Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

The Linksys WRT54G Broadband Wireless Router is three devices in one box. It means there's the Wireless Access Point, which lets you connect 802.11g or 802.11b devices to the network. There's also a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices. Connect four PCs directly, or daisy-chain out to more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need. Finally, the Router function ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection by using Port Address Translation (PAT) technology.

To protect your data and privacy, this Linksys WRT54G wireless router can support industrial-strength Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2) wireless security and also encode all wireless transmissions using 128-bit WEP encryption. The Router protects your PC from most known Internet attacks with a powerful Stateful Packet Inspection firewall. It can also serve as a DHCP Server, supports VPN pass-through, and can be configured to filter internal users' access to the Internet. And even with all this power, set up is a snap with the web browser-based configuration utility.

Also you can configure Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS) setting to assign a fixed host and domain name to a dynamic Internet IP address. This is useful for you to host web, email or other server at home by using broadband Internet with dynamic Internet IP address.

Important Specifications:

Device type:
- Wireless router

Wireless Network Standards:
- IEEE 802.11g
- IEEE 802.11b

Ports/Buttons:
- Internet: 1 10/100 RJ-45 Port
- LAN: Four 10/100 RJ-45 Switched Ports
- One Power Port
- One Reset Button

Security Features:
- Wireless Security Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), WEP
- Wireless MAC Filtering
- Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) Firewall
- Internet Policy

Supported VPN Pass-through Features:
- IPsec VPN Pass-through
- PPTP VPN Pass-through
- L2TP VPN Pass-through

Other Features:
- Port Forwarding
- Port Triggering
- DDNS

Wanna to have this router? Check out here!

User reviews on www.amazon.com:

Works well once you work out any configuration kinks. A Customer June 10, 2003
I bought my WRT54G and WPC54G back in Jan/Feb. I had a wired Linksys 4-port router for YEARS and it was a SOLID performer.

Setup for the WRT54G required some aches and pains. Granted they tell you right on the box that it is based on draft protocols, but I would have straightened a few problems myself with clearer communication or documentation from Linksys. Registration for this product should include subscription to a technical e-mail list notifying users of firmware and driver updates as well as the lates technical articles and an 802.11g ratification update. I don't mind that the product is based on "draft" protocols, but proactively notify me about updates! You can even use the .NET Alerts to IM me about new firmware!

It was after I performed a firmware upgrade that I started to encounter problems maintaining a connection with the router. I upgraded to enable the SocketCom 802.11b CF NIC for my iPAQ to use the WRT54G. The upgrade is mandatory for many 802.11b devices to hear the WRT54G and I believe it's the standard shipping firmware now.

Anyways, after I upgraded, my WPC54G started dropping connection every 4-5 minutes. I could manually force XP to reconnect only to find myself disconnected 4-5 minutes later. It was HIGHLY annoying and made the wireless useless.

I just got off the phone with LinkSys support (yes, at 2am EST Wednesday and a 1-800 number!) and they recommended unchecking the "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network". Voila! I've been connected continuously ever since.

A previous technician told me via LinkSys online support chat, that I should try changing channels. But he could not tell me why this would fix the problem. Of course, it did not work. But I believe that chat support for complex technology products can get tricky.

Other than this annoyance, I have been very happy with Linksys hardware. It gets the job done and is rock solid once you get it up and running. I can't remember the last time I had to reset any LinkSys router.

I recommend that everyone do a security lock-down on their wireless hardware. Disable SSID broadcast, enable 128-bit WEP, and refrain from enabling remote administration.

This product works perfectly !! Ed Hue August 2, 2008
This router worked without a hitch the as soon as I connected it which didn't take long! It has continued to work perfectly in the background ever since. What more can I ask for.

Linksys WRT54G hamiam "Ott" (Hayesville, NC) August 2, 2008
Item works as described and the EasyLink software works well except that it won't printout the full encryption key.

On the minus side, it generates an unbelievable amount of RF hash making reception on AM broadcast impossible within 50' or so of the unit.

G Router Atticus Finch "download away" (USA) July 31, 2008
For $40 this is a steal. Now as Wireless-N becomes the standard, the price of G routers should come down; however, if you have a pc that was made before n was introduced, it is pointless to buy a n rounter.

Don't use the hardware that Linksys provides because it is cumbersome and quite slow at times. Adjust your settings online.

Expect to see a significant increase in download speeds, but not shortened wait time in a web browser. The wireless range of the router is almost the same as a b router but with a slightly stronger connection. Wireless can be used on a multi-floor building but don't expect 100% connection on every floor from this router. Without a range booster, the connection is solid. Also, the router adds more security to protect your computer and home network from perpetrators. In addition, it adds 4 alternative LAN connections from the back.

I would buy, but try to get the best deal even under 40 dollars. Sometimes Amazon offers free shipping w/ this product and makes it a steal.

Linksys Wireless Router Snofriacus July 30, 2008
Good piece of equipment. I had already been using a Linksys router for the past 5 years, and it had served me well. So when I needed to switch to a wireless router, I just looked for a wireless version of the same thing.

There was one glitch in the setup, but this wasn't the fault of the router. It was a conflict with the new DSL modem which I began using at the same time. The default IP address for the new router was 192.168.1.1, just as it had been for the previous Linksys router. If I remember correctly, my previous DSL modem had had an IP address of 192.168.10.0, but the new DSL modem was just the same as the router. This setup didn't work, and with some poking around on the internet I learned that these two IP addresses can't be the same. I couldn't figure out how to tweak the modem, so the solution was to change the IP address of the Linksys router from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.0.1. It's worked fine ever since this adjustment.

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