Product Description

Belkin Wireless CableDSL Internet Gateway Router 80211g F5D7230UK4 Networks Wireless Routers

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9730 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Belkin
• Model: F5D7230UK4
• Released on: 2007-08-12
• Platform: Windows
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 3.13 pounds

Features

• Belkin Wireless Gateway Router Ref F5D7230uk4

PC Plus
Value Award

Manufacturer's Description
The Belkin 802.11g Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway Router lets users share files and a broadband Internet connection among their computers-without using networking cables. It features 802.11g technology that makes accessing files and networked peripherals-such as hard drives, printers, CD-ROMs, and DVDs-easier than ever. 802.11g technology provides you with networking speeds nearly five times faster than the current Wi-Fi (802.11b) standard. An integrated, 4-port 10/100Base-T Ethernet switch also allows you to connect wired computers to the network. 802.11g technology is the easiest wireless network to implement. The Gateway Router uses the wireless 802.11g 2.4GHz standard to offer you the widest working range-upto 1500 feet-and greater interoperability in mixednetworking environments. 802.11g technology is backwardcompatiblewith the 802.11b Wi-Fi networking standard, so it allows you to implement faster wireless technologies incombination with existing 802.11b Wi-Fi networks. An added Turbo Mode will isolate your network from 802.11b wireless clients and allow your network to transmit data at the highest 802.11g data rate.

PC Plus Value Award

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

I had problems too, Belkin sorted them - eventually
I bought this router for our church in March 2006, and found it very easy to install, connecting it in about three minutes to BT Business Broadband. I wonder if some of the other reviewers' installation problems lay with their broadband provider, rather than the product itself.

On that note, a general warning about choosing a wireless router. Like many of the Belkin routers, this router has Ethernet ports only, so if you have one of the tiny ADSL modems with only a USB port on the back then THIS IS NOT THE ONE FOR YOU! Choose a wireless router which has its own ADSL port on it and chuck the USB modem back in its box.

However, we started experience the same "drop outs" that most of the other reviewers have reported. Soon after installation, the router started cutting out and dropping all wired and wireless connections. Sometimes after three minutes, sometimes after three hours, but it couldn't stay up reliably overnight.

I did call Belkin, and although conversing with their call centre in India was a trying experience, they issued a call reference and said they would offer a replacement. That didn't happen, but a second call did result in getting through to someone in the UK, who did sort me out with a speedily-delivered, free replacement.

Nonetheless, caveat emptor still applies - I am an IT professional used to explaining to suppliers why a fault is their fault and I am (sadly) well practised in dealing with Indian service centres.

The replacement Belkin bas been problem-free (hence the three stars) and came with the same firmware, so I think this must have been a hardware or manufacturing problem, though we're about to buy a wireless router for home, and I have to say that we'll probably buy a Netgear instead...

Known Issue With This Product
Having first purchased one of these items in Novembe 2005, i finally set it up on my sons new PC on new years eve.

Initially, it dropped connection just a few times. Worked fie for about a month, then started dropping my connection again.

Now, it drops the power completely. Having spoken to Belkin tonight, i am told there is a known issue with this product. I have just placed an order for another one because i thought maybe i had the odd "rogue" unit. Seems many develop a fault at a later time. AMAZON, please remove this product from sale and speak to Belkin. I am currently awaiting a confirmation response from Belkin detailing what they intend to do now. They will either replace the product of repair it. I will advise when i know. In the meantime, i would advise anyone wanting this product to hold fire.

Works fine. Better then expected
I've been using this router for about 10 days now. In summary I've experienced absolutely no problems with it whatsoever. The wireless side of it (I've had no need to test the wired feature) works exactly as I'd wish a wireless router to work.

I'm connected to virgin media (old telewest) cable internet. My main clients are a Linux laptop and my Nintendo Wii. The laptop also has Win XP home edition but that's hardly ever used (came pre-installed from manufacturer)

After removing the router from the packaging I plugged it into the mains and plugged the Ethernet cable into the back of it (with cable you also have to unplug the modem from the mains and plug it back in after 30 seconds or so to recognise the new hardware it's connected to). I then booted my laptop into Linux (Ubuntu Edgy). Network Manager found the router and connected to it first time. Fired up firefox and navigated to 162.168.2.1 and configured the router's security, ESSID etc. Network Manager then tried to reconnect by asking me for my WPA key, I typed it in and was (almost) instantly connected, securely this time.

I then went to my Nintendo Wii, searched for wireless networks, It picked up this router, I typed in the WPA password and it connected straight away. Internet, Wii Shop, news, weather all works fine.

The following day I decided to try out WinXP. Logged in, searched for available networks. Found the router, typed in the password and connected straight away.

Fact is that for the last 10 days this router has remained permanently switched on. I have connected with the laptop and wii each time I have tried and never dropped a connection once. I've never once reset the router or switched it off.

The signal strength was stronger then I'd expected. From the furthest point in my house away from the router I get a consistent signal strength of 60%-65% with no drop-out whatsoever.

I am extremely please with this router as it has exceeded my expectations. And both the instruction leaflet and installation CD remain unused in the box. I've not even seen the installation CD.