| Belkin Wireless-G Router DSL/Cable Gateway |
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Model: F5D7230-4
Brand: Belkin
Manufacturer: Belkin Components
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 244
Operating system: Macintosh
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: Ethernet, FastEthernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Creates a network in your home or office without cables
Ensures data and network security with wireless 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption
Offers backward-compatibility with all 802.11b devices
Sets up easily with Belkin Easy Install Wizard-automatically detects Internet settings and self-adjusts Router to get you online in under 3 minutes |
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| Description: |
| Belkin F5D7230-4 802.11g Wireless Cable/DSL Router - This device is a must if you have multiple computers and a hi-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection. With a built-in 4-Port Ethernet switch and support for 802.11g technology, you can share files, peripherals, or the Internet - with or without wires! DMZ Hosting Configures easily with any web browser or Easy Install Wizard 64- and 128-bit WEP data encryption Stackable enclosure and vertical stand (included) helps reduce the desktop footprint Includes - power supply, manual, quick install guide, RJ45 networking cable, & software CD |
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| User Reviews (244 total): |
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What's everyone's problem? This is a great product., December 30, 2007
By user (Birmingham, AL)
I love this router! It took a few moments to hook-up, but not long. We have Port Magic on our PC, and it covers the security that we needed. It's small and I get about a 60% reception in my room from abour 50 ft. and 6 or 8 walls inbetween.
It's networked to my PC and I can't wait to get an extender so I'll have a %100 rating there. It'll definitely be a Belkin too!
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Get Me the Hammer!!, December 22, 2007
By user
I have had this product for ever and I advise you not to buy it, your internet will drop constantly and not go back on, when you call Belkin, they dont help either just keep telling me to unplug router, unplug modem, then turn off computer. And its not my modem that has the problem because when I plug the modem only into the computer it works fine, but I have 3 computers in the house 2 wire connected and on wireless. DO NOT BUY
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belkin wireless G, some issues., December 18, 2007
By user (northest ohio)
I have this installed and often I have to reboot the thing to get it to work. A tech frind of mine says I should have went with a LINKSYS. I just may do that.
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Not Ready For Prime Time, December 18, 2007
By user (PacNW)
This wifi gateway router technically 'works' but did not at all meet our ordinary domestic needs. We ultimately had to return it.
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You get what you pay for..., December 14, 2007
By user (Allentown, PA United States)
When wireless routers were first available, we purchased a Belkin and it was very disappointing. The main problem was that I would constantly lose wireless signal even if I was very close (20 feet or less) to the router.
Several years later, I figured "Hey routers must be better now" so I purchased the Belkin 7230-4. Let me tell you I have the exact same problem. I have to reset the router constantly to get a signal, and it's driving me crazy. If you can afford the extra $20 to get a netgear or linksys, I recommend it! I'd avoid Belkin the next time I want to buy a router.
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defective product, December 8, 2007
By user (denver)
it was defective, and it has taken about a month to get the refund back. i am very dissapointed because i need the refund before christmas!!!
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If you require Tech Support and only speak English - Do Not Buy, December 5, 2007
By user (Ann Arbor, MI United States)
Earlier today I was attempting to install a Belkin Wireless Router at home. While doing the installation it came to the point where it would not connect to the internet. The set-up software instructed me to call technical support. When I called the number I got a nice lady who spoke very rough English. After many request for her to repeat herself, we finally got it to connect. However, it was moving extremely slow and the set up software did not give me an option to continue through on the set-up. My efforts to explain this to the lady were futile. She kept saying "but you are connected now, thank you." I finally gave up and played with it myself for about 15 minutes. After having no success, I called technical support again and this time got a nice man whom I also could not understand. After a few minutes of laboriously giving him all of my personal information again and then painstakingly going through the basics in my frustrating attempt to explain the problem, I finally gave up and went to the office to work. After that I tried to fax my question in writing to Belkin but the fax number on their website did not work.
I am not a racist and have many multi-cultural friends; however, if you only speak English with a normal midwestern accent you will most likely have problems communicating with the technical support team which I presume is located in India.
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Piece of garbage...or my bad luck, November 30, 2007
By user (Monroe, New Jersey USA)
I have had it with this piece of trash router! I bought the first one and after fighting with it for a week, it worked for about a week and then died on me. I spoke with about 3 incompetent customer service rep's (if you can even call it service) and finally brought it back to the store I bought it from. So I exchanged it figuring that I might have just picked up a bad one. Router # 2 was decent, it had its in and out moments, and now within about 8 months, this one stopped working and yes this is a testable claim because the internet I'm on now only works when it is not hooked up to this crappy router. Customer service is like a a human reading a prompter and I have no more patience to deal w/ this thing. It is trash, don't waste your money even if it is cheap because it is so inconvenient when it dies at the end of the semester!
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The Worst, November 27, 2007
By user
This is as bad an electronic device I have ever owned (in over 40 years). I have a new Macbook with the older OS X. The Easy Install wizard did not work. I spent over 4 hours on the phone with Belkin--some of their representatives gave me one procedure; others a competely different procedure; others managed to reset some of my server settings (which took me over an hour on the phone with ATT to undo); another claimed the router was defective. A final rep. told me that everything the previous reps (level 1 reps) had told me was wrong. He set it up. It lasted two days. I managed to reset it. It lasted one day.
I have no objection to receiving a defective product. But it should hardly have taken an entire afternoon dealing with various levels of Belkin to find this out.
I will never buy another piece of Belkin equipment again, nor will I deal with the contradictory advice and claims made by their presumed support department.
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BELKIN WIRELESS G ROUTER, November 21, 2007
By user (MONTEREY, CA.)
THIS ROUTER IS WORKING SMOOTHLY SINCE THE DAY I RECEIVED IT. EASIEST INSTALLATION OF ANY ROUTER I'VE USED.
PRICE DUNN
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Great Router, November 11, 2007
By user (USA)
I bought this router in Feb 2007 to replace a Netgear that had failed (I moved and when I plugged it in at the new place, it no longer worked).
It was very easy to set up and secure and I've never had any trouble with it. I use it with my Mac laptop, and it's always been fully compatible. I set it up with a Win XP desktop (which does not access the network wirelessly).
Since this was my second wireless network, I had some idea of the steps involved, but I'm no networking expert. I found it really easy and quick to set up, and would imagine that it wouldn't be much of a challenge for someone setting up their first network either.
I've been really delighted with how this router has performed--it's reliable, I've never suffered dropped connections, when it's weak, it's almost always because of my cable internet connection (and it's not often weak). I use it 3-5 days/week and am able to access the internet from anywhere in my one-level 2000sqft home, and out on the back patio. The router is roughly in the center of the house.
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Works OK, November 2, 2007
By user (Boston USA)
This product works OK, but similar to what I learned from reading other postings, it does not immediately recognize wireless laptops as easily as some other routers I have used due to the security configurations. Even after using a laptop on this system, it sometimes fails to reestablish connections in a rural area with no competing signals. Following their directions, I could not easily figure out how to reconfigure the security settings to fix the problem.
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Fantastic Router for the Money, October 25, 2007
By user (Shreveport, LA United States)
Although I consider myself to be more Mac proficient than the average user, I am, admittedly, rather networking-ignorant. That being said, I'm not particularly concerned with all the fancy networking features and jargon I often see mentioned in these reviews. All I know is that after over two years of use, this router has worked great for me. I've used it in different homes, had two different Macs connected directly to it, and have had no problems accessing the wireless signal with several different computers (both Mac and PC). Setup has always been a breeze and recently I accidentally figured out how to network our three Macs, who now all communicate with one another seamlessly thanks to this little guy.
A feature I like is the lights on the front which let you know if all the functions are or are not working properly. It is very compact so as not to take up a lot of room. Up to 4 computers can be connected via ethernet and we have up to three computers on the wireless at one time with relatively fast speeds (we use cable). I've never tested the range, but have had no problems in the houses in which I've used it (2000 & 1500 sq. ft.)
It does, of course, need to be reset occasionally (I'd say four to six times yearly), especially when we experience bad weather, but that's never really been a big deal to me--really, you can't expect perfection at this price.
To conclude, if you want simplicity and reliability at an affordable price, this is the router for you. If security and other fancy networking features are important to you, then you may want to keep looking and will most definitely have to spend more money.
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Failed within a Year, October 21, 2007
By user (Virginia, USA)
This item worked well for the first few months then recently became very unreliable. My connections were dropped more and more frequently until eventually, even power resets failed to reconnect it.
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Great purchase...very happy, October 8, 2007
By user (USA)
After making the big mistake of buying the D-link 524 (see review on this piece) and not being able to make it work after long hours of setting-resetting and, customer service efforts and so forth, I returned it to where I bought that piece of junk...inmediatelly I went to a local retailer and bought the Belkin Wireless G router (which I researched before) featured here... and It worked perfectly...
I was eskeptical at first, bu it really took me 10-15 minutes to set up my wireless network, I just inserted the CD on my XP OS PC and followed the 10 or so steps, and that was it...wireless finally!
The signal is strong on the first floor and it drops 50%-75% on the second, depending of the location, but enough to surf the net and received my emails in my outlook express, so I would recomend this for small homes.
I would give it the five stars if its signal was as strong in the second floor as it is in the first since is not really far away.
Great purchase for the bucks you will spend.
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Booooooooooooooo!, October 2, 2007
By user (Burbank, CA USA)
Very unreliable until I switched it to the slower 802.11B. Everyone I know that has this unit experiences the same symptoms. Save your soul. Look elsewhere.
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Good for DSL Bad for Cable, September 21, 2007
By user (Florida)
When I got this router I initially had a dsl connection and it worked great with 5 computers using it at the same time. When I switched to a cable connection it seemed to drop signal every few minutes. I am a gamer and it is so frustrating to get disconnected so often from losing your connection. Just to check the router itself I took it to a friend's home who had dsl and again it works great...go figure. So I am back to using my extremely long ethernet cord to connect my laptop.....sigh.
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Worst Wireless Router, September 14, 2007
By user (Detroit, MI USA)
I bought this wireless router to use with my HP notebook. I had it for a few months and it was working PERFECTLY! GREAT speed and all! BUT after a short while, the router decided to work only when IT wanted to work. My laptop detected the router and connected to it no problem, but the router wasn't sending any information to my laptop. SO WEIRD! My boyfriend has the exact same router and had the exact same problem! I would have to unplug the router and let it sit for about a minute in order for it to start working again. I eventually gave up on the router and replaced it with a Linksys. It was good while it was working, but it gave out too soon! I guess thats why Belkins are so cheap.
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Don't waste your time and money on this router, September 12, 2007
By user (Lansing, MI)
After dealing with the Belkin "support" people, who I couldn't understand since they can hardly speak English, and having them tell me to reset this thing about five times, they finally agreed that the item was defective. It worked out of the box for about ten minutes. After that all the lights came on solid, and there was no fixing it. Cheaper isn't always better as I have learned the hard way.
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Terrible, September 12, 2007
By user
I am returning it today. I bought it a week ago. Hardly works at all.
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