Cisco Syst. 851 Ethernet SOHO Security Router CISCO851 K9
Normal Price:$440.73
Our Price:$256.95
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Manufacturer: CISCO SYSTEMS - ENTERPRISE
Model: CISCO851-K9
Binding: Electronics
Publisher: CISCO SYSTEMS - ENTERPRISE
Label: CISCO SYSTEMS - ENTERPRISE
Special Features: nv:Device Type^Router|RJ-45 Ports^4|Form Factor^Desktop|WAN Port(s)^1|10/100 Mbps Ports^4|Networking Standards^IEEE 802.3i 10Base-T Ethernet|Networking Standards^IEEE 802.3u 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^TCP/IP|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^NAT|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^PPPoE|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^DHCP|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^RIP-1|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^RIP-2|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^PPP|Routing / Firewall Protoccols^HTTP
Features for Cisco Syst. 851 Ethernet SOHO Security Router CISCO851 K9 :
- 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet
- 4-port 10/100 Mbps switch
- FRWL, IPSec VPN Support
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Customer Reviews
entry level business grade router 
2008-02-14
My old Linksys router broke after 5 yrs of use and I had a hard time finding a good replacement unit that works w/ my wireless router acting as AP. I went with this entry level Cisco because I figured Cisco would give a good warranty and product. Well, it has 1 year warranty so don't expect the 3+ yrs warranty coverage (ie some D-link / Netgear routers still have that kind of warranty).
It comes with a CD with the graphics interface software to configure the router. I don't think it's compatible with Vista because the words in the menu would not show up fully. Luckily my brother was able to use command line to configure the router to work.
In short:
Pro - fast router when you're not using Vista. Lots of options to program this thing if you know how to do it.
Con - not sure if the software is Vista compatible. Kinda expensive if you ask me.
The most reliable part of my network 
2008-01-24
I am a software engineer who sometimes thinks he's a network engineer too. I run one commercial and one private system from home, with DNS, web, and e-mail service for each, and have a commercial broadband connection through Verizon Online DSL with 5 static IP addresses. After spending days reading specs and reviews of various pro-consumer routers, SOHO routers, and enterprise routers, and after having experienced downright horrible router software and performance from home/consumer routers, I decided on going with a Big Name and it's been a WONDERFUL investment.
I am comfortable working on all kinds of UNIX systems, so I am very comfortable with setting things up using a command line through telnet and ssh or by transferring files with scp. This router uses standard Cisco IOS software and there was a real wealth of documentation available on the web, and I was able to get up and running without purchasing any additional books. Once everything was set up, it never needed to be touched, and the router has been chugging along with no hiccups and at full speed.
What I had was:
- a pool of 5 static WAN IP addresses from my ISP
- an internal 192.168.x.x network
- web/email/dns/ntp/etc. servers on the internal network
- ethernet connections for everything (I have a separate DSL modem)
I wanted a router that:
- was straightforward for a competent network engineer to configure
- could implement NAT the way I wanted to
- was totally silent (no fans!)
- would not flake on me
- had a firewall
I got more than I wanted. This router also:
- stores its identity/configuration in a single file, which I can archive
- supports SNTP (only), so it gets its time from my local NTP servers
- does a lot more than I need/use
All in all, I am writing from the point of view of an advanced user, and this advanced user finds the router to be very solid, straightforward to configure, and powerful enough in terms of both functionality and processing power for my uses. I do have one gripe having nothing to do with the router per se - I have spent hundreds of dollars looking for a good wifi access point, and I wish I spent a bit extra for the Cisco 851W instead after my experiences. Right now I'm using a D-Link DGL-4300 which is working really well though, so I'm not as regretful as I was before I found the 4300.
A very solid router but certainly not for amateur 2007-02-04
As a home user, after upgrading my broadband to 6.0mb/s from Comcast, both my netgear and linksys routers were overwhelmed and couldn't cope up with all the activities for the 5 computers, Xbox360 and Slingbox in the house. After researching all the business class routers, including Netgear, Linksys, Sonicwall and others. Finally, I've decided that Cisco is the best product that would solve my problem. Knowing that this is a sophiscated product, I ordered the most basic router without wireless access (hence less variables to configure). Amazon has the best price among all the websites though you certainly don't get any type of technical support from them. As expected, the router requires some professional knowledge to configure. Being a home user, I only changed very few settings through the SDM software that came with the router and it worked very well within my network. The performance of the router is impressive and I am getting the same download speed if I connect my PC directly to the modem. With all the loaded activities in the house, the CPU usage was just around 40%. This router certainly is of professional quality and doesn't even warm up after leaving it on all the time.
On the flip side, I found that the user interface (SDM) to manage the router is a little over complicated. It could be much more simplier but is still acceptable. The command line interface through the console port is definitely for professional who knows exactly what they are doing. Through the command interface, you can get almost all status and configuration from the router. I dare not to modify any configuration using the console interface because I'm not sure what I'll be changing. In addition, this router is 4 times more expensive than the ones you can get from local retail stores. Overall, I would recommend this router if you need the quality and performance. Otherwise, stay with the consumer products from Linksys or Netgear.
