Nightmare with a Linksys WAG54G

Bought one of these from ebuyer to replace my ageing (and problematic in
some areas) Solwise SAR715PW (802.11b) - bought 2 WUSB54G adapters (USB
802.11g) with it as well.

Main reason was to experience 802.11g speeds and hopefully get out of the
sometimes annoying problems I'd been getting with the 802.11b Solwise
modem/router.

My, what a nightmare!

I really feel I must have got a dud Linksys router.

Couldn't even save pppoa details on the router (kept coming up and asking me
for a username/password after save which would not accept the obvious
answers)

Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give the
latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.

Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older Belkin
802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.

Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?

Looks like I'm going to need to return it unless someone can tell me if I'm
doing anything obviously wrong???

Did ring Linksys customer support - not that good - but at least the chap on
the end of the line told me he hadn't come across these problems before and
suggested I return the router!

Don't you just hate it when things don't work fresh out of the box
(grrrrr!)

Is 802.11g more sensitive than 802.11b ? My belkin adapters were generally
pretty reliable in terms of signal strength and quality with my Solwise
router. Now I have the Linksys 802.11g adapters they do seem to drop
connection to my Solwise 802.11b router from time to time? Is it generally
accepted that you should run all 802.11g to 802.11g AP's or routers for the
best compatibility and reliability?

Andy

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 20:52:24 +0100, "Andy Pandy"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Bought one of these from ebuyer to replace my ageing (and problematic in
>some areas) Solwise SAR715PW (802.11b) - bought 2 WUSB54G adapters (USB
>802.11g) with it as well.
>
>Main reason was to experience 802.11g speeds and hopefully get out of the
>sometimes annoying problems I'd been getting with the 802.11b Solwise
>modem/router.
>
>My, what a nightmare!
>
>I really feel I must have got a dud Linksys router.
>
>Couldn't even save pppoa details on the router (kept coming up and asking me
>for a username/password after save which would not accept the obvious
>answers)
>
>Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give the
>latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
>
>Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older Belkin
>802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
>
>Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
>
>Looks like I'm going to need to return it unless someone can tell me if I'm
>doing anything obviously wrong???
>
>Did ring Linksys customer support - not that good - but at least the chap on
>the end of the line told me he hadn't come across these problems before and
>suggested I return the router!
>
>Don't you just hate it when things don't work fresh out of the box
>(grrrrr!)
>
>Is 802.11g more sensitive than 802.11b ? My belkin adapters were generally
>pretty reliable in terms of signal strength and quality with my Solwise
>router. Now I have the Linksys 802.11g adapters they do seem to drop
>connection to my Solwise 802.11b router from time to time? Is it generally
>accepted that you should run all 802.11g to 802.11g AP's or routers for the
>best compatibility and reliability?
>
>Andy


I also have just purchased a WAG54G, but not come across this. My
firmware is the latest, and I brought it from dabs.com with 2 Linksys
54G wireless cards. Quite easy to setup, although I found that when I
saved the settings it would cut out sometimes and I would have to
reconnect, but did find that the settings had been saved, so it was
minor inconvienience more than anything.

My only problem is that I cannot seem to get the network up and
running with my daughters PC...she has ME and main PC XP Pro and when
I see her PC it wont allow me to connect to it.

But I think its a good piece of kit.

I have a WAG54G

I had problems with cheap £12 11b wireless PCMCIA card from Ebuyer - bought
a Linksys 54g one and works fine.

I did and still do have the problems with saving settings and upgrading
firmware!
I could change settings and upgrade via wireless laptop but not main wired
PC.
I then tried connecting laptop via cat5 wires - works.
So assume have some setup problem with my home pc that doesn't exist on
laptop???

Not sure what.
Do find some settings will take on some pages but not all through main PC?

Have called Linksys - they didn't know why.

When it is working and the fact the settings can be set - it is very good.

Only one niggle on top of those above are the limited number of firewall
ports that can be set up???
Have I missed something?

cheers

Ian


"Robespierre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 20:52:24 +0100, "Andy Pandy"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Bought one of these from ebuyer to replace my ageing (and problematic in
> >some areas) Solwise SAR715PW (802.11b) - bought 2 WUSB54G adapters (USB
> >802.11g) with it as well.
> >
> >Main reason was to experience 802.11g speeds and hopefully get out of the
> >sometimes annoying problems I'd been getting with the 802.11b Solwise
> >modem/router.
> >
> >My, what a nightmare!
> >
> >I really feel I must have got a dud Linksys router.
> >
> >Couldn't even save pppoa details on the router (kept coming up and asking
me
> >for a username/password after save which would not accept the obvious
> >answers)
> >
> >Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give
the
> >latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
> >
> >Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
Belkin
> >802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
> >
> >Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
> >
> >Looks like I'm going to need to return it unless someone can tell me if
I'm
> >doing anything obviously wrong???
> >
> >Did ring Linksys customer support - not that good - but at least the chap
on
> >the end of the line told me he hadn't come across these problems before
and
> >suggested I return the router!
> >
> >Don't you just hate it when things don't work fresh out of the box
> >(grrrrr!)
> >
> >Is 802.11g more sensitive than 802.11b ? My belkin adapters were
generally
> >pretty reliable in terms of signal strength and quality with my Solwise
> >router. Now I have the Linksys 802.11g adapters they do seem to drop
> >connection to my Solwise 802.11b router from time to time? Is it
generally
> >accepted that you should run all 802.11g to 802.11g AP's or routers for
the
> >best compatibility and reliability?
> >
> >Andy
>
>
> I also have just purchased a WAG54G, but not come across this. My
> firmware is the latest, and I brought it from dabs.com with 2 Linksys
> 54G wireless cards. Quite easy to setup, although I found that when I
> saved the settings it would cut out sometimes and I would have to
> reconnect, but did find that the settings had been saved, so it was
> minor inconvienience more than anything.
>
> My only problem is that I cannot seem to get the network up and
> running with my daughters PC...she has ME and main PC XP Pro and when
> I see her PC it wont allow me to connect to it.
>
> But I think its a good piece of kit.
>
>
>

I've had one up and running since January. No probs at all but I've not
upgraded the firmware and I will not unless there is a very good reason.
Connects to an ethernet xp pc (used this for the setup) and two wireless xp
pcs. One is 802.11b and the other is 802.11g. All share the BB connection
and the LAN is solid.
I like this bit of kit but Linksys support is the pits in my experience.
You may have a dud one.
I think you do have to enter all the ppoa details including username and
password on the basic setup screen but I guess you knew that already!
Sorry I cannot really be any help.

Andy Pandy wrote:
> Bought one of these from ebuyer to replace my ageing (and problematic
> in some areas) Solwise SAR715PW (802.11b) - bought 2 WUSB54G adapters
> (USB 802.11g) with it as well.
>
> Main reason was to experience 802.11g speeds and hopefully get out of
> the sometimes annoying problems I'd been getting with the 802.11b
> Solwise modem/router.
>
> My, what a nightmare!
>
> I really feel I must have got a dud Linksys router.
>
> Couldn't even save pppoa details on the router (kept coming up and
> asking me for a username/password after save which would not accept
> the obvious answers)
>
> Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to
> give the latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way
> there.
>
> Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
> Belkin 802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB
> adapters.
>
> Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
>
> Looks like I'm going to need to return it unless someone can tell me
> if I'm doing anything obviously wrong???
>
> Did ring Linksys customer support - not that good - but at least the
> chap on the end of the line told me he hadn't come across these
> problems before and suggested I return the router!
>
> Don't you just hate it when things don't work fresh out of the box
> (grrrrr!)
>
> Is 802.11g more sensitive than 802.11b ? My belkin adapters were
> generally pretty reliable in terms of signal strength and quality
> with my Solwise router. Now I have the Linksys 802.11g adapters they
> do seem to drop connection to my Solwise 802.11b router from time to
> time? Is it generally accepted that you should run all 802.11g to
> 802.11g AP's or routers for the best compatibility and reliability?
>
> Andy

On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 02:05:42 +0100, "Ian Nelson"
<(E-Mail Removed)(AT)neltek.com> wrote:

>I have a WAG54G
>
>I had problems with cheap £12 11b wireless PCMCIA card from Ebuyer - bought
>a Linksys 54g one and works fine.
>
>I did and still do have the problems with saving settings and upgrading
>firmware!
>I could change settings and upgrade via wireless laptop but not main wired
>PC.
>I then tried connecting laptop via cat5 wires - works.
>So assume have some setup problem with my home pc that doesn't exist on
>laptop???
>
>Not sure what.
>Do find some settings will take on some pages but not all through main PC?
>
>Have called Linksys - they didn't know why.
>
>When it is working and the fact the settings can be set - it is very good.
>
>Only one niggle on top of those above are the limited number of firewall
>ports that can be set up???
>Have I missed something?
>
>cheers
>
>Ian
>

I find that sometimes, when you save the settings, it will redirect
you back to the menu (after the wait 5 seconds), but most of the time
the network cuts out when I save, and I have to reconnect to the
network after waiting around 2 mins. But, the settings are saved
though, even though it cuts out.

I agree on the small amount of ports to open as well, that really
should be changed. The only way I can see past it is to turn off the
firewall and use a software based on like Zone Alarm Pro for port
forwarding etc.

Cheers

K

"Andy Pandy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cFEbc.29773$Y%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give
the
> latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
>
> Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
Belkin
> 802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
>
> Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?

Ah - so you did buy it (as opposed to the Belkin/Netgear I think you were
also considering) and are having problems :/ and not even with VPN as I
mentioned before..

Which firmware are you trying to upgrade too ?

Version 1.01.5 is the latest on Linksys's web site.

However, I came across a link to version v1.01.7 which is newer but not on
Linksys's web site yet.

Its at http://www.the.caretaker.dsl.pipex.c....01.7_0304.zip - you
may want to try it.

No idea what it fixes (VPN issues maybe?) and upgrade firmware at your own
risk etc

Regards
Sunil

I suspect your network issues are between the ME and XP machines rather than
the router.

I have some connection issues to work machines - can connect one way but not
other.
Ironically the work machines can't get to my home PC.

All this is probably machine network setup or firewall.

Remote Desktop control works fine


Ian

"Robespierre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 02:05:42 +0100, "Ian Nelson"
> <(E-Mail Removed)(AT)neltek.com> wrote:
>
> >I have a WAG54G
> >
> >I had problems with cheap £12 11b wireless PCMCIA card from Ebuyer -
bought
> >a Linksys 54g one and works fine.
> >
> >I did and still do have the problems with saving settings and upgrading
> >firmware!
> >I could change settings and upgrade via wireless laptop but not main
wired
> >PC.
> >I then tried connecting laptop via cat5 wires - works.
> >So assume have some setup problem with my home pc that doesn't exist on
> >laptop???
> >
> >Not sure what.
> >Do find some settings will take on some pages but not all through main
PC?
> >
> >Have called Linksys - they didn't know why.
> >
> >When it is working and the fact the settings can be set - it is very
good.
> >
> >Only one niggle on top of those above are the limited number of firewall
> >ports that can be set up???
> >Have I missed something?
> >
> >cheers
> >
> >Ian
> >
>
> I find that sometimes, when you save the settings, it will redirect
> you back to the menu (after the wait 5 seconds), but most of the time
> the network cuts out when I save, and I have to reconnect to the
> network after waiting around 2 mins. But, the settings are saved
> though, even though it cuts out.
>
> I agree on the small amount of ports to open as well, that really
> should be changed. The only way I can see past it is to turn off the
> firewall and use a software based on like Zone Alarm Pro for port
> forwarding etc.
>
> Cheers
>
> K

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c4pv7k$2kr182$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Andy Pandy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cFEbc.29773$Y%(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give
> the
> > latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
> >
> > Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
> Belkin
> > 802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
> >
> > Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
>
> Ah - so you did buy it (as opposed to the Belkin/Netgear I think you were
> also considering) and are having problems :/ and not even with VPN as I
> mentioned before..
>
> Which firmware are you trying to upgrade too ?
>
> Version 1.01.5 is the latest on Linksys's web site.
>
> However, I came across a link to version v1.01.7 which is newer but not on
> Linksys's web site yet.
>
> Its at http://www.the.caretaker.dsl.pipex.c....01.7_0304.zip -
you
> may want to try it.
>
> No idea what it fixes (VPN issues maybe?) and upgrade firmware at your own
> risk etc
>
> Regards
> Sunil
>
>

Yep, decided to go for it in the end. I have some more news though - I took
the router upstairs to my other PC - reflashed the firmware (1.01.5) from
this PC to the router using tftp again rather than through the routers web
interface. This gave me a "successful" message (1st time).
Took the router back downstairs and plugged into my adsl line and its been
fine ever since - works ok - haven't had the same problems I had from the
first day I tried to set it up. I am totally baffled. I can only assume that
something had corrupted the router initially perhaps when I tried to flash
the firmware the first time and it didn't go too well. The router has been
connected to my ISP ever since.
There are still some niggling issues whereby I get asked for a
username/password (which doesn't accept anything I try) when I try to save
some of the router parameters from the web interface using IE on my main XP
PC (Opera from the same PC has more success though). I can only assume these
are general issues that would affect all WAG54G routers and hope that later
firmware will fix them. I have seen since, other people reporting about
these issues.
I feel a bit guilty because I'd already posted a pretty bad review on the
ebuyer site about it (but then I was a bit miffed initially - why does
nothing ever work the way you want it to !). Looks like if it performs ok,
and I'm giving it a thorough workout over the next few days, I'll be keeping
it.

So from my point of view, good news so far.

Andy

PS. I've downloaded the zip file from the site you mentioned - thanks for
that - unfortunately its only the firmware BIN file ie. no readme to give me
any clues as to what it fixes so I think I'll leave it for now until it
maybe becomes officially available from Linksys ;-)

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c4pv7k$2kr182$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Andy Pandy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cFEbc.29773$Y%(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to give
> the
> > latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
> >
> > Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
> Belkin
> > 802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
> >
> > Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
>
> Ah - so you did buy it (as opposed to the Belkin/Netgear I think you were
> also considering) and are having problems :/ and not even with VPN as I
> mentioned before..
>
> Which firmware are you trying to upgrade too ?
>
> Version 1.01.5 is the latest on Linksys's web site.
>
> However, I came across a link to version v1.01.7 which is newer but not on
> Linksys's web site yet.
>
> Its at http://www.the.caretaker.dsl.pipex.c....01.7_0304.zip -
you
> may want to try it.
>

Beware of US firmware if you use channel 12 or 13. Wasted myself a few
hours before I twigged.

Allan

"Allan Anderson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c4r9o7$2lc4tv$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:c4pv7k$2kr182$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > "Andy Pandy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:cFEbc.29773$Y%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > >
> > > Couldn't even upgrade the firmware (it was quite old so decided to
give
> > the
> > > latest version a try) - kept bombing out a third of the way there.
> > >
> > > Tried doing all this wired and wirelessly connected - using my older
> > Belkin
> > > 802.11b USB adapters and the newer Linksys 802.11g USB adapters.
> > >
> > > Anyone else have any bad experiences with this router?
> >
> > Ah - so you did buy it (as opposed to the Belkin/Netgear I think you
were
> > also considering) and are having problems :/ and not even with VPN as I
> > mentioned before..
> >
> > Which firmware are you trying to upgrade too ?
> >
> > Version 1.01.5 is the latest on Linksys's web site.
> >
> > However, I came across a link to version v1.01.7 which is newer but not
on
> > Linksys's web site yet.
> >
> > Its at http://www.the.caretaker.dsl.pipex.c....01.7_0304.zip -
> you
> > may want to try it.
> >
>
> Beware of US firmware if you use channel 12 or 13. Wasted myself a few
> hours before I twigged.
>
> Allan
>
>

Not sure if this is US firmware - the readme on the official 1.01.5 firmware
says "Annex A - European" - the filename in the zip above is also Annex A so
I'm hoping this is also European firmware. It looks very new though but
without a readme file to say where it came from or what is fixed, I'm
staying well clear until I see something official from Linksys.

Andy