Cisco’s Linksys E1200

Cisco’s Linksys E1200 is the venerable Linksys WRT160N (version 3) rebranded, with the Cisco Connect software now included to simplify installation. Of all of the wireless routers for the budget conscious, this one is our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award winner on our product review lineup because it is reliable and easy to use, offers features associated with higher-priced products, is infused with Linksys technology and is supported by Cisco, a company known for its superb customer advocacy.

Add caption

Attributes    

The Linksys E1200 has five Fast Ethernet ports: one for internet access and the rest to support clients on a local area network. This is one of the home wireless routers that conforms to IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi specifications to support dual-stream speeds on 2.4GHz (300Mbps theoretical data throughput). Wireless n is a leap forward from the previous 802.11g specification, which had a theoretical speed of 54Mbps. Wireless n is backward compatible with wireless g, so wireless g clients can connect to the Wi-Fi network enabled by the Linksys E1200. Even though the Linksys supports dual streams, if a wireless g client connects, it can only access the 20MHz channel, which will result in a theoretical data throughput of 150Mbps. If a wireless n client accesses the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio, it can take advantage of a 40MHz channel and enjoy greater data throughput.

Security    

Add caption

Click to Enlarge

With the E1200 home wireless router, parents have a great deal of specific control over how and when children can surf the web. It is possible to block internet access always or never or at specific times on school nights or weekends. Parents can also enter the names of specific sites to block.

Visitors can have their own password-protected internet access. Five guests are allowed by default, with the option to support up to ten guests. Armed with the name of the guest network and the password, guests can connect to the internet but they cannot print to any printer that is connected to the local network. Guests cannot access any files on networked computers and they cannot see the host’s personal data.

State-of-the-art encryption exists in the form of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2). Legacy encryption, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), is there for clients that adhere to older versions of the Wi-Fi standard. WEP is also necessary if the router is connected to a RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) server, which is a system that authenticates authorized users or devices prior to granting network access. The firewall supports Network Address Translation (NAT) and Stateful Packet Inspections (SPI). NAT presents a single IP address to the internet to represent the entire local area network. SPI detects malware and spyware by examining data packets for threat signatures.

For telecommuters who use the public internet to connect to corporate networks, this is one of the home wireless routers that supports a few versions of VPN passthrough: IPsec, PPTP and L2TP. IPSec passthrough (Internet Protocol Security) is the name for the set of protocols to allow a secure exchange of data packet at the Internet Protocol (IP) layer. PPTP passthrough (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) allows a tunnel through an IP network for the Point-to-Point Protocol. L2TP passthrough (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) enables Point-to-Point sessions on Layer 2 of the Internet Protocol stack.

Ease of Use    

Add caption

Click to Enlarge

The included Cisco Connect software sets up PCs or Macs. Users can create an Easy Setup key with the wireless settings on a USB flash drive to connect additional computers. A browser-based utility is another way to manage the router configuration settings. The web browser is the way to configure advanced settings, for advanced users who know their way around router administration. Users can manage this home wireless router remotely from any external IP address by configuring a remote management port.

After the router is configured, the user can save the configuration in backup form in order to restore the configurations at a later date if necessary. When Cisco adds new features to firmware, or if the user experiences problems, it is possible to upgrade the firmware, which will require reconfiguration.

Universal Plug and Play makes it easy to allow Windows to automatically configure this home wireless router to support internet applications including videoconferencing and gaming. A Wi-Fi Protected Setup button eases the process of adding and configuring client devices. If it becomes necessary to restore the factory defaults for any reason, there are two methods. One way is to use the browser-based utility and restore the factory defaults from the administration tab. Another way is to press and hold the reset button for five seconds. The router has four rubber feet on the bottom for horizontal placement. If it is more convenient for the user to mount the product on a wall, the bottom panel has wall-mount slots.

Help and Support    

Add caption

Click to Enlarge

Cisco covers the Linksys E1200 with a one-year warranty plus one year of free technical support by telephone or online chat. The website hosts a community forum, knowledge base, product guide and frequently asked questions. Cisco also makes good use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to communicate with users.

Summary

Cisco's contestant in the home wireless router market is infused with the excellent Linksys DNA and worthy of the Linksys by Cisco brand. The Linksys ranks above the rest since it has a hack-proof firewall and an affordable price. We heartily recommend the Linksys E1200 as best among home and small office wireless routers.