Linksys Premiere Kit Setup

Whoever buys for today is a fool; it is the future we must look towards. Whenever we purchase an item we are wise if we take into consideration the future. If a car or a home is needed, two needs should be addressed; our current needs, and the needs of our foreseeable future. The same is true for our music. We don’t want a music system that will be good for today and then gone tomorrow, or at least I don’t. I want a music system that can grow as I grow, change when I change.

Cisco, a leader in technology for over 20 years, seems to understand the need to expand and grow. Needs change; we are not the same person we were 10 years ago, or even last year. If I want a house be full of music one day, and the next, I just want to listen to music on my headphones, then so be it. That progressive adaptability is what the Linksys Wireless Music System provides. Linksys takes some of the latest wireless technology, asks you where you want music, and then responds, "I can do that."

Setup

For those of us who are somewhat technologically impaired, Cisco makes setting up the Linksys system a very easy process. Step by step directions are provided through an auto run CD that is provided with Director or Conductor. Simply insert the CD into your personal computer and Cisco takes care of the rest. Setup takes about 5-20 minutes depending on how many items you have to link to the Linksys system.

Upon inserting the provided CD, "Linksys EasyLink Advisor" program begins the process of filling your house with sound. Simple steps are laid out for anyone to understand.

Linksys EasyLink Advisor asks what device you would like to set up first. (I selected the "Director" to set up first, but you may select any component.) Selection of the component you wish to install is completed by simply clicking the image of the component. (If you are not sure what item you are installing, the screen also lists the Model Number for reference.) Once an item is selected, you will be able to rename that item, i.e. "Living Room Director", "Office Player" etc. Renaming the different components is a simple, but nice feature, because with potentially unlimited expandability with several Directors, Players… etc, confusion can set in.

After selecting what component of the Linksys system you wish to install, you will be asked whether you will be using a wired or wireless network. If using a wired network, directions on how to plug in the provided Ethernet cable and other required cables will then be given. If you’re using wireless, realize that the system supports the newest 802.11n draft format and can work with WEP, WPA encryption to ensure you can integrate it into just about any home network not controlled by the Department of Defense. We can’t help but compare this system to the Sonos Digital Music System, which we reviewed several years back. One of the chief differences appeared right here in that the Sonos continues to work off an older software and hardware networking platform, while the Linksys comes to market with the latest networking technology.

With our wired connection, once everything was connected, we clicked Proceed, and an auto detection of our network began. Linksys’ EasyLink Advisor will locate and configure each item to that network. Once installation and synchronization is finished with the first item you selected, you will return to the first installation screen so you can select a new device. Continue this process until you have installed and synchronized all components of the Linksys system.

In addition to synchronizing the Linksys system to your network, the EasyLink Advisor allows you to connect any computers that you have in the house. For multiple computer households, configuring to the Linksys system is identical. Make sure that the computers that you wish to add are connected to your network. After setup is complete, you may always add another component or computer at a later date.