Yes, this is the product many have feared to buy for bad reviews of it - but it looks like the problems were either repaired by Linksys firmware updates or just a lot of inexperienced or technically impaired people may have had it in their hands - my four new Linksys-N products; two WMP300N cards, WRT150N router, and WRT350N router, have all arrived operational. The more advanced wireless routers always require changes from their default values to get the maximum benefit in different environments - and new ones always have a few quirks until the last firmware update is done. Inexperienced people just can't negotiate this well - and many think a router should just work great out-of-the-box. In real world applications, it just doesn't always work that way. Often, it seldom does for most - not even for an experienced electrical engineer who also holds a degree in computer sciences.
The WRT350N is an advanced router - more of a business class wireless router and requires closer attention to its settings. It also still had a few glitches in the menu software (version 1 firmware 1.03.2 dated 11/22/06). Since it is a Draft-N product, there will be continuing firmware updates to improve its functions for the "challenged" and those seeking higher performance. Those looking for the simplest solution in Wireless-N should simply look no higher than the WRT150N and the WMP300N wireless cards - although the WMP300N cards still need better drivers than those currently shipped with them or the site available 4.100.15.5 driver dated 11/17/06. The WRT150N router simply works out-of-the-box as it comes.
The next time you hear or read about a router crashing a computer with a wireless connection, think hogwash - because that's what it is. Unfortunately, many have bought into this erratic thinking - which has been stated far too often. Simply put, it's the physically attached hardware, software drivers, or software conflicts that crash computers.
I'm a member of the electrical engineering community and my degree (of antiquity) in computer sciences was obtained for use as a programmer many, many moons ago. Forget that for a moment, as I just read the subject matter available for a quick install of this wireless router and started installing it - trying to set up a needed performance boost in my home network while adding features my WRT150N router doesn't provide. That subject matter was, as everyone usually finds, compressed to a file needing Adobe Reader to open it. It's a large file, and I would have rather had a printed book for my older eyes - but I managed my way through the numerous pages. Let's also not forget to access the help files for the WRT350N at the Linksys site as they too are needed for many installs of the WRT350N.
Before I go too far, let me say many people erroneously purchase the WMP350N thinking it offers better wireless SIGNAL improvement over the WRT150N, WRT300N, and the WRT330N. Nothing could be further from the truth, as ALL of these WRT-N wireless routers offer the same electrical specifications in wireless disposition. All the WRT350N offers above others in the WRT-N line is gigabyte wired router connections and an available USB network drive connection. Wireless output and reception strength is identical to that of its least expensive little brother - the WRT150N I reviewed
here. I confirmed that by using both routers in the same environment.
More than a few will and have blamed the WRT350N for their woes. Many who purchase this more expensive router also purchase the WMP300N cards - or the Linksys-N USB adapter. Where they lose ground is just not the routers, but the adapters and an inability to fully comprehend the extensive literature provided for the router - beyond the simple start-up cards and EZ-setup software. Those adapters still need updated drivers - and this has nothing to do with the routers. The multi-path signal/antenna processing system (MIMO) is a good innovation that works well, but a router is a router, is a router, period. If the adapter isn't performing at the computer, there are almost no amount of router changes that will improve performance - beyond lowering encryption and finding the most un-polluted channel to run your router on. Look to the end of my review on the
WMP300N cards for the most current
signed driver to improve them (US models).
While the WRT350N can also function as a FTP server (using the USB drive), it thus far hasn't had a firmware update that would allow it to perform as a wireless repeater or bridge such as some of the Wireless-G Linksys models provide. It also doesn't offer any option for setting power output levels. Not knowing of the components contained within the unit, I could only guess a future firmware update might add these functions or at least a few of them. The version 1.03.7 firmware made available at the Linksys site 10/18/07 has made solid advances in the direction of improved performance.
Why I chose to purchase this particular router was of four categorical reasons.
First, was the fact I understood the specifications for this product concerning what it should and would deliver.
Second, was the fact Linksys had just released their Draft 2.0 Wireless-N firmware update to improve feature performance of the WRT350N (8/10/07).
Third, was the fact this router has a USB feature I wanted to take advantage of.
Fourth, well this one is a bit harder to explain - but here goes. I had already been using the excellent WRT150N since May 2007 in a Wireless-G environment. Once I noted the performance it managed over my previous
USR5450 "business class" wireless-G multifunction AP it replaced, I was sold on how it was time to upgrade to Wireless-N using Linksys products.
In the box:
_One silver and black router with a USB port, WAN port, and four gigabit LAN ports.
_One 12 volt wall power adapter with attached six foot 12v power cord and a very short 120 volt cord.
_One 4 1/2' category-5 Ethernet cable
_One pamphlet with Linksys "Easy Link Advisor" and a trial of Symantec Internet Security on CD.
(Chuckle, of course you know how I filed that CD. Not!) I used the Linksys Adobe Reader online file for what I wanted - no need to play with un-needed software that would only slow me down. I also have better protection than the included Symantec trial, on the CD, can offer - I currently use a free Windows OneCare Beta 2.0 subscription, on my home computers, in preference to my
OneCare 1.5 product subscription. The Linksys products are recognized by this OneCare version, and this Beta version of OneCare allows networking and the use of my
XEROX MFP6110/s.
Well, bust my britches! The fickle finger of fate poked me in the eye! Linksys PULLED the new August 10, 2007 firmware update (version 1.03.6) the same day my WRT350N arrived, and before I could install it - preventing my use of the newer Draft-N 2.0 firmware, shooting down my reason number two for a purchase. What a hoot! This meant I was glad I still had three other reasons to purchase this wireless router and was not relying solely on just that firmware update. This left me feeling something like a Gomer Pyle spouting his Surprise, Surprise, Surprise, words - and about as smart. That update would have been the first step in my install and would have been a significant one in this routers improvement to Draft-N 2.0. Well, at least I knew for certain they were working on another firmware update version.
After a later Online chat session with a Linksys technician, Angelina, I was supplied the beta files for upgrading the WRT350N to firmware version 1.05.8 beta. She transferred the files needed directly to my desktop for later installation. She was very efficient and helpful. After assigning my computer a static IP, I used the tftp application file to install the April 25, 2007 1.05.8 beta US file from the folder she sent. I did this after disabling my wireless connection and connecting the WRT350N only (by one of its gigabyte LAN connections) directly to my computers gigabyte LAN connection. The transfer took only a moment to read successful from the tftp install program. It left my encryption settings and password intact, but I disconnected the router power for ten minutes after I saw the install finish its reboot of the router. The auto reboot takes a few minutes to complete after the file installs successfully.
But waaait, 10/18/2007 provided a new firmware that works even better - version 1.03.7. This one fixed a number of issues and provided the 1.03.6 versions feature I wanted - the update to Draft 802.11n Version 2.0. I noticed the transfer rate between computers and/or the Internet increased immediately using MAC address protocols and PSK2 encryption. Downloading wireless from the Internet was now normal and compared directly even to wired LAN connections or just connected straight to my DSL modem. The transfer rate rate from computer to WRT350N to computer (all wireless) also made a huge jump in transfer speed.
Initial setup for an advanced Installation:
With my WRT150N and WMP300N adapter cards in place, I changed these menu items in the WRT150N. First, I disconnected my DSL and connected the WRT150N by Ethernet cable to an XP computer. I then set up a static IP address for the computer using Windows Network Connections. By right clicking the icon for the 10/100 Ethernet connection (Local Connection), I clicked on properties and negotiated my way to Local Area Connection Properties\Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties. There I set the fields to "Use the following IP address", and filled in the proper information.
After making the connection, I opened the WRT150N menu and made the following changes:
1)Setup/Basic Setup/DHCP Server - Disabled
2)Setup/Advanced Routing/NAT - Disabled, Dynamic Routing - Enabled
3)Setup/Basic Setup/Router IP address - changed to another differing from the default Linksys router IP 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.2)
Okay, I'll bet that one got your attention. The reason for all this is I am setting up two wireless channel zones on the same network in my home - connected by one category 5 cable. This links my two wireless routers together by cable and insures my wireless signals are just as strong in one area as another - and one cable is much easier to place than multiple ones. This also accomplishes some bullying of the channels since others, nearby my residence, have decided to completely pollute the frequencies in use in the area. The WRT350N is the DSL connection to my modem and DHCP Server, and these settings on the WRT150N do improve its performance while connected to the WRT350N by removing conflicts over DHCP and routing when using multiple connected routers. My wireless channel information for operation on the WRT150N had already been previously changed from the default, and is different from that I set on the WRT350N - as it should be with two wireless routers on a system. Just be careful to use frequencies several channels apart to prevent the wireless routers signals, which are still in close proximity to each other, from interfering with each other.
I next placed the routers where I wanted them, connected their power, my DSL to WAN on the WRT350N, and the hidden common Ethernet cable to the LAN 1 connections on the WRT150N and the WRT350N. All of my computers immediately saw each connection. I connected each to the connection they saw as having the stronger signal - the wireless router nearest to them.
Lest I forget, The orientation of these routers makes little if any appreciable difference to signal strength. This is in contrast to earlier wireless-G equipment, and is due to the MIMO circuitry. A stand is provided with the WRT350N for standing it on its side (antennas higher). I just sat mine flat with the antennas turned upward.
A few quirks in the factory supplied WRT350N menu software:
Changing the default setting from enable SSID to disable SSID, automatically switched it to WEP encryption from any WAP/PSK settings. I use WAP/PSK2, so that annoyed me as I tried to work around it to disable the SSID broadcasting as I normally do. The WRT150N had no problem disabling SSID, but using the disabled setting makes it harder for the WMP300N cards to find and make a stable signal connection when reception is poor. Eventually, the WRT350N did allow me to later use disabled SSID broadcasting with PSK encryption - the glitch strangely disappeared. But, this glitch only disappeared a day after I downloaded and re-installed the firmware available on the Linksys site dated 11/22/06 - the same software that came pre-installed on the new WRT350N router. The accumulation and dissipation of static acquired during transit of my new WRT350N could easily account for this small but troublesome problem, and the problem did not re-occur.
Various speeds and B, G, or N settings can affect stable performance. Signal strength will assuredly affect the stability of its connections in large file transfers - and the extreme interference, I am experiencing in my neighborhood of late, does degrade wireless-N. However, it had already destroyed my better than average wireless-G connections. For wireless Internet browsing, I would have no need but for either the WRT150N or the WRT350N, as both are reliable enough for that alone - in spite of the interference. It's also very possible Linksys will provide new firmware that will further improve rejection of interference - for greater stability of their Wireless-N equipment.
Better area coverage with both the routers integral antennas is a fact, but the WMP300N cards were the surprising challenge. Using settings on the WRT350N for my wireless-G cards produced higher transfer rates - equalling and surpassing my earlier
USR5450 with the expensive added 12 Db. high gain aftermarket antennas I had attached to it. In this respect, the WRT350 showed identical performance to my WRT150N router, and without the need for my aftermarket antennas.
More a problem with my WMP300N cards and site interference, was a collision of packet information. A quick change was made, using Linksys site information, changing the routers RTS Threshold from 2347 to 2304. This stabilized and repaired the connection after I began noting dropped file transfers of 1Gb. and larger. I also dropped the Fragmentation Threshold to 2303.
Remember I later installed the beta firmware to the WRT350N? ------------- It's discussed further down.
In use - WRT350N alone:
The WRT350N is a nice looking unit despite the three antennas that can be moved to a number of positions. The front panel has dim LEDs for power, four for Ethernet, Internet, USB, Wireless, and Security. There are an additional three LEDs that aren't labeled and it has that same "future use" button the WRT150N has. All LEDs are light green except the Ethernet LEDs when connected to a gigabit connection - these connections change to light orange denoting a Gigabit connection. 10/100 connections light green. A quick look at the LEDs on the WRT350N will tell you what's going on.
The CISCO firewall is again almost identical to those on other CISCO products. The major differences are the settings for the USB network drive and/or the use as a network server. Just about everything you could want is included - making the WRT350N a nice addition to any small business type or small home network. That's not to say the router can't handle a number of connections - there are enough for a nicely sized network complex.
My use for the network drive is a backup/restore storage for my computers - if I ever need it. I haven't seen the need since I started using OneCare some years back, although OneCare has provisions that ask for one. But who knows, I could just start up a FTP file server if the mood strikes.
Wireless connections are important to me as I don't want to string CAT 5 or better cables or connections around everywhere in my home. Good wireless transfer rates make file swapping and storage easy and quick. Once the few problems were ironed out, I knew my wireless-N system would surpass the best connections I had using wireless-G. At this point, my smaller files moved very quickly - and much faster than they ever did using wireless-G. However, my large file transfers tended to break down after some period of time - but the successful transfers were still taking place faster than my Wireless-G system ever managed. Having had both Wireless-G and N operating with my Linksys WRT-N routers, it was easy to see the current "N" card drivers were the major problem of dropped file transfers - but it's not a problem that can't be overcome. Linksys has provided the advanced controls at both the WMP300N cards and the WRT-N routers to iron this problem out - and the use of the more stable Broadcom driver with those N-cards using the Broadcom chipset is the best current working solution.
Wireless Settings and updated data:
The WRT-N models all offer what is called a "good neighbor mode" or "fallback" modes. Yeah right, you know I'll be using such a setting after my Wireless-G communications were disrupted over the entire frequency band by someone over-boosting a Wireless-G router in my area - that has caused harmonic interference on every band. I used full "N-only" with the full 40MHz. bandwidth setting for N communication, hidden SSID broadcasting, and full PSK encryption since my previous Wireless-G system was so rudely crippled by area airwave pollution.
Have no fears, Linksys has provided a full feature set here to tweak almost anything the enthusiasts among us might have in mind - but read further to find the discovered problems and solutions.
Alright, here's the added data most will be highly interested in (even Linksys):
I updated from the firmware beta 1.05.8 to that available on the Linksys site - version 1.03.7. I had noted the beta firmware had improved Upnp performance and USB, and wired connections, but my main interest was in wireless. The new Draft-N 2.0 version allowed me to get very acceptable wireless Internet rates using my DSL connection. Before, I could only run Mac address protocol to secure access as any WAP encryption ruined my connection rate down to about 25KBPS.
Issue resolved. I now get 300Kbps and better in this same connection (the same as hardwired directly from my DSL modem), while using both MAC address and full PSK2 encryption protocols. This was and is the same at 15 feet and 80 feet through multiple walls - with the same Internet improvement noted at all locations using the new firmware.
Previously, I could only get such Internet download speeds using my SpeedStream 5200 DSL modem only or with it connected to my WRT350N and a wired LAN connection to the computers. Large Internet file transfers were only possible using wired LAN connections from either. This issue is now
resolved, whereas, before I had repeated reset connection problems that would interrupt and break the transfer of large files using a wireless connection.
I did change the router Advanced Wireless Settings fragmentation to 2303 and the RTS threshold to 2304 (helpful for packet collisions) and matched those settings on my WMP300N cards beforehand. (Note on cards below) Bandwidth use with my Internet connection appears to remain stable at approximately 1% of the 270 Mbps reported available at one computer, and the average of 108 Mbps reported at the 80 foot location of another.
Large file transfers had also become impossible at times between computers with wireless connections to the WRT350N, due to the interference in my area. The common error displayed was the file was no longer available, or the connection had been reset, when the transfer would fail. This issue also appears to have been
resolved with the new firmware.
Bandwidth use between computers transmitting and receiving files to and from each other located 15 and 80 feet, from and using the WRT350N, varied for me between 8 and 20 per cent of the 270 Mbps available.
These large file (I used 3 GB. files) transfer rates are now very respectable and in the Mbps ranges instead of the Kbps ranges noted on Internet downloads.
WMP300N cards - I had continued problems using the driver and software provided for them by Linksys (versions 4.100.15.5 and the earlier disk supplied driver). The software was useless in XP Pro and caused numerous blue screen errors, and many error reports to Microsoft (who is still looking at the problem), until they were removed. This was despite multiple installs to insure a correct install did take place. There were no PCI conflicts as this was checked for carefully. I was able to use the Linksys driver only, but it too has left much to be desired - restarts, faulty connections, and dropped file transfers. A complete removal in favor of installing the signed XP driver from Broadcom (the chip maker) proved to be the solution for stable performance.
For reference, I used the signed driver supplied in this Hewlett Packard service package - SP34152 (Broadcom 4.100.15.5)
Using only this Broadcom driver, and none of the other software in the package, I set fragmentation to 2303 and RTS threshold to 2304 to match my router settings. The driver installed properly each time I made changes, while experimenting for best performance. I used this driver on both a Compaq Presario Pentium III 800MHz. system and on a Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro2 with AMD XP 3000+ processor. Both systems are highly loaded, yet fully stable using it. Neither XP Pro system could tolerate the unsigned Linksys card drivers. My older wireless-G cards of USR manufacture connected and worked stable, along with a Realtek wireless-G card in the ASUS M2N32-SLI Wireless Deluxe motherboard running Vista Ultimate X64. For this reason, I feel the next change should be in this area - providing a new driver for the WMP300N cards producing ever higher performance using them.
Using the above, I was also able to make simultaneous large file wireless downloads from the Internet and between computers linked to the WRT350N at 15 and 80 feet - without problem. Between computers, transferring files between them is now very quick - even as they are downloading files from the Internet. I just can't seem to be able to overload and slow the wireless connection - a good thing to note.
Other settings to the WRT350N:
Set time zone to my zone
Network Mode: Mixed
Network Name (SSID): xxxxx
Radio Band: Wide 40 MHZ Channel
Wide Channel: 3
Standard Channel: 1
SSID Broadcast: Disabled
Security Mode: WPA2 Personal
Encryption: TKIP or AES
Passphrase: xxxxxxxxx
Key Renewal: 3200 seconds
Of course, I also changed the router password.
After all settings and the firmware update were made to the WRT350N router, its performance was just where it should be. Don't let the previous firmware problems of this router fool you. It is an excellent product offering very good range and strong wireless connections. It's not uncommon to find reduced performance in new products such as this one. Once the firmware and drivers were updated, the performance was right where it should be.
No one should have a problem with this router following this procedure. Download the latest firmware to your desktop, set a static IP address for your computer (Linksys will help you with this - if you need help)and, using the firmware update control provided in the menu of the WRT350N update the firmware. Then make the channel settings best suited to your wireless setup, and feel free to use my own settings provided here as a guide.
Today it took about
three hours to download the latest ISO distro of Fedora core x64 from the Internet. That's over 3.2 GB. of data, and very good speed for my home wired DSL connection - only I did it wireless. An 11.5 GB file transferred wireless in 2 hours from one computer 80 feet away from the WRT350N to another 15 feet from it. Now that's not bad at all - and my location is badly polluted by Wireless-G signals from several wireless-G routers and one overboosted wireless-G router in my area.
The WRT350N may well be the product users need and want now - but don't expect the performance gains using Wireless-N to stop growing just yet either. Just be prepared to upgrade its firmware and to provide it with the proper settings. With my WRT150N set up as a second wireless zone in my home, my transfer rates will be extreme, as no computer will be beyond 30 feet of a wireless connection. At this range, connections read strong and at 270Mbps in Windows Connection Status.
Final thoughts:
With my finished system combining both the WRT350N and its "little brother" WRT150N, my computers will always within thirty feet of a wireless connection. As I noted before, at my review of the WRT150N, this close range offers extremely good connections and transfer rates using Windows XP Pro X64 and 32-bit OS. Even my computers running Vista Ultimate X64 have no problems connecting to and using these wireless router connections. Windows reports 270 Mbps. connections at the Wireless-N cards and I noted transfers at some unbelievable averages I've never experienced before - even compared to the best of my previous Wireless-G connections.
Without worrying about changing router antenna connections to reverse SMA, I was able to significantly boost my wireless transfer performance over Wireless-G - successfully over-riding all the interference in my area without becoming obnoxious beyond my property boundaries. (chuckle) I can only wonder what happened to those over-boosted Wireless-G connections in the area that caused my problems. By the time these obtuse people figure out what happened and start polluting the area even more, I'll just re-connect my 12 Db. gain attic installed antennas if needed and form an even more solid umbrella of coverage they cannot chip away at. If that doesn't work, I'll just call the FCC.
At any rate, my current solution from Linksys is working well - and with better performance than I've ever had in the past, in spite of not being able to see the WRT350N for miles and miles. So, If you need a better than average wireless solution, a FTP server or USB network drive, Gigabit Ethernet ports, and don't mind studying the literature to set it up properly, the WRT350N may be for you. On the other hand, you could just use my experiences here to set your own up.
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