Linksys Wireless-G ADSL Gateway

Whether you’re a networking expert or not, it helps to have clear guidance when you’re setting up a new modem or router. Linksys had provided a cluttered configuration screen but no Setup Wizard for the Wireless-G ADSL Gateway. Unlike most of the competition, Linksys has printed a Quick Install sheet specifically for users. That means there’s no need to ask your ISP what you should put for Encapsulation, VPI, VCI and so on, because you’re told everything you need to know. Perhaps ‘everything’ is a mild exaggeration, but there’s more help to be found. Every browser-based setup screen has a ‘More…’ link that displays comprehensive guidance on the options you’ve got available.

They’re an impressive set of options, including SNMP, UPnP, port forwarding (single or a range), port triggering and QoS. Furthermore, unexpected bonus features include a Dynamic Domain Name System (which works with www.dyndns.com to assign a fixed host and domain name to a dynamic IP address), Internet content filters (block cookies, Java applets, Activex) and multiple Internet access policies (block access at particular times of day, by specific URLs, keywords and more.

Performance wasn’t quite so outstanding, with the Wireless-G ADSL Gateway only returning average results in the wireless speed tests (though the range in results was small) and there’s no accelerated mode to change this. The product still offers plenty of power for your money.