Customer Reviews

Cisco-Linksys BEFSR81 Cable/dsl Router with 8-PT Switch

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

Due to the increasing size of my home network, I decided toupgrade to the 8 port BEFSR81 from the 4 port BEFSR41. The two areidentical in size. A Cable/DSL router is a MUST HAVE for those whowish to share a broadband connection. 99 percent of DSL providersutilize what is known as Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet(PPoE). This works just like a normal dial up connection where youhave a username and a password. Normally, this PPoE is done viasoftware installed on your computer. This has many limitations. First,the host computer must always be on for others to utilze aconnection. In that sense, each computer is not independent of theother.

The Linksys has PPoE software built into it. Each computerplugged into the unit can access the internet independently of eachother. Better yet, you never have to see a username/password screenwhen connecting to the internet.

In addition to allowing one toshare a connection, the Linksys also acts as a hardward firewallpreventing hackers from accessing your computers. A must have! Youcannot be secure enough these days!

The unit is easy enough to useNovice to expert. While they're are many advanced features, it is notimperative to set or configure them. The html based interface of theunit is extremely intuitive and easy to figure out. The unit itselfleaves a very small footprint.

The linksys supports DMZ which isknown as a demilitarized zone. It basically allows one local user tobe exposed to outsiders. It is used for such tasks asvideoconferencing and internet gaming where constant two waycommunication is essential. In addition Quality of Service (QoS) isonly offered on this 8 port model. It allows you to prioritizeinternet tasks such as http, ftp, telnet, etc.... Not really thatimportant unless you have many users on at once.

Many cable modemproviders utilize a system where they "lock" your cablemodem service to either 1 modem, or 1 network card. This is to preventyou from sharing or using your connection with other suchcomputers. They're is a hardware number encoded onto your network cardand modem. This is known as a "MAC" address. To circumventthis, the Linksys cable/DSL router has a box where you enter in theMAC address of the item that the cable modem service is locked to andit will emulate it. Very clever and works very well!.

One thing theLinksys cannot help you with is running cables throughout your houseto different rooms! Right now I have managed to run ethernet cablesthrough 5 different areas of the house. I have networked our homeLaser printer (HP LaserJet 2100TN)and have added a WirelessLAN setupso now with a laptop I can surf via wireless broadband!

A few years ago, I personally went to the trouble of wiring my house for a computer network figuring a wired network would be more reliable than a wireless one. I started with a Linksys BEFSR41 router with 4 ports, and after some initial tweaking, this router worked well for about three years needing only an occasional "reset" to correct any problems. Recently, severe slowdown set in, and no amount of resetting would help so I purchased this BEFSR81. This 8-port router was my choice because I wanted to expand the network to 5 locations. Besides, in today's market, there aren't that many WIRED routers to choose from - WIRELESS seems to rule the marketplace.
Anyway, upon installation, the BEFSR81 experienced severe slowdown just like its predecessor. I checked with my cable internet provider (Comcast), and their signal was coming through okay. I detached the router and ran just one computer directly to the cable modem. It worked great, so the router was definitely the source of the problem.
I contacted Linksys Customer Support and was instructed to download and install some firmware which should correct the problem. No improvement. Back to Customer Support where the usual "power cycle" (unplug router and modem, then re-plug them both in) was suggested, tried, and failed. Finally, the support tech led me through the steps to change the MTU (?) from 1500 to 1490. STILL no improvement. After this the tech said "Wait 24 hours. If the problem persists, call back." Needless to say, I was not confident, but I was too frustrated to bother trying anything else.
24 hours later - no change. BUT, 48 hours after THAT, with no additional intervention from me, everything was great!?! It's been fine for the past 6 weeks now, but don't ask me why.
I'm sorry if this review makes you feel ambivalent toward this router, but that's exactly how I feel.

Linksys BEFSR81 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 8 port 10/100 Switch is one of the best broadband routers out there. This router/hub allows you to share your single internet connection provided by cable modem or DSL to multiple computers.

I used to own the 4-port of the same box and decided to buy the 8-port version when my brother took my 4 port box. This box contains 8 auto-sensing 10/100 ports. Installation is a snap and no software is needed. This box has such advanced functions as dynamic and static port routing, DMZ hosting, filtering and forwarding, and Quality of Service capabilities. And all of these functions can be easily configured through a web browser. It also supports VPN via. IPSec, PPoE and PPTP.

In a nutshell, the Etherfast Cable/DSL router is very simple to operate yet powerful and easy to manage using the web based admin app. A must buy if you need to share your Internet connection. I have about 4 Linksys products near or on my computers now - Great job Linksys.

I liked the specs on this device so I picked one up today. I was especially looking for the QOS abilities as I often have a download in progress (ftp, scp, etc) and I want to give my web and ssh connections priority so I can do real work while the downloads are in progress.

Set it up, nice interface. Set the QOS to the way I wanted it.

Did some web browsing, file transfers, ssh connections.

Then after about 5 minutes I noticed that ftp's would suddenly 'stop' for 10-15 seconds, then resume (using hash mode so I could see progress). This is a linux to linux xfer.

It got really bad, then my web pages started slowing down. I was using MRTG to plot the traffic flow on graphs since the router does SNMP. Traffic showed an average of 56kbps on a 1.54mbps dsl connecting to servers one hop away!

I rebooted my pc, the dsl modem, the router, my flourescent lights and the the kid next door. (ok, I'm kidding about the lights. And the kid) Still jerky downloads, even when NO other traffic on the link.

After about a half hour of frustration, I put my 'old' SMC Baricade (about 2 years old) back. All the issues disappeared.

Sure wanted the QOS, but getting it meant I lost QOS. I hate to say it but I have had problems with other linksys stuff (56k wireless).

Taking it back to Best Buy, sorry guys you'll have to make Linksys pay...

Cisco Makes great stuff. I hope they can apply some of their abilities to Linksys. I hate to put in a negative review, especially since there (may be) other positive reviews. This is just my experience. Also, I am not an 'average consumer' but someone who has experience with 'real 'Cisco stuff, especially ds3 and gigibit routers. Please Cisco, fix these guys stuff!

I built a new house and set up a computer network. I purchased the Linksys BEFSR81 8-port router V3 and when I connected it I was only able to get a 56 kps connection. The firmware upgrade failed. I spent hours on the phone with their support to no avail. I hooked my old Linksys 4-port router up and I got 3350 kps speed to every computer I had connected. I returned it to Radio Shack where I purchased it and they replaced it. The new one came and I got the same result. Linksys asked me to return it to them directly and they would replace it. I did and the one I got from them was the worst of all. It only got a 33 kps connection. The one Linksys sent me had no UPC code so I was unable to return it and they would not return my calls. I wrote to the CEO at Linksys and received no reply. Radio Shack finally allowed me to return it for a refund. I am disappointed with Linksys's attitude on this matter. I decided to use my 4-port router with a 8-port switch and I received outstanding results to all of my machines without any problems. I would not receommend this product, or returning anything to Linksys. Get a refund if it doesn't work.

This product is doing everything I bought it to do, at a very resaonable price. It allows multiple systems to share an ISP broadband connection. It also acts as a firewall (attacks to the home PC have stopped according to NetIce Defender). Please note, that I am only using this product as a gateway and not a router!

Today, I share my ISP connection between home PC and work laptop computers {via a VPN tunneling product). I expect to have additional home computers in the future. I am confident that I'll be able to safely (securely) share printers and files between them.

I particularly liked BEFSR81's ability to configure the WAN port hardware address. This allowed using the home PC hardware address. If needed, this allows easy trouble shooting. I can remove easily remove the Linksys router and test the ISP connection with the home PC. If you do this, I recommend providing the original Linksys hardware address to the ISP in case the programming is removed. I did (no sense jeopardizing your relationship with ISP)!

The documentation was good, except around setting the hardware address. It is clear what to do to the Linksys router, but completely lacking in information about how to determine your computer's hardware address. For MicroSoft operating systems use either winipcfg for Win98 and ipconfig for NT or Win2000.

My last learning of interest, concerns accessing the router after you connect with the ISP. My ISP configured a proxy script on the home PC. I wasn't able to access router until I disabled the script (easily checked on/off in Tools/Internet Connection/LAN settings). This demonstrates the security functionality! The router's LAN address is on your private network. The Linksys router is a firewall between it and the public network containing the proxy server.

Apparently some have success with this unit and some don't. I bought the V3 unit and put the 2.50.2 firmware on it and 50k is the best download speed I can get. Spent time on the phone with LinkSys and they said take it back. Weird thing is, my upload speed is over 200k, about what it should be.

I set up a fairly comprehensive home network with all linksys gear. Three 8 port switches, a BEFSR81, a BEFVP41, and Linksys cable modem. All worked great for about 1 year.

After that time I started losing my internet connection. The problem was the BEFSR81. Only unplugging it/replugging it would clear it. Sometimes the diag light would come on, most of the time everything looked normal. It worked well for a year, but I had it in a very comfortable environment (in my dry basement with fans cooling all - cause I thought all this hardware ran a bit hot.) It seems from all the reviews here that this is the usual way this device goes. As a last ditch effort I was going to reload the firmware and see if that helped, even though I had reset the device several times. When using the linksys firmware install program the install died in the middle of the process and now I can't communicate with it or reset it at all.

I'm done with it. Don't waste your money or time on this product. So far my other linksys hardware has been OK, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I bought a BEFSR81 and worked fine for about month and a half.
Then begun to experience connection drops 2-3 minutes, every day more frequently. One night it dropped connection 3 or four times within an hour and then WAN port stopped working. It was connected to a Cisco 575 VDSL provided by my ISP. Extensive check out with ISP tech support pointed to the BEFSR81 router.
I returned it to my supplier for tech support but couldn't make it work.
I bought a second BEFSR81 and guess what...never worked either!
Then I bougth a D-LINK DI-604 and a BEFSR41.
BEFSR41 had again a connection drop at the fourth day, I had to reset it.
D-LINK is been working solid, not even a glitch. Hope this be useful for Linksys buyers, since, for worst, Cisco -now the owner- said not to support Linksys gear.
I emailed LINKSYS support at support.la@linksys.com
No replay at all.

I ordered it on March 12th, arrived March 16th. I had researched and decided that I wanted this particular router because I wanted 8 100mb fast ethernet ports. I opened the box, followed the instructions and within one hour I had it up and working on 8 pc's and VPN (Virtual Private Network using IPsec to connect into my work network) working on one of them. I had a speed improvement of about 100% from using my main pc as a NAT router using Win98Se Internet Connection Sharing, which is why I went to a dedicated router. All 8 PC's are sharing the net with no problems. I admit I am very experienced at this, but it was still very easy.