Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2)

by Cisco

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000AXU76E
• Item model number: WRT54GX2
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 is really three devices in one box. First, there's the Wireless Access Point, which lets you connect Wireless-G, Wireless-B, and other performance-enhanced SRX devices to the network. There's also a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices together. Finally, the Router function ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection.

The Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 combines smart antenna technology with standards-based Wireless-G (802.11g) networking. By overlaying the signals of two Wireless-G compatible radios, the "Multiple In, Multiple Out" (MIMO) technology effectively doubles the data rate. Unlike ordinary wireless networking technologies that are confused by signal reflections, MIMO actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce "dead spots" in the wireless coverage area. The robust signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections up to twice as far as standard Wireless-G. And the farther away you are, the more advantage you get--the higher data rate and reflection-friendly technology can yield up to 6 times more throughput than Wireless-G in some situations. The router avoids interference by dynamically switching to the clearest channel available. Even your standard Wireless-G and -B equipment will work better when communicating with SRX-enabled devices.

To help protect your data and privacy, the Router can encode all wireless transmissions with industrial-strength WPA2 encryption. It can serve as your network's DHCP Server, has a powerful SPI firewall to protect your PCs against intruders and most known Internet attacks, and supports VPN pass-through. Configuration is a snap with the web browser-based configuration utility.

With the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 at the center of your home or office network, you can share a high-speed Internet connection, files, printers, and multi-player games with flexibility, speed, and security!

Features and Benefits

• Internet-sharing Router, 4-port Switch, with a built in speed and range enhanced Wireless-G (802.11g) Access Point
• Shares a single Internet connection and other resources with Ethernet wired, Wireless-G, -B, and other SRX devices
• New SRX technology: the farther away, the more advantage--up to 6 times faster than standard Wireless-G (802.11g)
• SRX also increases wireless range up to twice as far and reduces dead spots in coverage area

Product Description

Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a piece of junk!, March 19, 2006

By 

Brandon T. Green (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2) (Personal Computers)

I have had pretty good success with Linksys products in the past and I would consider myself an above average user. So when I read some negative feedback about this product I figured it was just some user configuration issues. Was I wrong!!!

It wireless fuction worked off and on for a couple of weeks before I exchanged the model at the store. The second model had the same problem. During my 2 months of dealing with this nightmare I must have spent 30 to 40 hours on the phone with tech support. The first time I was on hold for over 3 hours. I had to reexplain the issues to tech support each time (you would think they could just read the case notes!!). EVERY time they asked if I was using a Linksys adapter card or if I was running WPA security. Each time I politely explanined that I did not have a Linksys card and that I would like to run WPA because the box, literature and website all said the device was backwards compatible with any b/g device and that it supported WPA. I finally gave up and turned off all security features and I still had the same problem.

Do not buy this router!! The frustration that is involved if it does not work with an internal Intel wireless card is unbelievable. And the tech support is all done from India, which is fine, but there is a real language barrier sometimes.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love this router, January 21, 2006

By 

S. Anderson "BabiesOnline" (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2) (Personal Computers)

I've had several Linksys routers in the past and liked them OK ... I switched to DLink for a little while and HATED their product (not to mention it died after a month). So I purchased the WRT54GX2 and LOVE IT. You don't need the Linksys wireless card accessory to take advantage of the increased speed either - any old wifi receiver will do. The reception range is incredible (two story house with large backyard and I've found no dead spots yet!) I feel fairly safe behind the easy to navigate firewall options, and it has not needed to be reset once since I got it four months ago (that's a first for any router). My only complaint, and the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars, is that we couldn't get our Nintendo DS online with it ... apparently the WRT54GX2 just won't do it. But I'm fine with that since my kids are little and I don't need to worry about them on the internet with their game boys. If you want a dependable router that does what it says it does, but this product.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The SRX200 is a great, reliable router!, January 19, 2007

By 

J. T Tatsuda "Computer Techie" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router with SRX200 (WRT54GX2) (Personal Computers)

I setup and install wireless networks for a living, and this router has certainly been bad for my business :-) I have installed around 20 of them for small (mostly home) networks, and after they get installed, none of my customers has to call me about router problems. (This is the "bad for business" part.)

Just make sure that you go and download the latest firmware for the router off of the Linksys.com web site. You might even want to save the firmware on your PC before installing the router so you can do the firmware update immediately.

Of course, since I do this for a living, I don't use the install wizard(s) so I don't know how easy or hard the router is to configure properly if you are a newbie in this area.

Finally, the main reason I recommend this router to my customers is definitely not speed. You would essentially need to purchase all new wireless adapters to get the speed boost advertised. However, speed is not the major concern of most of my customers - but distance from router is a big concern. Many of my customers have big homes or "roomy" businesses where a typical G54 router cannot cover the entire home/business. This router increases the distance one can be from the router by 1.5 to 2 times when compared with a typical G54 router.

With the current price of less than $60, this router is a great buy!