Belkin F5D8233 4 N Wireless Router :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

N Wireless

2008-06-08
Basically, I was looking for the least expensive N Wireless Router I could find. My new Macbook Pro was set up for N, so I didn't want to get the G router if I didn't have to. I bought this Belkin wireless N router from Circuit City, on sale, then saw it $20 less through Amazon, so bought it instead. I was a little concerned about setting it up as the lady at Circuit City said that she just about couldn't figure out the security component when she set it up for a customer. She was probably just trying to sell me the installation. Very easy to set up. I set it up through my pc desktop and it allows me to receive wireless flawlessly through my Mac. Works well for me. I'd recommend it.

Its worth it!

2008-06-07
It might not be the best router money can buy but it works fine for me! I can even go outside within a certain distance and still keep a signal. I also love the fact that you can create your own wep code and set time limits on it.

Fantastic Router

2008-06-04
It is blazingly fast. Using the CNET Bandwidth Meter, I get 1500-2500 Kbps on the third floor, with the router in the basement, through 3 ceiling/floor walls. On the second floor, we get 3500 Kbps. Basically, this thing performs about as well as if you were wired directly to your cable modem- The bottleneck will probably be your ISP's maximum permitted speed, not the router.

I chose this model in part because PCWorld gave the F5D8233-4 much better reviews than the similarly-priced DLink in a comparable "through-multiple-walls" test.

For tech-geeks out there, the spatial multiplexing technology used in 802.11N Draft is pretty amazing. Basically, the multiple antennas actually use signals that are reflected off walls and floors to enhance the transmission, whereas in 802.11G and earlier versions, these reflected signals were read as interference.

Anyway, I def. recommend this router...

Woe is Macbook Pro

2008-05-31
My other router died so I went and got this one. I wanted another but they didn't have it and I needed a router ASAP. The CD makes setting up the router pretty easy. The lights in the front make it very easy to know what's what instead of these lights mean this and those lights mean that. I saw all the problems people have with Macbook but thought if I did the firmware update then that'd solve the problems. I clicked "check for updates" and it said there were none. It lied! I had to go to the Belkin site manually and download the update to install from that. I also have tried another idea about the random drops by Mac's Airport by deleting a file that, maybe, got corrupted somehow. It seemed to work for over 4 hours then poof. Very annoying to lose connection during class. I also made sure the Mac's OS was up-to-date. It's still on 10.4. Not sure if 10.5 will fix it. Guess that's next. I wanted to upgrade anyway. If *that* doesn't do it, then I'll be looking for another router that doesn't have Airport woes.

Belkin "N" router

2008-05-27
This works GREAT!! I am so glad I purchased it. My laptop works any place on my property!!

Pretty Good "N" Router That's Easy to Set Up

2008-07-24
Pros: Easy out of the box to set up. No problems, absolutely flawless router that has not failed once since out of the box. Pretty lights that look cool. Easy software to set up and manage for most features. Better wireless range than my older Linksys WRT45G which it replaced.

Cons: Does not support the use of DD-WRT or any non-Belkin flashware to control it. Had to flash another linksys 'N' router to act as my wireless bridge for my xBox 360.

Solid Product, Solid Function, Solid Company, Great Price

2008-07-20
Replaced my old Belkin Wireless b router today with this Belkin Wireless N. The old router worked flawlessly for years, but I wanted a bit more range, and this unit did the trick. Set up was a snap and all my PCs were up and running in minutes. I think all those MAC people reporting problems with this unit should purchase all their accessories from Apple, because that's how Apple wants it.

Wonderful but beware

2008-07-16
The product itself is GREAT! I am rolling at maximum hook-up speeds and my download/uploads are cruising! The downside is that none of my friends are on the N router yet. They are still using G band. My PS3 also is not able to connect because of the different band. That part is a big bummer. Aside from that though, I love the router! I had problems getting past all of the security features but once I called Belkin it was resolved in a matter of minutes. Belkin's customer support was awesome that day!

Quick and easy install with Comcast modem

2008-07-07
I switched from SBC to Comcast internet and had issues making more than 1 Mac computer work at a time with the Comcast cable modem and a time capsule. I purchased one of these routers and within 15 minutes had two laptops, my imac and a network printer up and running perfectly. The router and install CD are Mac OS friendly and the wireless feature/security works very well. Using OS 10.5, Imac/intel, macbook pro and ibook. Excllent value for the price.

Poor performance and poor compatibility

2008-06-22
I replaced a faulty linksys router with this one thinking it would be an upgrade.
With the original firmware that came with the device, I could not get any form of encryption to work. The connection was flakey at best and the performance of the router was laggy. The automatic firmware update function in the router's web software is broken so updating the device takes a basic knowlege of the device.
After having general difficulty with this router for several months, the latest version of the firmware was released at the beginning of this year, and it solved alot of problems. I could finally use WEP/WPA encryption, and the lag that this device was creating is greatly reduced. The "check for updates" feature did not work however, and I had to flash the device manually.
This device refuses to be recognised by my linksys xbox gaming adaptor or my Nokia N800. Both devices simply cannot see the SSID and refuse to connect to it, even when manually specified. They work perfectly with any other router however.
I have gotten so irritated with the thing I have replaced it. I cannot recommend this router to anyone for any purpose. I have to wonder if Belkin did ANY testing of the device before selling it, as its firmware is so poorly written.

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