SMEs looking to share broadband access need a pain-free way to connect to the Net. And, while they may want wireless hookups for some PCs, they may need cabled connections for printers and other devices without wireless capability.
Enter this Swiss-Army-knife product. In full, its name is rather intimidating: EtherFast Wireless AP + Cable/DSL Router with 4-port Switch, model number BEFW11S4. In short, it bridges wired and wireless networks transparently. You not only share your cable or ADSL broadband connection wirelessly, you can create a wired LAN too, with all wired and wireless devices being able to access each other's resources.
The unit comes with a thick, well-illustrated manualââ,¬"one of the several pleasant surprises we got from this product. To round off the already good help package, the CD-ROM also comes with clear, well-shot videos showing you how to connect and configure the product.
The book-sized unit came with an electronic power converter, which was another happy discovery. These notebook-style power units are light and durable, unlike the usual heavy iron-core adaptors that come with cheaper consumer electronics. This is the first time we've seen an electronic power adaptor bundled with a low-priced network device.
After hooking up the Ethernet cables, we were able to access the access point's configuration settings through its URL with Internet Explorer.
Do note that the Linksys AP cannot take the place of your cable or ADSL modem. It connects to either through an Ethernet cable.
Five minutes after hook up, we were on the Net, with one PC using up one of the four wired ports on the access point and a notebook with a yLez wireless network adaptor card connected through the airwaves. The setup experience was one of the easiest we've had.
If you want to connect the EtherFast to more switches or hubs, one of the four ports can be used as an uplink port, saving you the effort of looking for a crosslinked cable.
If you're the type who can't be fussed about the arcana of security and networking options, you can skip ahead and have a working network in a few minutes. But if you're keen to milk the last ounce of protection, there is plenty to play with.
For example, there are the basics such as the WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol), which goes up to 128 bits. It goes all the way up to MAC address filtering, which lets you specify the hardware IDs of the machines allowed on your network. However, being a consumer-level device, don't expect to find corporate-strength network security on the Linksys Etherfast such as VPN (Virtual Private Network) features.
In our office, we were able to maintain real-world throughput (as measured by NetIQ's QCHECK benchmarking software) at about 1.8Mbps even up to 20 metres away and behind several thin walls. Our benchmarks also showed that the EtherFast unit matched our much more expensive corporate Orinoco access point in network speeds.
In sum, the Linksys EtherFast BEFW11S4 is a very commendable all-in-one product that's good value for money. At a price of $695 it's a great choice for small businesses looking for convenience, performance and ease of use.
| Product: | Linksys EtherFast Wireless AP |
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| Price: | AU$695 |
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| Vendor: | Servex Australia |
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| Phone: | 02 8745 8416 |
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| Web: | www.linksys.com |
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| Interoperability: |  Interoperable with 802.11b (DSSS) 2.4GHz- compliant equipment. |
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| Futureproofing: |
Convienient and easy to use, but only suitable for small businesses. |
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| ROI: |
A good product that provides value for money |
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| Service: |
1-year return to base Phone 02 8745 8416 E-mail asiasupport@linksys.com |
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| Rating: |
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6%
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