Belkin 54g access point

We were dazzled by Belkin’s installation applications for its 54g access point. The CD-based application had almost no options, except for the checkbox to agree to the license agreement. More setup options are available via the browser access to the hardware.

The 54g is a four-port router and access point, and the installation application figured out the network infrastructure of our labs, found the router, grabbed a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) address for it, invoked network address translation (NAT) and woke up the access point in ready-to-run mode.

The only downside is its browser interface has no default password or user name. Otherwise, it was the easiest setup for a nontechie or network installer that we’ve ever found in an access point. The browser interface that the Belkin 54g uses is an equal to the CD-based setup program.

Configuring the access point was easy – features include a firewall and “parental control” functionality. Two modes are available – simple access point, or access point/router. We did all our tests in the access point/router mode.

The device also can be managed remotely via a single-stated remote IP address via its WAN port. This was potentially handy, but the weak security of the device (it requires only a password) could make it vulnerable to a dictionary attack, where various words are progressively substituted until the password is cracked.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the access point could search automatically for updates to be presented for use after the next access point browser interface logon. This feature was unique among the access points tested, and given the pace of firmware updates, this feature is highly desirable.

The device’s throughput performance was average, and it showed a linear decrease in speed over distance in our walkabout testing. For the full report, go to https://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/2003/0512rev11g.html