Couple of questions about my BEFSX41 linksys router...

[Indiebands]

My router works fine for all intensive puposes but have a few questions. I recently upgraded my firmware from a much older version this week. I can connect fine with my two comps normally just following the basic setup steps from linksys online. Yet I came across two things. I guess for other info I'm using comcast as my service provider.

First off my comps don't seem to like to work when I enable my advance firewall. I know I had it on before I updated now it seems that my comps just won't connect when I have it on. Any reason for this, and how I could get this thing on while keeping my comps connecting to the net?

Also what's the deal with the mac cloning. Never had to do it before this update. Now I have to find my mac address and then enable cloning and input it in. Anyone wanna explain that deal? Isn't the purpose of the mac cloning so the outside world wouldn't know my actual mac address for extra security?

Thanks in advance!

[crazyjw1971]

The only firmware that REALLY works is 1.45.7. Dont even try to find it on Linksys' website. Shoot me a PM and I will email you a copy. I looked around for the link to it but I cant find it. If anyone has the link, please feel free to post it ;) .

Sometimes ISP's "remember" which MAC address is SUPPOSED to be connected to their modems. When you hook up another PC, they see a different MAC address and will sometimes assign another IP address (and bill you for it...) or they just wont let it online. Cloning the MAC address fools the ISP into think that the exact same PC is connected to the modem.

HTH's