It's Easy As 1-2-3...No Really! - Linksys Router BEFSR41

It took me until I was in eight grade before I finally caught up with the times (well, tried to anyway) and bought myself a computer. That would be 2001, and at that moment, having one computer in the house was fortunate enough, let alone multiple computers where a router would become of use. Then in 2002 I went online with my Playstation 2, and so instead of having to unplug the ethernet cable from the back of my computer and plug it into the Network Adapter on the PS2, I went with the easiest and most convenient set-up - a router.

Router or Hub?
The first question to arise when in search for a router, is what's the difference between Routers and Hubs, and which is better. I'm not a computer whiz or anything, but while hubs are generally 20-30 dollars cheaper than routers, you're getting what you paid for. Routers are generally between 60 and 100 dollars. I got mine from Wal-Mart for 80 dollars, and it was worth every penny of it. Hubs are much more cheaper, though Hubs differ from Routers in a big way. In order to connect more than one computer to a single broadband line, you need a hub or a router.

A hub will split the connection evenly between however many computers you've got networked. So for example, say you've got two computers hooked up to the hub. With this set up, the connection is split 50/50. Simple huh? Hubs aren't really that bad when you've only got two computers, though internet speed is cut down to a faster 56k modem. The real problem comes when you've got more than two computers networked, which cuts the internet speed down really low.

A router plays with the IP addresses and sends each device that's connected to it an IP address. Unlike a hub, all the devices receive the same speed, it's just that when you've got things going on at the same time on each device, they will slow each other down. So for example, if you're downloading something on your computer or surfing a lot of pages with tons of pictures and crap on them while playing SOCOM on PS2, you'll notice lag in the game and the computer skips frames. Otherwise, routers are best to be used because they're the most simple to use, and most efficient in speeds.

Why LinkSYS?
There are a few brands of routers out there, but I've found LinkSYS to be the best quality as far as routers go. When using a router to split your connection between your computer and PS2/Xbox like I'm doing, it's the best router to use for gaming. Aside from a firewall that may have to be turned off in order to receive access to servers and such or a game in general, LinkSYS has the best performance than any of the other router brands.

Outta' Da Box and Setting This Shizzle Up
Out of the different computer techs there are, Networking is probably the hardest to do. When I first got the router, I was scared as hell that I wasn't going to be able to get it up and running right. Luckily though, the EZ 1-2-3 Quick Guide instructions helped me get the router set-up and going. The Quick Guide was even easier to use than the regular instructions, and a hell of a lot easier than the Installation CD.

Setting up the router is a piece of cake. Make sure the router, Cable/DSL modem, and computer are off. Then, using Cat-5 ethernet cables, connect your Cable/DSL modem to the port in the back of the router called WAN (Wide Area Network), and then each device into the 1, 2, 3, or 4 ethernet ports on the back. Power up the router, power up your Cable/DSL modem waiting for all the necessary lights to come on, then turn your computer back on. Without much trouble, installation is as simple as setting up the equipment and turning it all on. There may be a few minor things that you might have to modify in the settings of your computer and/or your router. If you know what you need to do, you're good to go. Those who don't know what they're doing can contact LinkSYS technical support on the phone, or if you've got internet access on another computer, check out the linksys website (www.linksys.com) and drop them an email. Tech Support will be able to troubleshoot with you and get yourself configured.

Overall
The BEFSR41 Linksys Router is a near perfect router, and is top choice for those who are getting into online gaming with their PS2/Xbox. As long as the top of the router isn't covered, it'll work like a charm as I've never had any kind of trouble with it. The lights on front coordinate to the 1,2,3,and 4 ports on the back, and so for each device in the router (up to 4 of course), the lights will light up on front when a connection is made with that device. They're cheap, they're durable, and they're pretty much the best on the market, get one now.

happy networking