Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port 10/100 Switch (BEFSR41)

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.

Product Description
A network router that let's you connect your network to your high-speed Cable or DSL modem / For Windows PC AC adapter included Includes - 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2003 (packaged by Linksys)

Besides the fact that it looks really cool, it almost took me longer to get it out of the box than it did to set it up. No kidding! Using the QuickStart guide, I was up and running in less than ten minutes. You hook up the necessary cables, restart your computer, log-in to the Linksys website to configure your router, restart your computer again, and you're good to go.

I wasn't as optimistic about setting up my Power Mac G3. However, I was pleasantly surprised and it took me all of about five minutes before I was doing some high-speed surfing on that machine as well. Fortunately, my Mac has an Ethernet port so it was just a matter of attaching the CAT-5 cable from there to the Linksys and setting the TCP/IP control panel to the Ethernet and DHCP options. I saved my configuration, opened up my browser and spent the next two hours high-speed surfing with no problems.

I have no problem recommending the Linksys, especially for its ease of setup on a PC and Mac network. While I would have preferred a wireless setup, they've received mixed reviews and I was concerned about Mac compatibility. After seeing how well my Mac performs with this Linksys, I'm ready to make ours a wired household!


Easy to Install. Easy to use.   May 11, 2000
188 out of 196 found this review helpful

I worried this product would be hard to install, configure and use. This sounds silly since I'm an engineer working at a dot-com company, building a large Internet network. Even engineers get stuck with computer hardware they can't get to work. Also, being net savvy, I tend to want my network hardware to work MY way and not in some configuration deemed "good" by marketing monkeys. All fears quickly faded, however as the router was up and running with my network 15 minutes after opening the box.

Ease of use is important, as I frequently distrust technical support for networking products. No fault of Linksys, but years with inept customer service apes, trained only to hold phones, ruined me. If I can not get a product to work in short order when other, equivalent products exist, I quickly return, exchange and try again. Thankfully, I did not have to do so. The Linksys jumped all hurtles without effort.

Ease of use goes past the install to the packaging and into the web-based configuration. The packaging comes with a quick start guide. Smart. Impatient males with more eagerness than brains don't want to read manuals, even short ones. The quick start has everything you need to get online in short order. If you need the advanced features, like port redirection, a DMZ host, or PPP over ethernet, the manual is friendly and the configuration screens are kind. Five minutes after surfing the web, I reconfigured my PC to have a static IP address (rather than the DHCP generated address, given to me by the quick start guide), and set up port redirection for my web server.

DHCP is great, especially if you take tote your laptop between home and work. DHCP is a service, run on a network, allowing computers on the network to ask what their IP addresses, gateways, DNS servers and subnet masks are. The DHCP server replies, allowing computers to dynamically configure themselves based on what network the computer is on. Thus, you can conveniently carry your laptop into work, hook it up without reconfiguring the networking. If you're me, you're likely too lazy to set up a UNIX computer on your network just for a DHCP server. So, having the Linksys Cable/DSL router provide DHCP is a big bonus.

Net novices may wonder if this router is a risk to have. With all the media attention, you likely think an army of computer and network savvy teens are just waiting for you to go online, so they can infect and hack your computer. I've never had a problem, but then, I'm cautious from where I download software and with whom I interact. One risk is placing a bad password on your router, allowing others to reconfigure your network. I envision several lazy people not bothering to change the default password on their Linksys routers, creating some minor havoc.

However, because the router uses network address translation, you have the potential to be safer as outsiders see only the IP address of your router and not your host. So far as I know, the only listening port on the router is the embedded wed server and any in-bound port-forwarding you set up, so people trying to get in, from the outside, will likely rely on you to do something dumb. A few dumb things include an easily guessed password on the router -- your first name, or the word "router" are really terrible ideas -- downloading software from any web page with the words "d00d" or "kewl," or setting up a web server from an old Linux distribution without checking CERT advisories for known security holes. More dumb things exist. Use common sense, but never fear making mistakes; it's just a computer.

If you have several computers in your home and want them all to be networked, the Linksys can do the job. Yes, only 5 ports exist on the back, but 10 megabit per second (MBPS) hubs are less than $30 and 100 MBPS hubs are around $100. Multiples of either hub can be added, to get up to 255 computer on your network. Though, if you have 255 computers, just using hubs will lead to frightening performance problems, but one hopes, anyone with so many computers, knows better.


Rox   June 2, 2000
M. Padilla (Visalia, California)
92 out of 106 found this review helpful

Per LinkSys, USE DHCP. I have a Linux box on my LAN which I was planning to forward FTP, Telnet, etc. requests to. The user manual suggests DHCP should be turned off for this to fly.

Not true.

In the router configuration, specify the starting DHCP IP address as 100. I then configured my Linux box to a static address of 192.168.1.2 and forwarded accordingly via the router's Forwarding tab within the Advanced configuration.

Everything flew as advertised.

Finally, be sure to specify "Client for Microsoft Networks" as the default Primary Network Login and be sure to give your ISP the "WAN ADDRESS" of the router if needed. (my cable modem ISP only hands out a dynamic IP addresses to a specified MAC address - 5 minute phone call to change it)

Curator

BTW, the LinkSys tech support number is 800.326.7114 and is as 24-hour shop. Unfortunately I was picked up by an operator that took down my name and number to be called back "due to heavy call loads". The turnaround time was about an hour and the staff was XLNT once I finally got them on the horn.

Definitely 5 Stars.


Pays for itself in a year   May 30, 2000
Sean Fitzroy (Boston, MA USA)
74 out of 85 found this review helpful

I bought this Router as an alternative to paying an extra $14.95/month to MediaOne just to add a second computer to my cable modem. Set up was super-simple. The documentation is great and the web-based configuration couldn't be easier. HOWEVER.... As the user, "vdpluijm", stated in another review. The tricky part is calling your cable/DSL provider and getting them to switch your service (authentication) without telling them that you bought a router to avoid paying them more money. You'll need to say that you bought a whole new PC (and NOT a router). When the helpful telephone customer service representative asks for your "new computer's" MAC (Ethernet card) address. You need to give him/her/it the WAN MAC address displayed on the Router's web page, all the while, lying about what windows you're looking at on the screen. Other than that, the Internet sharing is great and it's nice to have your own DHCP server for quickly connecting a laptop with no configuration issues. Also, chicks dig the router's many multi-colored flashing lights.


Incredible value   May 22, 2000
James McCarty (Hilliard, Ohio USA)
56 out of 60 found this review helpful

The combination of features and the price make this a great unit. Before I start, a word of warning - I use the product with RoadRunner in Columbus, Ohio; we are a pure DHCP with no login style of cable system; your "mileage" may vary depending or your ISP.

I had this unit setup and working in 5 minutes. 1 - Turn off the cable modem and your PC. 2 - Install the DSL router. (Use good quality NON-crossover cables.) 3 - Turn on the cable modem. 4 - Turn on the DSL router. 5 - Turn on the PC. You are done. For most people, this is all that is needed.

Open your browser and point it to 192.168.1.1 and check the release level of the software. Then, check LinkSys and verify you have the latest version. A couple of the early releases had a few "gotchas".

I have used this router with a combination of machines running NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows 2000 (Professional and Advanced Server), and Red Hat Linux with no problem (There shouldn't have been since this is a standard DCHP server and NAT box.)

I just finished a 60Mb down load with no problem.

Some people may need more functionality than this box delivers (advanced filtering, etc.) This is NOT a $2000 Cisco router and it doesn't try to be. Check you needs and if you are a typical SOHO user; this unit will most likely fill the bill.