After three years of excellent service from the
USR5450 125 Mb. Frame Bursting Wireless Turbo AP and matching USR5416 wireless-G cards, repeated power surge damage from lightning strikes finally took its toll on the AP. The excellent service delivered by the USR5450 business class multi-function AP would have meant I would immediately return to USR for another - but they no longer offer this model with its superior feature set, and offer none of the newer wireless-N models as yet - which are also compatible with wireless-B and G.
Rather than focusing on the excellent Cisco Systems Inc. Linksys subsidiary firewall in the WRT150N, I have focused on the real world power and performance of this unit. There is no doubt as to the unit being "plug 'n play", and the firewall is the extensive one that is shared among Linksys better and newer products. A novice will find most settings will be automatically set for operation upon connecting the router to a modem and turning the power on to both. The exception is Gateway settings may require setting in the WRT150N if the user's modem has no preset Gateway function for establishing its own user service connection. Other differences here are only the addition of current security and connection protocols available throughout the world, and extensive (but easily understood) "help" files are provided along the way in the WRT150N with each of the extensive changes possible in its operational settings. Most users will simply set wireless security and limit access to any wired network connections - but with gamers possibly tweaking connections for their activities. Those who tend toward sagaciousness will find this unit very interesting. Especially so - since Linksys also offers a more expensive WRT300N model that supposedly will deliver better performance. However, early user reports on the WRT300N don't appear as favorable for it.
The WRT150N can be used as a Gateway, wired 10/100 Ethernet router, Wireless AP or router, or an extender. With the included firewall, this makes the WRT150N "Universal".
I quickly restored my connections temporarily with an old stored USR8022 wireless-B unit, that offered none of the newer security protocols, to go looking for a new solution. WEP and MAC address security was only available, with the USR8022 and thoughput to multiple computers was lower and less reliable with their installed USR and Realtek USB wireless-G infrastructure solutions - especially when WEP security was enabled. From experience, I knew it wouldn't be long before someone would start to hack into my system for a free Internet connection - or try to drown the weaker output of the USR8022. One must also remember the USR5450 was a more expensive "Business" class product throughout this review, and offered very powerful output with excellent reception. The newer USR5453 "Business" AP lacked many of the USR5450's great features and wireless-N is now appearing in draft conceptions. So, I opted to turn my attention to a wireless-N solution.
After studying various models, my solution was a "New Egg" touch away with the Linksys WRT150N designed for home and small business use. With its two diversity antenna connections and new multi-path wireless-N chip technology, I thought my attic installed outdoor 12 Db. gain dipole antennas (by Pacific Wireless) would be a quick connect without moving anything. I also knew the newer multi-path tech could possibly boost throughput above the USR5450, and the WRT150N has ALL the newer security protocols my older units lacked.
What you get in the box:
The WRT150N showed differences immediately upon removal from the box. Of course, this model is a router like the USR8022 I had previously installed due to the loss of my USR5450 AP (which could also be set as a bridge or repeater), and it offers four 10/100 Ethernet "hard-wire" connections. Additionally, it offers LEDs that signal operation on each LAN port including wireless LAN, WAN, security, and power. There is also a manual switch on the top of the unit for an as of yet undetermined use - but it has a picture of a small lock on it when and if Linksys enables it. On that rear panel is also a small red reset in case of programming errors to the included firewall. Longer than the USR5450, the WRT150N is about the same size and weight, only with a narrower front and rear panel. The size is roughly 7" deep by 6 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" high. Its LEDs and upper body blue color is decidedly more more attractive and eye catching than the rather drab black USR products. The dimly lit green LEDs on the WRT150N are also in contrast to the brightly lit ones than always grabbed attention in the dark at night - less obtrusive to my eyes for sure.
You'll find a blue 10/100 network cable, and a pamphlet containing the eight page user guide and the Online warranty. A CD containing a 60 day trial of Norton Internet Security and a quick start for the router setup is also included. I'll suggest others should just leave the CD alone unless they have never set up a wireless router or AP before. It really isn't needed as the firewall has extensive help files once the user accesses the menus. New users will find this an easily installed performance unit.
The install:
I would have liked to simply set the unit beside my DSL 5200 modem, plugged its Ethernet cable into the WAN port, attached my reverse SMA antenna leads, and connected the power to the WRT150N. I then could have watched for the connection point in Windows Vista Ultimate's connection manager and accepted the unsecured wireless connection and accessed the router menus at http://192.168.1.1. But NOOO, I followed Linksys's repeated warnings to run their CD first - a dumb move that wasted my time, although it does appear to check the router's performance at one point - step nine it was. I was also fooled about using my expensive 12 Db. dipole wireless antennas with their reverse SMA connections - Grrr, Linksys has made their antennas an integral part of the unit. Most won't see the need or want to, but I'll change that to reverse SMA connections later for even more improvement using the connectors from my dead USR5450. After finishing with the so called quick setup CD, requiring a 10/100 Ethernet connection and also requiring me to up my monitor's resolution to 800X600 pixels from 740X480 to use the CD's GUI, I just pressed the Linksys router's reset on the back panel and did the install "the old fashioned way" - but much faster. Windows Vista Ultimate X64 had spotted the unsecured wireless router immediately and I connected to it easily. I then typed the browser address into Internet Explorer to access the full Linksys router menus and used the factory "admin" password to open them.
Earlier, I had downloaded a new Bios for this unit to my desktop. So I shut down the wireless connection on my computer and used the supplied 10/100 Ethernet cable to connect directly the WRT150N to my computer - knowing a corrupted or interrupted Bios install could mean instant death to the new router. From the router menu, I selected the option for "upgrade" and did a quick uneventful install of the new Bios. I then set my wireless security protocol and made a few other changes. These were easily made, but I disconnected the router's power and the Ethernet cable, restarted the router, and then made the DSL modem WAN connection and my wireless computer security settings and connection. Wireless-G connections were as strong as they were before using the USR5450 with the better aftermarket 12 Db. antennas I used with it. The Linksys connections to all my computers showed up as 54 Mb. as the frame bursting "turbo" features of the USR5416 cards could no longer function at 125 Mb. without the "turbo" USR5450. Reality was the 125 Mb. was never attainable anyway - so no big loss other than the 125 looked good in Windows reporting screens.
Note: For reasons of my interest in noting signal improvement or degradation, I had left my aftermarket dipole antennas in their original installed positions. Their placement had been carefully determined for best performance long ago. As this is a "diversity" device, my replacement of the factory supplied antennas should offer much better performance than those supplied on the unit. Diversity units such as this have an electrically correct spacing of 48" for proper performance - which is impossible to meet with the small size of this type router or APs. For more knowledge in antenna for wireless communication, try this *link*. Due to this, your own experiences with the WRT150N may not show the gains I can ultimately obtain. From early reports, most users are reporting excellent performance from this unit in the factory configuration - just as I experienced. A multi-path antenna, with proper spacings, connected to a computer equipped with a wireless-N card should also show nice improvement in wireless connection rates using the WRT150N. As yet, I am still using the wireless-G solutions installed in my computers.
Performance:
Using the USR8022 wireless-B router and my better antenna, I was able to obtain a maximum of 1700 Kbps. in downloads, with only MAC address restrictions applied, at 80' through multiple walls in my home (average was 1200 Kbps.). Adding matching WEP security to both points immediately caused a loss of signal with the unreliable connection at this location. The USR5450 had achieved a maximum of 2400 Kbps. at this location with MAC control in place and using WAP security (average was 1900 Kbps. with a reliable connection). That difference alone could quickly be noticed by how fast a browser would load. The higher throughput level to the USR5450 always gave an instant Internet browser with my 3 Mbps. tier level DSL connection, where the lower level using the USR8022 could take a few seconds to load the same Internet address.
The WRT150N gave an almost continuous 2100 Kbps. that varied no more than a few hundred Kbps. The Internet connection also doesn't appear to fluctuate on a 54 Mb. connection at this 80' location where I had seen the connection rate drop to 11 Mbps. in "Windows Network Connection Status". The signal quality and strength levels are also slightly higher by about 10% in this location - just using the WRT150N's factory antenna.
Rates during large file swapping between wireless computer's connection to the WRT150N showed more improvement.......and without my aftermarket antennas.
Of note: My environment has always suffered from electrical pollution (including that from microwave and 2.4 GHz. phones) that can easily confuse wireless equipment connections, and this was not a problem for the WRT150N. Even the USR5450 I used experienced occasional momentary drop outs, but the severity was usually not capable of breaking the connection of the USR5450 during downloads and it was very infrequent - except at the 80' location in my home. The WRT150N has yet to drop out or slow in my use due to interference at any location in my home.
The WRT150N has definitely improved this throughput using the wireless-G connections at my computers. At the same 80' location, my results were as follows for a significant and pleasing improvement.
Remember the above transmission figures were using a 3 Mbps. Tier Level DSL connection with Internet file transmission speeds of 2.6 to 2.7 Mbps. using 600 Mb. files from fast servers. Based on that, wireless transmission rates between my networked computers using the WRT150N can be much higher. These network rates also tell how suitable the system is for media transfer and gaming using a wireless network system in a private network.
Signal discrepancies due to the close proximity of computers to the WRT150N are now less problematic than using the powerful USR5450 AP business model, which could on occasion slow connections to computers in close proximity causing inaccurate signal quality and strength levels. AGC cutoffs had not been a problem with the USR5450 and was also no problem with the rated 17-23 Db. signal level of the WRT150N which has no user setting level switch (USR5450 was 17-21 Db. and set to its maximum of the several setting levels provided).
Network speeds for large file transfers between my computers improved overall by about 4 MBps. over the level of the USR5450. That's not a huge difference that would make a replacement of a USR5450 needed over the transfers it offered, but it is an improvement which gives me wonder how much more improvement is there by using a complimentary wireless-N card such as Linksys WMP300N.
Final thoughts:
The WRT150N runs slightly warmer than my USR5450 did, but it also has much more venting. Without opening the case to view the components, it is hard to say how that will translate into lifespan. By the more stable and marginally higher performance, I would say this wireless-N solution is a a good one over better performing wireless-G routers or APs. Judging by the firewall and router software, this is a viable business solution that appears to have added a means for more simultaneous connections without the severe transmission losses older wireless-G units were prone to using a number of added connections. Bandwidth use does appear to be more efficient, but I will miss the frame bursting included in the USR5450 enabling its turbo mode. Then again, that could all change if I replace one of my wireless-G cards with a new wireless-n card. For now, I am satisfied with the performance of the WRT150N - and very curious how high I will be able to tweak it. What I would say is don't toss any existing better wireless-G solutions just yet. But, if you're in the market for a new system as I was, this wireless-N system is fully compatible with "B" and "G" systems and offers slight improvement with them. This one is a better than average "upgrade" for transition into wireless-N at a decent price, and I feel I made a good purchase. If you are as interested as I was, download the PDF manual here:
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_CASupport_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1169671597537&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=9753737314B262&displaypage=nodata#versiondetail
Specs. courtesy of Linksys:
Model .. WRT150N
Standards .. 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.3, 802.3u
Ports .. Power, Internet, Ethernet
Button .. Reset, Security
Cabling .. Type CAT 5
LEDs .. Power, Internet, Ethernet (1-4), Wireless, Security
Number of Antennas .. 2
RF Power .. 17 dBm (average), 23 dBm (peak)
Antenna Gain in dBi .. 1.8
UPnP able/cert .. able
Security Features .. WEP, PSK, PSK2, RADIUS
WEP Key Bits .. 64, 128
Dimensions .. 5.91" x 1.5" x 6.7"
(W x H x D) .. (150 mm x 38 mm x 170 mm)
Unit Weight .. 13.05 oz. (0.37 kg)
Power .. 12V, 1A
Certifications .. FCC, CE, IC-03
Operating Temp. .. 0° C to 40° C (32° F to 104° F)
Storage Temp. .. -20° C to 70° C (-4° F to 158° F)
Operating Humidity .. 10% to 85%, Non-Condensing
Storage Humidity .. 5% to 90% Non-Condensing
***Update 9/02/07***
For those needing settings to obtain the possible 270 Mbps. connection rate in Window's "Wireless Network Connection Status", you will need a wireless-N adapter installed to your computer. Then, using the WRT150N menus, set operation for Wireless N Only or Mixed Mode. Set the bandwidth control to 40 MHz.. Bandwidth settings below 40 MHz. result in a maximum of 130 Mbps. reported by Windows. The "Auto" setting in Mixed-Mode or Wireless-N Only will negotiate between 270, 130, and lower Mbps. due to interference and the presence of B or G equipment. Use caution though, locking into the wider bandwidth may show higher connection rates in Windows - but they may be unstable, especially in a polluted environment.
