Cisco Small Business RV042 Dual WAN VPN Router - Router - 4-port switch - desktop Review

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(More customer reviews)I have purchased five Linksys/Cisco VPN routers in the last five years. Two "RV042"s, Two "BEFSX41"s, and one RVL200. (Yes, I have (maybe now "had") a preference for the Linksys/Cisco brand.) But out of these five VPN routers, both of the RV042s have failed (blinking diag light) within about 16 months from the date of purchase.
When not in failure mode, the RV042 is a cost effective router and I have paired them together or have mixed and matched with the BEFSX41, RVL200 and a Sonicwall VPN router (don't know the model since I was connecting to a third-party administered site) with good results. It also has a large feature set for the price (DHCP w/ MAC mapping, 5 IPsec VPNs, VLAN support, etc...) and since the last firmware upgrade, it has not been buggy (unlike in 2006, which was two firmware upgrade versions earlier). It is, however, prone to early failure based on my experience and other user comments/reviews. One reviewer here has stated the Blinking Diag Light of Death ("BDLOD") may be due to a firmware problem although I recall during my first failure, another reviewer (you might need to google this issue) stated that these BDLODs may be due to bad capacitors. This person posted a DIY capacitor replacement guide on the web.
For now, I might just spend the $180.00 for another RV042 so I can easily load my configuration backups. My full-time profession (Patents) is not IT so there's a need to get my End Point VPNs, VoIP PBX w/ SIP phones connected using a Wireless 802.11 bridge, Real-time offsite file backups and remote desktop functionality (for all fifteen PCs and Laptops) up and running with minimal disruption. When configured correctly, having VPN end-points enables dependable offsite computing, greatly increasing my productivity. I'll then research and implement a transition plan on my own schedule to avoid unintended surprises. Note I have a 9 year old D-Link non-VPN wireless router and it is still in use!
Overall, the RV042 has a large feature set and is relatively stable. If you do purchase it, you might not be disapointed but it might be a good idea to backup your configuration settings and have a spare RV042 backup available to minimize downtime.
Cheers and Good Luck
P.S. I found the BEFSX41 to be a the "little engine that could" of VPN routers. It's fast, very inexpensive and reliable. It does have a somewhat limited feature set, e.g., it does not support MAC address DHCP mapping. The RVL200 is also an interesting product - I find the SSL VPN functionality convenient. I have used remote desktop to read my email and pull files while away via SSL VPN - easy, Web-browser (active-x only?) compatible and a no-brainer to use. Every once in while, - it has a "system busy" problem during logon but this does not occur frequently enough for me to regret my purchase.

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Router - 4 x 10/100Base-TX LAN, 1 x 10/100Base-TX WAN, 1 x 10/100Base-TX DMZ

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NETGEAR FVS318 ProSafe VPN Firewall 8 with 8-Port 10/100 Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using the Netgear FVS318 router firewall for over a month now with not one glitch. For the money, this is an amazing bargain considering it is a true SPI firewall and a certified ipsec VPN endpoint for eight tunnels included with a eight port switch! The quality of Netgear products are also commendable.
We had it up and running in less than fifteen minutes. My son configured two ipsec vpn tunnels with his friends networks using Linksys VPN routers in short order and I have one configured to my Windows 2000 computer at work that is behind a nat router using Windows 2000 built in ipsec capabilities. All three of our ipsec tunnels have proven to be reliable. I also have no problems using remote desktop through port 3389 or going to my pptp Windows 2000 vpn server through port 1723 behind the FVS318.
We have not experienced any of the problems that other reviewers have, but we have experience configuring these kinds of devices. The FVS318 has fairly extensive built in logging though it does not store much information itself but it can be configured to transfer log information to another computer and can even send you an email alert if certain attacks are detected. It has configurable services based on ports and protocols that are used to create port forwarding to inbound services and block outbound services. However you are limited to 16 services. It can control outbound traffic which is very important to defend against undetected trojans or users [and kids] running things like file swapping or other unapproved applications that access the internet. Internet access can be even controlled by a day/time schedule. If your network is fairly simple, a default block all rule could be created [which must be at the end of the list] and then you can specify what outbound services are allowed. It is also possible to deny a computer or address range of computers from having internet access while allowing others full access. Though the block services is a great addition to this device, it is somewhat limited if you have more than a few variations of configurations compared to a more sophisticated [and much more expensive] soho firewall, and the services can not be configured to use certain ip address/subnet destinations for outbound control which should not be a big deal for most home/small office users. However inbound services/port mapping can be configure to come from specific ip address/subnet. That is an important security feature. For instance if you open an internal computer for remote managment, you can configure the FVS318 to accept connections from only one ip address, which will keep everyone else on the internet from trying to connect and guess your password!
I am very impressed with the Netgear FVS318. Being a true SPI firewall and ipsec VPN endpoint with all the other feaures it has in a quality package, I can highly recommend it to anyone that wants a bargain priced internet device that is a big step up from the consumer grade nat routers.

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The NETGEAR FVS318 ProSafe VPN Firewall 8 with 8-Port 10/100 Switch offers the small office a space-saving design combining wired connectivity, a NAT router, VPN appliance, SPI firewall, and an eight-port 10/100 Mbps Ethernet switch.
Wired and Wireless Connectivity The FVS318 has a built-in switch, with eight 10/100 Mbps auto-sensing, Auto Uplink ports. With Network Address Translation (NAT) routing, up to 253 users can simultaneously access your connection.
High-class Security For businesses that require more than just a simple NAT router, the FVS318 offers significantly more protection. It provides: a Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall to prevent Denial of Service attacks, an Intrusion Detection System (IDS), the ability to block Java/URL/ActiveX based on extension, and FTP/SMTP/RPC program filtering.
The FVS318 has eight dedicated VPN tunnels to protect links between remote locations, encrypting the data between them. IPSec-based encryption up to 256 bit is also supported. This lets you easily create secure connections to branch offices or mobile workforces.
Easy Setup Even with all the functionality the FVS318 provides, NETGEAR makes setup a breeze with the intuitive Smart Wizard that connects you to your ISP quickly. The web-based configuration screen is easy-to-use and requires no additional software. DHCP and PPPoE support makes widespread deployment simple.
The NETGEAR FVS318 ProSafe VPN Firewall 8 with 8-Port 10/100 Switch is backed by a 3-year warranty.
What's in the Box FVS318 ProSafe VPN Firewall, power adapter, category 5 ethernet cable, installation guide, resource CD, warranty/support information card.

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