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Linksys wireless range expander...Why?

Author
12 Feb 2005 4:50 PM
gekco
Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so how good
are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used for a shot
period of time. I wondering if they actually work because why are people
  selling them after a short period? Would you not keep it if its doing
the job unless for some reason you moved everything around your house
and dont need the range anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working
out for you?

Author
12 Feb 2005 5:14 PM
Floyd L. Davidson
gekco <notme@nospamyahoo.com> wrote:
>Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so
>how good are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used
>for a shot period of time. I wondering if they actually work
>because why are people selling them after a short period? Would
>you not keep it if its doing the job unless for some reason you
>moved everything around your house and dont need the range
>anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working out for you?

I've got one, and it works exactly as advertized.  They are
not very flexible, and I certainly will not be getting another
(unless it is dirt cheap from someone who is dumping one).

The problem, from my perspective, is that a less expensive
WRT54G with third party firmware loaded will do exactly the
same thing, plus a lot more.

And the WRT54G costs significantly less.

--
Floyd L. Davidson           <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)                         fl***@barrow.com
Author
12 Feb 2005 6:38 PM
Crewe Dave
Hi - they work well in an unencrypted 'auto' set up mode but I could never
get mine to work in an encrypted link...I noticed several people taking them
back while I was returning mine....best bet is to go for the most powerful
wireless router you can buy....

Dave

"gekco" <notme@nospamyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ltqPd.38021$Yu.5396@fed1read01...
Show quote
> Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so how good
> are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used for a shot period
> of time. I wondering if they actually work because why are people selling
> them after a short period? Would you not keep it if its doing the job
> unless for some reason you moved everything around your house and dont
> need the range anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working out for
> you?
Author
13 Feb 2005 3:30 PM
bumtracks
apparently neighbor is new to wireless,
linksys default ssid, channel 6,  no security.
A plug and play expert.
He suddenly just upped his power - now its an unstable connection, comes and
goes all night long - registers 100% for a minute or so then degrades - then
he tries another channel.  Noticed other neighbors were losing connections
when he swaps channels,,, funny - Too much power isn't a good thing for him,
nor his neighbors.   F-him, I'm matching his chosen channel forever until
that 100% signal disappears, I'm tired of swapping channels constantly
trying to have channel separation..


Show quote
"Crewe Dave" <DMORRI***@nc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:J2sPd.2295$VI1.399664@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Hi - they work well in an unencrypted 'auto' set up mode but I could never
> get mine to work in an encrypted link...I noticed several people taking
them
> back while I was returning mine....best bet is to go for the most powerful
> wireless router you can buy....
>
> Dave
>
> "gekco" <notme@nospamyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:ltqPd.38021$Yu.5396@fed1read01...
> > Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so how good
> > are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used for a shot
period
> > of time. I wondering if they actually work because why are people
selling
> > them after a short period? Would you not keep it if its doing the job
> > unless for some reason you moved everything around your house and dont
> > need the range anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working out for
> > you?
>
>
Author
14 Feb 2005 1:09 AM
Bob Alston
gekco wrote:
> Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so how good
> are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used for a shot
> period of time. I wondering if they actually work because why are people
>  selling them after a short period? Would you not keep it if its doing
> the job unless for some reason you moved everything around your house
> and dont need the range anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working
> out for you?
I tried one and returned it to the store.  The existing WAP I had with
an +11 dBi antenna on it already provided as much coverage as the WRE54G
could.

Suggest you invest in a better antenna.

Bob
Author
14 Feb 2005 2:33 AM
Floyd L. Davidson
Bob Alston <tulsaalstonsNOSPAM@cox.net> wrote:
>gekco wrote:
>> Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If
....

>I tried one and returned it to the store.  The existing WAP I
>had with an +11 dBi antenna on it already provided as much
>coverage as the WRE54G could.
>
>Suggest you invest in a better antenna.

Better antennas are always a good idea.  However, your comment
suggests misunderstandings of how a repeater works and the
advantage to using one.

If it was co-located with your AP, it does nothing of
significance.  That is because the AP and the repeater would
have about the same coverage, at best.

However...  one example where I've use a repeater is a classic.
The AP is about 400-500 yards from the a distant building.  In
fact, only one end of the building is visible from the AP's
location.  Of course the other end of the building (60 feet
away) is where I have another host that needs to be networked.
The computer's wireless client card cannot get even a whisp of
signal from the AP.  There are about four fair sized buildings
in between, all blocking the path.

    =======||========== Natchik Street =========================>
           ||
    +----+ ||                                   +--------+
    |  RP| ||                                  /AP       |
    |    | ||   +---+  +---+  +---+ +----+    /          |
    |    | ||   |   |  |   |  |   | |    |   +           |
    |    | ||   |   |  |   |  |   | |    |   |           |
    |    | ||   |   |  |   |  |   | |    |   |           |
    |    | ||   |   |  |   |  |   | |    |   +-----------+
    |    | ||   |   |  |   |  |   | |    |
    |HOST| ||   +---+  +---+  +---+ +----+
    +----+ ||       (Not drawn to scale)


I checked with a laptop that the AP's signal was usable at the
visible end of the building, then got a repeater.  I put the
repeater in a window on that end of the building and put a pci
client card in the computer at the other end.  It worked just
fine.  Because the repeater out on the end that does have line
of sight, it can get a signal from the AP, and the computer can
always see the repeater.

That is what a repeater can do.

Whether a WRE54G would be the right repeater is open to debate
though!  A WRT54G does more and cost less...

--
Floyd L. Davidson           <http://web.newsguy.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)                         fl***@barrow.com
Author
14 Feb 2005 2:37 AM
gekco
gekco wrote:
> Has anyone used a Linksys wireless range expander WRE54G? If so how good
> are they. I see so many forsale on E-bay that were used for a shot
> period of time. I wondering if they actually work because why are people
>  selling them after a short period? Would you not keep it if its doing
> the job unless for some reason you moved everything around your house
> and dont need the range anymore. Anyone using one and how is it working
> out for you?
Ok guys thanks for the comments and advice. Thats excatly what I wanted
to hear and kind of thought the way so many are for sale. You all just
saved me some money.

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