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Date: 2000-03-01 12:16 Author: Brent Category: Broadband Routers Manufacturer: Linksys Product/Model: BEFSR41 Price: $102.00 Online price: $59.95 at Buy.com

Detailed Setup Instructions

The user control for the EtherFast Router comes in HTTP (internet like) form. You can access the GUI based Setup Menus through any client PC connected to the Router. This is done through any standard web-browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape). To enter the GUI Interface: open up your web-browser and type the IP address (192.168.1.1) of the Router into the 'address-bar' of the web-browser. Doing this will cause a dialog box to appear - asking for the user name password to the Router.  The default to leave the user name blank though, as there isn't one by default (only the password). You can of Course change the password and username at any time. After successfully entering the Router's password, the 'Setup Menu' will be loaded into your web-browser. The different menus are accessed by clicking on the tabs at the top of the page. The initial Setup Portion is called 'Setup' (appropriately named =)

If you have PPPOE DSL service we couldn't do any testing with it (trust me - we're not sad about that at ALL!). You will need to sign up for the PPPOE firmware beta program at Linksys. Right now, Tim Higgin's site has the best resources and information available to help you with this.

WARNING: When you first turn on and reset the Router, the HTTP setup interface is accessible via the WAN (The Internet) by default. (BTW - we read this but never had the time to see if this was really possible) We suggest turning off your modem until you have entered a new stronger password.

setup

*Note* Brent has AT&T@Home cable service and Vorpal has SouthWestern Bell DSL service. Vorpal's DSL service is standard NON-PPPOE service (Vorpal: "Thank the heavens for that gift") with dynamic IP addressing, Brent's @home service is regular cable modem internet with a static IP address.

Router Name: 
Cable: This is the field that you would enter your computer name, for example C12345-A. 
DSL: You can choose any name you want. Call it 'Spanky' if you wish.

Domain Name:
Cable: Enter the domain name of your ISP.  For example "alntn1.tx.home.com"
DSL: Same thing - mine is "swbell.net"

Firmware Version: This displays the Firmware version that is installed on your Router, as of this writing the Firmware version is 1.15 dated Feb. 03, 2000 (you can download updated firmware as it becomes available through Linksys). We called up Linksys and were told that a new firmware version is one to three months away. (We're not happy about that, by the way.)

LAN IP Addresses: You will not have to mess with this if this Router is the sole DHCP server (this should be the case for 95% of people).   However, if it's going to be a client, you will have to enter the appropriate information.

WAN IP Addresses:
Cable: Click on Specify IP Address.  Now enter the IP address given to you by your ISP. Enter the SubNet Mask, Gateway and DNS.  If you don't know this information, then you need to find out what it is!  Before installing the Router you can use the "winipcfg.exe" tool (In your windows directory), or the Ipconfig command (Type "IPCONFIG /ALL" at the DOS prompt), to obtain this information from your currently Internet connected PC. If you can't find the information this way: Call your ISP or consult the documentation provided to you by your ISP (usually you get a form with this information at the time of it's install).
DSL: If you have a Dynamic IP (like Vorpal - that's me:), simply click on the "obtain IP automatically" radio button. Much easier,eh?

You're Done!
Click on the Apply button.  At this point, you should only need to do is restart your PC's and when it (they) boot(s) back up you should be flyin' on the web! Unless you have some specific needs (like running an FTP server or using Napster), the only thing you have left to do is to change the password and user name for the Router.

Additional Setup Properties:

password: pretty self-explanatory, just enter whatever user name and password you want and click on the apply button.

Status: This is the current status of your DHCP Server (the Router). This covers your LAN to your WAN, with Firmware info too. (hey sounds like a wrestling match "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: FROM THE LAN TO THE WAN - EAST COAST TO WEST COAST..........." )

DHCP: This is where you can enable and disable your DHCP server. Disabling it is necessary if you want to use the 'Forwarding Service' feature in the Advanced Properties (it's also necessary for a few other other special features). Here you can also choose to limit the number of PC's that can be on your LAN, and you can specify the starting IP address of your Internal LAN.

HELP: You need help, more so if you don't know what that one is ;-)

Extra Special Setup for @home users
There are two more very important things you need to setup if you are on the @home cable internet network, and that is Mail and News.  In your Mail and News client (for this review I'm assuming Outlook Express) you probably put in "Mail" and "News" as your mail and news server before.  Well now with the router you can no longer just put in "Mail" and "News" it just won't work.   You have to put the complete server address in now.  One very easy way to find out what this is is to Ping the address "www" Before you hook the router up. Just hook one PC up directly to your cable modem and go into DOS and type ping www and hit enter, then look at the address it resolves to, this is your address for Mail, News and to reach @home's Intranet from a Browswer.  For example mine is "lh2.rdc1.tx.home.com" I had to put that address in for Mail and News to be able to send and recieve email and news.  Also If I want to browse @home's Intranet I have to put that address  in the browser to be able to get to it.

Extra Special Setup for DSL users:
Just to make sure you know: you don't have to do anything extra (at all) for your mail and news to work.

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by anonymous - 2006-04-13 16:56

I have had this router for about 6 years now, and can say I have had no problems with it. It is usually on 24/7/365, unless a storm is coming through and then I unhook everything. when I moved into my new house, a lightening strike killed my cable modem (cable company had not grounded the line yet - kudos to comcast, they replaced the modem at no cost to me), but the router is still going strong. I highly recommend this router.