| Linksys-Cisco WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router (Compatible with Linux) |
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Model: WRT54GL
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 321
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Firewall - SPI
VPN Support - Yes
VPN Passthrough - Yes |
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| Description: |
| The Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router combines the functionalities of three devices into a single device, a wireless access point, a four-port full-duplex 10/100 Mbps switch and a router. The wireless access point lets you connect Wireless-G or Wireless-B devices to the network while the switch connects your wired-Ethernet devices together. The router function ties it all together by letting your whole network share a high-speed cable or DSL Internet connection. The push button setup feature makes it easy to configure your wireless devices. The router serves as a DHCP server, includes an SPI firewall to protect against Internet intruders and also supports VPN pass-through. The WRT54GL even features TKIP and AES to protect your data and privacy with up to 128-bit encryption. With the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router at the center of your home or office network, you can share a high-speed Internet connection, files, printers and multi-player games with flexibility, speed, security and simplicity. Status Indicators - Port status, link activity Compliant Standards - FCC IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3U, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g Data Link Protocol - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g Interfaces - 1x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45 ( WAN / DMZ ), 4 x network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45, 1 x network - Radio-Ethernet Dimensions - Height 4.8 cm x Depth 20 cm x Width 18.6 cm Weight - 0.5 kg |
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| User Reviews (321 total): |
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Excellent Linux router, August 13, 2008
By Dale Konle (Concord, WI USA)
This router was purchased for our Community center. I immediately installed DD-WRT firmware. The router covers the whole building which formerly was a one story four room rural school with a gym. It has been in operation for about a month with out any problems. It is setup with remote web administration to avoid a trip to the building to check on it.
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Good With Stock Firmware - Great With Open Source, August 2, 2008
By electronics guy (USA)
If you are interested at all in security and special features, this is the router to get - and then replace the stock firmware with one of the open source versions. I went with Tomato and have been completely amazed. It's Linux, runs IPTables, supports port knocking, logs incoming/outgoing data rates, logs blocked incoming/outgoing packets, allows you to limit incoming connections by source IP, and so on.
I am using this as the router just in from my DSL modem and have a webcam linked in wirelessly and restricted to just being watched from my work IP address. Running against Steve Gibson's Shields-Up, if I allow his IP and forward the port, it sees the port just fine. If I take GRC's IP out, it's as if there was no web server up at all. Totally hidden.
Even if you aren't sure which router to get, spend the extra $15 or so and get this one because if you ever do want to get the hot setup, this one lets you do it. Worst case, you have a really good router in its own right. But install other firmware (easy) and you can have features that commercial routers for businesses have.
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Good so far, July 31, 2008
By Vijay Reddy (Cleveland, OH)
I have been using WRT54GL for the past 1 month. Its good so far. I didnt see any problems.
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Only one reason to buy this, July 28, 2008
By MedIT
Open firmware is the ONLY reason to buy this router. Sure it's a great router, but at this point it's more than a bit behind the times. If you don't plan on putting one of the many open source after market firmwares on this you really should look elsewhere.
If you are looking to put after market firmware (ex: DD-WRT) on a router then look no further. I've flashed 4 or 5 of these guys at this point without any problems. Each time I keep expecting to get burned but it hasn't happened yet.
I use DD-WRT and have found that it offers SIGNIFICANTLY more functionality and control than more modern routers costing 4-5x what the WRT54GL does.
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Great for novice users when combined with Tomato firmware, July 27, 2008
By Xyth (USA)
The GL model is a great unit to combine with the Tomato firmware. http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato
Don't be afraid to download and upgrade from the stock firmware, you will be glad you did.
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All your wireless, wired, and switch dreams come true with one device, July 18, 2008
By mtlemmonrunner (TUCSON, AZ USA)
I think I have reached intermediate experience levels with this router and have a sweet secure and optimized network for home use.
I first bought just one WRT54GL to see what all the fuss was about only after my best friend told me how he could flash his router with GPL linux firmware as other have done please other reviews.
Reality was all I really needed was a wireless PCI card for a computer I had at the other side of the house and needed to access my already present hot-spot in order to browse on. I instead felt spending the extra $20 and purchased my first WRT54GL (got a little frisky).
I did the all the research first and determined that the newer WRT54G is not so sweet w/third party firmware e.g version 5.x plus and that this WRT54GL is like the best of the breed for firmware upgrades (voids your Linksys warranty, just sidebar warning mind you).
I wanted complete control over my options in case something came up that could be solved through Linksys firmware. I also determined DD-WRT was the choice for firmware, I played with Linksys' latest upgrade and Tomato but liked the cleaner and more novice (end user friendly) like UI DD-WRT provided plus it has like 10-fold many more options. I first created a simple client bridge to my D-LINK DSL router/gateway from Q-WEST. The only big road black was to figure out the ip's from original D-LINK routers are 192.168.0.1 ip/netmask and the WRT54GL defaults to 192.168.1.1. Once I changed the IP of the WRT54GL to 192.160.0.30 for example I was cooking with gas (getting the WRT54GL on the same netmask)! I read that the DHCP should come from the main D-LINK router so set the WRT54GL to not provide this DHCP and get it's ip from wireless connection via D-LINK. I was surfing with no wires.
I read so much about how folks used two of these WRT54GL in order to WDS two routers (google it) to create bridges so I bought an other WRT54GL. I played with WDS and it worked but like I said I am just an intermediate level so far and never really got what WDS could do for my network plan (what was the advantage after all it half's your bandwidth). What I discovered was a simple bridge repeater and a virtual hot-spot from the remote WRT54GL once it was bridged and in repeater mode (gave the virtual hot-spot a different name, but could have used same name). I fixed that and added WPA/TKIP security between D-LINK (the best D-LINK 6.0 firmware has) and used the remote hot-spot on the WRT54GL for the Wii (which actually supports higher security and so does the WRT54GL running DD-WRT BTW once Wii is upgraded). I ran my cable from WLAN connection switch from WRT54GL which is an option (so you don't waste the four LAN ports for such things) to the machine I wanted to become wireless in order to browse and viola the other side of the house was good to go. I MAC authenticate and AP isolation that side of the house for security reason, my neighbor is cool but works for Q-WEST (who can you trust these days)!
So what did I do with the second WRT54GL I bought? I used it to hook directly to the D-LINK via wired RJ-45 cable to LAN port and made it a DHCP forwarder (which appears wired from D-LINKED logs yet is wireless also yes it is wired). I set the power to 1mw and AP isolated and made it have a wireless hot-spot with WEP 128-bit. Why break-it in 2 minute :30 second WEP way when WPA or better takes longer for the bad guys?
I only use it for my DS lite's access point, the DS only can only manage WEP 128! I lowered the wattage to 1wm and still works in all spots throughout the house BTW...played with ACK setting and TCP,UDP timeouts. What do I mean by those terms? Still confused? or not maybe you haven't found these settings on your router firmware then you get the point.
If you can think of a network, be it wired or wireless, this deal called the WRT54GL can do it for you. BTW the thing is also a switch for your wired computers has four of them so I got rid of my switch to make a cleaner workspace.
One last thing to think about are the antennas for the WRT54GL can easily be directional with tin foil and two tall tin cans (Monster cans of course you nerds)! I could bump the transmitter to 251mW though that may exceed FCC laws for 2.4 G (100mW is limit I think depending on your antenna gain e.g. 16gb for that output). One can also overclock from 200Mhz to 250Mhz. I leave these parameters stock or lower. The load is so low on both WRT54GL's they are not needed. I built a tin foil antenna and gained 5% more signal strength in minutes with a tin cutter. The hyper settings will cause heating issues for sure, you may need a muffin fan to cooler off the device. Also tried screen mess antenna take a look at free antenna.org for the template of shape.
The very last thing...WDS from what I read will allow you to set up a mesh network. It uses MAC exchanges of the WIRELESS macs between your WRT54GLs. Imagine a house full of these boxes just sitting alone plugged into the wall, no computers needed for wireless and then you could roam your farm and always have Wi-Fi access!!!
I am not done exploring the full feature set of this device but so far very happy discovering. I feel liberated having bought this device and now have any option out there for my home network needs. MUST HAVE for all Wi-Fi, wired, and switch dreamers. Ohhhh....Yeah make sure you flash router with the mini DD-WRT first then reset to factory defaults then flash to DD-WRT generic and reset to factory defaults, change the administration password account before playing further. BTW got a third one now for my neighbor's hot-spot...just set it up at bridge repeater and added antennas aimed it and created virtual hot-spot w/WPA and now can surf any signal I can find from in my house via the connection. Some folks in close knit hoods do this to set up free wireless for those less experienced and less in cash, I am not sure how legal it is so BEWARE.
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A good router capable of greatness, July 13, 2008
By Mobius (Fort Worth, Texas)
The Linksys WRT54GL router is a very capable router out of the box. I cannot attest to Linksys Firmwares operation or stability. I can, however, confidently state that this router, coupled with the Tomato Firmware is by far the best SOHO router I have ever worked with. I received the Version 1.1 of this router and loaded it with Tomato immediately. Be aware that doing this most assuredly voids your warranty, but it is well worth it. I am running Tomato 1.19 but he is up to version 1.20 though as of this writing. I have experience with numerous routers from several manufacturers. Nothing compares to the Linksys WRT54GL and Tomato.
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Great router with low price tag, July 13, 2008
By dt
I bought this because I wanted to customize the feature set more than the stock firmware allowed. Adding dd-wrt was a piece of cake and now I can use it as a repeater or client bridge. Even without dd-wrt the router includes a "foolproof" CD for setup that allows even a newbie to set security functions on wireless. Great product.
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outdated technology, July 9, 2008
By Amazon Fan
This unit is 3 years behind the times. Better off to buy the D-Link 655. My Linksys died after two years and I replaced it with the D-Link. Is like going from a civic to a porshe.
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blazing fast tomato router, July 8, 2008
By Wheaty (Memphis, TN)
I love this router. I just bougth my 5th one of these. When anyone asks for help setting up their wireless network, I get two of these bad boys. I put one for near the TV for xbox360, tivo, xbox, ps2, etc. and I put the other one at the cable modem/dsl modem etc. to share the internet.
Tomato is awesome and I buy this router specifically so I can flash it. I use one router as an actual router and the other one as an access point. This hardware is great because it runs the firmware I want. It's easy to flash and easy to use.
I love tomato because of the QOS. It makes it to where I can tell both routers that the most important traffic is VOIP and then XBOX live. This means that even if I'm downloading my legal torrents, I can be online blasting people in halo and talking on my VOIP phone.
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Good router, July 7, 2008
By Jonathan G. Bierman (LR, AR USA)
Bought to replace a buffalo router, works great with the dd-wrt firmware. Only complaint is that the signal quality between this and a older linksys router is not as high as I'd like. But there is several walls and 70 or so feet between them. But as for the router its self, I'm quite happy with it.
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I buy Linksys again and again, June 30, 2008
By J. McDonald (Wisconsin)
I've bought several of these for sever different locations and as gifts. They are always very easy to setup and configure. Just follow the step by step instructions if you've never done it before. You can be up and running in 5 minutes.
If you're having trouble with the unit, chances are, it's not your fault because these are VERY easy to set up and I've never had a problem with their reliability. In the several I've purchased (about 8-10), it has only happened to me once where I just had to take the unit back as defective and get a new one. No complaints though. It happens and is probably pretty rare.
Anyway, I recommend them to anyone novice or experienced. Easy to use and configure and great way to protect your network or your PC.
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Most stable router out there, June 30, 2008
By PickyCustomer (San Diego, CA USA)
By far the most frustrating experience about buying networking equipment is lack of stability. Often, routers hang, don't work well with other equipment, are not stable with hundred of connections (bitTorrent), etc.
Well have no fear, because this Linksys router has got to be the most stable router I have ever owned. I've had this one for about one year, and just bought my second. You definitely want to get this more expensive "Linux" version, so you can download custom firwmare into it. I highly recommend tomato firmware ([...]). Stable, simple, no frills. It supports DDNS, QoS, WDS, etc. Basically, it makes getting use of complex features easy. For example, you can set it up such that your VOIP (internet phone) traffic takes priority over your other downloads. This feature is called Quality of Service (QoS). So if you're busy downloading a huge torrent, your VOIP call will not suffer. If you're downloading torrents without QoS, VOIP calls can drop out or sound garbled.
This router is much better than my Apple Time Machine 802.11n wireless router, which does NOT support QoS. The Linksys is more stable, has more features, better wireless performance, etc. In my eyes, this is the only wireless router to buy until tomato supports a cheap 802.11n router.
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compatible with 3rd party firmware for great improvements, June 29, 2008
By ART005
The Linksys WRE54G Range Extender does not have removeable/replaceable antennae, has only one antennae, almost no setup options, only works in WDS mode instead of repeater mode. Likely not compatible with some other major name routers.
dd-wrt V24 firmware plus the Linksys WRT54GL and any antennae upgrade you want addresses all the short comings of the WRE54G for less money including cost of moderate antennae upgrade.
The WRT54GL package excels in price, performance, flexibility and probably stability. A winner in every way. 5 stars.
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Excellent hardware for running Linux operating system, June 28, 2008
By Loye W. Young (Laredo, Texas)
IYCC uses this router at its factory in Laredo, Texas, and has installed it for clients. We usually install a version of DD-WRT ([...]), and are enthusiatically happy about the results. We have one in our warehouse, where the daytime temperature is often well over 104 fahrenheit (40 celcius) degrees, and we run it overclocked. Despite the punishment, the router runs without failure day in and day out.
It has been known for several years now that the Linksys WRT54G series of routers, running the Linux operating system, performs better than commercial-grade routers, with lower energy consumption and better features. Most, if not all, models of Linksys WRT54 routers can run Linux without any problems, but this particular model (the WRT54GL) is allegedly engineered with components that run best with Linux.
The hardware inside is no different in kind from the hardware on other models, and is even a bit lighter on RAM and flash memory than some. Our only conclusion is that Linux is so much more efficient that it just doesn't need more hardware to do the same work. Less hardware means less heat stress, so one would expect more stability and reliability. Perhaps that's why it runs so well in our warehouse.
You may be asking why you should pay an extra ten to twenty dollars when the other models of the WRT54 will run Linux too. I can only answer for myself: I'd rather spend twenty more bucks and be assured it will "just work". Our engineering time is worth more than $20 if there's a problem, so I just pay the freight. I also have to admit that I feel better about paying for a product that is engineered for the most advanced operating system on the planet than working with a half-baked, crippled, proprietary OS.
Loye Young
Isaac & Young Computer Company
Laredo, Texas
http://www.iycc.net
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Super tare, June 21, 2008
By Robin (Iasi)
Super tare.Merge bestial cu Linux.Dar daca ai "norocul" sa uploadezi un firmware dubios e cam nasol.
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Finally, a router that works for me, June 19, 2008
By Sue Weingarten (Wisconsin)
I tried a Linksys WRT54G and a Netgear before finally trying this one. The others would not allow my desktop (hardwired to router) to stay online. Had the same problem with this one, but in trouble shooting with a live Linksys rep, I figured out that I needed to treat the system as a LAN, and then everything went fine. It probably was the problem with the previous 2 routers, but no one ever suggested this as a fix, including the tech people from my ISP. Have used this daily for several months now and never have a problem. I'm no geek, so I am disappointed that I can find a solution to a problem that the techies and documentation for these things don't suggest.
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very good, June 16, 2008
By F. Ather (Los Angeles, CA United States)
i like this router so far... i replaced the firmware with Tomato (i commend linksys for allowing 3rd party firmware - its so easy to install it, you actually use linksys own config page to do it!). tomato is amazing in that you can view your bandwith use live, or total per day, week, etc. nice to keep track
only problem i have is, sometimes it will cut out for about 20 seconds and then come back. this happens about once every couple days.
other than that, an excellent router.
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Good, install other firmware on it, June 15, 2008
By Joseph Doll
The router has been rock solid with significantly longer range than the Apple routers that I've used recently. Do yourself a favor an install the tomato firmware on it.
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The best router in the market, June 1, 2008
By Helder Martins (Caracas, VE)
What do you think of having a router that cost US$60 but you can make it work like one that costs US$600? I think it's the coolest purchase you can make, so this is the one you need.
Linksys (part of Cisco) is for me the best home router brand in the market. They have the option to be upgraded using any third party firmware which is very useful for geeks (like me).
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