Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G - wireless router - 802.11b/g - desktop > Reviews (11)

After purchasing my Acer Laptop (see review) and moving my Desktop PC up into my Boy's room, I decided to delve into the unknown for me and get myself a Wireless Router, that way I could get Broadband all over the house without boring wires through the ceiling and so on.

I picked up a brilliant deal at PC World and got the Linksys Wireless-GBroadband Router and USB Adaptor both for £39.99 as a package deal, individually it would have been around £70.00 so well impressed there.

A bit of technical stuff:-

It states a 35% FASTER download speed (I can back this up and say this is true)

The speed is listed as 125mbps
Gateway Router(DSL)
NAT & SP Firewalls
Windows XP compatiable only

There is also a 24hour phone support line from Linksys.

This router is designed for NTL/Cable/Telewest Customers oly (not BT)

On getting home I opened the first box the Router and followed the instructions which were to insert the CD and follow the on screen instructions. Great until I got to the page asking me for my gateway id, my dsn numbers, my ip address and so on, found myself on the phone to NTL Broadband support (my telephone/broadband provider) for assistance. Managed to retrieve all the relevant numbers and tried to proceed, but it was not having any of it. After around an hour, I gave up, and was fed up.

I then decided to try installing it first via my new Laptop as this was wireless ready, the whole thing then took me around wo minutes, why did I not try this first. It was simply a case of plugging the ethernet cable from my set-top box into the Router, switching on my Laptop and the link was instant, brilliant I thought, I then realised I had to go and take my Desktop upstairs and install the USB Adaptor, dread filled my head, so i planned not to do any other thing for the next hour or two. To my amazement, after inserting yet another disc, plugging in the Adaptor to one of my USB ports, the connection was instant.

I don't know what went wrong the first time I tried installing the Router, whether it was down to me or it was a problem with the installation I am not sure, but in total from the second attempt it took literally minutes. We are both using broadband now upstairs and down and have found no problems whatsoever with the signal. The downloads are much faster and because the main router is downstairs I am able to craftily know when the children are on the internet upstairs by way of a green led light on the front of the unit.

I must say though the fact that this is blue is a bit offputting, you would think it would be black or silver, and the router downstairs has to have its antennas up to receive the best sigal, these extend to only around 2 inches which is not a problem, the unit itself is around 4inches by 6 inches so is easily placed out of the way.

The USB Adaptor is around 2 inches square and does come with a velcro sticky back so you can adhere it to something if wanted. Both units come with the required leads, ie. ethernet cable for router (which is again bright blue) and a USB cable for the Adaptor.

There are also security encrypted meaning nobody else can hack into your computers, making it a very secure device, necessary in this day and age unfortunately.

I think these are a brilliant invention and I am very happy with the signal and have experienced no problems at all.

My son said to be yesterday that we are a family filling up our house with new technology (only wish I had the money to do that) but I do feel a little more with it and hi-tech now. Highly recommend it.