Review on 🔒 NETGEAR FWG114P ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall with USB Server and 4-Port 10/100 Switch: Enhance Network Security and Connectivity by Will Powers

FWG114P has been my family's network hub for 5-6 years. I bought it specifically for the print server function. A few years later we replaced our PCs and are now using Vista. The "Installation" CD will not install on our 64-bit machine. While the software runs on Vista 32-bit, I found (after much research) that the printer port can be configured without software. This is a simple and widely used connection option on Mac and PC called LPR and works well. The only downside of such a print server is the lack of two-way communication. Ink level alerts, etc. cannot be sent from the printer to the computer. Likewise, you cannot scan from a multifunction device. Speaking of obsolescence: While b/g WLAN speeds are more than sufficient to share a DSL connection, WLAN n seems to be the new de facto standard. Also, many inexpensive inkjet printers already have a Category 5 port on the back, so you may not need the print server function at all. Reliability: The only reason I have to replace this router is because the power connector has failed. When you press the low voltage plug, it will flash and restart. I could probably buy a new connector and solder it in, but why risk messing everything up? He had his run and now he's old. Coincidentally, the power jack fails due to years of manual resetting by unplugging the low voltage cable from the unit. The router only causes problems when the user tries to print without paper or when the ink level is low. When this happens, the printer fails, and once the ink or paper is restored, it prints page after page of garbage. The only way to fix this is to plug in power to the router and printer, plug in the printer, and then plug in the router. That's the nature of electronics I guess. I would suggest adding an inline switch to the low voltage wire instead of unplugging it as pulling the wire each time will cause a tiny spark and will eventually oxidize the contacts. Overall a great workhorse but can handle printer errors better.