Belkin F5D8230-4 Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router

Amazon.com Review
You're probably familiar with the alphabet of the wireless world--802.11b, g, and a--but another letter is right around the corner: n. While the 802.11n standard still has yet to be finalized, Belkin's Pre-N router gives us a taste of what's in store for the future of wireless... sort of (more on that below). The Belkin Pre-N is backwards compatible with 802.11b/g wi-fi cards and super-sizes them with some of the proposed, but not final, features of 802.11n and applied them to its Pre-N Router, which also doubles as a 4-port Ethernet router. It's touted to both extend range and greatly improving wireless throughput capacity to a maximum 108 Mbps (megabits per second) speed.

However, this is all theoretical, in a sense, due to the fact that routers never achieve the maximum throughput they're rated at (802.11b at 11 Mbps and 802.11g at 54 Mbps). But how does the Belkin Pre-N even hope to double this theoretical maximum? MIMO. That's Multiple Input, Multiple Output, which is an antenna technology that adds a third antenna to the one or two that your current router already has. With this added antenna, the Belkin Pre-N is able to send more data packets at one time, thus increasing the speed of transmission.

As mentioned above, Belkin is using technology and standards that have been proposed for 802.11n. But since nothing has been finalized, Belkin is ultimately guessing at what may come down the pike, and the Pre-N router is not guaranteed to work with the final 802.11n standard when it arrives in another year or so. Why, then, should you invest in pre-release technology with iffy chances of operability in the future? Because, thanks to its backward compatibility with 802.11b/g, it can be used to fill in the gaps of your wireless network today.

We tested the Belkin Pre-N in our home using a PowerBook G4 with an AirPort Express (54g) card, and we were able to compare performance to a Belkin 54g wireless access point (F5D7130), which we've used at home now for over a year. Upon connecting the Ethernet cable from our DSL modem into the Pre-N, then turning on AirPort to receive a signal, we were surprised to find nothing but an error message when selecting the Pre-N. Unfortunately, the Easy Install Wizard (found on the included CD-ROM) does not work with the Mac OS (despite being advertised to), and Mac users will have to use the "Alternate Setup Method" as described in the user manual--i.e., the Web-based configuration tool (which you should access initially via Ethernet cable to one of the router's ports). Setup was pretty simple, and we began to pick up the wireless signal strong and clear immediately.

As we began surfing, we didn't experience wholesale speed increases in our testing, the download times (using the FireFox browser for the Mac) felt somewhat springier. Our main test of accessing the New York Times front page (with a schload of images and graphically heavy ads) took 7 seconds with the Pre-N but closer to 8 seconds with our 54g access point.

The eye-opening difference came in coverage, and not just in long-distance browsing. We were duly amazed at the broad reach we got in signal, with steady, speedy downloads of QuickTime movie trailers as far as 150 feet away from the router in our neighbor's yard. When testing the control Belkin 54g access point, we couldn't even get a signal on our front stoop. But it was the blanket coverage of our home that impressed us the most. Our access point was notorious for producing inexplicable dead spots in our home (smallish at about 900 square feet), and the Belkin Pre-N covered those completely.

If you have a Windows-based PC, you'll experience even faster speeds and more of an expansive reach with Belkin's MIMO-enabled Pre-N network adapter or PC card. But even if you don't pop for the extra gear, you'll still be quite satisfied with the marginal speed increase and the improved coverage area that the Pre-N provides. And it will certainly whet your appetite for the full release of 802.11n. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

Great coverage and broad reach for 802.11b/g-compatible PCs
Added speed and extended range if using Belkin's Pre-N network adapter and/or PC card
Works with both Windows and Mac OS-based PCs

Cons:

Mac users will have to set up the router manually via Web-based tool
Pricier than other wireless 4-port routers, due to speed advancements

Product Description:
Belkin Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router - This wireless network router features Belkin's Pre-N networking technology. Pre-N offers you amazing advantages in speed, coverage, & performance when compared to other wireless 802.11x networks. Some of the benefits include up to 800% greater coverage and up to 600% greater speed than 802.11g! If a standard 802.11g or 802.11b networking product is introduced into the Pre-N network, the Pre-N router will not drop to the lowest networking speed. When used with 802.11g & 802.11b devices, the Pre-N router improves their wireless coverage by up to 20%! Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) Support Web Content & Parental Control Filter (6 months free) - provides over 50 fully configurable filters Pop-Up Blocker (6 months free) - provides pop-up, adware, & spyware blocking

Belkin F5D8230-4 Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router

Belkin F5D8230-4 Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router

Average customer rating:

What a piece of junk!
General ly working 802.11G/B router
I give up on Customer support and am trashing mine
Stay away from this one!
Great product!!

Belkin F5D8230-4 Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router

Manufacturer: Belkin Components
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Special Promotion | Specialty Stores | Electronics Features | Electronics

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Accessories:

11MBPS Wireless PCMCIA Cardby Gigafast Inc
Belkin F5D8010 Wireless Pre-N 802.11x Pre-N Notebook PC Card Adapter

Product Features:

Pre-N speeds and coverage mean 4x greater coverage than standard 802.11g and 4x greater speed than standard 802.11g
Wirelessly share a broadband cable or DSL Internet connection
Built-in 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch
High resistance to wireless interference--the router will sense potential interference and shift to the clearest available channel
Note: Pre-N routing speeds require an optional Belkin Pre-N wireless networking adapter

ASIN: B0006A7X36

Product Description

Belkin Wireless 802.11x Pre-N Router - This wireless network router features Belkin's Pre-N networking technology. Pre-N offers you amazing advantages in speed, coverage, & performance when compared to other wireless 802.11x networks. Some of the benefits include up to 800% greater coverage and up to 600% greater speed than 802.11g! If a standard 802.11g or 802.11b networking product is introduced into the Pre-N network, the Pre-N router will not drop to the lowest networking speed. When used with 802.11g & 802.11b devices, the Pre-N router improves their wireless coverage by up to 20%! Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) Support Web Content & Parental Control Filter (6 months free) - provides over 50 fully configurable filters Pop-Up Blocker (6 months free) - provides pop-up, adware, & spyware blocking

Amazon.com Review

You're probably familiar with the alphabet of the wireless world--802.11b, g, and a--but another letter is right around the corner: n. While the 802.11n standard still has yet to be finalized, Belkin's Pre-N router gives us a taste of what's in store for the future of wireless... sort of (more on that below). The Belkin Pre-N is backwards compatible with 802.11b/g wi-fi cards and super-sizes them with some of the proposed, but not final, features of 802.11n and applied them to its Pre-N Router, which also doubles as a 4-port Ethernet router. It's touted to both extend range and greatly improving wireless throughput capacity to a maximum 108 Mbps (megabits per second) speed.

Pros:

Great coverage and broad reach for 802.11b/g-compatible PCs
Added speed and extended range if using Belkin's Pre-N network adapter and/or PC card
Works with both Windows and Mac OS-based PCs

Cons:

Mac users will have to set up the router manually via Web-based tool
Pricier than other wireless 4-port routers, due to speed advancements

Amazon Product Description

Pros:

Great coverage and broad reach for 802.11b/g-compatible PCs
Added speed and extended range if using Belkin's Pre-N network adapter and/or PC card
Works with both Windows and Mac OS-based PCs

Cons:

Mac users will have to set up the router manually via Web-based tool
Pricier than other wireless 4-port routers, due to speed advancements

Customer Reviews:

What a piece of junk!.......2007-06-27

I had this router for almost a year. I would have to reboot it every day (or two) as it would stop connecting to the laptops we have. Belkin Tech support said there was nothing wrong and I should just reset to factory specs and try again. The other common thing they said was to change channels. Throughout the past year, I did these many times but still lost connectivity many times.

Then in the past two weeks, the router would barely connect. It would connect for 10 minutes, and then it would drop all connections including the LAN connections. Sometimes it would go up and down every few seconds, making any internet work impossible. Belkin said it was my ISP. My ISP said it was my router. It got worse and we barely stayed connected.

BTW - did you know that there is a class action suit against Belkin for this router and some of their other products?

Finally, after two weeks for this I ordered the Linksys WRT150N and connected it. We have had not a problem since then.

Update: Now that I have had the Linksys WRT150N for a while, there is something else I noticed. The Linksys router connects with all my laptops instantly. The Belkin, even when it worked, always took 10-20 seconds to connect. This to me is more proof that the Belkin router is a piece of junk.

Don't buy this router, you will be sorry.

General ly working 802.11G/B router.......2007-05-08

This is a great overall wirless router. But, however the Pre-N concept is still a debate as the Pre-N capabilities have still yet to be approved into the IEEE standard. I can use this as a general wireless router, but I could not get the unit to work out of the box for extended long range use. The long range use of this unit is standard at best, nothing to get excited about. The Linksys models work just as well. Maybe when the Pre-N standard is approved more support/performance will be available, but I am not sure.

I give up on Customer support and am trashing mine.......2007-04-28

Worked fine awhile. Now can't even load its own config IP page.

Over the last two weeks I've gone through the usual routines with three level 1 techs who each tried to send me to level 2 realizing normal fixes weren't working.

Twice I was connected to Level 2 only to be placed on hold while they read the ticket and then get disconnected. Twice waiting for call backs within 1 hour and another escalated to a supervisor who would call in 30 minutes and as I write this its been over an hour.

I just don't have all the hours it takes to try to get this thing to work again! I have already wasted so darn many hours on it when I have so many other things to do. Part of problem maybe I have a static IP but it worked briefly.

Tried to get them to send me a replacement but seems they first have to get me to a level 2 tech which seems impossible.

UPDATE:
About 2 hours later a Level 2 person did call me back. Suggested needed to switch to dymanic of the LAN vs static and call cox to get their MAC address and showed me where to put it. Well, it was on the modem but also called cox where gal was VERY helpful, trying to test things. Concluded no response from router even with MAC address used.

Recall Belkin and got a nice lady without the usual Indian accent (sounded more British). She had me restore the router to the original settings (after 3 other tech's had me make various changes) reboot and set up basic settings. To my amazement it worked - for about 20 minutes.

Then down again and nothing I do will get it connected again via the LAN. I did get my TVO's updated via wireless before that went down again too.

I am probably switching to a Linksys getting locally tomorrow after more research of various reports. Belkin is just to unreliable.

Stay away from this one!.......2007-04-17

This router is about the worst I have owned. Will not hold the signal. Went to belkins website and downloaded the new firmware were it also had a bulletin that said if you experience frequent dropped signals you are supposed to change the channel. Did that, still drops signal. Called Belkin and they had me switch everything back to factory settings. When I said your website says that this is the problem I was told "You not need to worry sir" Ya great. Well its going out to the garage now to see if my hammer will fix it. Wish I had that $100+ back.

Great product!!.......2007-04-13

Another reviewer stated "so easy, it's scary." Exactly! I had both the router and the pre-n notebook card both installed in 15 minutes. The software wizard was incredibly easy, and did all the settings. The router with the card (not included) increased my download speed by 10 times and gave me a greater range and strength of signal. I had been using the basic linksys and not only does this blow that away performance wise, the linksys was much harder to setup.

I highly recommend this product!!!

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