Belkin Wireless-G Router DSL/Cable Gateway by Belkin Inc.
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Our Price: $60.99 Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Buy Used: from $11.50 (click here) Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Belkin Wireless-G Router DSL/Cable Gateway
Digital camera Review: Best wireless G router for the money
Summary: 5 Stars
Belkin Wireless-G Router DSL/Cable Gateway
Easiest installations ever! Best wireless G router for the money indeed. I'd recommend this to my family & friends in no time.
Digital camera Review: Better Wired than my Linksys
Summary: 3 Stars
My level of computer competency: Advanced (knows what goes on inside)
First off, I'm going to say that this router's wired functionality trumps my Linksys 10/100 4-port router (Model BEFSR41). The linked model does not support high amounts of traffic over multiple connections (BitTorrent), and the aforementioned product seems to self-reset every few minutes during BitTorrent trafficking (and for a few hours afterwards), which is probably the one thing that I cannot understand further than "the router can't handle the weight."
Conversely, this product (which retails for half the price) can handle the same load of traffic... and it is also wireless. I switched to this product when I found out that the aforementioned problem is almost unique to Linksys routers, which ironically seem to hold more prestige.
The product itself functions very well. It handles any load that I can place on it, but the front-end is relatively silly to navigate through. To go back to the root, you have to leave the all-inclusive navigation menu on the left and go all the way to the right to click an unnecessarily small "Home" button; the Belkin logo at the top-left, where the Home navigation should sit, directs to Belkin's website. Also odd is the fact that two options in the "System Settings" screen (NAT and UPnP) have their "Apply Changes" buttons switched: Select the setting you want for UPnP and click the "Apply Changes" button under NAT to make your change. But don't forget to enter your "Current" and "New" password before making changes to either of these settings, or it will let you know that your password is too short before changing the settings that don't relate to password changing! (UPDATE: This is fixed with 9.01.10, and I didn't want to re-write this paragraph after I figured out that it exists, as you will have this problem unless you manually find the new version... see next paragraph)
Please note that the most recent version of the firmware at time of writing is 9.01.10. I personally had version 9.01.07 installed, but when I check for firmware updates, it lets me know that there's a new version available: 9.01.07. Visit http://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5D7230-4&aid=5027&scid=221 and manually download 9.01.10 and upgrade it. With this installed, the router's "Firmware Update" functions now to tell me that there is no new version. Still keeping my 3-star rating, because I shouldn't have to hunt down new firmware updates... even though the firmware update fixes that problem in the firmware. Come on, Belkin... test things before you release them!
Aside from unnecessary difficulties in navigating to the home menu, the router does offer the functions that I need. Its wireless functionality is good. I can connect to it from upstairs, a good few feet above the router and separated by a floor and bed. The only problems that I have are with the front-end.
Also, I couldn't find a way to describe the feel of the plastic that this is made of... my significant other calls it "happy-meal plastic", as though it were a toy out of a combination food-and-children's-toy combo meal. It feels like the same type of plastic, so I will agree with that.
Other misc. notes:
--Lightweight
--Gets really hot... make sure there's airflow
--Not complicated: plug stuff into it and it works.
I give it 3 stars, because even though it works for me and I can work it, you don't get ahead of the competition by just having things work "eventually" (with the exception of Linksys... see first paragraph)... it should work "out of the box", and the "automated firmware update check" should actually update to the newest version, especially if the firmware fixes an error in changing something on "System Settings".
Digital camera Review: Better for tarket pratice than a router
Summary: 1 Stars
It Drops connections like its going outta style. Forget trying to change a setting, it'll be 30 minutes of frustration just to get back online again with the setting the same as before. This Belkin router is the worst electronic product i've ever owned.Digital camera Review: Better than Netgear and Dlink
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been using belkin routers for almost 5 years now. my first router was a dlink, what a waste of money and time, second one was netgear 11g and the thoughts about that one are not much different from the dlink. as far as belkin goes, hands down the best router ever. first of all you dont have to be a network genius to hook this one up. as long as you can read and follow directions you will be alright. it took me literally 5 minutes to hook this router up. everything is plain and simple. i had to hook up a friends netgear rangemax the other day and believe me i was ready to pull my hair out. in the same room my friends laptop was unable to connect to the router. i took my belkin there, hooked it up and walla full bandwidth in no time. i likes belkin so much that i replaced my belkin 11g (the one above) with a new belkin mimo. not that i needed the upgraded its just that i wanted to. :)
trust me if you want a router free of trouble buy this and you will be happy.
Digital camera Review: Big Disappointment
Summary: 1 Stars
This thing was a huge disappointment. It worked for about 15 minutes, then conked out. Waste of money, don't buy.