Belkin F8T030 Bluetooth Access Point with USB Print Server Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The tech support was prompt and knowledgeable.The unit has good range which seems to be limitied more by the class of the PDA that is trying to acess it.

HOWEVER this product has a VERY serious design deficiency that makes it UNSUITABLE FOR USE at any price!!!!Belkin tech support has confirmed that there is no way to reset the unit to the original factory settings if you can not acess it via the built in web manager.Belkin tech support also confirmed that there is also a flaw in the unit that will cause some user passwords to not be accepted.Once this happens, this will essentially require returning the unit for complete replacement. I know of no other networking product that has such a serious design flaw (all other networking devices I am aware of have at least a reset button somewhere or a "power on" sequence to handle these inevitable situations).It also makes the unit unusable for any scenario where if you make a change to the settings, you can not afford to be without it for the time to swap it out.

An obvious problem for you, me and Amazon here!

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Product Description:
Bluetooth Access Point with USB Print Server provides access for your Bluetooth devices to your network, USB printers, and the Internet. Support Connections from---Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, and Palm OS

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Cisco-Linksys CIT400 Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit with Integrated Skype Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)With the CIT400 Linksys comes very close to having a 5 star gadget.I'll break my review into several parts.

Setup: 5 stars - it couldn't have been easier.I plugged the base station into my home network and turned the power on.It was that simple within a few minutes I was making calls.I already had a Skype account so I'm not sure how simple it is the sign-up via the phone.

Design: 3 stars - the phone feels like it was designed by a router company.Nothing really stands out in the design of the phone or the software interface.It's pretty functional but pales in comparison to the UI on most cell phones.Several things that could be better with the UI (and are probably fixable with a firmware upgrade): CallerID doesn't reference your contacts (like most cell phones).When phone numbers in the call log don't fit on the screen they go into a scroll mode, making them impossible to read.The phone doesn't register when another phone in the house has answered a call thus placing them under 'missed calls', my 15 year old at&t cordless phone somehow manages to do this.There is no browser interface to the phone - it would be nice to configure it this way since it is a network device.It's difficult to change Skype accounts quickly.Don't get me wrong the phone is quite functional, but many aspects of it could have been executed better.

Quality: 4 stars - overall I've been quite pleased with the quality of the Skype calls.They sometimes suffer from a delay (thus not 5star) but are good enough to replace my long distance company.

Service: 1 star - I'm probably being harsh but in today's connected world I consider it very bad form for high tech companies to not have employees that care enough to read and respond to their own online forums.I own other gadgets, like a Tivo and Roku Soundbridge, where I can find pretty much the answer to anything by reading the product forum hosted on the company web site.This is mainly because those companies have employees who seem to want to connect with their customers.It makes sense - it's an inexpensive way to support a product.In the case of the CIT400 (and other Linksys phones) the forum stinks.I have yet to see a knowledgable representative of Linksys post there.It wouldn't take a lot of effort and to me shows a lack of pride in the product.

Skype service isn't any better. When I tried to see if anything could be done to improve the delay issues I was having on some calls, I exchanged a frustrating set of emails with Skype service asking me to replace the drivers on my sound card and making sure the microphone on my PC wasn't as fault.In other words they kept sending me pre-formulated canned repsonses.

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Product Description:
The Linksys CIT400 Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype is part of the iPhone family of products that use the Internet to enhance the way you communicate. The CIT400 is a full-featured cordless phone that provides an easy way to take advantage of Skype Internet calling as well as place calls over your normal phone line (PSTN) from a single device. No PC required! Just sign into your Skype account from the handset, and your contacts and their availability are displayed on your color screen. Advanced DECT cordless technology won't interfere with 802.11 wireless networks.

A user-friendly interface makes Skype-ing easy.

The base station plugs into your internet and landline connections. View larger.

Get total wireless freedom with the Skype handset. View larger. Dual-Mode capability lets you choose whether to make calls over a standard telephone line or with Skype. Just select who you want to talk to from your contact list on your handset and get ready to talk.
Of course, the handset supports SkypeOut dialing as well as your Skype contact list display. It rings when you have a Skype or SkypeIn or standard telephone call coming in, and shows the caller's ID on the screen. The handset also supports call waiting and Skype's optional voicemail service. When you're on a call, you can hit the mute button for privacy, or use the speakerphone function to let everyone join in. Other features include polyphonic MIDI ringer melodies on the handset and voice encryption for maximum security. You'll also enjoy 120 hours of standby time and six hours talk time on the handset's rechargeable battery.
The Linksys CIT400 also allows you to choose to make calls to other Skype users or over your existing standard telephone line. You'll get the convenience of a cordless phone and all its features, plus the high-quality voice reception integrated right into your Skype handset--no computer is required.
Long Range, Clear Sound, and Minimal Interference
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT) technology enables long range, great security, and incredible call clarity. Operating at 1900MHz, the CIT400 uses a different wavelength than the crowded 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies used by most cordless phones. So it won't interfere with wireless networks such as 802.11b or 802.11g Wi-Fi.
Easy Setup
The included Quick Start Guide walks you through the easy steps to setup your new dual-mode phone. Skype is already installed on the base station. Plug in the cables and sign into your account.
What is Skype?
Skype is a little piece of software that lets you make free calls to your friends all over the world. With an Internet connection and Skype in use at both ends, you can call anyone, anywhere in the world, for free! And with the optional SkypeOut service, you can make low cost calls to traditional landline or mobile phones worldwide at local rates.
The CIT400 has Skype software embedded in its cordless base station. Plug the integrated Ethernet port into your home network and use Skype without needing to ever turn on your computer.
What's in the Box
Handset, 2 AA NiMH batteries, charger, base station, 2 power adapters, RJ-11 cable, RJ-45 cable, quick installation, and user guide on CD.

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Cisco SLM2024 24-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Smart Switch with 2 Combo SFPs Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Not sure about the other reviews, but this thing does WAY more than other switches in its price range. Yes, you need to use IE for setting it up (who doesn't have access to IE?) and it helps to read the manual (linksys forums are helpful too), but setup wasn't that difficult.

Does link aggregation (Yes!), does VLANs fairly easily (once you get the hang of it - another YES!).

If you are looking for a switch with 24 GigE ports that you can just plug gear into and have it just work, it'll do that. But if you've got bigger ideas in mind, it'll do those too.

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Product Description:
The SLM2024 offers twenty-four (24) 10/100/1000 Gigabit Copper ports with two (2) shared copper or optical (SFP) uplink interfaces for connecting the switch to the core network. The simplified user interface is an intuitive management tool enabling you to quickly utilize the comprehensive feature-set of the switch, resulting in a better optimized network.

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Cisco RV016 16-port 10/100 VPN Router - Multi WAN Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I use this router on our main network of about 40 permanent users and another 20 or so users (clients) that come and go. At any one time it is negotiating 50 to 65 users via DHCP through four 24 port managed switches about ten 4 to 8 port hubs and six WAP's. Clients come and go everyday, some with Mac's others with PC's and I never have to do anything to get them on the internet. In the two years it has been in service I think that I rebooted it once and I'm not positive that it was the problem since I will reboot the modem, switches and router together. Occasionally things do get turned off for maintenance, but looking at the router admin page right now it has been running 54 days straight. I have to say it is much more stable than other small routers that advertise delivering 99 DHCP address's but really can only deliver about 10 without having to use static IP's. It's powerful browser interface lets you manage port bandwidth, port function and port priority easily. Some departments need more or less speed or higher priority. Security notifications via email keep me on top of potential attacks. The effect on speed due to security features was negligible. The "Block WAN request" even keeps our own ISP from seeing us. All these things are simple to setup. As a basic router it is very powerful.
The only short coming that I see is with the load balancing. This seems to really slow the speed significantly. I think that it is just too much for the CPU to handle. My intention was to have two different ISP's for redundancy. As a fix I leave both providers connected but only activate one WAN port at a time. If one WAN goes down I can quickly activate the other WAN port without anyone really being affected. The other ISP is mainly used for FTP anyway.
On the problems with VPN's, we don't use them so I can't comment on that.
In closing, you could spend thousands to get some of the features that facilitate subnets and load balancing, for the price it works very well.
Update: I have since purchased a second RV016 (firmware 2.0.13) with the same solid performance. I've read about some of the problems that others are having and would say that compatibility with other vendors is an issue to consider. Also using switches versus hubs takes some of the load off the routers CPU.
Update 2: We now own three routers without problem. I know that some have complained about customer service and I have to agree it's lacking. But what I would tell less experienced users is that the Sitemap column on the right side of the browser interface has extensive explanations of all the settings. This combined with a little experimentation should get you where you need to be. The file sharing problems that another reviewer had has nothing to do with the router, it's all about the computer settings. Another reviewer commented on customer service asking about the color of the cables. In the early days of DSL and daisy chaining hubs, crossover cables were used and they were generally orange or yellow and will not work with most equipment.

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Product Description:
WAN VPN Router, formerly part of the Linksys Business Series, is designed and built for small businesses. It provides connection sharing and secure remote access at the heart of your network to allow your employees to access the resources they need to be productive. Multiple WAN ports can be used for load balancing and redundancy. Strong security features include VPN, a proven firewall, and an optional security service that helps fight spam, viruses, and other threats. The built-in switch can connect devices in the office or additional switches.

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Sony VAIO PCV-RZ24G Desktop (2.66-GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had my RZ24G desktop for 7 months and recently the dial up modem got a problem:it became so slow that it would take approx 15 min or much longer or sometimes wouldnot login due to 18kbps or under .My other PC works well using the same phone line(HP desktop).
I tried with all of my know-how but was unable to solve this problem,I called Sony and was shocked when The on line Agent told me that if I needed any warranteed work on my computer,I would have to somehow send it to San Diego,CA (I am not sure who would pay for shipping cost).I live in Bay Area,about 400 miles away fr San Diego.I am quite dissappointed after I found out how Sony warranties its products .
If I ever buy Sony Products again,I would certainly look into purchasing an In-store-warranty ,which I know this means an additional cost of 10 to 20% to the purchased price and this is probably good for 3 years.

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Product Description:
An impressive mixture of power and versatility, the Sony Vaio PCV-RZ24G desktop has been developed for anyone who regularly drives their computer beyond the norm. Distinguished from the substantially costlier, top-of-the-line Vaio PCV-RZ26G in a number of performance-related areas, the luxurious Vaio PCV-RZ24G is nevertheless ready for many years of upgrade-free operation.
If speed is what you crave, the Vaio PCV-RZ24G delivers. Outfitted with a fast 2.66 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 512 MB of premium PC-2700 333 MHz DDR memory (expandable to 1 GB), and a 533 MHz bus, it's ready to tackle anything you can throw its way. The only potentially suspect component is the graphics card, a 64 MB nVidia GeForce4 MX440. Although fully capable of handling the vast majority of applications, and equipped with a convenient TV tuner, it may have some problems smoothly rendering ultrahigh-end 3-D games and drawing or animation packages.
When it comes to data storage and movement, Sony has left nothing to chance. The system is fitted with a huge 120 GB 7,200 rpm Ultra ATA/100 hard disk for your frequently accessed programs and files, a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive for older or smaller applications, and a combination DVD-RW/CD-RW drive through which you can burn and play audio CDs, archive information, watch the latest cinematic releases, and create your own DVDs. To ensure fast interaction with peripherals such as digital camcorders, scanners, and external drives, the system also features a half-dozen high-speed USB 2.0 ports and front- and rear-mounted IEEE 1394 FireWire connectors.
The Vaio PCV-RZ24G features numerous other amenities, including a VGA/DVI port for flat-panel displays, an S/PDIF out, two PS/2 ports, a pair of freestanding stereo speakers, and a handy Vaio Smart keyboard. Sony has not included a monitor, allowing you to use your current display or select from the many available choices.

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