Belkin N1 Wireless Router
Manufacturer: Belkin Part number: F5D8231-4
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With its easy-to-grasp status icons, up-to-date security options, and stellar support, the Belkin N1 router is on the path to 802.11n wireless networking stardom, but like other Draft N devices, its performance fails to impress.
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CNET editors' review
Belkin N1 Wireless Router price range: $99.99 - $199.99
- Reviewed by: Felisa Yang
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 06/19/2006
- Released on: 05/01/2006
The good: The Belkin N1 is extremely user-friendly, with an idiot-proof setup guide and an impressive network-status display. And it still leads the pack with its service-and-support package.
The bad: Though the Belkin N1 performed admirably for having only the mixed-mode option, it still fell well short of expectations for 802.11n networking equipment.
The bottom line: With its easy-to-grasp status icons, up-to-date security options, and stellar support, the Belkin N1 router is on the path to 802.11n wireless networking stardom, but like other Draft N devices, its performance fails to impress.
The Belkin N1 router differs from either Linksys's or Netgear's competing Draft N products by not offering a single-mode operation. Instead, the only option is a mixed n/g/b mode. Generally, single-mode operation offers better performance, because in mixed-mode, the older-generation products (such as 802.11b clients, which can sustain a slower throughput than 11g or pre-11n clients) become a network bottleneck. This discrepancy makes direct performance comparisons impossible, but the Belkin N1 did best the Linksys and Netgear Draft N routers in CNET Labs' mixed-mode and long-range (in mixed mode) throughput tests. We're sticking with the same advice we've given in reviews of other pre-N and Draft N devices: unless you absolutely must have the fastest gear for your network, sit tight and wait for the 802.11n spec to be finalized before buying (latest reports peg this at early to mid 2007). If you do have to buy now and want something that will likely be upgradable through firmware to conform with the final 11n spec, this Belkin N1 router would be our choice. If you don't mind buying a new router now and again when the spec is finalized, stick with Belkin's Pre-N router.(And keep in mind that if you do opt for so-called pre-N or Super G networking equipment, you'll need to use matching routers and cards for the best performance.)
The Belkin N1 wireless router has the same body as its pre-N predecessor--with the same three-antenna configuration--though the slate-gray plastic has been replaced with a slick, silver-and-black exterior. The rear of the router serves up the standard connections: four LAN ports for hardwired connections, a WAN port, and a power jack, plus a pinhole reset button.
The standout design feature of this router is one that's been a long time in coming: Belkin replaced the standard LED lights with a top-mounted network-status display that gives you better insight into your network. The LEDs normally mounted on a router blink to indicate activity, but the blinking probably doesn't mean much to someone new to networking, especially when that person is trying to troubleshoot a problematic network connection. Belkin's network-status display panel uses graphical representations of each element of the network: a globe for the Internet; a modem; a three-antenna router; a desktop PC, representing a wired connection; a laptop, representing a wireless connection; and a lock to represent wireless security. The included guide tells you that a solid blue icon means everything is fine, while a blinking amber-colored icon indicates that something is amiss at that juncture in the network. So if you're surfing the Web on your laptop and discover that you can't connect, a quick glance at your router should tell you where to start your investigation.
Belkin upped the ante on consumer-friendliness in other areas, as well. When you open the box, you're faced with a quick-installation guide that details the process of setting up the router in plain English. Even better, each step is lettered, and a sticker on the router has the corresponding letters, as do the included power and networking cables, so newbies won't have to guess at which port is the WAN port, for example.
If you are setting up your first router, you can start by inserting the installation CD and running the setup wizard, which takes you through the configuration process. If you're more experienced with wireless networking, you can simply plug in all of the cables, then power up and point your browser to the provided IP address to access the network management utility, where you can manually configure your router. The Belkin N1 router has all the standard wireless security options, including WEP and WPA-PSK, SPI and NAT firewalls, DMZ and VPN pass-throughs, and MAC address filtering.
In a departure from the rest of the Draft N pack, Belkin has opted not to support n-only or g-only modes. Instead, your only wireless option is a mixed n/g/b mode. In mixed mode at 10 feet, the Belkin N1 more than doubled the throughput of the Netgear WNR834B router and edged out the Linksys WRT300N. Even more impressive was the long-range test result: we normally test long-range throughput in single mode, but in this case, we had to test the Belkin in mixed mode. We expected it to take a performance hit compared to the others, but instead, it nearly doubled the Linksys's score and squeaked by the Netgear. Despite these impressive feats, we were still underwhelmed by the Belkin's overall performance. 802.11n networking promises speeds up to 300Mbps (though all the networking vendors will admit that this is a maximum burst speed and cannot be maintained), and the Belkin N1 router could reach only a top speed of 53.3Mbps at close range, nowhere close to the max.
Belkin is unparalleled in terms of service and support for its networking products. In fact, unlike some companies that try to bury their support information and tech support number, Belkin includes a boldly colored sheet in the box that details all of your support options, including the phone number. It covers the N1 router with a lifetime warranty, and free, toll-free phone support is available 24/7. At Belkin's Web site, you'll find firmware and driver updates, FAQs, an interactive networking setup guide, and an e-mail support form.
(Throughput in Mbps)
(Throughput in Mbps measured indoors at 200 feet)
User reviews
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Good Router for Serious Buyers
by rottrog on September 12, 2006
Pros: Excellent Coverage, Range, and Speed...LIFETIME WARRANTY
Cons: Steep Price, Admin Interface
Summary: I am a hard core geek, this is probably the 10th router I have bought in the past 18 months. I live on the internet, work on a wireless connection ...
Summary: I am a hard core geek, this is probably the 10th router I have bought in the past 18 months. I live on the internet, work on a wireless connection 8+ hours a day, and have a home network that consists of 3 wireless computers, 1 wireless xbox 360, 1 wired 360 and 2 wired desktops. Bottom line, my router gets used heavily.
I would have liked to pay in the $60-80 range, but honestly having a solid performer is worth the $150 to me.
Btw, I am not using a pre-N card on any device, all the devices have their own network card, from internal, to pci cards, to an xbox card. I use this device in a 4K sqft building, crossing levels, rooms, blah blah blah. I have never have received the throughput, distance or coverage I get with this router. I get a solid 54MB connection from furthest point and yes, it holds all day long.
I also have 8 wireless networks broadcasting into my space, so lots of interference. I have had routers drop do to 2.4ghz phones, speed reduced due to all the networks in my area, and routers not able to perform with so many devices connected...but not with this baby.
The interface is-as dummy proof as it gets.
Make sure you update your firmware when you buy this device and you will be good to go. It also appears that when the N spec is finialized (mid 2007) belkin will release a firmware update so it conforms to the new standards.
I would give this product a 10 if it was less expensive. However, I still get a smile on my face anytime I think about my network.
Most of the routers I have owned before have been made by linksys, dlink and netgear. Linksys was good, then bad, then good again (thanks cisco). Dlink, solid performer though each new release of technology. Netgear, you guys get great performance...for awhile. Netgear is not neighbor friendly, but more importantly has problems down the line. If you are like me, you want to setup your wireless network then just use it...kinda like your fridge.22 out of 22 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Quality Performance. Solid Firmware.
by scottvk on June 17, 2006
Pros: Consistently Strong WIFI Signal & Great Range
Cons: Pricey. 1st Generation Draft-N Wireless.
Summary: After trying the Linksys SRX400 and WRT300N routers and being totally discouraged by poor performance, I decided to give another brand a try. The Belkin N1 worked right out of ...
Summary: After trying the Linksys SRX400 and WRT300N routers and being totally discouraged by poor performance, I decided to give another brand a try. The Belkin N1 worked right out of the box as advertised. All I did was hook up the router to the DSL modem and then to my workstation, restarted, and then ran the CD and that was it. The WiFi range and consistency of the signal is superb. I bought this router primarily to stream video to Media Center Extenders that are littered throughout the house in various rooms. I had no problem getting an "excellent signal" in several areas - both inside my home and outside on my patio. The signal was constantly strong and did not bounce around a lot like it did with the Linksys. At the time of this review, the N1 runs rings around the newest Linksys WiFi routers - at least that is my experience. I spent many days and hours trying to tweak the Linksys routers and I only spent about 15 minutes tweaking the Belkin N1 before I was satisfied with the performance. I believe that the Belkin N1 came out about 1 month later than the other pre-N routers that are now on the market. My guess is that they spent the extra time running it through Quality Assurance. This is the first pre-n router that I am aware of that hasn't needed firware patches immediately. Anyway, if your experiencing WiFi congestion and you need the extra speed and range, then I would definitely buy this product.
12 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great product with some serious birthpains
by magavara on October 27, 2006
Pros: fast, userfreindly, great range
Cons: serious problem with security modes
Summary: This is a great router. I have tried a number of different ones and found this one to be the easiest to configure. It is both, a top of the ...
Summary: This is a great router. I have tried a number of different ones and found this one to be the easiest to configure. It is both, a top of the line product and very user friendly.
If it were not for the following problem, I would give this router a rating of 10 but the problem decribed below is quite serious so all I can give is a 3
The problem I encountered is that the router slows down from 300 Mbps to a mere 54 Mbps when using one to the security modes. The only way to run the router with its advertised 300 Mbps is to run it as an open, unsecured network. I contacted Belkin a number of times about this only to find out that many of the online technicians didn?t have a clue what I was talking about. I finally got connected with a technician who understood and his recommended fix was to run the router in unsecured mode and use Mac Address Control as security.
This works fine, but it doesn?t fix the real problem. I want to be able the run my wireless network in a secure mode that can be accessed with a password.
The only reason I haven?t returned the router to the store yet is because I am waiting for Belkin to bring out a firmware update that will fix the problem before my 30-day return period is over.Updated
I have now been using the router for several months and I need to revise my original review. After returning the router to the store two more times, I finally got one that worked and that would maintain the 300 Mbps when security modes were enabled. However, I began experiencing the same issues that other reviewers mentioned, namely that I frequently kept loosing the wireless connection. Some days the connection would only drop once, but I also had days where I lost the connection over 10 times. This happened in spite of using the Belkin N1 network and desktop cards on all of my machines and the distance to the router is only 5 meters with one thin wooden wall in-between. Every time I lost the connection I had to reboot the router by unplugging the power cord. Then it would usually work fine again for a few hours.
All this to say that this product is definitely *not* worth it?s money! My new rating has therefore gone down to 110 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Stick with the Pre-N Router
by newspeakone on August 16, 2006
Pros: Easy Setup
Cons: Performance is lacking
Summary: Not only does the Pre-N router outperform the N1 at any distance, but the signal from the N1 was constantly fluctuating, causing the connection to drop regularly. Idiot proof setup ...
Summary: Not only does the Pre-N router outperform the N1 at any distance, but the signal from the N1 was constantly fluctuating, causing the connection to drop regularly. Idiot proof setup and a pretty display don't make up for what is obviously an unfinished product.
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good product
by Wolf9906 on June 27, 2006
Pros: Easy setup, solid performance
Cons: needed firmware update or trouble
Summary: This is my first belkin router after having been a linksys fan (*when used with custom firmware*) so i was a little cautious when buying; however, the product seemed to ...
Summary: This is my first belkin router after having been a linksys fan (*when used with custom firmware*) so i was a little cautious when buying; however, the product seemed to work great out of the box. for the first day. then i started having trouble with my network connectivity. i had to reset the router every morning or i would lose all connectivity on my network. it was a pain, so i checked the support website and downloaded a firmware update and all seems to be well again. Over all i think it is a great product and i am installing a second one in my other office. (with the firmware update of course!)
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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good support???????
by pjcamp on June 24, 2006
Pros: rating belkin support only
Cons: support is bad
Summary: I owned (briefly) the Belkin Pre-N router and had an odd problem with it -- it seemed to be totally unable to pass ftp transfers. I spent some considerable time ...
Summary: I owned (briefly) the Belkin Pre-N router and had an odd problem with it -- it seemed to be totally unable to pass ftp transfers. I spent some considerable time on the phone with Belkin's (outsourced) support service, who ended up blaming Windows XP and recommending that I wipe the hard drive and reinstall. That seemed less than credible to me being that I never had that ftp problem before, the only thing I had done was to buy the Belkin router, and the problem appeared the instant I turned it on. It also disappeared the instant I replaced it with a Linksys. Belkin's support is by no means as terrible as Netgear's (who will abandon you at the end of 90 days whether your problems are solved or not), but still it was transparently obvious that the router was faulty, that they refused to stand behind it, and that the "solution" they recommended was extreme and would be unlikely to solve the problem.
Other than that, it was great.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Performance Issues
by Rob444 on January 19, 2007
Pros: Router works, Nice LED display
Cons: Performance Issues - Support
Summary: Bought the Belkin N1 Ver. 2 on 1/17. Read CNET user reviews that reported low transfer rates with WEP/WPA and security enabled. I also found this to be ...
Summary: Bought the Belkin N1 Ver. 2 on 1/17. Read CNET user reviews that reported low transfer rates with WEP/WPA and security enabled. I also found this to be true. My Max is 54mbps which constantly changes to 48mbps-24mbps. I'm in a 1400sqft house running XP with my router on the 2nd floor. Remember this router claims a range of 1500ft and 300mbps. Bouncing around from 54-24 is a far cry from 300. I followed the CNET user opinions advice and disabled WEP, SSID and Security. I used MAC address as my means of security. This works fine until my router completely drops the connection which happens every 5 minutes. Today, 1/19, I noticed that belkin.com/support had a firmware update released for ver. 2 on 1/17. Thought this would fix the issue until I went to download the firmware and got "page cannot be displayed." I called Belkin support for the first time and the rep. confirmed that the firmware site was down. She didn't have an explanation and said to keep trying. "Call back if you're still not able to access the update."
In conclusion...poor performance from an expensive home router that boasts the latest technology and high transfer speeds.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fast, Reliable, Looks Cool, East Setup
by mohanman on September 18, 2006
Pros: As above, fast, very fast connections
Cons: Wish it had gigabit connectors
Summary: After trying the following routers over extensive testing and exhausting my efforts, I have found this router to be the best, compared to:
Netgear N Next with gigabit
D-Link 4300 ...Summary: After trying the following routers over extensive testing and exhausting my efforts, I have found this router to be the best, compared to:
Netgear N Next with gigabit
D-Link 4300 gaming router
Pre N Belkin
The Netgear was very unreliable, dropping connections, dropping internet, though must say the speed was great.. but again not reliable
The d-link was a great gigabit router, too bad the wireless sucks
The PreN couldnt handle multiple connections.
The belkin N did everyting including playing dvds across NAs and mce, surfing the net on my pocketpc and downloading at 6mb/s from the inernet
Great router.. hope that firmware corrects few bugs here and there.Updated
This thing kept dropping internet connections and thus I returned it. Bought the netgear pre-n with gigabit which is much faster and reliable.
Return the stuff that sucks!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good connections, make sure your wireless drivers are up to date
by ufatbasted on September 6, 2006
Pros: Great connections, no drops
Cons: Cost more than most routers
Summary: I purchsed this router 3 days ago. Had no problem installing on my homebuilt desktop and my Dell e1705 laptop. Great range can connect three floors away.
Had issues with ...Summary: I purchsed this router 3 days ago. Had no problem installing on my homebuilt desktop and my Dell e1705 laptop. Great range can connect three floors away.
Had issues with my daughters laptop and wasted a day to try to get it to connect to the router. Updated the wireless cards driver and viola! Connected no problem.
So three days no dropped connections, wireless printing and streaming music to my stero. I Like it!2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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It rocks my world
by Scott Gardener on July 4, 2006
Pros: Excellent range, point-and-shoot ease of setup
Cons: Blah blah Draft 802.11n blah, expensive
Summary: Don't let it's name coincidence with the failed Russian moon rocket scare you. I had no problems getting my N1 router to work straight out of the box. ...
Summary: Don't let it's name coincidence with the failed Russian moon rocket scare you. I had no problems getting my N1 router to work straight out of the box. I had a new ISP set up a new cable connection just yesterday, and shortly after making sure that connection was working with one computer, I plugged in the router. I had to reset the cable modem by unplugging it and plugging it back in, but this fifteen second delay was the only one between me and a Wi-Fi network.
Its front graphic interface was extremely useful letting me know what was doing what; rather than having to pull out the manual and read whether the blinking LAN light meant the modem was or wasn't communicating, it showed a graphic that my pet cat could figure out.
After the network was on, I set up WEP encryption and took my tablet PC with its built-in antenna for a walk while streaming Molly Wood's Buzz Report to test the range. I'm moving into a huge 3700 square foot behemoth of a house, and there were no dead spots. I had four or five bars of signal everywhere indoors, including the garage. Outdoors, I could get three bars of signal in my back yard through solid brick, and I could get at least a decent signal from the sidewalk in front of my next door neighbors. I lost the signal about three houses over, going up the block.
I did find it surprising--though pleasantly so--that Belkin made this so point-and-shoot, given that one would expect draft-n to be targetted mainly to techies and early adopters. Its setup was so simplified that most non-techies could have done just about all of it.
It even told up-front in the quick setup cards how to set up security, something that all those people with networks named "Linksys" configured for open access appearantly weren't advised about. Since I knew about WEP and WPA already, all I needed was the address numbers of the router, but I felt that a newbie could have easily found the security settings, too.
Still, there were a few interface problems a newbie might have encountered. The documentation explaining how to configure WEP and WPA encryption in a laptop wasn't on the instant setup cards--a beginner running Windows XP might need to be told to click in the lower right wireless network icon in the tray, enter the WEP such and such, don't put spaces between hexadecimal digits, and so forth. They might also need to be pointed in the right direction for setting up a password to protect the settings on the router itself. Still, these wouldn't have been very hard to figure out, and I don't feel setup would have been that much harder for a beginner than it was for me.
Whether or not it is compatable with the final 802.11n specification remains to be seen, but it certainly works fine with 802.11g equipment available today, so if you can put aside the draftiness of n, it's a great g router. I suspect the point-and-shoot setup is designed with the idea that this will eventually be a mainstream product. Not unexpectedly, it's right now their pricy high-end flagship.
At the moment, I don't seem to need the matching PC card, though after a few months, when I can justify the purchase after covering more basic necessities of moving, like a new refrigerator, I might invest in it to see what effects the matching pair have in terms of throughput and range. But, my dinky built-in Intel Centrino antenna reaches it just fine at disturbing distances.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Belkin
- Part number: F5D8231-4
- Description: Based on the 802.11n draft, N1 Wireless enables multiple receivers and transmitters to send and receive data wirelessly. Intelligent MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) spatial multiplexing techniques build upon the widely deployed 802.11g standard by greatly increasing speed, range, and faster speeds of up to 300Mbps. Using this smart-antenna technology, N1 Wireless from Belkin delivers greater range and faster speeds, for a quick and efficient way to distribute video, music, photos, and files among the networked computers in your home. The built-in Network Status Display lets you see your connections working. Each icon represents a network component, so you can easily monitor for fast troubleshooting.
General
- Device Type Wireless router
- Form Factor External
Networking
- Connectivity Technology Wired, Wireless
- Wireless Capability This product uses the draft version of the upcoming 802.11n standard. Its compatibility with other and future products is not guaranteed, and it may interfere with current 802.11b and g products.
- Integrated Switch 4-port switch
- Data Transfer Rate 300 Mbps
- Frequency Band 2.4 GHz
- Data Link Protocol Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
- Switching Protocol Ethernet
- Network / Transport Protocol PPTP, PPPoE, TCP/IP, UDP/IP
- Remote Management Protocol HTTP
- Features NAT support, DHCP support, MIMO technology, VPN passthrough, Dynamic DNS server, Firewall protection, Firmware upgradable, MAC address filtering, Access Point operational mode, Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI)
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
Antenna
- Antenna Qty 3
Communications
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) None
- Interfaces 4 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45, 1 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX - RJ-45 ( WAN )
- Compatible Slots None
Miscellaneous
- Cables (Details) 1 x Network cable
- Encryption Algorithm AES, WPA, TKIP, WPA2, WPA-PSK, 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP
- Authentication Method RADIUS, Radio Service Set ID (SSID)
- Microsoft Certifications Works with Windows Vista
- Compliant Standards UPnP
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
Software / System Requirements
- Software Included Drivers & Utilities
- OS Required Linux, Apple MacOS 8.x, Apple MacOS 9.x, Apple MacOS X 10.x, Microsoft Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Limited lifetime warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Lifetime
Manufacturer info
- Belkin
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Belkin products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.belkin.com/
- Address:
501 West Walnut Street, Compton, CA 90220 - Phone: 1-800-223-5546
