Cisco CISCO1841 1841 Integrated Services Router

This router is more robust and flexible than most out there for the price. It has features such as dual-WAN (properly executed, unlike most consumer dual WAN products out there), it has excellent firewall features, and it includes Cisco SDM, their configuration tool that helps avoids misconfiguration leading to security holes and functionality problems.

HOWEVER - Cisco is IMPOSSIBLE to deal with. They require a maintenance contract to be purchased with a Cisco reseller simply to download a software update. It infuriates me that I would have to pay money to someone for doing nothing but displaying a Cisco logo. I am perfectly able to apply updates on my own without having to pay - and Cisco should catch up with the times. This practice of requiring maint contracts for any downloaded updates is a major negative and steers me to look for other products.

Also having trouble getting support from Cisco. According to their pre-sales folks, the support contract needed to get the VPN client software should be included in the price. Unfortunately Amazon customer support has no idea what I'm talking about and Cisco support requires the aforementioned contract! I'll try to remember to post an update when I get to the bottom of this.