Wireless "Repeater"

[Yohhan]

Can all Access Points function as repeaters? I'm trying to find a product that will do this.

 

[SpeedDemonAaron]

Not all can do this, but if you want a cheap solution I'd recommend the Linksys 802.11b Access Point, WAP11 v.2.8 (newest version). It is fairly easy to setup, but their are definite quality control issues with Linksys and I find myself swapping out new AP's all the time trying to find one that doesn't need to be power cycled every day.

I haven't tried Netgear's cheaper solutions, but your best bet if you are willing to spend a little bit more money is to go with the Netgear WG302 AP. It has 100mW of power output and it comes with 5dBi diversity Antenna's. They can be bought for $220 shipped from www.newegg.com.

I know that Buffalo Tech also has their own WDS (wireless distribution system) with their AP's and special repeater mdules, as well as D-Link, but I have no personal experience their, so I can't speak for that.

 

[AFB]

No, and you need to buy one of the same brand as your router.

 

[SpeedDemonAaron]

Doing the same brand as your router doesn't always even work. I say don't even use a router/AP unit. If you are going to do anything complex like this. Just get a nice router and then a bunch of AP's.

 

[Yohhan]

Thanks. Any idea what the range on the netgear unit is?

 

[Yohhan]

Nevermind, I found it -- 500 ft outdoors, 100 ft indoors. I wish some of these sites would make it easier to find those numbers. It seems like they try to make them hard to find. Even a rough estimate helps.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[AFB]

Originally posted by: Yohhan
Nevermind, I found it -- 500 ft outdoors, 100 ft indoors. I wish some of these sites would make it easier to find those numbers. It seems like they try to make them hard to find. Even a rough estimate helps.

Thanks for the assistance.

It is most likely half that, If you are just getting APs, I would get a D-link DWL-900+, It is designed for a removable antenna.

 

[SpeedDemonAaron]

So is the Netgear WG302, and believe me it's a much nicer unit. It has 100mW of power and 5dBi antenna's much like the Cisco Aironet 350 which is a $600+ AP. The DWL-900+ probably has like 38mW of power output and comes with only a 2dBi antenna, guaranteed less than half the range and not nearly as much customization. But it's also 1/3 the price.

 

[AFB]

Originally posted by: SpeedDemonAaron
So is the Netgear WG302, and believe me it's a much nicer unit. It has 100mW of power and 5dBi antenna's much like the Cisco Aironet 350 which is a $600+ AP. The DWL-900+ probably has like 38mW of power output and comes with only a 2dBi antenna, guaranteed less than half the range and not nearly as much customization. But it's also 1/3 the price.

People use the D-link for Point-to-point wireless links with towers 🙂. Do you happen to work for netgear ?

 

[SpeedDemonAaron]

No, but the DWL-900+ isn't even made anymore, the DWL-1000+ replaced it and it only has half-the power output, and like I said half as good of antenna's. The antenna's can be replaced but no matter what you do the power output is only going to be 50mW.

I'm sure that the DWL-1000+ is a fine AP, but I'm just saying that for the money their are better AP's out there in my oppinion. Do you think that the DWL-1000+ is a more stable router than the WG-302?

 

[Fiveohhh]

Just have a question to add on this, at my parents house my dad wants to be able to take the laptop on the deck and right now its just outside of the reach of their linksys router. If he gets a wap 11, and puts it in repeater mode, he should just be able to give it power closer to the deck and not have to run a line to it correct?...