This year, we celebrate the ten-year anniversary of Linksys routers, and with the release of our awesome new Linksys E-Series, we wanted to take a look back on how it all started…
December 28, 1999: BEFSR 41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-port Switch
May 7, 2001: BEFW11P1EtherFast Wireless AP + Cable/DSL Router with Print Server
November 18, 2002: WRT54G
June 30, 2004: RV042 EtherFast 4-Port VPN Router
July 25, 2005: WTR54GS Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster
2006: WRT300N Wireless-N Broadband Router
September 20, 2007: WRT100 RangePlus Wireless Router
July 3, 2008: WRT610N Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router
March 31, 2010: Linksys E-Series Wireless-N Routers
The WRT54G has opened up a new path of programmability as far as routers go. THe open-source software caused the geek community to write up firmware that can make this unit do more than it could ever do, like WDS bridging, wireless hotspot functionality and the like. Then there have been some successor routers that have been built on this open-source software and have had a plethora of third-party firmware aveilable.
I’ve had my BEFW11S4 Linksys wireless router since 2002. It’s been flawless from day one and I still use it to this day. It’s been plugged in an working since the day I bought it back in 2002. I’m sticking with linksys products for life. It’s been this best!
Amazing, I look at these pictures, and think about all the days I spent in attics dragging cat 5 cable behind me to create LANS and WANS now the wireless makes all that into history in a hurry.
Reading this article truly brings back memories. I remember being the proud new owner of the BEFSR 41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with 4-port Switch. I purchased it almost a decade ago in order to network a couple junky computers so me and my friends could play multiplayer games together.
These really are the best routers, no problems. No plans in changing from anything but the best.Thanks
The best of the best. i use LinkSys at home and my IT faculty uses many LinkSys routers.
I have been using these routers since 1999, and I have to say that the improvements stopped at the WRT54G. Every single router since then has not been anywhere near as reliable. I know these can be so much better, just read the forums out there for reviews.
Hi Brenna,I thought I did a pretty good blog story on the new Cisco Valet:http://www.bradreese.com/blog/cisco-valet-3-31-2010.htm
I remember the BEFSR 41. It cooked. Twice : )So did the 8 port version : /With the recent faux pas of the competition I’m certainly willing to look at Linksys again, but the overheating issues put me off for a very long time.
I started with Linksys WRT54G however over the last few years found myself checking out the offerings of Netgear and D-Link due mostly to the open source firmware which makes the WRT54G so vulnerable to hackers.
Amazing, I have owned 3 of the routers shown in the pictures and when I think of the progression, it is truly great. My first WRT54G worked great but was a bit quirky with the firmware updates. It took a bit of tweaking to get it right. Now, I have the 300n and I have to say it is an quantum leap forward in reliability. Thank you Cisco!
Linksys is a very good company when it comes to customer service. I have had a linksys router for a few years – its a wrt54gc- and this machine has never let me down. I need to re configure it and because it stands alone connected to a set top box I contacted linksys customer service. I am running two pcs and two laptops from it and needed to do this as my provider changed their domain name. Normally in Australia, companies have no back up service after 12 months of purchase. But Linksys are available for the life of the product. The number I rang here routed me to someone in the US. No telephone tree – no waiting – very professional and fixed all in under half an hour – very impressed. I know where I will be buying any upgrade peripherals when I need one. Well done linksys.
very g00d info keep up the work! thanx