear to understand. It also prevents the need for software to be installed on your computer or for you to telnet in (probably not the type of router a techie would want). The settings are straightforward and easy to change. I also like the fact this router has a switch that prevents you from having to purchase a seperate crossover cable if you wish to connect it to a switch or hub.
On the other hand, their tech support is the stuff nightmares are made of. Early on I had problems with my router not keeping a constant connection, I attempted to contact tech support by phone several times only to be put on hold for long periods of time before being DISCONNECTED. I have also attempted e-mailing them. I have not recieved a response to a batch of e-mails I sent in Feb 2001!! This problem has been randomly appearing since then and has increased in intensity recently to the point I was forced to get another router to replace it. In fact, now all the router does is flash the three LED's associated with my LAN setup at the same time. While this happens, I am unable to make a connection from my computer. I have also had similar reports from others I know with these routers. I must admit that most of their problems are remedied by just pressing the reset switch on the back of the router (or in some cases holding it down until the router does a hard reset) - I was unable to fix my router in this manner.
In reviews on the web I had previously read (and ignored) reports that the router performs extremely well for about a year and then mysteriously dies. Up until now, I scoffed at this notion, now I'm not so sure..
Overall, this router is easy to use for the first timer, however they should BEWARE OF THE TECH SUPPORT - an owner will find better tech support in the newsgroups than they will from Linksys. As for the rest of us, a nice Netgear or SMC should do the trick.
17 Fast, simple, reliable
I've been using my BEFSR11 for about a year now with a Motorola cable modem and a 3Com hub. It was configured and running in about 5 minutes and I have not had a single problem with it to date. There's really nothing else to say.
18 Great router, but support is a joke.............
The router works great but when the manual got vague, I made the mistake of calling Tech Support. Two phone calls and three hours later, they had me switching cables, bypassing my hub, moving NIC cards to different PCI slots, and just a general run-around. Anyway, I fixed it myself. If I had just hooked everything up, reset the router, went to winipcfg and released-renewed, and re-booted both PCs, it would have worked great as it is doing now. Now with the router, the performance is better and I don't have the annoying re-booting of the second PC everytime I want to go online. Linksys makes great products, not great techs.
19 Simple, efficient, effective
No problems, worked right out of the box, even has MAC address cloning so you don't need to notify your cable company about a new MAC address. Linksys has a great website with information about the product as well.
20 Great device for use w/Cable Modem
I purchased this device after i was told by Comcast that the only way to have two computers on cable modem was to purchase another ip @ (dollar amount)/month.
Out of the box setup was pretty simple, and have not had any problems setting up firewall ports.
Set theis up off my cable modem, and have a 8-port Switch of the router, networking my house works great with this device.
21 A great product! - Delivers exactly what is promised
This is such a great product. Within 10 minutes of its arrival at the front door, I had it hooked up into my network and it was functioning flawlessly. Management is easy and intuitive and installation couldn't be simpler. I highly recommend this product!
22 Garbage
At first, I liked the router. The web interface was fairly simple to set up. However, it likes to hang and needs to be rebooted quite often. Additionally, it periodlically prevents RARP's from leaving the internal LAN. This seems to happen every few hours and requires me to reboot the router. I've updated the software, however, with no avail.
Also, it should be noted that you are interesting doing a fair amount of port fowarding, you are limited to something like 20 entires. I found this extremely limiting as I use VNC on two computers, Microsoft Terminal Server, FTP, HTTP, SSH and I play games over the router. As a result, I frequently jockey around my port settings.
I am working on setting up a Linux router. Once I finish, I am junking the router. It's garbage.
23 I love it !!
I read the reviews and had some minor concerns about ordering this. I had been using two computers sharing the same dsl connection. This prevented me from networking the two as I had hoped. Not knowing a lot, I took a leap that I could do this and it has worked great. Network is back in place and no more hardware conflicts. I did have a power blib and it knocked a ton of my settings off (not the hub or routers problem). After going in and trying to restore everything, it still did not work. I broke down to call tech support and was scared to death after some of the things I read in here. It did take longer than the 30 minute time they projected (a lot more). When I did get someone on, he was great. He walked me through everything. One thing I really appreciated, he did not ask me to check connections etc, he listened to what info I could offer and started from there. In maybe 10 minutes he had me going again. The only reason I dont give this a five (which it probably deserves) is because I tried to follow the directions step by step unfortunately, they aren't crystal clear....but close enough. If you need a router, buy it. I am a long time computer user...know a little more than most people but not to the point of being a geek.
24 Very easy to setup, highly recommended
This unit was very easy to setup to get connected to the Internet. Nice web interface to configure unit. Easy enough for non-technical computer users but also has advanced features.
25 Excellent Product
This was the easiest install ever, just hooked it all up per the directions in the package and it worked perfectly.
26 Excellent Product
This was the easiest install ever, just hooked it all up per the directions in the package and it worked perfectly.
27 Worked right out of the box!
I bought this product after some friends of mine recommended it to me. It took me less than 30 minutes to get evenrything up and running. I have 3 PCs and a laptop and I now have internet access from all the m/cs. Very simple configurations and easy to set up and works great! I highly recommend it.
28 It worked first time right out of the box!
Great unit - no problems whatsoever. It does exactly what Linksys says it does - no runs, no drips, no errors. Setup was easy and after attaching to my network, I restarted all my PC's and voila! DHCP worked flawlessly and everybody is surfing at cable speed. I couldn't be more pleased.
29 Already have a hub?-this works great!
When you already have a network & hub in place, all you need is this 1-port unit. It was a snap to setup and worked as promised. I use Zone Alarm Pro software as my firewall. The Linksys unit is also a firewall. Since installing the Linksys, ZA has given not one alert. This is one easy to use, full-featured piece of equipment. I recommend without reservation.
30 Good Idea, but What a Mess it Made
Well, after hooking this thing up, spending 4 hours debugging with three computer systems on two different LANs, plus three different hubs ... I think 1) the router I bought is fried, 2) the hub I initially connected it to is fried. I'm not naive about these matters ... this should have been a simple operation but it was not and I'm still pondering how the hub got fried. It clearly works for some, but I got screwed. It will be returned. I haven't decided whether I'll try something else, or just keep paying the cable company $5/month for an extra IP address to avoid the hassles.
31 It CAN'T be this easy...
OK, I've got a somewhat complicated setup, with a PC, and a Mac on an AirPort (802.11) network. I checked out all the reviews, including the negative ones that complained about nonexistent tech support, etc., but I figured I could work my way through just about anything if I needed to.
Ha! This couldn't have been easier. I still can't believe that in about 15 minutes, I had this thing hooked up and running both the Mac and the PC with no discernible loss of speed, and no problems connecting to ANYTHING. It would have taken about 5 minutes, but I had a switch set wrong on the Ethernet hub. My fault, not Linksys's.
I already had a small Ethernet hub, so the single-port Router was fine for me. I never needed tech support. I barely needed the manual. It's true that Mac support is nonexistent (Linksys says that, not me), but it was never an issue.
This is the best 90 bucks I ever spent.
32 Very unstable with RoadRunner cable modem and Linksys hub
I had to return this Linksys router, because it was extremelly unstable: I had to press the reset button 5 - 10 times a day. I replaced it with a Netgear Router RT311 and it worked immediately for me. Be prepared that you may return the Linksys router. If you are obliged to reset it the fifth time, replace it with a Netgear immediately.
33 Too simple to be believed
I understand some people have complained about Linksys' technical support.
I wouldn't know. I've never needed it.
Right out of the box this thing worked. I plugged it in, cabled it up, powered it up, and with a browser on my PC had it configured in about five minutes. Most of the default settings should be fine for anyone, but it's easy to make changes.
I did have a problem getting an IPSec session established from my PC, but I went to linksys.com and, right there on the main web page, there was a link to an update that "enabled IPSec compatibility." A few more minutes and I had even that running.
I now have seven PCs (all belonging to various family members) running through this. I don't even know it's there. You can do some fairly advanced things with this too, including setting up different machines as ftp and web servers, even though they both translate to the same IP address.
Highly recommended.
34 First computer peripheral I've fallen in love with
I must say, this one little piece of equipment has turned my ... DSL experience into bliss. For background, I'm a T1 kinda network person - plug it in and fly! Then came aDSL through the phone company - having to install 3rd party software (WinPoET) on my system and dealing with annoying "Would you like to connect?" "Disconnect now?" messages, and software incompatability issues. I was about ready to dump DSL and go back to the cable company (charging $... more a month) when a friend recommended this little baby to me.
Now the router manages my connection and handles all the PoET (PPP over Ethernet, I believe it stands for) interaction for me! It was honestly the first piece of hardware I've said "I love you" to. If you have DSL - I would whole-heartedly recommend this, and would chastise you for turning away at the price. For Cable modem users or other forms of connectivity, I would also recommend it (but won't berate you into it) unless you're looking for an really easier way to share a single IP address or simple firewall protection. For the price, nothing similiar really delivers.
35 Excellent product for the price!
Can't say enough about this product for the money. I chose the 1-port because I have a linksys switch and it has improved my internet connection and gameplay. Also, the firewall capabilities on this little gadget are the most important. No more Norton's firewall or blackace defender software that can crash or impede your system. Overall, this is a 5 star product for the money. Didn't need technical support, although I read that Linksys tech support is aweful, so be aware of that.
36 Great Addition to the family
After I brought Linksys Homelink Phoneline 10M Network Card I installed both Homelink series Broadband Network Bridge and Etherfast Cable/DSL Router. I must say they work nicely. Installation was easy. Just connect the cable modem to the cable router and the router to the Broadband Network Bridge and your network is up and running. The instruction are easy except they do not tell you which RJ-11 goes to the to the PassThrough. I connected one RJ-11 from the phone jack and another form my Phoneline Network card. I had to switch them in order for the system to work. I
It has been up and running for a month now and now problems. We have two computers hooked up and both can use the Internet at the same time. Also file sharing is a breeze. Since one computer is using Windows ME as it's OS and the other Windows 98SE I used Windows Home Networking Wizard that's comes with Windows ME. It configure both computers so they can he accessed on my network. It also created a floppy so I could automatically configure systems on my Windows 98SE. So if you're using two different OS and one is Windows ME I suggest using the Home Networking Wizard.
Using both computers are on the Net at the same time causes no problems with downloading and uploading. And I can say file sharing is a breeze. Just click onto the Network or MyNetwork and away you go. I was able to burn CDs using files form different computer that the burner was on.
Using these components far out ways the cost that you will gain back after one year. My cable company wanted to charge $10.00 a month for a separated IP number. Using the cable router is saving me money. Also I do not need to run Black Ice because the router has its own firewall. The reviews I read on Linksys were the best. All I can say if you want to set up a home network Linksys is the one to use.
The only trouble I had was the software that came with the Phoneline 10M Network to use a computer as a server dose not work with Windows ME. And the router was shipped with a defective AC Power adapter. Other than that everything works well. Thumps Up on this product.
37 Want to share your cable/dsl connection? Look no further.
I'll keep this short and simple: Don't bother with ICS anymore, this is the answer. It's easy to set up, but has some advanced features too. The port forwarding is great if you want to do a web/ftp server. It has PPPoe setup so you don't have to bother with that on your computers. It acts as a firewall to keep out people who probe open ports.
I have two Win2000 computers plus one Linux box on my LAN, and each is connected to the internet through my DSL connection. It works like a charm.
38 garbage
I do not know why this thing got all those great ratings; unfortunately I bought this on the strength of those reviews. It seems great when you set it up, but you will find it has the most annoying habit of losing the connection VERY frequently. If you have an always on broadband connection, don't get this unless you just miss the old days of dialup and waiting to reconnect every time you want to get onto the Internet. It's certainly the cheapest thing out there; spend more and get something else! Furthermore, Linksys tech support is non-existent; they do not respond. I had decided to return this, only to find that my wife had just thrown away the box the day before and now I am stuck with it. I will wind up paying twice to replace this peice of trash. By the way, the next model up (BEFSR14-4port) has the same problem (from what I have read of other reviews). If you still want to take a chance, just save the box and the receipt!
39 Simply works and does its job. Even a newbie can use
I work in technology and have for the last 10 years. There are two products that I have that really impressed me....
1. TIVO 2. Linksys router/switch
What it takes for me to actually be impressed by a technology product it has to be simple, (plug and play simple) the right price or better and be 99.999% reliable or better.
This product is simple, just plug the darn thing in and it works. You only need to configure it if you want to do something a little non-standard.
It has yet to fail me and I have had it for quite some time.
If you need to share a high speed internet connection like DSL or cable this product is the best I have seen. Also in it;'s latest incarnation it supports PPPoE so it will work with any DSL provider out there without having to install the crummy ISP software on your actual workstation.
Oh yeah and don't forget it supports NAT (Network Address Translation) so it basically acts as a firewall as well.
40 Highly recommended... but don't forget the hub!
This is a great product. it's easy to setup, configure, and manage. But since this is the one-port version, don't forget to pick up a hub or switch, because if you don't, it makes this product pretty useless.
My only gripe is the lack of suppose from Linksys. I wish they'd have a faq on commonly used apps like ICQ or YIM... it's a pain sometimes to not be able to read a step by step manual. But you DO learn that way. :)
41 Good for price
it was a good price. I had a little of a tough time configuring through Internet Explorer, but I think it was related to my settings. Once I got past that, everything was fine. Make sure that you download the firmware update from Linksys' web site, especially if you are a DSL user (I have cable modem).
42 Worst Customer Service EVER
I purchased one of this company's products and I have NEVER encountered worse customer service. The 800 number rings and rings and when it finally answers you are on hold forever. When you finally get through to the tech support department, there is an operator who takes a message under the guise that someone will actually return the call. When someone finally called me back (after I repeatedly called them to check the status of the callback), the person could not have been in a bigger hurry to get me off the line. When I followed his instructions, my computer locked up and then he said he could'nt wait for me to fix my computer so he hung up. He actually hung up on me! I could'nt believe it. When I called this company to find out the name of the President, the person answering the phone was reluctant to provide it. When I asked for the President's e-mail address and address so that I could send a letter, this person refused to provide it and also hung up on me. If you are stupid enough to purchase this product after my experiences, all I can say is that you better know what the hell you are doing because Linksys certainly will not help you.
43 A breeze to install and improved security
This little box is a marvel. I've had a DSL line in my home for about a year, and up until now the way I was splitting the feed through my home network was by running an old computer and Linux. Unfortunately, since I'm a Linux newbie, I was not comfortable with the security issues of my home network, because I was not sure whether the network was properly configured for maximum safety.
The Linksys router resolved these issues for me. For starters, installation is really simple. Take the box, hook up the DSL or Cable modem feed into the WAN input, and connect the router to your own hub/router via the LAN output. That's it. After that, fire up one of the computers in the local network, run a web browser, and tweak the router to your own preferences. This little box replaced an old computer, saves electricity, and improves security. At the highest level of security, it puts all the ports in "stealth" mode - i.e. outside probes to your IP address will return no results, leading the person launching the probe to think that there is nothing at your IP address (sounds kind of confusing but its really simple). To see if your broadband connection to the net is safe, go to www.grc.com, where they will actually probe your IP and show what they can find out.
Although the Linksys box by itself is not a total and absolute protection to your home network, at least you can rest assured that nobody is going to put a worm in your computer and use it to launch Denial of Service attacks or other nasty things. That's because these boxes run proprietary code (operating system) that most hackers don't use. Why bother to learn Linksys OS, even if it might be a version of Linux, if most computers connected to the net use Windows? Just remember to read the manual and configure the system properly.
If you have broadband access, this router is definitely highly recommended. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is because my access speed seems to have decreased a tad bit. Using a computer running Linux as my IP router, I was achieving higher speeds in the LAN computers than by using the Linksys router. I'm sure that has to do with processing speeds, etc. Nevertheless, the speed difference seems to be minimal. BTW, I have yet to play any internet games through the router, but I have not heard anything to lead me to believe that the router would interfere with gameplay over the net.
44 Defective routers
During the past two days I have worked with two of these routers in succession and spent approximately 3 hours on the phone with (or mostly waiting for) the company's technical support representatives. After exhausting other possibilities, the tech reps concluded that both routers are defective and I am returning them. (I bought the routers from a local retailer rather than Amazon.) Nearly as frustrating as the product defects was the company's lack of support for Macintosh. Although the router is capable of operating in a Mac Ethernet network, the setup instructions, both in the documentation and on the company's web site, have critical gaps for Mac users. To its credit, the company has 24-hour tech support. The tech reps are helpful but are not knowledgable about Macintosh. Bottom line: Might be okay for Windows users if you can find one that's defect-free.
45 Great Solution
I have a small 100MB home network with four computers. When I was using a dialup connection I used WinProxy on one system to allow all of the computers to access the internet. It worked but was sloooowww! When I decided to upgrade to Cable Modem I was concerned with security (none on Windows 98!) and was investigating software firewalls. But by installing the Linksys router I was able to use its firewall capabilities and only have to pay ATT for a single IP address while all the home computers can access the internet simultaneous. And the internet apps seem to work fine (e.g. the kids using AIM, etc.)
46 Simply a joy to install and use
This thing is da bomb! Talk about easy to install and set up, wow. No software to install, just a VERY easy to follow instruction manual. It was plug and play for me. No slowdown in internet performance either.
47 great product
I wanted this product because of the firewall protection. It is certainly that and more. You basically take out of the box and follow the instructions in the manual to plug in, the accept all defaults. I only have two complaints. One is that it doesn't come with a network cable and two there is a misleading comment on the top of the filter screen about disabling DHCP. If you ignore that, you'll be fine.
48 Excellent purchase
I bought this product because our cable man recommended it. I live with two other guys and we have a total of 5 computers hooked up to the internet through a cable modem this router and a 12 port hub. This unit was extremely easy to set up and has been running without a hitch for 4 straight months. We turn the router off at night and it does not lose its settings or need to be reconfigured. It has a firewall built in and that is all the protection we use. I don't think we have had any intruders, but I am not 100% certain. This is also a great price. We looked other places and in stores this router goes for near $. GET IT!
49 Best Consumer line of routers on the market today!
This is without a doubt one of the best purchases I have ever made. I mean it. This device is everything it is advertised to be and more.
I had a ADSL line installed into my home in August. Since that time I have attempted to get multi-computer access to the Internet via a multitude of methods. I have attempted to setup a proxy server. This method works but was difficult to setup and never seemed to work with all Internet based services. I also spent 2 months trying to get a Cisco 675 router to work with ZERO success. My frustration level continued to grow and I ordered the Linksys BEFSR11 out of desperation.
The Linksys unit worked right out of the box, almost literally. It took me only an hour from unboxing to having multiple PC's on the Internet. The majority of the time was spent researching my DSL providers PPOE settings. I have the modem running to the router and then running with a regular category 5 cable to a dumb hub and then each PC is connected to the hub. The router assigns valid Internet IP's to each PC and all my interne applications work great. Napster, ICQ, Newsgroups, and IRC all work wonderfully. Another great side affect of going to the router is that my overall access speed is about twenty percent faster then it was connecting directly from the computer to the modem.
This is a wonderful device and I have recommended it to all my friends and family who are know entering the broadband world via cable or DSL. Thanks Linksys!
50 Excellent, once connected
Just got my DSL Router setup properly and running. It took about three calls to technical support to get the information that I needed to get it operational. The first couple of calls told me that I couldn't do what I was trying to do. I told them that it is being done so what's the problem. They finally concluded that I had something wrong with my box. After playing around and talking to a knowledgeable technician I am up and running and so is the other computer on the network. Now that I am running it is as was advertised. I knocked a star of the rating do to the multiple calls to technical support. I do laud them for being one of the few suppliers open 24/7.
51 Good enough for my home network
The one-port variety means you have to have a separate hub, but I prefer keeping things modular so if one piece breaks you only have to replace that one piece. Some of the other brands offer more functionality like a print server, that some people may need. I just care about the built in DHCP server and firewall.
52 Gamers go elsewhere, otherwise ok
For simple LAN use this is the perfect choice, great configuration options as far as DHCP and DMZ, however, what is not openly admitted is that this is not a true 100mbps router. Your uplink port, (where you dsl/cable modem) hooks up is limited to 10mbps, so regardless of the fact that your hub/switch is 100mbps, from internet to the pcs is 10mbps, translation, you just got slowed down from your normal capabilities. Especially if you have your cable modem tweaked to where it runs 8-10 times faster than normal, you will want to throw this in the trash first time you use internet/LAN communications for games.
53 Way Cool!
Pretty darn close to being plug and play! Set your computer to DHCP, use your browser to configure a couple of parameters provided by your ISP, and you are off and running. Can be the DHCP server for 50 computers and a firewall.
54 Outstanding product for the price!
Having had marginal experiences with the D-Link DI-701, I decided to bite the bullet and get the Linksys to see if I had any better luck! Boy, did I ever! It literally took about 5 minutes for me to get up and running. Of course, I already had a router set up, so it took plugging in two cables and two reboots of my main WinME machine (one with static IP to configure the router, one with DHCP back on). I configured the box then waited with bated breath when I clicked the "Connect" button, but voila! we were on the web. The web interface is both easy and extremely flexible, with a ton of advanced configuration options, including the DMZ option. Of special interest to me is that my outbound socket woes have vanished -- the D-Link would not let me send e-mails or ftp puts greater than 2K or so, which was a real pain. The Linksys didn't even hesitate. Highly, highly recommend this product!!
55 If Time = Money, I'm rollin' in dough
I've been working in IT/Computing for almost 10 years and a total of perhaps 1000 hours over the last 2 years have been wasted trying to get my SOHO systems working; hubs, dsl modem, proxy, firewall, user accounts. I knew from past experience, that this is complicated stuff, and the herculean efforts I gave were par for the course.
And then...there came LINKSYS, and I'm cashing-in the free-time!
BEFORE LINKSYS: - hours of screwing around with Wingate - hours of getting WinGate & ZoneAlarm to cooperate - "wires, Wires, WIRES!" - OS Networking/TCP-IP configurations - PCAnywhere required hours of WinGate configuration - RealAudio client worked, didn't work, worked, didn't work - PPPoE...forget it!
AFTER LINKSYS: - 5 minutes installation - everything works - no more screwing around with anything
NOTES: - upgrade firmware before doing anything else in the config
I am an extremely satisfied and pleased customer! Keep the upgrades comin' - this thing is great!
56 Works great and I have no idea what I'm doing
I bought the DSL Router on the suggestion of the local computer company that sold me my computers. I know nothing about networks. I was told by the local cable internet provider that I could only support 3 computers simultaneously on my cable line at one time. If I wanted 5 computers hooked up simultaneously and I did, I needed to pay for 2 separate cable lines plus 3 additional IP addresses. This is because they said they could only support 3 computers per line. This would be about $95 per month.
The local computer company guys told me I could use this DSL router to create my own IP addresses. All I needed was a hub that would support all 5 computers and a network card in each computer. I would need the hub and the network cards anyway for the cable connection, so this only cost me about $100 more to reduce my cable cost from $95/month to $40/month. This is a $55/month saving. On top of that I have a hard firewall and it is 100% legit. This I checked out.
As my family is hard core gamers (Everquest mostly) and my daughter and I surf the net, it is not unusual for us to have all 5 computers on at once. We have not noticed any degradation in our connection. Three of the computers are on Everquest most of the time.
As for hooking it up, I found the instructions to be a bit sparse, but complete (in retrospect) for what I was trying to do. I routed my cable connector directly to the DSL box and then the DSL box to the hub and the hub to the individual computers. Routing to the individual computers was the hard part. This was only because of the location of the computers and the fact I live in a center-split house.
When it was time to enable it, I did need help. However, I called the local computer company that sold it to me, for assistance. I can't speak for Linksys support. But, the things I had to change were pretty easy. If you try and change the input port location on the hub and corresponding switch orientation on the DSL router you should be able to get it right, by process of elimination. There are only 2 of each. This is really all I had to do to resolve the problem I had.
For usage, since we have had it up and running for about 1-1/2 months now, we ocassionally crash it. I wish I could say why, but I think it is due to a loose connection. In this case we turn off all the computers and reboot the DSL box, by turning off power to it. It has fixed it every time. The reset does not seem to fix this problem. If I was more knowledgible, I could tell you why.
I can't speak for the firewall, as I have no clue how it works.
All in all, this was a very good investment.
57 Read the back of the manual first
It was easy enough to get this to work after I read an entry in the appendix. It would be good to read all instructions before starting rather than try to go step by step from the front. I had to remove the router and connect directly to the cable provider to get the information described in the appendix.
The upgrade operation is easy enough. Be make hard copies of all your settings before you do. Everything goes back to the defaults when you upgrade the firmware
58 works great with @home
returned my netgear and bought the linksys, worked on the first try, using dhcp, the 1.36 firmware, did not allow port forwarding, so i backed it down to 1.34 and it port forwards just fine, tech support was helpful as well, and did not have to wait 2 hours to get hung up on
59 Functional, Fast, and Easy to Setup.
This machine is GREAT! For many of you out their who already have their households on a small LAN and want to share a DSL or cable internet connection this is what you need. Simpily connect the Modem into the Router, the router into the hub and you basically done. From one computer terminal you IP into the router and supply it with information regarding your ISP. (DCHP/Static, Domain Name and So on)I had my connection online in a mattter of 5 minutes. The only NEGITIVE is poor tech support by Linksys. Often I waited 2 hours to speak with a repersentive from Linksys. Macintosh support is not offered but the machine is fully cross compatible.
60 Vastly Superior to Software Solutions
I had resisted a hardware solution to routing my DSL between my PC and Mac G3.
Big mistake. I had nothing but trouble with various NAT software I tried. So I bought the Linksys. Set it up. And have never thought about it since. Which is exactly what I wanted!
The only challenges I have left is to learn about accessing certain services now that my DSL is NAT. But I would have to do that with any routing solution and I can see already that setting things up with the Linksys will be much easier than grappling with other solutions.
61 Great product--poor documentation
I noticed that a lot of reviewers were able to just plug in and go. If that's the case for you, count yourself lucky. If not, be prepared to spend some hours trying to figure out how to get things working. The documentation doesn't offer any real help so unless you are a networking expert, get ready for some frustration. Note that I didn't try calling tech support because I had to do this at night and on weekends.
Once I got it working, however, it works great.
62 It's cheap, but works great, worth the money...
I've decided to buy LinkSys Etherfast 1 Port Cable/DSL Router because of the price. I do NOT really expect too much on this Router, however, it turns out it's over my satisfaction. Nice appearance, easy to configure via Web-based interface, and works great. The only thing you should keep in mind, before installing the Router, any PPPoE software as well as Firewall software should be removed on the installed machine. In case you need more help, you can find useful information in 'Router Tech Helper' ...
63 Easy, cheap, works perfectly
Installed and working in about 5 minutes - even allows secure VPN connections. Works as advertised. Do note that it doesn't come with a patch cable that you'll likely need to connect it to your hub.
64 MediaOne Compatible
One call to ATTBroadband f/k/a MediaOne and a fifteen minute wait was all it took to switch from a server/computer to this hub. I replaced my wingate software with this router (and an existing hub) and noticed an immediate speed increase in internet. It also eliminated some quirky behaviour (screen saver always ran slow on wingate!?!). The techs at ATTBroadband know about the product and even helped me find the correct IP address. Hook it up first, read the manual only if you have to. Have fun.
65 Excellent
I have this router tied to my linksys hub and life is grand. I can share the cable modem with ease. Set-up was quick and easy. The only complaint I have have is that the DHCP table doesn't seem to clear, at least not quickly. This can be annoying occasionally but has no effect on the router's functioning.
66 Great product!
After fighting with internet sharing software for 3 weeks with my newly installed cable modem, I decided to try the Linksys Router. Since I already had a hub and home network, the one port router was sufficient. As others have suggested here, I downloaded the latest firmware update from the Linksys web site and installed the update prior to configuring the router. Setup could not have been easier. I just uninstalled my internet sharing software, reset all NIC cards to obtain IP automatic, and then powered up the cable modem, router, and 3 computers. Much to my amazement, everything worked perfectly on my network. My kids could run ... , and browsers with no special settings needed. I also use ICQ and mIRC with no trouble. IF you need to share a high speed cable connection, I highly suggest this little router.
67 Go Linksys, Rah! Thanks For Putting OS/2 Warp 4.0 On DSL!
If you are using the *best* operating system (the "we don't support" operating system) instead of one of the "popular" operating systems, this product is DEFINTELY for you! Browser configurable, it requires no special operating system to be used. Setup is very simple...read and do...the book is quite good.
One important thing, if you are using this product with a new DSL account, make sure you know what your REAL account name and password are (not what you asked for and they confirmed), and any other required login information, and you will spend only a few minutes in configuration...not two days...like me! Works extremely well on Sprint/Earthlink (FL). You might need the DNS addresses...a phone call away, but you won't have to make 5 phone calls and hear how your operating system is not supported 5 separate times.
A patch cable is not included with the product, but likely because, depending on YOUR installation, you *might* need a crossover cable instead. Patch cables are readily available at many local retailers at minimal cost, including department and office supply stores. Good luck finding a crossover cable...they are NOT the same thing as a patch cable, and don't let any salesperson tell you that they are!
If you already have a network, cable this to your hub or switch and to your DSL modem, configure the router, change necessary PC configurations, POWER CYCLE EVERYTHING, and be sure to rate this product, so others can benefit from your experience.
Thanks to all else who contributed...I read all your reviews to aid in my selection of this product...a great hardware solution!
68 No Problems Here
After all my research on this router versus Netgear, I chose the Linksys due to price and assuming it might be more compatible with my existing 10/100 5 port Linksys hub and cards.
After hooking it up to my Com21 cable modem, it interfaced wonderfully with my system. No problems using it with Comcast@Home service. If you follow the instructions, it installs flawlessly. Of course I didn't follow them, being in network support, and I had to fiddle a bit. Nonetheless, I imagine anyone with little to no experience can have this up and running in no time. Top it all off with free shipping, and it was a no-brainer.
Being a geek, I would have liked a command line interface like that in the NetGear for tweaking; but the advanced features GUI in the Linksys is probably enough for home use. DHCP client and server work great. I've backed up the router firewall with ZoneAlarmPro on individual PCs. I have noticed far fewer hacker intrusions, but ZoneAlarm has still found an occasional one trying to get through.
69 Great product!
I was using a Linux based product known as netMax. The netMax box worked great, but didn't support active FTP. This product does support active FTP. It is very easy to configure and hasn't given me any trouble, ever. I also have several friends that use it. They say the same thing. I would highly recomend this product!! Its only possible drawback is that it only allows one host to be bound to the outside, not a problem for most users.
Sincerely Carson Lattimore
70 Easy setup, good features, great web-based interface
I just got the 1 port Linksys router to share a Verizon Online DSL connection between multiple PCs. Setup couldn't have been simpler; just connect modem-router-hub, and you're done. The Linksys does all DHCP setup and supports PPPoE.
The web based interface, without a doubt, makes the product. Just navigate to http://192.168.1.1 in your browser, and you can view status, PPPoE settings, DCHP tables, and even do more advanced stuff like prevent certain PCs from accessing the WAN, redirect ports, and set up routing tables. This makes it easy to set up a web or FTP server, for example, on your network that's accessible from outside.
Overall, its a great product with super features for the price. I highly recommended it.
71 Great product and price.
Setup was easy and I updated the firmware with the download from the Linksys Website with no problems. Configuration went with no problems and I have had it plugged in for two weeks with no glitches. I tried using it with static and dynamic IP configuration from my ISP with no problems. I tried various probes and scanners on the router and the firewall is very secure. I highly recommend this product, especially at this price.
72 Cable/DSL Router
Wow. That is all I can say. Right from the box, I plugged in the cables, put in the power connector, re-set my TCP/IP settings to default, with IP address given, and I was set! I just re-booted my computer, opened up IE and did some basic tweaking, and I was set! Instantly, my whole pre-existing network was connected to the internet. The stacking designed helped me minimize my space usage, with a bridge, two hubs, a switch and a print server, I just plugged a straight-through cat 5 cable to one of the free ports, rebooted my network, and was set! (All I had to do was click one button, because LinkSys also makes nifty network cards with WOL capabilities!!! ;-) ) And all my systems, (MAC, PC, UNIX, LINUX, Win2000, and Win98) booted perfectly. With the easy to configure DHCP server, you just tell the router how many computers you have connected or will have connected, and it does the rest! I highly recommend this product to any novice or pro, since it is so easy to use and configure. Just have some sort of network card, plug in (if you don't have a hub or switch already installed, then I recommend you buy one!) or, if you are going to use 1 computer, just plug it in. This is a truely amazing device because of the price, and the expandibility. You can make a computer on your network be a server (DMZ). It just is a great deal for the price. GO Linksys!
73 It's a piece of "broadband"!
If you are looking to connect your existing (or new) home- or small business network to the Internet, this router is your best choice.
Within an hour, my small home/business network was connected to the Internet through this router and a cable modem. That includes a few minutes looking for a misplaced patch cord and available outlet.
Because my ISP will think only one computer is connected to the Internet, I save additional monthly charges. This should pay for the router within a few months!
Before I purchased this item, I read other reviews and made sure I was prepared for any of the possible noted problems. However, none really occured in my situation. As for the manual, I received the full manual available from www.linksys.com, so they may have listened to our requests.
If you're not too keen on networking, beware of the following:
This router does not come with a cable to connect it to your Hub or Switch. You'll need to purchase it seperately. These cables are called 'Patch Cords' (details: RJ45 connector, CAT 5).
Some ISPs have set your browser to connect using a proxy. Be sure to temporarily disable the proxy settings when configuring your router. In MS Internet Explorer 5+, select the "Tools" menu, click "Internet Options", click the "Connections" tab and click "Lan Settings" - deselect the checkbox for "Use Proxy" to disable the proxy and vice versa to re-enable it.
I found that it's easier to set your LAN configuration to "automatically assign IP address/DNS server" before you start installing this router - however, this depends on your network configuration.
Lastly, before I started installing my router, I made sure I had the latest Firmware update from www.linksys.com. Once the router was installed and responded to the browser (for configuration), I updated my router's firmware before configuring it any further. This saved me the hassle of configuring, updating and re-configuring.
74 easy installation and inexpensive!
This lil' linky does wonders for it's price. I got it up and going in about 15 minutes. First I connected my cable modem [provided by roadrunner] directly to the WAN port and out from the LAN port I connected my already existing HUB with both my computers already connected, and in about 2 - 3 steps and one restart both my computers were prtected by a firewall. It couldn't get any easier. I was prepared by downloading the latest version of the firmware before i even got it in the mail and before anything i upgraded and everything worked perfect.
I recommend this product for anyone with a Cable/DSL connection and more than one computer. That includes beginners and advanced users. A definate plus to anyones home office.
It takes more time to reconfigure applications like napster, webcam32, and ICQ than it does to setup the router. And don't forget a 3' CAT 5, because it doesn't come with the product.
75 Could not have been an easier installation...
Got SDSL. Got the device. Read the manual. Installed TCP/IP on all my client machines, selecting the DHCP option. Downloaded the updated firmware, and installed it. Plugged everything in (we already had a hub, so the 1-port device was fine by us) programmed the device with information from NTelos (our ISP) and away the office went. We'd been using a Artisoft iShare and a dialup for two years--what a relief this product is to have instead. And the price is now lower than it was when I bought it. I haven't had the slightest problem since the install, at least that was related to this product. We have some older print servers that use NETBEUI and not TCP/IP, and they slow down the network. I'll need to replace those.
76 Perfect Solution for Corporate VPN at Home
The financial institution where I work uses a VPN protocol called IPSec. This posed a problem for work at home broadband users that had a small network at home. All other hardware and software solutions that I found would only support an IPSec session from the main or gateway system. All other users on the network were blocked. Since the gateway effectively disappears from the network when the VPN tunnel is up, and this was the only machine that could support the IPSec VPN tunnel, when I was online at work, all other machines on the network were isolated.
The Linksys set up in 15 minutes, and supports IPSec passthru. Now I can be online at work, and others in the house can effectivly surf the net.
Excellent product, but IT DOESN NOT COME WITH RJ-45 cables
77 Nice product but ...
Linksys has done a nice engineering job with the DSL/Cable Router. Very easy to configure, but it simply does not work with Media One.
Suggest the Netgear RT311, which has more functionality, and worked right out of the box with Media One.
78 I really like it
I tried at first without the manual, and tried to do it all at once and was getting aggrevated. Take your time do it right and youll be done in ten minuts. Check the lights and start from the wall to the router, router to the hub, hub to the pc, then release and renew IP addresses and youll be good as new. I checked the firewall using SHEILDS UP and zonelabs Zone Alarm and it passed with flying colors. (I have a cable modem with an analog dialup and it works great for me). This is a great product for me since I do a lot of labs for my MCSE. Very cool to get beginner exposure to Router type interfaces and play with the routing tables and stuff.
79 This is a wonderful piece of equipment.
1. Easy to setup. 2. Compatible with PPoE. 3. Works like a charm, reliable as a beast. 4. Can be set up in about 5 minutes, even by the unitiated. Just get that chart out your DSL or cable company gave you and plink the parameters in and you'll be up and running.
The advanced features, although not supported by LInksys, will let you run servers behind the firewall. It supports static routing (I use it to redirect my VPN packets to the correct server), port forwarding, and just about anything else you want it to.
If you have a DSL connection, you need this piece of equipment!
80 Use a Crossover Cable
I tried to install using a 'straight through' RJ-45 cable between the DSL Modem (from Roseville Telephone) and the router. Didn't work so I checked the reviews on this and the 4-port model. Found one comment about using the 'Cross-over' between the DSL Modem and Router so I used the original cable and 'voila,' everything worked fine. In fact it set itself up without me having to input any data. Recommend it highly.
81 This Router Can't work with DSL from phone companies.
I have BellSouth service as my provider which uses dynamic IP address assignment. I had the most difficult time trying to get this BEFSR11 to work with my provider. I later learned that it wasn't compatible because of some protocol that this router does not support. I give this unit only 1 star because they could have stated that it only supports certain protocols. Trust me it was a hassle to find out why this product didn't work.
82 Good product for the price
I have used this product for about 2 months and have been very happy with it. I use it to share a cable modem internet connection among several computers in my home office. The Linksys was very easy to set up, and can easily be configured to host a web site or ftp site on one of the computers inside the firewall. I was especially happy that I didn't need a static IP address from my ISP; the Linksys works equally well if you have a static or dynamic IP.
It may be lacking high-end features that more expensive firewalls have, but for $100 you will get a very functional product that provides basic security for a small business or home office.
83 Product Suffers From Lock-Up Using PPPoE
This DSL router is Unreliable.
While the price makes this unit attractive, it suffers from a nagging problem of locking up with the only remedy being a power-cycle on both DSL modem and the LinkSys.
My ISP/Telco is Earthlink/GTE in So Cal and they use PPPoE for dynamic IP assignment. Tried the unit with both Win 98 and Linux and lockup occurs with both.
Have used all existing firmware versions upto 1.33 Beta (as of 02 Aug) and none seem to fix this problem.
Give it a single star just because the potential exists for them to fix this problem with future firware upgrades. I just do not wish to wait any further.
84 Easy Setup! Great For DSL
After I got DSL I ordered this and it was VERY easy to setup. The web configuration is awesome and intuitive.
I had an existing hub to connect this to so that the setup even quicker. The only snag that caused an issue was that the manual says to use a crossover cable to connect the Router to a hub and that didn't work for me. I ended up using a regular Cat 5 ethernet cable.
85 Best out of box...
I bought one of these to serve my home DSL (2 1.54 lines). I do hosting off of my home service, and frankly, though my linux box does just about everything I could ask of it, I just didn't want to deal with running yet another service on it.
So I bought one of these puppies. It took literally minutes to get out, set up, and configure the DMZ (DMZ= Demilitarized Zone= NOT behind a firewall -- so a web server can have everything but port 80 hidden behind a firewall, but still serve). This thing rules. A 6 year old could set it up. Good stuff.
If you think you have a need for something like this, buy this one.
Someone told me that if you are running a large number of gaming machines behgind one of these, it can lag, but I have not experienced any network latency.
Good luck!
biolight
86 Really The Easiest Solution for Home Nets and Cable Modems
This was by far the easiest solution to putting my home network onto the net.
From box to up and running took all of about 15 minutes. The only thing your likely to forget is to cycle your cable modems power so it can grab the MAC address off of the router. Some may have to call thier cable modem vendor to change thier MAC address.
My interest was not to necessarily to add another PC on the net, but to protect my internal infrastructure from the outside world and allow me to utilize TCP/IP for my internal protocol, along with file sharing.
If you don;t already have a hub, grab the big brother version of this, which includeds four ports.
This thing does the trick.
87 Great for cable modem users
I bought the unit from Amazon.com, and had it installed in about 1/2 hour. Do watch out, though, they don't send along a network (10BaseT) cable with the unit. Other then that, it works great, does just what it's advertised to do, and came up very smooth.
88 Great for DSL users on a budget
I have a small home network (8 PCs) and needed an economical internet sharing solution. I had been using an NT machine running Wingate and ZoneAlarm. However, running a separate box as a router/firewall was tying up the machine and Wingate has a few quirks. I decided to try the Linksys and haven't regretted it. I had the product installed and working in 15 minutes. I have a separate DHCP server and didn't have any problems. Reportedly, the unit corrupts large downloads, but the latest version of the firmware seems to have fixed the problem. I downloaded several large PowerPoint files with no problem. All in all, a great little box.
89 The simplest NAT box ever.
If you want a quick and easy NAT solution this is it. Had the thing up and going in about 3 minutes. Connected it to the cable modem and my hub and away I went. The hardest part was releasing my previous IP address. I've tried all kinds of sofware solutions as well as Linux and this is it. Not quite as fun to set up as a Linux box but a heck of a lot quicker.
