I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless Access Point Router for my home network. It is about 2 1/2 years old, and it's working fine. I am about to replace my computer, and I have no idea whether or not I should get a new router. Has the technology changed enough so that this is advisable? Would appreciate some advice. Thanks in advance.
Ma No
Yes, by all means upgrade, there are good reasons to do that.
First is security. That router, even with all the firmware upgrades, can only offer 128-bit WEP encryption to secure your wireless communications. Nowadays, it is possible to crack that in 15 minutes or so with tools which are available to any script kiddie. This is a serious security hole in your network.
Second is speed. As a B standard router, it is limited to a max (rated) 11 Mbps transmission rate on your wireless connection. Current G standard is for 54 Mbps (rated) and N is promising to go beyond that (currently you'll see pre-N stuff).
Third is features. There are far more configuration features available for today's routers, even for Linksys. Parental control filtering, time-based blocking, and a lot more. Look up the reviews to get an idea.
The only reason would be to get the faster speeds on your home network as the BEFW11S4 is 802.11b.
On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:01:49 -0300, speeder wrote:
Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.