Linksys E4200 Router

The Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Wireless-N Router lets you access the Internet via a wireless connection or through one of its four-switched Gigabit Ethernet ports. With the built-in Storage Link, you can easily add gigabytes of storage space onto your network using USB 2.0 hard drives, or plug in a USB flash disk to access your portable data files. The E4200's built-in media server streams music, video and photos from an attached storage device to any UPnP-compatible media adapter or player.

Simultaneous dual-band Wireless-N
• USB storage port with built-in media server
• Gigabit Ethernet ports for high-speed wired devices
• Cisco Connect software for easy setup and maintenance

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How to setup Linksys E4200 router:
You can setup your router with the help of Cisco connect software that comes with the router, Make sure that you have active Internet connection through the modem. Connect the main computer directly to the modem and make sure that you can access the Internet through the modem.

Connect the modem to the Internet port and computer to Ethernet port on the router. Press and hold the reset button on the router for 30 seconds. Release the reset button and wait for 30 seconds. Power cycle the router. Now run the Cisco connect software.

This software will setup your router automatically. It will create 2 wireless networks. One for your main network and other one for the guest people. You can connect your own computers and devices to the main wireless network. The guest network can be used for the people who want to access the Internet only. Guest network is a virtual wireless network to access the Internet through your router. The computers connected to the guest network will be able to access the Internet only. These computers will not be able to access your main network and files and computers and printers in the main network.

You can manage guest network settings using the web interface of the router. So it is not necessary to install the Cisco connect software to manage guest network as it was the case in E1000, E2000 and E3000 wireless routers. In these routers the guest network can be created and managed only using the Cisco connect software. For E4200 router Linksys has included Guest network settings using web UI of the router. The wireless connection speed using E4200 will be 300+ mbps. All the ports on E4200 router are Gigabit ports.

If you have a USB storage device then you can connect the USB storage device to the router and share it within the network. Computers connected to the guest network will not be able to access the USB storage device.

Linksys E4200 Router

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Linksys E1000 Router Set Up and Troubleshooting

All Linksys E series routers work on the N technology. You can get wireless speed up to 300 Mbps. You can connect wireless computers, wireless printers and other Wi-Fi devices up to 300 Mbps. Linksys E1000 is nothing but Linksys WRT160N router with a new Cisco connect software.

All the E series routers have Gigabit Ethernet ports which can give you speed up to 1000 Mbps wired connection speed. E1000 router works on 2.4 GHz wireless signal. E2100L router also works on 2.4 GHz wireless signal. This router has a USB port on it. You can connect the USB hard drive to the router and share the hard drive with all the computers connected in the network. E2000 and E3000 routers work on 2.4 GHz as well as 5 GHz powerful wireless signal. You can connect your gaming devices, blue ray players, DVR system to this router for smoother and faster video streaming.

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Linksys E1000 router setup:

All the E series routers come with the great Cisco connect software for the easy installation. Before installing the router, make sure that your Internet is working properly through the modem. Connect your computer directly to the modem and try to go on line. If you are able to access the Internet from the modem, then your Internet is working properly. Now insert the CD in to the same computer. Do not run the CD on any other computer. Use the same computer that you used to connect to the modem. Follow the steps of the CD. It may not ask you to connect the computer to the router. But it is recommended that you should connect your computer to the router for the initial set up of the router. You will need to connect the computer to one of the Ethernet port on the router and the modem to the Internet port on the router. That means there will be 2 connections to the router. Now go to the next step on the set up CD. It will take up to 5 minutes to set up the router.

Definitely you can setup the router without CD also. You just need to open the setup page of the router and change the settings manually.

The Cisco connect software is a very intelligent tool. It will check your Internet connection settings and it will try to set up your router automatically according to those settings. It will also create wireless network automatically with the unique network name and password. On the final step you will see that the router is set up successfully. It will open the window where you can check the settings of the router. It will create an option on your computer in the all program list. If you want to change the settings of the wireless network, you can open the Cisco connect software and change the settings.

The Cisco connect software will run only on Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 or better, Windows 7, Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.9, Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11, Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8, Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.1.

This software will also give you option of parental control where you can limit the access to the Internet according to time as well as websites. This software is capable of creating a guest network access. You can limit the number of guest computers. The guest wireless network will be totally a different wireless network. This guest network works on different IP address range so that the guest people can not share your main wireless network. The guest will not be able to access the router settings or the computers in the main network. But you can set up the Guest network only if you run the Cisco connect software.

Once you have the main computer up and running through the router. You can use a small flash drive to create a set up key. On your other wireless computer, connect this USB set up key and run the program. It will connect your computer to the wireless network automatically. It will search for the wireless network and it will connect on its own. You don't need to do anything. You can run the USB set up key only if the wireless connection is managed by the windows connection manager. If you change the wireless settings of the router using the set up page of the router, the Cisco connect software will stop working.

If you are not able to set up the router using the Cisco connect software, you can set up the router manually. But you will not be able to use the advantages of Cisco connect software like USB set up key or Guest network access. You can open the set up page of the router and change the Internet connection settings manually according to the Internet service provider.

The hardware warranty for Linksys E series router is 1 year but the free technical support is only for 90 days.

Linksys E1000 Router Set Up and Troubleshooting

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Linksys E3000 Review

With any electronic product that you come across there will be pro's and con's. If the pro's suit your needs and the con's are negligible then it's a win for us. Sometimes the con's slip over into the area's that we don't want them to and this is where we make a decision to move on and find something better. Let's see how big the pro's are for the Linksys E300 and see if it can overshadow the con's it has, if any.

Let's first look at the technical aspects of the router to make sure it is fitting your requirements. It has all the standard wireless signal capabilities: draft 802.11n, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab. It will be compatible with any wireless card that you have in your laptop or desktop. It has Power, Ethernet, Internet, and USB ports to enable all computer to internet connections as well as connections for your computers, gaming systems, HDTV's, and Blu-ray devices that are internet enabled. LED's are used for indications of internet connection, power, USB connection, and ethernet connection. These are great standard features and should be sufficient for any home wireless applications you will need.

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Now let's list of all the pro's of this router that makes it stand out over the competition for the price range that it is in. Firstly it is a beautiful sleek looking design. It is one of the more aesthetically pleasing routers that we review on our site, it will be love at first site. All antenna's are hidden in the body of the router itself to make for a more sleek looking product as well as being more compact. This is a plus as some routers have 3 or more antenna's that can get annoying with all the wires and chords you have around computers, things get tangled. The Linksys E3000 comes with an incredibly easy installation disk. Simply plop it into your hard drive and follow the on screen setup instructions. You'll be required to plug in cables and turn it on, configure your router to connect to the internet (complex sounding, easy with the install guide), create your wireless network name (AKA: SSID), choosing optional encryption, and if encrypted choosing a password. This whole process should take 5 minutes for someone who is even slightly familiar with computers.

This is a great list of pro's, not only do you get every single standard feature that comes with all routers nowadays but you get the bonuses of convenience and compactness. Let's list off the con's to see if their enough to want stay away from the product. The biggest disappointment of the E3000 is that it doesn't support USB printers. If it did, you would be able to plug the printer directly into the router and send signals to the router itself from your computer to print, meaning you could have the printer in one location and wirelessly print from anywhere in the house. This really came to be the only major downside to this router. Some small downsides were the Media Server feature doesn't process as well as one would expect, and the desktop application doesn't allow manual editing of router settings which we don't find a big deal since if you know how to manually edit the router you wont really need an application to get to it.

Linksys E3000 Review

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Know About Major Types of Wireless Router Antenna

A wireless router antenna is usually found in the international airport, educational campus or nowadays, is common to be seen in cafes as well. The wireless network is enabled by the router which will transport data from one computer to another or to other networks. The router is the connecter to link two or more computers together disregard of their positions. If you intend to buy a wireless router, you should first understand the types of router available, the different models and their specifications. The company producing high-performance routers is D-Link. Other famous manufacturers include Belkin, Linksys, and Netgear.

Basically there are two types of router antennas; namely the basics and range extender. For the basic type, it also branched into two. The omni-directional antenna can enhance the signal a bit higher for all directions and is great to be used as a Wi-Fi provider in a café or to provide internet access in the office or a home. The wireless devices can be used throughout the entire house. Another type is the directional antenna where it is used to broadcast an extremely strong signal in one direction. This is not recommended as they can only provide access on one side of the building. Although the omni-directional antennas are not as powerful as the directional type as the signals have wider distribution, the directional wireless router antenna should be sufficient to be used in a house where only a specific direction can gain access.

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The range extender is actually a directional antenna. The only distinctive difference between such antennas and the above mentioned types is that it can be applied to both the omni-directional and directional antennas. It can also be used along with your existing antenna. It utilizes the concept of a mirror, although other aspects are similar to the usual antenna. However, such router antennas product signals that would bounce-off then the range extender will shoot them back on a higher frequency. For instance, if you wish to provide free Wi-Fi access not only to your customers but to areas beyond your restaurant, the range extender is the best option as it is capable of sending signals up to three miles.

Know About Major Types of Wireless Router Antenna

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Need Faster Video Streaming? Buy a Wireless-N Router

We have all had the problem of watching our favorite movie streamed to our PC, or through our gaming device to our TV, and suddenly have had to wait for the next scene to load. Not only is it frustrating, but the movie often loses its punch and momentum. Sometimes we want to give up and never watch streaming movies or shows again... but there is a better option. You need to get a faster router.

Routers are an essential component of your home entertainment system or business network, and wireless is definitely the way to go to keep cables from cluttering up your electronics. Buying a wireless-N router will often give you the speed you need for seamless streaming video. In addition, a good wireless N router will allow you to connect your computers, wireless printer, gaming device, Internet-enabled HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and other wireless devices.

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Do you need to share large files? A good wireless-N router will allow fast file sharing over a network with other computers, as well as fast uploading and downloading to and from the internet.

What to look for in a wireless-N router:

1. Faster speed. If possible, look for a router offering up to 300 Mbps of transfer speeds. This will allow you to thoroughly enjoy streaming video and other media without interruption.
2. Security. Look for good security and firewall protection to keep freeloaders and other threats out of your system.
3. Simultaneous dual-band technology. A simultaneous dual-band router is both fast and versatile, allowing you to hook up various electronic items that use different bands. It offers double the bandwidth, which will provide for faster and smoother HD video streaming, gaming and file transfers, and allow you to connect other computers, wireless printers and devices to the Internet and each other at high speeds. A good wireless-N router will often be able to incorporate a mix of B, G and N devices.
4. A wireless-N router will offer much better Wi-Fi technology than a wireless-G router, and is worth paying a bit more.
5. Connectivity and compatibility. Look for a router you can use to connect your Blu-ray player, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii or other gaming consoles, as well as computers. You need to make sure your systems will work with the router you choose.

By choosing a good router offering strong performance and compatibility such as Cisco Linksys E3000 Wireless-N Router, you can enjoy all of the entertainment benefits, while relying on advanced security and SPI firewall protection deigned to safeguard your data and privacy in your home network and computers.

Need Faster Video Streaming? Buy a Wireless-N Router

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