Editorial Review

Early Adopters Pick: January 2003. The first high-speed wireless networking router to use the 802.11g standard, which is four times faster than the current standard (802.11b) and backwards compatible.

The Linksys Wireless-G broadband router is really three devices in one box. First, it's a wireless access point, which lets you connect Wireless-G or Wireless-B devices to the network. There's also a built-in four-port full-duplex 10/100 switch to connect your wired-Ethernet devices. Connect four PCs directly, or daisy-chain out to more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need. Finally, the router function ties it all together and lets your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection.

To protect your data and privacy, the Wireless-G broadband router can encrypt all wireless transmissions, and it supports the industrial-strength wireless security of 802.1x authentication and authorization. The router can serve as a DHCP server, has NAT technology to protect against Internet intruders, supports VPN pass-through, and can be configured to filter internal users' access to the Internet. Configuration is a snap with the Web browser-based configuration utility.

With the Linksys Wireless-G broadband router at the center of your home or office network, you can share a high-speed Internet connection, files, printers, andmultiplayer games with the flexibility, speed, and security you need!

Wireless-G is the 54 Mbps wireless networking standard that's more than four times faster than the widely deployed Wireless-B (802.11b) products found in homes, businesses, and public wireless hotspots around the country. But since they share the same 2.4 GHz radio band, Wireless-G devices can also interoperate with existing 11 Mbps Wireless-B equipment.

Because both standards are built-in, you can protect your investment in existing 802.11b infrastructure, and migrate to the new screaming-fast Wireless-G standard as your needs grow.

For more information on the differences between an access point and a router with access point, see the following table:

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Reviews (25)

Excellent magazine for novices and advanced users alike
When I bought PC World at a store, the cover looked appealing. It had an advice on how to surf the Internet trouble free. So I brought it home and started reading it. I was amazed! I have never read a magazine cover to cover before, but I read this one word for word. This mag is filled with tons of reviews of best software and new gadgets. It also has unbiased articles written in a balanced simple English and technical language on computing in general. Perhaps the best part about the magazine is the CD they include with it. iT is filled with PC World recommended software that will make your life much easier.
IF you never heard of PC World, you don't know what you're missing. Go to the nearest store and ask for the copy. You'll be glad you did

Informative, useful
After switching from Mac OS to Windows a few years ago, I needed a PC-oriented magazine to get me well versed in the new vernacular.I took a look at PC Magazine and was disgusted by the number of errors and the dearth of useful content; man, I thought, this is why Mac users laugh at PC guys.Then I picked up PC World at the suggestion of a friend and, wow, within minutes I filled out the subscription card and sent for my subscription.

PC World is good because it's informative and useful.It covers things you want to know as a PC user.It does not slant toward hardware (like the modders-only Maximum PC) or software, and it doesn't waste space telling you why you should buy a Mac G5, which, oddly enough, PC Mag tries to do.PC World is a well-balanced, informational magazine for general PC users.If you want more expert-oriented stuff you might want things like Windows Mag or other more specific magazines, but for general computing, PC World is the best.Each issue is packed with stuff you can use, either in your daily computing or to impress your friends at the new year's party.

Features

• Compatible with Windows 2000 or XP
• Connects your desktop or notebook to a wireless network at up to 54 Mbps when used with a USB 2.0 port
• Easy, no-tools setup on any desktop or notebook
• Also compatible with Wireless-B networks (at 11 Mbps)
• Wireless communications are protected by up to 128-bit data encryption

Reviews (52)

Bad Adapter
This Adapter sucks. It won't work with our toshiba tivo as a network ADAPTER!

Great unit if used wisely
As a long time fan of LinkSys, with some exceptions on early versions, I upgraded my WUSB12 (802.11b) to their equivalent WUSB54G (802.11g/b).The upgrade was trivial, in part, because I was familiar with the language, technology and simily products.

When buying wireless equipment from any vendor keep in mind that the version number for the hardware and software is as important as the model number. In this case, the software CD came with an obsolete version 1.0, while a downloaded version 2.0 was available online. The earlier version would not work with hidden SSID's

As with many LinkSys products, which are build using real computer chips and open-source operating systems, they produce some heat. To minimize the negative consequences of heat use the chimney effect. I always mount units vertically, and if possible with with air under the unit. Keep the unit coooool, and like all equipment, it will last forever.

Another issue is that the range of wireless depends very strongly on the enviroment, not just the vendor. In one room, local hot-spots, no more than a few inches in diameter, producd a 10 dB change in sensitivity (3:1 in signal strength). The best location for my WUSB54g turned out to be on the side of the monitor, where internal metal at the correct distance acted as a corner reflector, significantly amplifying the signal.

Using the LinkSys WRT54G as the base station, I got about 35 dB signal-to-noise ratio providing 54Mbps bandwidth going through at least 4 very solid walls with wood not metal lath. Antennas on both the base and remote station need not only to be positioned wisely but also oriented along the same axis.

Finally, if you use the most advanced features, or if you combine the unit with differnt vendors and technology, especially with WinXP SP2 on WPA, the probability of having problems increases dramatically. Regardless of what the literature says, no vendor can test the millions of combinations. Bugs happen and you may be the only one to experience a particular kind of bug if your environment is not typical of the rest of the world. And technical support is way down on the corporate food chain.

As we say, KISS (keep it simple stupid) and the technology will work fine. That means you should not load Beta firmware or other 3rd party stuff unless you want to be a bleeding edge victum. Follow, do not lead, when it comes to high technology, even if the price is the same as that of a hamburger.

Editorial Review

In the past, people creating a home network had to choose between string ing cheap Ethernet cable all over the house or spending tons of cash on a slow, unreliable wireless system. Products like the BEFW11S4 wireless four-port cable/ DSL router from Linksys have changed all that. This unit works as an Internet ga teway, traditional four-port Ethernet hub, and wireless Ethernet hub; is easy to install; and is relatively inexpensive. With the Linksys cable modem and wireless Ethernet adapter we tested with the unit, everything worked like a charm with next to no configuration hassles.

The BEFW11S4 is chunkier than a standard Ethernet switched hub, but is so versatile that a little extra bulk is acceptable. Basic installation involves little more than plugging in the power cord and connecting the Ethernet output from your cable or DSL modem to an input port on the back of the device. Four Ethernet ports on the back accept connections from computers with standard network interface cards, while two antennas on the back handle the unit's wireless capabilities. The standard ports operate at up to 100 Mbps, while the 802.11b technology allows for wireless transmissions at up to 11 Mbps. That's not the blazing-fast performance you'd get from more expensive 802.11a or 802.11g wireless products, butis more than enough to handle Internet connection sharing, LAN gaming, and normal file transfer duties.

This product's forte is Internet connection sharing, as it serves as a single point of contact for every computer attached to a home network. All your ISP sees is one IP address sending and receiving Internet traffic, even though several computers on the other side of the BEFW11S4 might be accessing the Internet at the same time. The other nice thing about this setup, as opposed to standard Internet connection-sharing software, is that no particular PC must be turned on before the others on the network can access the Internet. As long as the BEFW11S4 is running, any PC can get on the Web.

Although the device is surprisingly easy to set up, a Web-based interface is available that lets advanced users access security settings, permissions, and a variety of other options. It is easy to use and can be accessed by any PC on the network without having to install special software. The unit itself provides plenty of feedback, as it is equipped with several LEDs that indicate the status of each standard connection, along with the wireless signal. There also is an uplink port on the back that lets users add more hubs, switches, or other devices as their network grows.

The router performed as expected in tests, providing fast 100 Mbps speeds to two basement computers using the standard Ethernet ports and a steady 11 Mbps signal to a third PC located upstairs and about 40 feet laterally from the base transmitter. The strength of the wireless signal is entirely dependent on the conditions in which the device is used, but most home users shouldn't have a problem reaching any one room of their house from any other room.

Perhaps the only drawback to the BEFW11S4 is that if installation doesn't go as smoothly as it did for us, configuring the device could be difficult for novice users. It's designed to be a plug-and-play unit, but there are hundreds of seriously advanced settings lurking under that friendly façade that can really mess things up if they are not configured properly. The good news is that most users likely won't have any problems, and once the BEFW11S4 is set up it works so smoothly and seamlessly that you'll forget it's there after a while. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Easy installation, seamless operation
• Makes it very easy to share an Internet connection
• Powerful configuration options for those who want to get their hands dirty

• Wireless Ethernet adapters to connect to a PC must be purchased separately
• 802.11b transmission speeds are pokey compared to more modern standards

For more information on the differences between an Access Point and a Router wit h Access Point, see the following table:

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Reviews (68)

Lots of Flash, No Bang.
Wired purports to be a cutting edge high tech magazine. In fact, it is little more than a Nerd's version of People magazine, with a lot of short, unconnected articles purporting to offer inside information from the tech community. It is most likely to be of interest to Gamers (and has lots of ads addressed to that crowd).

The best thing about it is its (expensive) graphics, but that doesn't justify wasting your time or money on it.

BEWARE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
I got a letter from a collecting agency stating WIRED hired them "to write you as to why payment has not been made as of this letter date." The letter ends in a bold, italicized threat:

"This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose."

I never subscribed to this magazine yet I got this letter. I called the handy number right at the top of the "bill" and I was forwarded to a recording with the following instructions:

press "1" to make payment
press "2" if already paid
press "3" never received subscription
press "4" never renewed subsciption
press "5" never ordered subscription


I pressed 5, and that was that. Talk about a low way to get subscribers. This is bottom feeding. Magazines used to offer you incentives. Now they threaten to louse up your credit rating.

Anyway, I am writing this to inform and warn existing and future subscribers about this magazine. Based on the options given above, not only "non-subscribers" like me get a letter from a collecting agency to subscribe to this magazine, but also existing subscribers who did not renew their subscriptions.

I think this is taking guerilla marketing a bit too far - not only are you being billed for something you didn't order, but they're skipping right over you and sending your name directly to a collection agency.

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Reviews (5)

Essential for recording music on your PC
By all means you should pick up an issue to see if it's your "cup of tea" before shelling out for the fairly expensive subscription; with that said, it is a VERY informative magazine, with very helpful tutorials on all the major software programs (Cubase, Sonar, FLStudio, etc.) as well as some great free programs and samples each month. Go check out their Web site, which has many of their tutorials listed athttp://www.computermusic.co.uk - if you like them here, you'll like the magazine. I think it's great, but check it out for yourself online first.

My favorite DAW Mag!
Out of all the recording magazines in the market,CM differs from others because it is a very hands on, tutorials, tips and hint type magazine.
It is very interactive , and that makes it more fun for me.
It feels much less advertisment crowded then the American ones. (CM is made in UK).
Besides, the CD that comes glued to the cover includes a bunch of freebies (many plugins, full softwares and demo softwares) that is worthed waaaaaayyyy over the cover or subscription price. Might be good idea to buy one issue on the newstand first (about $13.00) and check if it is what you're looking for.

Expensive but sometimes has great content
I cannot now, and would never, subscribe to a magazine that costs this much unless it were double the number of issues (13 issues for $137 is way too much). However, I do recommend this magazine to casual buyers (walk in to the store, see an issue you like, buy it) because some issues have great tutorials (with lots of great visuals so that you know you're in the right place), tech explanations, music theory articles (which surprised me in a "tech toy music" magazine), gearlust news and, sometimes, very useful software and audio samples on the free CDs.

The magazine is in full color on slightly larger pages than most magazines (part of the high cost is here in the design). The pages are laid out very well and information is clear and well written. Low on actual informational content, but rich on visuals. I certainly recommend this magazine as an occasional purchase now and then, but not a full subscription (at least, not at $137).