Cisco RV340 VPN Router with 4 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) Ports plus Dual WAN, Limited Lifetime Protection (RV340-K9-NA)

I've updated this review - updates are chronological with latest at the end.As received, my RV340 required a firmware update to bring it to Cisco's current release level. I then proceeded with the setup process. My use case is a SOHO internet gateway and firewall with full support for IPv6 (delegated prefix from the ISP).My main points of experience worth pointing out so far are as follows:(1) Upon reboot (or power cycle) the RV340 reliably fails to update the WAN port MAC address with the customized value (i.e. MAC address powers up as the factory default). Both WAN1 and WAN2 are affected. At first, this looked like a serious problem since I thought my ISP requires a specific MAC address on my end to work. However, by power cycling my cable modem, the default MAC address of the RV340's WAN port was accepted and is now working.(2) The WAN port must be connected to the ISP (cable modem in my case) in order to complete the IPv6 configuration. There is a place in the WAN configuration to assign a name to the IPv6 delegated prefix supplied by the ISP, but the LAN port configuration (for stateless autoconfiguration of the client IPv6 addresses) does not have any place to enter this name. Instead, you must identify the active WAN port (with a valid IPv6 prefix). That of course requires the ISP connection to be hooked up and running.(3) Unlike routers I've used the past few years, the RV340 does NOT provide an NTP service to the local LAN clients. This required me to modify NTP server addresses in a number of connected devices from the local gateway IP address to an actual NTP server out on the internet.(4) I discovered on the Licenses page that the router is running in Evaluation Mode. In addition, the two 90-day (evaluation period) security feature licenses are not activated by default. To get out of evaluation mode, you must log in to your Cisco Smart Account. With considerable effort I eventually got this sorted out so it's no longer an issue.In summary, the RV340 is currently working well supporting a busy network with a lot of devices.(24-Dec-2017) Alas, I've taken the RV340 out of service and re-installed my previous gateway/router. It took about a month but I finally associated several application-level performance issues with the RV340. The specific problems are: (1) very slow access to gmail inbox both with POP3 and IMAP; (2) long delay from clicking a selection to actual start of playback for iTunes Music; and (3) long delay and frequently a timeout while opening the Solitaire, News, and other Microsoft apps under Windows 10. How could the router (with no extra security modules enabled) have such specific impacts while other applications are just fine? I have no idea. But these issues all disappeared when I reinstalled my previous gateway/router.(20-Apr-2018) - I noticed the new firmware release v1.0.01.18 (issued March 2018) and updated my RV340. I ran through a couple of the application performance issues noted above and the unexplained delays no longer appeared. Updated my star rating although I haven't put the RV340 back into service yet.(10-Nov-2018) - Noticed new firmware release v1.0.01.20 and decided it was time to give the RV340 another try. Updated the firmware, plugged in the WAN and completed the IPv4 and IPv6 configuration with no issues. The application-specific performance issues noted above are also gone. I am leaving the RV340 in service. The speedtest downlink measurement is now the expected 194Mbps (with a change to the server at the other end) so I have finally updated my star rating to five stars.(20-Nov-2019) The RV340 continues to work great - I am quite pleased with it now. A cautionary note: browsing the router configuration pages I noticed the router was back in "Evaluation" mode. It appears that Cisco Smart Licensing had "expired" the router license token originally generated about a year ago. However, my Cisco Smart Licensing account was still in order so it was easy to generate a new license token for the router (no cost, thanks Cisco!). I believe the token will expire again and necessitate another trip back to Smart Licensing.(3-Jan-2019) I noticed that a new firmware update, to version 1.0.02.16, was available and I went ahead and updated the Cisco RV340. I'm not sure if any functional issues were fixed with the update (I hadn't noticed any), but the update also revamped the entire GUI. It changed from the classic Cisco blue-background no-nonsense design to a modern split-tone look (white text on dark background to the left, black text on light background in the main edit window). At first I didn't like the change but now I'm used to it and it seems "normal".(12-Feb-2019) - I noticed that IPv6 was no longer working -- it may have been my fault due to some errant settings update. However, I wasn't sure and as part of the troubleshooting I downgraded back to the previous working firmware (v1.0.01.20). There I did clear up the problem (it was my own misunderstanding of the proper settings for my ISP). However, when I tried to re-upgrade back to v1.0.02.16 by changing the Active Image under the Reboot menu, the router initially came up NOT upgraded but with a non-responsive web GUI. When I nervously used the paperclip method to RESET the router to factory configuration (holding the button for more than 10 seconds), I found the RESET button must be pressed and held BEFORE powering up the router. When the router came up this time, the newer firmware (v1.0.02.16) was then active and the router configuration settings had been converted for the new firmware's format (although I had expected the factory default configuration). Best of all, the web GUI was fully operational and IPv6 was working once again.If there's any conclusion from all this, I'd hazard a guess that it's best to always upload a firmware upgrade to the router (rather than relying on changing the Active Image under the Reboot menu) so that the router gets fair warning that the configuration settings are to be converted to the new firmware's format. (Note that downgrading from v1.0.02.16 to v1.0.01.20 always gives you a factory default configuration since there is no built-in "reverse" settings format conversion utility.)

With this price tag... you get dual wans, 16 port switch, 8 POE AT, 4G USB option, full L2 and a few hints of L3 features.You also get the advance features (IPS, antivirus, DPI, extra VPN license) for $160 a year. You do get 2 VPN licenses free with the hardware. That price isn't that bad. You dont need it to run the router though. You do get a 90 day trail, just to see how it runs, which is nice. It's cheaper than SonicWall fees for a slower appliance!#1 make sure you update to the newest firmware, right off the bat!#2 this thing just works! set it once and leave it. It just runs!#3 The UDM-Pro is $100 cheaper that this model. The extra $100 blows this the UDM-Pro out of the water! UniFi can't touch it. Edgemax could make an argument but the Cisco GUI is easy peezy. Game over for SonicWalls too. Cisco pulled up and let lose!#4 it does come with a hefty price tag, but you wont regret it. Its worth every penny and has all the features you want and need!I would recommend this to anyone who has Small/Medium/Large business who wants a work horse router. It has 8 POE ports, so you can hook up access points and phones. If you need more POE ports, get an SG model switch. BAM! you're done! $160 a year for the advance features is a no brainer!Bump what you read in the reviews about signing up for a license. With the new GUI, its an easy 1 click link to cisco page. Register the device and sign up. Easy peezy!Cisco has done it again.. LATE to the game, BUT when they pull up, its a show stopper! Good Job Cisco! I can see this model sticking around for a long time! This will be the flag ship model for SMB for a long time!Edit: 04/27/2020I spent the week configure this router and testing! It's a work horse. I have a few complaints, but nothing within performance. I wish it had SFP cage, but thats fine. With the new firmware update SNMP is broken on the WAN ports, doesn't show data in Observium. BUT thats nothing to be drop a star on. It will get fixed. Wish you could run IOS cisco commands on this, but cant. But thats fine too... I'm just geeking out!The main function of this bad boy is that it just works!I went from a USG-PRO->ER-12P->UDM-Pro to This model... and went from 35+MS wan ping times to 10-12MS. Everything runs faster! Even with the advance features turned on. with it turned OFF, it screams! Give the ER12 its credit, it run great, performance wise, but doesn't the advance features.Bottom line, this thing is amazing! Got all 8 POE ports filled up and powering devices, no issues.