Lowest Price Linksys WRT54G2 Wireless-G Broadband Router

HISTORY

The router replaced a BELKIN PRE-N that I used for 3-4 years. The strength of the Belkin connection had been about 3- 4 (5 being max on my computer). I work on an H-P 530 notebook, about 50' from the router. My service is Charter high-speed cable in Los Angeles.

I wanted a faster and stronger router. This Linksys router has given me a signal strength of 3 max, and less during peak hours. It has dropped the signal about three times in six days, during routine web surfing and streaming video. I'm considering returning it.


INSTALLATION

The router was installed about a week ago. Installation was so mixed up that it stretched over an evening and a morning.

Using the included installation CD, there were times when I was unsure about which options to select, with the result that I repeated some of the install steps. There are install icons but very little text. I'm no expert (nor are most consumers), so I need things to be clear. They were not clear to me.

During install there was a message to the effect of "configuring computer, please wait," along with a spinning circle. Well, I waited for a couple of hours, as the screen does not give any indication of how long I should wait. It was my first router install, so I had no experience with a normal process.

Circle still spinning, I finally went to bed and sometime during the night configuration was finished. Since the "manual" is on the CD, and I was in a holding pattern with that screen, there was no way to double-check the configuration steps.

In my view, this is a BIG drawback. Cisco, improve the CD or include written instructions.


APPEARANCE

The router is sleek and compact, with internal antennas. The lights/symbols on this router are easy to understand and perfectly mimic the lights on my modem..

Packaging is clean and appealing, but the router specifications are mentioned only in very tiny print on the side of the box. This makes it difficult to comparison shop.. Comparable brand boxes are much clearer.


IMHO

The router is OK but not necessarily a substantial upgrade. Installation is evidently not hard for some people, but can be confusing.

In many cases, size, shape and speed of the router may be an improvement, and reception may be much better at closer range. Operative term is "may be."

Would only recommend to a friend who has a pretty old router and can be satisfied by modest improvement, modest cost..
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