I can program Linksys and have onioned Linksys. I have put the onion into a Linksys, and made it onto our network. I have worked with them quite a bit.
The documentation should be improved from Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches. Although it hints or refers to being able to do certain operations, they try to get you to load the software instead. They need to be more open with their documentation on using the web interface and give the client the option to use the software or not. This improvement is not on the switch itself, it is in the packaging.
I have used Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches within the past 12 months.
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches is stable.
I have not used Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches too much in commercial environments other than the residential apartment systems that I have here. This is where residents have plugged in the Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches in their system. They seem to have no problem with device communication to Netgear and the Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches environment.
They don't have any problem working in Roku's environment. I've even seen them used on Aruba's. From what I've seen for their functionality, and then putting them into where there's no back-end, you're connected to a cable modem, they seem to be the most robust. They don't seem to give you a lot of problems. I very rarely have an issue. When you're dealing with an apartment complex that has a thousand plus residents, each with their own router and other hardware, working in this close proximity of each other, 50 feet or less of each other, they don't seem to have a problem working in that environment.
Some of the Netscapes I have used where you have them too close together, you can start having issues that are caused by congestion of the airway of the channels that are being used. I find that the Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches are able to somehow deal with that better. Even if you have heavy congestion, they seem to be able to handle it better with their communication.
I have used many solutions, such as Belkin, Netscape, and Netgear.
The one problem I have found with the Belkin routers, and wireless points that people typically purchase is they want to phone home. If it can't phone home, the firewall blocks all communications.
If you are in a secured environment where everything is secured, the phoning home makes the switch not functional. Someone has to sit there and argue with it for a while to finally configure it to where it can phone home. Then every time you turn around, it wants to shut down because it can't phone home every so many day. That put Belkin off the list. I hook up the Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches straightforward, right out of the box. Most of the time, people don't have to do anything to it for it to work correctly. It works right out of the box in their environment.
The installation of Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches is very easy. They are simpler to implement than other solutions.
With Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches I am able to direct the install software to be set up at a certain IP address to be done there. It has a good web interface when it comes to setting things up, you don't have to load needless software into your computer. Anything that requires you to load the software into your computer is one thing I turn away from because that's more resources taken from my computing platform. If I have to waste resources to control something that's supposed to be doing its own job, then what do I have it for.
Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches doesn't force me to do that. Some of the Netscape's are similar to that. Netscape's interface is not as easy to navigate because they keep changing the interface. From one appliance to the other, your interface is not uniform. I could go with the Linksys, and if I've done one, I can find my way through most any of the others.
For the home user or end-user, that doesn't have a high-end back-end running. I usually recommend the Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches. I recommend Linksys more than I do Netgear because of the simple installation.
For home and small office use where you don't have a major back-end, I would recommend Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches.
Using Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches in a commercial residential environment where you have a lot of people using them, with individual configuration. I would give them an eight or a nine out of ten because I have had problems, but most of it is user-related. If they understood the documentation it would be better implemented, they would understand, and I probably wouldn't run across problems. Most of the time the problem is where they're plugging them in backward. They don't understand that just because the plug fits on the back does not mean it is correct. There's a reason why you have a WAN and a LAN side. The documents do not explain it well enough to people. The installer gives them a little bit more information so they know not to plug in the other way. That can cause some havoc.
Using Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches in a commercial office environment, non-heavy back-end or light back-end, they seem to work well. Under another router, they seem to do well and are stable. I don't have a lot of issues with them. I typically install them and forget about them. Most of the issues I have is their equipment is the hardware might fail and had to switch the equipment, and then gave them their ID and password. However, getting them back up's and running is pretty simple. I reset everything, turn everything back, change the passwords, and everything is back working.
When it comes to the heavy back-end commercial implementation, Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches do work when you have a heavy back-end. I don't see them used as much there and therefore cannot give a rating. I have not seen them in that environment as much to judge them on.
I rate Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches a nine out of ten.