Microsoft 802.11b wireless router and Access Point, $36 AR via Dell - up to 10 quantity allowed!

[Sslacker]

Can this router copy my computer's MAC address so I can share my DSL connection with it?

If not, should I get another router that has this feature and attach this router to it? Thanks

 

[Francodman]

Looks like Dell fixed the 15% + 15% off. Now its just showing one discount.

 

[ai42]

Can this router copy my computer's MAC address so I can share my DSL connection with it?

If not, should I get another router that has this feature and attach this router to it? Thanks

I think you must have something wrong with your ideas of networking.

 

[mrVW]

SSlacker - YES, it can clone a LAN MAC address! I believe you can download the manual at Microsoft site and it shows the screen that has it. I have the router and there is a screen to do this...

Although it does provide NAT, so I'm not sure why you would need this...

 

[vinjince]

Some providers logged and even locked your connection to one MAC address. IE your computers NIC. Most ISPs today dont care but still track how many MAC's connect to your connection. So in his case he might need the cloning. I know the DLink wireless router has this option so I imagine the MS does too.

 

[ivan2]

some school network limited the computer count per person and have them registered by the MAC address before they will start to route their packets, being able to clone a MAC saves a lot of trouble if u dont wanna register again or deal with the admin.

 

[ivan2]

Originally posted by: mrVW

2. A wireless access point acting as a "client" (Ethernet Gateway) to another wireless access point.

does this means the second router (the one that isnt connecting to the cablemodem or dsl) also act as an router instead of a bridge?

i doubt the need for this little router to feature as this kind of network access point though, but not bad if its possible to link 3 or 4 more of them to have several more LAN's

edit: I looked at linksys's page and they says WET11 is a wireless Bridge, which should do bridge mode in wireless, so i guess the difference between #1 and #2 mrVW suggest is the ability to bridge with cable or with wireless

 

[rx8]

sorry if this is a reductant question. i couldn't quite exactly understand that "bridge" thing.

let's say i had 4 computers with regular cat5 nic cards, could i hook up a mn500 to each one and network them that way? i only ask becuz the mn-510, the usb adapter actually costs more than the mn-500 (after rebates). and i was also thinking if i had a laptop or pda i could get better signal having multiple access points across the house. (or would i only be able to connect wirelessly to one of those mn500s?)

i bought one this afternoon and have been looking for usb adapters. but most of them costs more than the router itself. so basically i am wondering if bridge means i am able to do the above. thanks for any help.

 

[ivan2]

the meaning of a bridge is simply a point that's sitting between 2 lans and connect them together but nothing more (it decides if it should route a packet from an IP one one side to an IP on the other). router instead, is a connection point for everyone on the lan to the net, im not so sure what the 510 does but i hope this clears things a little.
bridge= lan <-> lan
router=lan<->net

 

[Sslacker]

Thanks mrVW. I looked up the manual at the microsoft site and verified that it can copy the MAC address. But I'm not gonna get the deal now because I don't have the email 15% and 5% coupons

 

[dakata24]

Originally posted by: roncarter

Originally posted by: Francodman
Cool... I needed a wireless router...now to find some wireless PCI cards or shoudl i get usb adapters?

yea.. im looking for some usb adapters too....know any good ones ross man?

i just got some belkin refurb usb 802.11b wireless adapters from the belkin store for $22.xx a piece.

as far as my untrained eye can tell, they are new. though whiteboxed.. on the other hand, the 2 refurb firewire cards that i also got were refurbs since the box had a sticker on it (dead giveaway ), plus the cd with the drivers looked used. the cards itself were in nearly flawless condition.

shipping may be abit steep if you're just getting 1 or 2 things. shipping came out to be $12.xx for the 2 usb wireless adapters and 2 firewire cards. shipping was very quick too. ordered wednesday, received friday (thuogh they say on the site that due to inventory of refurbs, shipping times may vary)

lifetime warrenty aint bad either.

 

[weepul]

booo, it's dead. =(

//krunk (^_^x)

 

[mrVW]

It is kind of confusing because the word bridge has two meanings.

1. A "LAN Bridge" with two boxes joining two cabled networks together via wireless. This is "a bridge".
2. The routers themselves can be set in "bridge mode" for clients.



Another example of using "bridge mode" without actually using them as a bridge:

Let's say you have a cable modem connection in your house - but you have a big house and want to cover the entire area with WiFi.

Configure one box to function as a "router" that connects to your cable modem. It will be using the NAT, Firewall, and DHCP server features of the MN-500.

Then you configure two additional MN-500's to extend the range of your wireless network. You run Ethernet cable to them and place them so that they cover your whole house. You would configure each of these in "bridge mode" so that clients would be inserted into the cabled network and get their DHCP address from the "router" box that sits near the cable modem. So you have three MN-500's acting as "Access Points" - but only one is acting as a "router" (DHCP server, NAT, Firewall).

Your wireless laptop could then roam between any of the three MN-500's without changing IP Address or anything else... it should work automatic. This is a great way to extend range. Also note that used this way, a MN-500 could work with other brands of equipment - as it is depending on the Ethernet cabled network.

At least this is how I did it for my friend's house over the weekend. It worked fine.



Now let's say you wanted to create "a LAN bridge". For example, say you already had a non wireless router (NAT, Firewall, DHCP server) and wanted to connect your XBox via wireless (you didn't want to use ethernet cable for your XBox).

You would get two MN-500's and create a bridge. You wuold plug one MN-500 into your existing cabled network, then plug the other one into your XBox. The "bridge" would make the XBox think it was on the same cabled network as your router and other computers.

That is what the LinkSys WET-11 can also do - but it only has 1 port - where a box like the MN-500 has multiple Ethernet ports (so you could do a printer and another computer at your "remote location"). Assume that only the MN-500 can be used with another MN-500, no "mixing" of brands in a bridge - unless you test it yourself!

I have NOT used the MN-500 like this, so not sure how you even configure it. The manual suggests it can do this, and there were discussions on Usenet that it should work this way - but I didn't find anyone who said that they had actually got it up and running.

I know that routers from Linksys (WAP11, not to be confused with WEP11) can do this.

 

[RayW69]

Did some reading on it. Basically, the MN-500 can act as a WAP, but does not have an AP Client Mode. Buying 2 MN-500s basically gives you the functionality of the WET11. I was hoping that buying just one would do the trick, but no client mode = no go.

 

[Wildcats]

It's an OK wireless access point. Certainly good for $30.

I got in on the scanner/MN500 deal from Staples a while back and it's been an OK WAP. Wireless link speed drops sometimes for no apparent reason, and the setup is a bit quirky. (I have no other 2.4GHz and live in the middle of a field in the "sticks"...but am lucky enough to get broadband). Range is not as good as I would expect.

It got an OK from pcmag's recent tests, and I'd have to agree with their findings. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1116321,00.asp

For $30, consider it "disposable" when you upgrade to 802.11g, WPA or 802.11i or whatever your next reason to upgrade may be.

Cheers!

 

[smj]

Received mine today, it's a really nice router. Works well. Didn't receive a rebate form though. Not that it matters........

The rebate offer expired on February 1, 2003. :disgust:

Click the link and then click the $20 MIR link on the right hand side. Expiration date is in the fine print.

Link To Rebate Information

 

[billjames310]

This has come up before. The dates at the top of the form are correct.

 

[smj]

Sorry, must have missed that. What a first post!!

Talked to Microsoft and they said in the absence of a rebate coupon just put all the info on a 3x5 card and send it to them by 7-30-2003. The original end of the promotion was February 1, 2003. It was then extended through June.

Thanks for the original post.

 

[Gravity]

Bought it...Thx!

Gravity

 

[Nagrim]

I am assuming these will have the updated firmware (it was updated a few months back), if not, i highly suggest seeking out the update and downloading it. It fixes alot of issues with dropped connections that the original firmware had. Chances are these will be updated, but it doesnt hurt to double check =)

 

[a2k]

Are there still 15% off dell coupons that are live? All I can find are 10% off that expired on the 27th...

 

[AlphaBeta]

How can I register for all these cool Dell Deals? They look sweet...

 

[kehi]

it is showing up as 65.95 in my cart now

 

[AlphaBeta]

Originally posted by: kehi
it is showing up as 65.95 in my cart now

Some or most of the coupons expired on 6/30/03. Sorry.

 

[Askalon]

Ok, I bit on this one. Even though the 15% off coupon expired, i got 10% off my order for getting network stuff. I also picked up the D-Link Tri-Band PCMCIA card. Never know what band they use when you travel and I figured this would work the best.