Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Firewall Router (4-Port 10/100 Switch / VPN Endpoint)

Product Description

The linksys BEFSX41 is the perfect solution for connecting a small group of PCs to a high-speed broadband Internet connection, or a 10/100 Ethernet backbone. Acts as the only externally recognized Internet gateway on your local area network ( LAN ) Protects PCs from Ping of Death, SYN Flood, Land Attacks, IP Spoofing & other DoS attacks Blocks Java, ActiveX and Cookies Easily configurable though a Web browser from any networked PC Power Adapter Included Diagnostic LEDs 2H x 8W x 7D; 14 ounces One Year Limited Includes - 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2003 (if not in the box, check www.linksys.com)

Take it out of the box, plug it into your computer while off, add power plug to router, boot your computer, configure the router (defaults already set to my situation), and start using it.

Just follow the instructions that come with the router and the online documentation. Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Firewall Router (4-Port 10/100 Switch / VPN Endpoint)No surprises and no problems. Now that is how I like to add to my desk top.


The router itself is a good box and the installation CD is easy to follow; however, the printed documentation that was packaged with it was obviously out of date. In addition, the Norton firewall software would not load using the Windows 2000 Professional operating system. It requires Windows XP or later, but this wasn't stated on any of the advertising that I read.

When I contacted Linksys about the software (which they supplied), they pleaded complete ignorance and told me I would have to contact Symantec. Although I like the Linksys router and will keep it, this lack of basic "customer support" will certainly cause me to look very hard at someone else's products when making purchases in the future.


This is a fine low-price router. Setup isn't complicated. I ordered this product as a Gateway for all my devices, because I kept losing internet through my Vonage (Linksys) router/phone adapter. My wife complained a lot and looked accusingly at me every time she lost the internet. I installed behind my Zoom Cable modem (which works great--I don't recommend the Motorola Surfboard modems provided by Comcast, which habitually lost connections and had us swearing at Comcast for two years before I finally ditched their lousy hardware). The Vonage router is now connected to this router--behind its Firewall. A separate cable leads from this router to a Linksys router/wireless adapter which feeds all my computers. This system has worked flawlessly now for a week. Computers can communicate and see all the printers, which wasn't working before the switch. No lost connections. I'm sure one could spend two or three times as much and get a fancier product, but I recommend this BEFSX41 router/firewall for a household on a budget. My only caveat is that the documentation is minimal, but that seems to be true for most all of these economy products these days. They've got to economize somewhere with all the cheapskates, like myself, who want the technology for $50 or less. Setup isn't particularly difficult, however. Linksys has done a good job of minimizing complexity for a product aimed at the low-end home network market. The product I got (from Tiger Direct) doesn't have all the lights shown on the BEFSX41 listing in Amazon, so Linksys seems to have multiple variants under the same product identifier. My wife has stopped complaining about lost internet connections--that's success in my book.


I got this router when out company switched to VPN for remote desktop connections to increase security. This is one of the worst routers I have ever used, and I returned it to Amazon after about a week. The longest uptime I have ever seen was about 12 hours. Their support was horrible, and told me that they would not support the product at all if I upgraded the firmware from their website. I have since switched to netgear VPN routers, and those have been up for about 2 years now. I used to recommend Linksys, but now I tell people to stay away, or carefully check the model and version number, and compare them to the reviews.


2 1/2 months into using our new Linksys BEFSX41 router I went to connect to the Internet and the router was dead (this was last night...I'm using an 8 year old HP Gateway Router right now). I have included what lead to my reason why I only give the router 3 stars to save others from wasting their time with product support.

With 25+ years of working with computer software and hardware, it didn't take me long to surmise that the power adapter was no longer functioning-it wasn't warm despite being plugged into a functioning surge suppressor overnight. I doubted it was the router that was the problem. My husband further tested the power adapter with a power meter and the adapter was indeed dead (we also checked another adapter that we knew was working to verify the power meter was functioning properly, it was).

I checked the Linksys web site to see about a warranty issue since it was past the 30 day Amazon warranty. I found that there was an option to replace a defective power adapter with no need to return the defective unit (that was a clue that there is obviously an "issue" with the power adapters if they have their own RMA Option). I figured "cool, this should be easy"...famous last words. I now needed to get an RMA# to have a new adapter sent...unfortunately, this meant calling the Linksys/Cisco "outsourced to god knows where" tech support (I have a better name..."waste of time NO-support".

I ended up having to call THREE times because the first person didn't give me an RMA# before hanging up (although he did agree with me that it was most likely the power adapter). My second call I was put on hold for just shy of 15 minutes with dead air before I finally hung up. My third and final call stuck me with an unbelievable airhead. After starting to ask me questions about an "ethernet card" (NIC), which had NOTHING to do with the router, she proceeded to ask me the same questions over and over, even though I had already answered her ("when did you buy the router?"...March 19th, "where did you buy the router?"...Amazon.com..."how many lights are on the front of the router?"...None, there's no power getting to it..."so the power light isn't even on?"....No. (this went for three rounds!)

Even though I explained that there was no power getting to the router because the power adapter was not emitting power, she proceeded to have me "reset" the ROUTER using the reset button. HELLO? There's no power getting to the router so resetting it won't do any good. I went ahead and held the stinking button in for 30 seconds. Now she says "how many lights are on the front of the router?"...NONE! There's no power getting to the router!... And do you know what her response was??? "Okay, your router is defective. You will need to return it"....I held my tongue. I didn't say what I really wanted to say to this poor excuse for tech support.

I got the RMA# I needed, checked the box for "replace defective power supply" option on the Linksys RMA web site page and proceeded with my request to have a new power adapter sent.

So, the moral of my story...If you can help it, avoid the Linksys/Cisco "tech support", because in my opinion, it's a complete waste of time and another fine example of useless foreign outsourcing...corporate America, BRING THE JOBS BACK TO THE U.S. for pete's sake!


This unit was purchased following a very unfavorable experience with a comparable Netgear product, RP614V, which totally failed to operate. This unit was programmed and operable in the system within less than 30 min. Continues to operate as expected.


I have BEFSX41 version 2, firmware 1.52.15.

Pros:
1) It is easy to use
2) Not too expensive
3) Switch and VPN works very well.

Cons:
1) BEFSX41 will crash and reboot when under heavy load. For example, if you use BitTorrent with more than 50 connections.
2) BEFSX41 will drop your connection or fragmented the packets. For example, MSN / Skype would connect, but every 5 to 10 mintues it would get disconnected.






I've been using this product daily for almost a month and it is the most frustrating experience of my life! It constantly loses the internet connection and then once I disable my internet connection and enable it again, it loses the IP address for my remote printer.


Why do I keep buying Linksys? I purchased a BEFSR41 wired router less than a year ago and it has already died. It gets no power, so it's totally dead. I hated it already anyway, as it would shut down repeatedly, although it would generally come back by cycling the power off and on. But no more - garbage time. Had constant problems with Linksys wireless routers before so I thought wired would be more stable - wrong.

I will never, ever buy another Linksys product. Be warned!


I had three of these routers. After about a year all of them stopped working. Not even a physical network connection. Even when they worked it was always intermittent at best. I purchased a slightly different model of linksys router from a different place later on. It also stopped working after a few months. I have subsequently purchased the cheapest Belkin product I could find at a local store to replace these units. The new routers I bought are in the same locations, performing the same functions as the linksys routers. The new routers work. I have never had to reset my belkin router in the 9 months I have had it in my home. Bottom line: linksys makes junk. Don't buy it.

About Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Firewall Router (4-Port 10/100 Switch / VPN Endpoint) detail

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3418 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Linksys
• Model: BEFSX41
• Platforms: Windows 2000 Server, Windows, Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows NT 5, Windows NT 4, Windows NT 3.5, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows NT
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 7.00" h x 2.00" w x 8.00" l, 4.00 pounds
• CPU: AMD Athlon 1 GHz
• Memory: 128000MB DRAM
• Hard Disk: 1GB
• Processors: 1
• Native resolution: 640x480
• Display size: 669.2913385827

Features

• WAN Ports - 4 10/100 Mbps RJ-45
• Warranty - 1 year
• VPN Support - Up to 2 IPSec
• Weight - 13.3 oz.

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

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)

I give this product 5 stars because it works pretty well. I give it -4 stars because it took 2.5 weeks to get it to work. I read all of the mixed reviews before ordering the BEFSR41 router, but my coworker assured me that this was the one to get. I was told that you just plug it in and it works.
When I received the thing from Amazon, I inserted the CD that it says to insert before doing anything else, and I followed the onscreen instructions. At the last step, where I assume the software configures the router, it gave the error message, "router not found." So, I repeated the instructions more than once but with the same end result. I'm not a network guy, so I didn't know how to make this thing work off the top of my head. I consulted my coworker who gave me a convoluted set of instructions, and I read a few forum posts whose solutions were vaguely comparable. After trying all these ideas, and after all the aggravation and frustration, the router still didn't work.
In the end (two and a half weeks later), I found another article that suggested something I hadn't tried yet. What finally made this thing work was getting into the web-browser interface where you can adjust the settings for the router, and simply clicking on the "Clone the PC's MAC address" button. After saving the settings, the thing began working like a champ.
So, that's what worked for me. From what I read, it could be different for other people, depending on the setup. I have 2 PCs and an Xbox 360 plugged into the router and everything works fine now. I'm surprised that a big company like Cisco would market a product that's so hard to make work. There isn't even a paper manual for the router. You have to explore the installation CD for the pdf manual. Who wants to read or flip back and forth through a 70 page document on their laptop? Maybe it's my fault that I didn't call support, but I didn't feel like getting the runaround, and I didn't want to go changing a bunch of settings on the PC to make the thing work. Overall, 1/5 stars.


We owned one of these routers for 4 years, and it was perfect. The item was easy to set up and never failed. We stopped using it only when we acquired a new IP provider that sent us a router and modem, all-in-one. Which, by the way, is not as good.

Linksys really makes a great product.


Product was suppose to be in excellent shape but wasn't. Seller did refund payment, but had difficult time contacting seller and have contacted seller since refund, but still no reply. Cannot return item if no address known to return. Plus product was not as described, so I lose shipping amount if I do return.


I'm attempting to put a dent in the ratings and persuade others not to buy this product. I've had 2 of these, replaced the initial one a year ago after talking to Linksys and determining that it had malfunctioned. I purchased a D-link EBR-2310 a month ago and after installing it (5 minutes) I haven't touched it. The second Linksys I had to reboot every few days, sometimes twice a day. My fastest internet speed tests were plus 10Mb, and after a day or so my bandwidth would degrade and come to a crawl (300Kb). It was so frustrating.

The Linksys wave has crashed, get on a different one. I've gone through 2 Access Points, 2 Range Extenders and now 2 Routers by Linksys. I'm fed up with their products.


I needed a switch so I can use my xbox without paying [...] bucks a semester to have internet to it through the campus. I couldn't use a router but in the title it said switch. So just to let everyone know this is a router not a switch as described in the title


I bought a Linksys 4-port wired router (Befsr41ver4.1) at the beginning of 07. Setup was a breeze, just plug it in and go literally. The utility disc that was enclosed didn't even work properly. You could get up to the point where it asked you to log in to the router and that was it, it would not take the pre-configured username and password. Warning sign #1. After about a year my wife and I were playing FFXI one night and it crashed the connection we couldn't get back on for days. After getting that taken care of the PC would connect through the router but the PS2 would not. I try to get to the router set-up page through my web browser like it tells me to, no luck can't navigate to it at all. Warning #2. I call Linksys customer support and find out I need to port forward and to even garner that much info I had to pay for a warrenty extension $29.95 out the window.

I send repeated E-mails to Square-Enix for the port numbers I need to configure, 16 days later and an all nighter to catch a live tech support rep becaues SE dont answer e-mails obviously. I get my numbers get on the phone with the support from Linksys, give them my case number and find out I have to pay an ADDITIONAL 29.95, extended warrenty only good for 15 days, they failed to mention that tidbit of important information.
6 hours later with the tech support and I get my router back online and all is right with the world.

That was 5 monthes ago as I'm writing this I am direct connect to my DSL modem that router fouled out again. I still cannot access the set-up page through my browser window. I call linksys and they want another 29.95 or I'm out of luck, I tell them to shov^ it. I will not reccomend this thing to anybody even though it lasted a over a year-ish its been nothing but trouble.


Extremely easy to set up. I had used a wireless router previously, but found I was sensitive to the radio waves (sounded like high-pitched buzzing) and bought this all-wired router instead. When I tried to unplug and replug the new router to further cut down on EMFs during the night, it had trouble reinitializing, but Linksys Tech Support was very helpful in setting up some custom, manual settings to prevent that problem. We are using it with one PC and two Macs, and have no issues with it now.


This product was a great price. Very easy to set-up and get going. Great purchase!!


The router was easy enough to set up. However, contacting a knowledgeable technical support rep when setting up my network with the Xbox 360 & LIVE services was not. The technical support dept. obviously has varrying degree's of knowledgeable personnel. After the THIRD time calling I had a rep who knew what to do to open the proper ports for use with Xbox LIVE services. Good product, but a crap shoot when you call for technical support.


I bought this wireless router for use with my RoadRunner cable services. I work from home and run a variety of network intensive tasks, throw in a wife and a Wii and this router has taken care of everything with only a minor quirk or two all year.

At home my network consists of CentOS 5.2 servers, a Windows Vista Home Premium Desktop, two Vista laptops (Business and Home Premium), a MacBook, a Windows XP machine, and Virtual Machines up the wazoo. The 4 ports are full, everything else is run through the wifi including the new Wii. I port forward HTTP, FTP, SSH, Oracle, and Terminal Services through to statically assigned IP addresses and everything else is making use of the routers DHCP services. In short -- I think it is getting a pretty good test!

Setup was a breeze, but that is standard for Linksys routers I have found. The instructions were clear and would allow an absolute idiot to set this up although I didn't need them being familiar with their other routers.

I live in a largish apartment, and rather than being in a central location the router is squirreled away in the corner office on top of a desktop and below my TV - not ideal I know but the coverage throughout the apartment is always at maximum strength, is as fast as can be expected and I am happy. I often play online games in my living room on the opposing side of the apartment without problems of laggyness.

I first turned on the router in July 2007. It is now November 2008 and it has been reset maybe four or five times during that period. Wi-Fi services disappeared forcing me to power off and on again however considering that this is a router based on home usage rather than a fully fledged commercial enterprise I can handle that. So yes, I don't get my 99.9999% uptime, but I think the five minutes this router has cost me over the last 16 months is rather trivial.

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

• Amazon Sales Rank: #653 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Linksys
• Model: BEFSR41 R2
• Platforms: Windows 2000 Server, Mac OS X, Mac OS 9 and below, Windows, Windows XP, Windows Me, PowerMac, Windows NT 5, Windows NT 4, Windows NT 3.5, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Macintosh, Windows NT
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 2.75" h x 9.75" w x 11.25" l, 2.69 pounds
• CPU: PowerPC G4 2.1 GHz
• Memory: 2000MB SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 1GB
• Processors: 1

Features

• Weight - 11.04 oz.
• Warranty - 1 year
• Standards - IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u

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