Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The Linksys 10/100 4-Port VPN Router is an advanced Internet-sharing network solution for your small business needs. Like any router, it lets multiple computers in your office share an Internet connection. But the unique dual Internet ports on the 10/100 4-Port VPN Router let you connect a second Internet line as a backup to insure that you're never disconnected. Or, use both Internet ports at the same time, and let the router balance your office's requirements between them for maximum bandwidth efficiency.The 10/100 4-Port VPN Router also features a built-in 4-port full-duplex 10/100 Ethernet switch to connect four PCs directly, or you can connect more hubs and switches to create as big a network as you need.The Virtual Private Network (VPN) capability creates encrypted "tunnels" through the Internet, allowing up to 30 remote office or traveling users to securely connect into your office network from off-site. Users connecting through a VPN tunnel are attached to your company's network - with secure access to files, e-mail, and your intranet - just as if they were in the building. You can also use the VPN capability to allow users on your small office network to securely connect out to a corporate network.The 10/100 4-Port VPN Router can serve as a DHCP Server, and has a powerful SPI firewall to protect your PCs against intruders and most known Internet attacks. It can be configured to filter internal users' access to the Internet, and has IP address filtering so you can specify exactly who has access to your network. Configuration is a snap with the web browser-based configuration utility.As the heart of your small office network, the connection-redundant Linksys 10/100 4-Port VPN Router gives you the connection reliability your business needs.
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Customer Reviews Read 35 more reviews...
Avoid if you need VPN and where is the value for money? October 15, 2008
Grant Corban (Malaysia)
Used the unit in a small office with 50 users.
First the good.
- Easy to set up
- Reliable firewall and router
- keywords used for internet blocking of web sites
The bad:
-VPN does not work properly. Wasted weeks on this. Tried the cisco/Linksys software and it was useless. Also only supports 5 users when using PPTP. Continual issues with unreliable results.
-When the battery dies you need to replace the unit.
-Cannot block messenger apps
In the end I switched to m0n0wall for the firewall. Installing it onto a retired NT4 box. Removed the hard drive and booted from the CD ISO image. Config saves onto a floppy. Felt good going "green" by resurrecting this old box.
For the VPN and content filtering i am still looking. M0n0wall allows a lot more VPN clients than the RV042 but not intuitive to set up. M0n0 also has graphs of through put an CPU usage.Have used OpenVPN for IPSEC and works more reliably than the RV042 for VPN. While these two options take longer to set up than the RV042 they are FREE.
For a product I pay for I want:
-Ease of set up.
-Trouble free VPN set up
-No restriction on VPN connects.
-Decent monitoring and logging tools.
-Ability to KILL IM and Torrent traffic, or at least capture and log IM traffic to deter staff goofing off
Excelent purchase September 13, 2008
Eric Lieb (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After much investigation, I decided on the Linksys dual WAN router. My apartment has 02 broadband connections: Cable and ADSL. I wanted a router that I could use for both load balancing my internet connection between them, automatic fail over from one link to the other, and VPN.
I installed the VPN PPTP server, and my Windows XP connection over the internet was a breeze.
The load balancing features are a little difficult to understand at the first moment, but then after some time playing around, it clicks.
Performance of the router is good. No issues here.
Upgrade to the latest firmware as soon as you get it.
It replaced my previous wireless router from linksys as well.
Recommend to anyone who wants to use 2 WAN connections (home-office of small office).
Very Good Once You Get It Installed July 13, 2008
Adam W (Chapel Hill, NC United States)
This is a inexpensive alternative to a Cisco firewall/router for a small business that needs VPN. To prep for the install, I went to Linksys.com and got the latest firmware. Even with the latest firmware, installing the RV042 took much more time than initially anticipated: ATT DSL modem needed a hard reset and then placed into Ethernet bridge mode. The DSL modem would not function correctly when connected to the WAN1 port; had to use WAN2. Keepalive setting per ATT was incorrect. Needed to adjust MTU settings or FTP transfers would not work reliably. Finally got it working and set up VPN. Happy to see that RV042 includes built in PPTP server. This means that VPN clients can use the MS PPTP VPN client that comes with Windows. No need to install the Linksys VPN software on client PCs. Note that using RV042 PPTP, limits you to 5 VPN users. In summary, product is recommended only for someone with networking experience. Even then, be prepared to spend some frustrating time.
Ok unit, terrible service January 9, 2008
Firebright (Sacramento, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I own two of these, and had no problems getting vpn up and rolling, but after 1.5 years, I've had both units fail within a month of one another (both just started blinking warning - fried - both in different locations in the us), and fell in with linksys's absolute crap-poor technical support. I ended up finding it a better use of my time just to dump these units and replace them than deal with linksys's absolutely insanely bad indian technical support.
Here's the hard part. I replaced the first unit, and it fried to. So, I'm out 450 bucks, and then I call technical support, and they won't support the older units even though I have just purchased a new one, and want to charge me $35 bucks because one of the 2 units I'm trying to get vpn working with is "out of warranty" even though the one I'm trying to configure it brand new! What the heck? Not to mention the level of technical competency of the people I was on the phone with was next to nothing (total script readers), and they wouldn't listen to common sense - oh, and I got disconnected all the time.
As a VERY long time customer (almost from their inception), I'm never buying another product from them. They've made some very bad business choices, and their support and product quality has dropped to third world levels. I can't believe this is a Cisco company - they should be ashamed of their acquisition.
Do yourself a favor. Run away from Linksys.
RV042 < RV082 < RV016 November 13, 2007
Bob Logan (sunnyvale, ca)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Before you purchase a RV042, check the RV082 and RV016 carefully - they are similar routers, but have different capabilities. Your needs may not be met by the RV042.
Also - no matter what model you buy - before you bein configuration first upgrade the firmware! failure to do so will result in disappointing performance!
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