Review on 📶 Cisco-Linksys WRT160N Wireless-N Broadband Router: Superior Connectivity for Seamless Internet Access by Chris Palmer

I bought this router to replace a previous Linksys Wireless-G router that has failed. While this new router looks sleek, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about its performance. The device definitely looks like it went the cheap Netgear build path, and I was worried it would last as long as the router I was replacing (everything seems disposable these days). Luckily, my skepticism is wrong. This router was a fantastic replacement, but I regret not replacing my old router sooner. I was a little worried about the lack of an antenna, but the range is equal if not better in G-mode (all my devices are in G-mode) compared to the previous router. Unfortunately the performance seems to be a little slower but not enough to really affect my usage as I have a 6Mbps internet connection which is really not affected by my close to 54Mbps computer. Luckily I get full performance for my streaming devices, which are probably the most network intensive. The router setup is 1000x better than what I remember on my previous device. I remember having a tough time as the previous router required a wired computer and my ISP's tricky method of sending out an IP address that was essentially the same as the default used by most routers led to this that this old router 8 hours and many customers configured support calls, hacking etc. to change the router address (a Linksys disadvantage at the time). Fast forward a few years and the device and its software essentially configure themselves without requiring a direct connection to a computer. The software provided by Linksys is probably suitable for most home users, although it limits customization options. Fortunately, most of the settings can still be accessed by looking directly at the router and all typical configurable features (security, ports, etc.) are available. The router has been up and running for almost a year and has only failed once. The only problem I've had (and it's not a bad one) is that the firewall can sometimes crash and not let one of my devices through when it's on. Apparently this device changes its signature when it updates so heavily that I have to open the firewall to let it in and then unblock its port before resetting the firewall. It's a bit cumbersome and I can't directly blame the router or the device (probably a bit of both). Ultimately, I think this device is good enough for what it does. This is an average model that doesn't bother my phone lines and will likely last longer than its predecessor.