Home > Consumer Reviews > Linksys BEFW11S4-UK Etherfast Wireless Access Point + Cable/DSL Router with 4 Port Switch

I bought this product to perform two distinct functions :-

1) To allow multiple PC's within our home to simultaneously access our broadband connection, in this case via NTL cable.

2) To replace the various pieces of dodgy cable running around the house with a wireless LAN.

I use it together with the Linksys Wireless USB Interface for the family PC and the Linksys Wireless PCMCIA card for my laptop. Together they allow you to eliminate LAN wiring yet share your broadband and other services.

In terms of configuration it basically worked straight out of the box. On first connect to the broadband NTL requested a re-register of the device but this only involves giving the router a symbolic name and is identical to the registration process when you first start the broadband service. With ADSL or an ISP that operates with static addresses there will be additional information required.

I expected to encounter various problems as a result of now running a private LAN with local addresses ( the DHCP function allocates IP addresses to each device on connection ). However with both family use and connecting to my work place the router function handled all translation seamlessly, including external "hard coded" IP addresses such as work proxy servers.

Speed of connection does not seem to be an issue I noticed no slow down of service over wireless versus direct network cable connection.

In summary the Linksys EtherFast Wireless Cable/DSL Router is an excellent product, for the complex function it performs I'm not sure how it could be made any simpler, small footprint, easy to configure "does exactly what it says on the tin" definite 5 stars.

This unit is well worth the hard bucks you pay for it.

I have this unit running on my home network. I have it configured as a DHCP server, running 2 desktops (hard wired) and one laptop (wireless). The signal strength is good. On the wireless side, I have it running under 128 bit encryption.

I also have my ADSL modem plugged in and sharing internet access across all PCs. A previous review says that this unit won't work on BT Openworld, actually it will. It will work on PPPoA protocols. You just got to get a PPPoA modem plug it in, configure the router to accept dynamic IP addresses and off you go, you're sharing a net connection among many PCs.

I'd recommend this unit.

Excellent product - had it running within 5 minutes of taking it out of the box. Just a couple of points to note - you must have an ethernet DSL modem (such as the D-Link DSL-300G+) or a cable modem of course. (Standard DSL USB modems will not work) and secondly, one reader comments that it doesn't support PPPoA - my ISP uses PPPoA which I set up the D-Link modem for and then when I connect it to the Linksys router, it works perfectly.

The main reason that I bought this equipment was for a quiet life, oh and to be able to get on the Internet without upsetting the younger people who live here who seem to live on the Net.

To install this product is a reasonably simple process, it comes with a setup utility on CD which takes you through the process of connecting up to your ISP, a few minutes later your up and running. I have a broadband connection with NTL and it took about 10 minutes to configure. DHCP and some of the other functions are automatically configured during this stage. Further configuration, for added security and peace of mind can be accomplished using a web browser. Wireless networking security is also provided, I've setup 128 bit encryption for that added bit (excuse the pun) of privacy.

According to the documentation the wireless range is 300m, I've tested this around the house and get between 80 & 100% link quality and signal strength, when it warms up I'll try it down the garden.

Work's a treat, easy to set up and does what it says on the box.
One important point for Telewest broadband users though, you'll need to register the MAC address of the network interface before it will work, but the MAC address given on the bottom of my unit was the internal one. Start up the router, connect via the web set up screen then go to the config screen and get the EXTERNAL (Wan) MAC address, then register that on Blueyonder self care, then it will connect fine.