Works Well Once Setup

I purchased this on sale for $99 at Staples. I had previously used a wired Linksys router and had very good results with it, so I stuck with the same brand. In addition to the wireless capability of this router, there are also four wired ports for Ethernet ability. The two antennae are removable, and the display on front shows both wired and wireless connection activity. I found the display hard to read, with too-small lettering, and the LCD lights were very dim. You have to try very hard to see these things, but fortunately, it is not something that is necessary to do on a frequent basis.

This was my first attempt at ever setting up a wireless network. Compounding the problems I'll describe later, was the fact that my new laptop used Vista, an operating system totally new to me as well. It required trying to find my way around the operating system at the same time as learning to set up the router.

Now theoretically, you are supposed to be able to pop in the CD with the installation wizard, enter some data, plug in the components, and you are off to surf the Net. My experience was anything but that. The installation wizard would not work for me at all. At the point where it searched for the new network, it could not locate anything. Repeatedly trying produced the same results.

One of the nice things with Linksys routers (and maybe others) is that you can also configure the network via an Internet browser. This was the method I used. Once entering the required settings, I had my network up and running. I have had a few issues with having to "re-find" my network and entering the SSID and passkey a few times, but that could be more from a lack of knowledge on my part and not something associated with the device.

The router has been in operation for the last three weeks. During that time, it has not dropped the signal on me once. The signal has always been strong, regardless of where I am located in my two-story home. I don't know that the Wireless-N feature is any faster than the wired "G" router I was using previously. But it is nice to have the most current platform for future use.

Considering the troubles I had setting this up, I don't know how much of it was my lack of experience or the router's fault. One thing is certain, the Wizard did not work, and that is the easiest method of setup for a person new to wi-fi. But aside from that, this router has worked as well as I would expect it to. My previous wired router had to be reset every week or so by un-plugging it, and I have yet to need to do that with this one. For the price I paid and the performance so far, I am happy with the purchase.