The EZ-Bridge-Lite High Power Outdoor Wireless Point to Point System Review

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(More customer reviews)I live in the country side where the closest DSL connection for me is about 1 mile away. I made arrangements with a neighbor at exactly that distance to share his internet connection with me. I purchased this item and hooked the two up. It was easy to connect and I have had no problems with it.
Using this device requires only moderate technical ability during the very first connection. After that, it can be forgotten about completely. Although the casing around the antenna appears of good quality, it is still made of only plastic and I doubt it's ability to withstand direct exposure to extremely strong storm winds.

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D-Link DWL-2100AP SNMP AES 802.11g 108Mbps Wireless Access Point Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me just say I use these where I work for our entire corporate network. They come with a 3 year warranty last I checked and are good quality for the most part. I see quite a few complains listed here but my thoughts are as follows:
I have purchased about 40 of these access points and have only had to RMA 5 of them because I use them in "client access mode." For some reason they seem to just quit functioning correctly after a while. Most of you will use "access point mode" so nothing to worry about. I have had most in access point mode and they've been running 2.5 years + non stop with no issues.
Also, go to D-Links website and download the latest firmware revision of 2.10 if the router doesn't already have it. You can configure the access point via a web browser or you can download D-Link's Airplus Extreme AP Manager off their site too. For ease of use stick with the web browser since it doesn't require the software although for simple configuration the AP Manager is preferred especially if your doing more than one.
Lastly, these access point used in client mode can (for those not familiar) be used as an "external" wireless card. What's the benefit to this? Instead of having a performance killing PCI card these are better and more stable in my professional opinion. We had issues with D-Link and Orinico PCI cards locking computers up. Some conflicts with certain Southbridge motherboard chipsets. Long story...
Also, I do use these in Point to Point and repeater modes and as long as your running the latest firmware revision you should have no problems. Hope this review helps at least one person.

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D-Link ANT24-0801 8.5dBi Pico Cell Patch Antenna Review

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(More customer reviews)This antenna (and all D-Link high gain antennas) require an additional 1 watt inline amplifier in order to achieve the extended range as rated by D-Link. This will be an additional expense of approximately $300.00, purchased from a 3rd party. Without the amplifier the antenna(s) produce a signal at or below the standard antenna. Once the amplifier is installed the antenna works as rated. No where within D-Link's information or installation instructions do they inform you of this requirement. When I inquired from D-Link as to why I was no obtaining the range as rated, I received the following:
"To boost output you will need to use an amplifier. The Antenna is going to change the shape of the signal, and the direction. the problem with using an external antenna without an amp is the Router does not have enough power to push the signal through the extra media."
I then asked as to where within their documentation does it state that an amplifier is required, I received the following:
"The initial reply that you received that the router does not have a strong enough amplifier to push the signal to any great length is correct, unfortunately. The loss in signal strength that you noticed is possibly due to losses in the conversion cable. I do agree with you that does not seem to mention amplification in the product specs as you have pointed out. I shall talk it to a supervisor and see if there can be some mention of extra amplification might be needed, to get best results for APs."

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Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander WRE54G Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're having trouble setting it up, definitely call the 800 number as opposed to going online. I tried with three different people through their website online and none could help. Right before I sent it back I decided to try phone support and it got the expander a reprieve. I've copied some instructions that Y.A. Escalante was kind enough to leave in his review, but corrected and elaborated some of the items based on my experience. I would've given this 4 stars, but I deducted 1 for it not having clear enough instructions with its initial shipping. (Would've saved Linksys some headaches)
Here goes:
1-Disable WEP on your Router or AP
2-Hold the auto-configuration button for 30 seconds(if everything goes well both lights on the expander will turn blue) and unplug while still holding button. Plug back in after 10-15 secs.
3-open your Internet explorer browser and type 192.168.1.240 (default ip of expander), a window will pop up. leave the user name blank and put admin as a password (this is default password).
4-make sure that the default gateway and subnet mask settings are identical with your Router or AP,change password on the expander if desired & save settings. (all settings should be correct due to auto configuration)
5-Enable WEP on the expander, once again remember use same settings as in your Router or AP, save settings again.
6-Go to your Router or Ap settings and enable WEP. Bang you're DONE. Enjoy
Hope this helps some of you...if not call the 800 number on the box and be patient. :)

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Expand the range of your wireless network The Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander is the easy way to increase the effective coverage of your wireless network. Unlike adding a traditional access point to your network to expand wireless coverage, the Wireless-G Range Expander does not need to be connected to the network by a data cable. Just put it within range of your main access point or wireless router, and it bounces the signals out to remote wireless devices. This relay station or repeater approach saves wiring costs and helps to build wireless infrastructure by driving signals into even those distant, reflective corners and hard-to-reach areas where wireless coverage is spotty and cabling is impractical. The Range Expander is perfect to help cover large areas in multi-story homes, warehouse environments, public spaces, wireless Hot Spots, and outdoor venues -- anywhere you need extra coverage for your wireless network.

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ERB9250 11N 300MB 11N Range Extender Removable Antenna 1 10/100 Review

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(More customer reviews)EnGenius ERB 9250 Range Expander
I feel it is necessary to give my review on the EnGenius ERB9250 2.4 GHZ 300 Mbps Wireless N Range Extender to help others like myself with bad wireless connections. 03-15-2011-update My Linksys WRT600N router blew the 2.4 Ghz circuit (5-6 years old), the 5.0 Ghz remained, but this is the signal that doesn't penetrate walls. I now have a new EnGenius ESR 9855G Wireless N, 2.4 Ghtz-only router. This is working fine. The remaining content is based on my Linksys WRT 600N wireless router. I have used in the past a Linksys WRE54G - G Range Expander b/g with a with a Linksys WRT54G router to the same location. I am currently running 300Mbps with an excellent signal. In the past my Linksys WRE 54 G range expander had a maximum 54 Mbps with a fair to poor signal strength, used in combination with the WRT600N router and a HP premium "N" adapter. This old setup ran typically 2-20 Mbps with a fair to poor signal.
I am technical average, below average or novice when it comes to wireless networking. After reading someone's comment maybe I'm an expert and just doesn't know it. I have spent hours enhancing locations, changing configurations, and praying for a decent signal. I have by pure accident discovered solutions to problems that no one ever addresses. I've come to the conclusion that the advanced techs out there work for the manufactures sales department and really don't understand wireless systems and their wireless routers. Very seldom can you actually talk with someone. If you do get a hold of someone, they seem to know a lot less than me, which is frightening.
I have a home office in a separate building from my home. The nearest exterior stucco wall to exterior stucco wall is 17 feet. I have my WRT600N (now ESR 9855G) wireless router in my family room which is a straight 49 feet from my EnGenius ERB9250 Range Expander in my office. The Range Expander is 7 feet from my computer. The signal is going through 3 walls with windows.
I am writing to help people like myself.
Number 1 -Important Things That All Web Sites Stress -you can just ignore. You REALLY DO NOT need to pay attention to: 1) line of sight (you shouldn't have obstacles) between the router and the range expander. They must be living in a tent, but I really don't know anyone that is so lucky as to not have obstacles i their way. DUMB LESSONS are important lessons or information I have learned creating a decent wireless network and is probably more information than what you need. DUMB MISTAKES are mistakes I made, but because of frustrations, and trying to think logically when I am tired and frustrated; these mistakes have eaten a tremendous amount of my time and were quite easy to fix.
Dumb Lesson #1 the 2.4 GHz setting is to broadcast all Wireless N, Wireless G, and Wireless B systems all at the same time on all this same frequency. REMEMBER THIS RANGE EXPANDER (WRT600N) IS USING ONLY THE 2.4GHz part of the Wireless Router, not the 5.0GHz. My new router only broadcasts in 2.4 GHz. I originally thought that 5.0 Ghz was only N systems, and 2.4 Ghz was only B or G systems, wrong. 2.4 can be for all three. A, B, G, and N are just standards. N is the most recent allowing higher transfer speeds and more unused frequencies. The frequencies are by far the most misunderstood.
Dumb lesson # 2, Misinformation is very prevalent even from known authorities. Just remember, this is part of the problem we all deal with and affects our judgment, when we try to make improvements to our wireless networks. The higher the frequency the more likely it will penetrate walls. This is the complete opposite from what all the wireless geeks say. 5.0 GHz will do better than 2.4GHz going through walls. This is straight from my engineer father-in law who helped put the lander on the moon. So ignore what is being said by so called experts, I am a wireless novice with real scientific information. 5.0 GHZ has less distortion from other electronic products in your home. Therefore it has a clearer less obstructed and distorted signal from other household devices. Items that can overlap the 2.4 GHz are: wireless telephones, remote controls, wireless game controls, microwaves, and many more. Ignore this concern. Using a wireless G router, my 2.4 GHz cordless phone blocked all wireless signals. I bought a new DECT 6.0 phone. No more problems. WHY 5.0 Ghz APPEEARS TO BE WORSE is that 5.0 Ghz takes an extremely large amount of power to go the same distance as 2.4GHz, which the best consumer wireless routers don't have. The router and adapters signals are really going around walls and through windows to best of their abilities. My need has been getting my wireless signal to a far distance with a decent signal and decent speed. The 2.4 GHz is the only way to go with the "N" standard setting allowing the faster transfer rates up to 300 Mbps and a much longer distance with a range expander. Maybe someday 5.0 Ghz wireless routers with be available with more power, but don't count on it with all the energy efficiency requirements.
For the WRT 600 N wireless router:
A) Get access to your router through the IP address using your web browser at 192.168.1.1, click on the "Wireless" button next to "Set Up" - Basic Wireless settings the 5.0 GHz setting the 3 bottom categories for Radio Band, Wide Channel, Standard channel set all of them to AUTO. The Basic Settings for the bottom 2.4 GHz are Standard 20 MHz, Auto, and Auto. Under the 5.0 GHz -Wireless Mode setting, set it to Wireless N, Network Name SSID to something similar to your original network you have chosen, such as Digital add underscore media so you know what name you are looking for "Digital_media" and your regular Network to "Digital".
B) Under 2.4 GHz set the Wireless Mode to "Mixed." "Mixed" allows everyone in your network to use your Wireless Network no matter what kind of adapter they have (a, b, g, and n) for their computer. This is probably the biggest mistake and most misunderstood setting.
Dumb lesson # 3, I learned that the Dual Wireless Adapters will LOOK FOR MORE THAN ONE NETWORK AT THE SAME TIME, hence the name DUAL.
C) You need to set up your wireless adapters that are dual G & N adapters on each computer to do just that, by going to Control Panel, "Network" or "Network and the Internet", you need to get into the network adapter setting. It is very easy in Windows XP and Windows 7, which is what I use. The web also has good details on doing this.
D) If you have a Wireless Router N router always use security at least WPA2-Personal and give each of your network users the password, set the encryption at "AES". It is easiest to use the same password for 5.0 GHz as well as 2.4GHz. Remember old "B and A" standard adapters don't allow encryption. If you are using Older Network Adapters in your network of computers you can't have a WEP or WPA security password. The old computers and adapters don't allow encryptions and won't be able to connect to you network. My new ESR 9855G router allows up to 4 accounts using the same setup and guest users. I enable an additional account with a simple password for my visiting clients and friends and then uncheck the additional account box when they leave so it doesn't disrupt the 4 users and 2 businesses at my home.
CONTINUEING
Dumb lesson #4, The real reason the N standard is important is the transfer rates and MIMO. MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) refers to the ability of 802.11n and similar technologies to coordinate multiple simultaneous radio signals. MIMO increases both the range and throughput of a wireless network.
Dumb Lesson # 5, My wife would come to visit in my home office (separate building) in the late morning to see how my day was going. When she left my wireless signal disappeared. I was beginning to think she was really from Venus. This went on for 2 months and had me totally baffled. Solution - when she came to visit me in the morning I had my sliding glass door closed to keep the heat in the office. In the late morning after warming up outside, she left my office by opening the sliding glass door and closing the screen door behind her and saying, "enjoy the nice weather outside." My wire screen door was blocking my signal. I went down to the hardware store and replaced my screen with a heavy duty pet screen material made of some tough durable synthetic rubber/fiberglass material and I had my solution and signal back. I also replaced 2 other screen doors in my house, because of this issue. The signal strength did improve significantly.
DUMB MISTAKES WHEN TIRED AND SETTING UP THIS WIRELESS RANGE EXTENDER
Dumb mistake #1, I tried to setup my Wireless ERB9250 Range Expander using the "Manual Configuration," I plugged the LAN connection into the back of the wireless router for a network connection. Then I tried to go to the ISP 192.168.1.2. Wrong you must plug it into the wired LAN connection in the back of your computer's wired LAN connection. I had to reread the booklet. The online booklet doesn't specify this.
Dumb mistake #2, When I resolved my dumb mistake #1, and plugged it into the LAN connection, I went to ISP 192.168.2 and it wouldn't connect. It just said Windows Internet Explorer connection is not available. After scratching my head a few minutes, it dawned on me that I had to connect to the wired LAN (Local Area Network), not the wireless LAN. So I disabled the wireless adapter and allowed the computer to connect to LAN with ISP 192.168.1.2 and then followed the directions in the booklet. Note: it may be easier to print out the setup booklet online at EnGenius web site than to read the small size 6 font in the booklet, especially at night (see the missing note on the...Read more›

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Cisco-Linksys WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander - REFURBISHED Review

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(More customer reviews)There was a lot of information out there about this product but I decided for $25 (Refurbished) I'd try it. Plugged it in, hit the "auto" button and away it went. It boosted the signal in an outbuilding from "Low" to "Excellent" and seems to be working just fine. I ignored the directions and the CD that came with it and didn't do any of the techno stuff like configuring the Host name, etc, etc. It just worked!

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D Link AirPlus DWL-900AP+ Wireless 22MBPS Access Point Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought another one of these to repeat my existing 900AP+'s signal to extend the range of my wireless network. It works great since I set it all up 2 weeks ago. I am not able to go all the way out to my backyard by the pool and still have Internet access on my laptop. This is very convenient when swimming or just laying and you get the urge to look something up on the Internet, but usually you don't because the PC is so far away. Not anymore. I am now able to bring my laptop out with me and maybe watch a DVD outside while I BBQ or just drink with my friends.
The repeater function looks like it only repeats other D-Link products. It also brings the speeds down to 11Mbps when you are connected to the network via the repeater. If you can get a signal with the main AP, then you are able to maintain your 22Mbps speeds.
Everything else about this AP has worked great for me as well and I'd highly recommend it.

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The D-Link AirPlus DWL-900AP+ can be configured to perform in any one of four modes--as a wireless access point, as a point-to-point bridge with another access point, as a point-to-multipoint wireless bridge, or as a wireless client. It also includes an embedded DHCP server that, once enabled, will automatically assign IP addresses to wireless clients. It also eliminates the need for a separate DHCP server on the network. This unique feature is ideal for quickly creating a wireless local area network in offices or other workplaces, or a temporary network at trade shows or other events.
The DWL-900AP+ also features 256-bit WEP encryption for a higher level of security for your data and wireless communications.
The DWL-900AP+ is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b standard, making it interoperable with all existing 802.11b-compliant devices. But unlike standard 802.11b access points, its data transfer rate can be up to 20 percent faster. When your wireless network is comprised of other D-Link AirPlus products, such as the DWL-520+ wireless PCI adapter, the DWL-650+ wireless CardBus adapter, and the DI-614+ wireless router--transfer rates can be as high as 22 Mbps.

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Alfa 9dBi WiFi Booster SMA OMNI-Directional High-Gain Screw-On Swivel Antenna Review

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(More customer reviews)I added this to my D-Link 626 g/b router. The router is in the basement of our wood framed home with wide duct work which interferes with transmission to computers on the first and second floors above. A maximum straight line distance of about 20 feet. The signal strength, measured by my computer on the second floor, improved from about 50% to about 75%. The strength improved to 100% when I changed from a PCI cardbus wifi adapter in the computer to a USB connected adapter with a cable that allowed me to move the adapter around to get the best reception. In summary, performance of the antenna is not 5 star, but it was well worth the $14 I paid with shipping.

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Belkin F5D7132 Wireless-G Universal Range Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)I have shared the same experience as the most helpful reviews here: this is a pain to install when you want to configure this Extender to be secure (so strangers can't mooch off of your internet or worse). On the other hand, once you have it set up, it works like a charm.
It's possible, but prepare to burn an hour or three. I would like to add some instructional steps, which are a variation of the very helpful ones already present here on Amazon.
Dummies Guide on How to set up the Extender with security turned on:
1. Completely ignore the instruction sheet that comes with the product. At first, I tried following it stubbornly despite reading these Amazon reviews, and I found that it is an embarrassment. Shame on you Belkin, for giving us so much unnecessary grief.
2. Find a computer in your home to use for this setup. Any computer (that isn't Vista) will do.
3. If this computer happens to be plugged into your router (I'm not talking about not the Extender), unplug it from the router. If this computer happens to have a wireless connection, disable the wireless connection.
4. Plug in the power cord for the Extender into the wall, then connect an ethernet cord (looks like a fat telephone cord) into the back of the Extender, then stick the other end into your computer. The "LAN" light will now light up. Just in case you're concerned, you can ignore the red "search" light that may blink.
5. Install the "Belkin Range Extender Utility" onto this computer. The installation CD will place a program in your Start->Programs menu once you run the install.
6. Go to start->settings->network connections. At this point the only enabled network connection should be Local Area Network (or Local Connection... the name may differ slightly for you). If anything else is enabled, disable it. Right click Local Area Network and select Properties. You're now looking for a new window to pop up that lists a bunch of internet-sounding words like Network or QoS. Look for the item called Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Double click that.
7. Select manual IP, and enter 192.168.2.100
8. The subnet mask will get filled out automatically. Ignore the gateway. Hit OK, you're finished.
9. Start up the Belkin utility, and hit "refresh" if nothing shows up on the list of detected Extenders. If you're lucky, you will see the Extender show up, and you can now click "Web Management".
10. If no items show up on the Belkin Utility's list, or an item does show up but the "web management" icon is unclickable, then repeat steps 6-9 but enter the IP address 192.168.1.100 instead. Then the Extender should show up.
11. Finally, once you are able to click "Web Management", it will bring you to a webpage that is very much like a Router setup page. The details of what you need to do here can be found in instructional docs on the web elsewhere. The basic idea is that you want to copy pretty much everything over to be identical to what your router settings are. The only exception is possibly the SSID of the Belkin Extender. Depending on your preference, you may want to choose a different name for it just so you can confirm that its really working later on.
12. Save those settings (there's a systems tab at the bottom of the web management panel that allows you to save the settings into a file as a backup).
13. Unplug the Extender from the computer, unplug the power for the Extender, and move the extender to wherever you want. Plug the power back in.
14. Go back to steps 6-9. Remove the manual IP configuration for your Local Area Connection, and revert the panels back to the way they were (which is probably "automatically obtain ip address"). Hit OK. Enable all your network connections if you disabled them in step 6.
15. You should now be able to use your wireless connection to see the Extender under its fresh new SSID. Enjoy.
A version of the above for those that are network-saavy:
1. Disconnect all wireless from your computer, then connect your computer directly to the Extender as if it were a router. Power up the Extender.
2. Manually specify your computer's IP address to be 192.168.2.xxx with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Yes, I know this step is weird. I'll explain the reason for it in step#4.
3. Install the Belkin Network utility. Its a simple executable. Start it up. It's purpose is to scan for the Extender, provided that your Extender is directly wired to your computer (which we did in step 1).
4. You should see your Extender show up in the utility. If the Extender does not show up or the "Web Management" button is greyed out, this is because your computer and the Belkin Extender are on different subnets. The Belkin Extender is usually shipped from the warehouse hardwired to the IP Address 192.168.2.254. What??? When you plug your computer into the Extender, you need to hardwire your computer to be on the same subnet so the stupid utility will work. Hence, since the factory setting for the Extender is 192.168.2.254, hardwiring your computer's IP to 192.168.2.100 will get the utility to connect to the Extender. However, if for some awful reason your Extender is hardwired to some other IP Address (which is configurable once you get to step#5), you need to change your computer's IP Address to have a value that matches the Extender's new subnet. In other words, if the Extender IP somehow changes to 192.168.5.254, you should change your computer IP address to 192.168.5.100
5. Once you click "Web Management" you can configure the Extender via a browser window. Replicate your router's settings here (they all need to match the original router's, with the exception of the Extender's SSID).
6. Hit Save, then unplug the Extender's power cord and ethernet, and then move it to wherever you would like. Power it up again.
7. Remove your computer's manual IP address. You're now officially done.
*As a note, I had occasional connection problems when I had my Belkin router & extender encryption set to WPA-PSK. I just switched my encryption to WEP and now it is fine. Not everyone has this problem.
Up this review, if you found it useful. I want to see other people spared from the excessive pain the rest of us have already experienced!

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SHARES DATA & PERIPHERALS AS WELL AS A SINGLE INTERNET ACCOUNT AMONG ALL COMPUTERS CONNECTS TO THE NETWORK SWITCH & JOINS WIRELESS-EQUIPPED PCS TO A WIRED ACCESS POINT NETWORK INCREASES THE COVERAGE OF EXISTING WIRELESS NETWORK OF UP TO 1500 FT STANDARD 802.11G54 MB RAMLIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY

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2.4GHz 9dBi 802.11b/g Omni Wi-Fi Dipole Antenna for Network Card or Router Review

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(More customer reviews)+9dB 15" Booster Antenna for "Linksys" with RP-TNC Connector
To solve the mystery of how you can get gain out of what might appear to be a omni-directional whip: This is a collinear antenna which has coils built into it so that it acts like several vertical antennas are stacked on top of one another, each creating more gain as the radiation pattern is squashed down into the shape of a toroid or doughnut so that little power is received or transmitted either directly above or below the antenna and instead concentrated in a band around the center. If the Wi-Fi antenna you want to receive from is elevated above you then you would want this kind of a antenna to be swiveled in such a manner as to put the whip at a 90 degree orientation to the remote station to allow signal reception or transmission off of the sides of the whip where the power is greatest.
Due to the way the receive and transmit pattern is in the shape of a toroid or doughnut this type of antenna can give good gain while at the same time being omni-directional, except above and below the antenna where you don't need to waste the power anyway. If you want a antenna which has much higher gain look for a more directional antenna such as the flat panel antennas, Yagi or a parabolic reflector type of antenna which depending upon the size, can have 20 dB (or more) of gain which is a factor of 100 making a 100 milliwatt or 1/10 of a watt signal seem as powerful as a 10 watt signal, or a 1 watt signal as powerful as 100 watts. If you buy a flat panel Wi-Fi antenna and get one rated for 20 dBi of gain the half power beam width for both receive and transmit will be about 20 degrees. With a 20 dBi gain flat panel directional antenna, if you point it 10 degrees to the left or right from where it should be pointed for maximum signal you will have the equivalent of 17 dB of gain but that apparent gain will quickly drop off the further away the antenna is pointed from the proper direction. Note: It is a coincidence that a 20 dBi gain antenna has a 20 degree wide half power beamwidth, normally gain and half power beamwidth do not correlate to the same numbers except in the case of a 20 dBi gain antenna.
If you want to receive or transmit to two different locations at the same time but want each to have the best signal possible using a single high gain flat panel antenna, you can cut the difference between them sacrificing some of the gain to each one and point the antenna to an area in the middle. As long as the two stations are close enough together to be within a healthy portion of the antennas area of gain this should work out fine. Obviously, you wouldn't expect to be able to use that antenna for two different locations if one was behind you and the other in front but if both are within 30 degrees from you and not too far away a 20 dBi gain antenna could be used by cutting the difference between them. If they are too far separated in azimuth direction from you use a high gain collinear antenna with more power on each end, or perhaps using a lower gain antenna which has a much wider beamwidth or separate antennas for each radio shot. You can also use a splitter designed for 2.4 GHz and combine the receive and transmit from two separate antennas together into one feedline going back to your equipment, if necessary, but there will be a 3+ dB penalty or loss of signal level when doing so but to me this seems like the best solution if you need all the gain you can get from a flat panel or highly directional antenna to each station when using a common or single Wi-Fi transmitter and receiver such as a LinkSys or other wireless router.
Here is a good rule of thumb for line of sight radio shots without buildings or other terrain in between, every time you half the distance you increase the received power from a remote location by six dB, or if you double the distance you lose six more dB of signal level. In areas where there are trees and buildings or hills between each location this rule does not apply as the signal losses can be very great for short distances.


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Intel WSAP5000AM Pro/Wireless 5000 LAN Access Point Review

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(More customer reviews)Given that the range of 802.11a is not that great this Access Point can not be hidden away in a closest. This Access Point has a fan. The fan is very loud and annoying. The Access Point does look good. I think they were going for form over function. Much of the Access Point is hollow so that allows the fan to resonate. The thing is like a big speaker.

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Give your wireless LAN users networking throughput up to 54 Mbps - to work with bandwidth-intensive applications and streaming media, while simultaneously supporting existing wireless users up to 11 Mbps. Intel introduces the Intel PRO/Wireless 5000 LAN Dual Access Point, a fully integrated, dual-mode, wireless LAN access point that gives you flexibility and increased network capacity through simultaneous support of two wireless standards: 802.11a and 802.11b. Operating in the clean 5 GHz spectrum with eight non-overlapping channels, you can install up to eight dual access points in a location to provide up to 432 Mbps network capacity in a single area.The Intel PRO/Wireless 5000 LAN Dual Access Point uses a software-configurable antenna, provides support for IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) and includes a security lock. The access point is designed for placement on a table, or for mounting on a wall or the ceiling, giving users optimal networking performance at distances up to 91.5 m. The Intel PRO/Wireless 5000 LAN Dual Access Point increases your Return on Investment (ROI), with investment protection of your current wireless LAN users and lower cost per Mbps for new users, while increasing user productivity and access to data through higher access rates.

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Hawking HWREN1 Hi-Gain Wireless-300N Range Extender Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was skeptical about this product due a lack of reviews on the net but decided to take the plunge...
My wireless network consists of a Belkin Wireless N Router (F5D8233-4)using WPA,WPA2 w/ TKIP+AES security and the Hawking range extender has no problem communicating with it.
I chose to forgo the setup CD and went directly to the web interface to set things up. The interface is simple and pretty self explanatory. Out of the box the ip is 192.168.1.240. Login is: admin, pw:1234
Initially I was getting intermittent and/or limited connectivity when trying to connect to the internet; this is usually due to the security/encryption settings so make sure to enter your info carefully to match your parent router exactly. To remedy this here's what apparently worked for me (my security settings were matched up)
-Updated the firmware. Mine came shipped with ver. 1.10 There is a new one out 1.13 that you can find on the Hawking Technology website.
-In the "Advanced Wireless setup" I unchecked the WMM option...possible conflict with parent router?
-Set CTS protect to auto (as suggested in manual)
-Unplug the power for 10 seconds and plug back in.
After that I was all connected!
The am VERY impressed with how much my overall network range has increased, especially considering the 5 or so walls this it has to go through...where there used to be no signal, I have full bars and an excellent signal. In contrast, the belkin g range extender it's replacing did little to improve my range. On a plus note is that you can upgrade the antennas if needed.
Primary use is for my Direct TV HR-21 for VOD. As far as I know there are few marketed "N" options available to do the job...two are:
-Linksys WGA600N- Wireless bridge that reportedly works very well.
-D-Link DAP-1522- includes 4 LAN slots. (I was concerned w/ compatibility issues with my router)
I chose the Hawking because it advertises to work with "any" AP or router and for roughly the same $$ of the Linksys, I can extend the range of my signal too. If I need another LAN port I'll just buy a cheap 10/100 switch.
I can't give it 5 stars because I have no long-term experience with the product.
In short, if you're looking for a "N" WURE solution for your network, give it a try. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
UPDATE 1/15/10...
Well it has been over a year and I am still thoroughly satisfied with this product and has performed flawlessly for me. Over this time I have swapped out my parent router for a D-Link 655 and have added a 10/100 switch to the Hawking to also connect a new PS3 Slim. I am still running the same firmware since I have not had any issues with it; going with the philosophy of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I'm considering picking up another one when the price is right to further extend my network. On a side note, my apologies for not addressing questions over the year; I didn't select to receive notifications for comments on my review.

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Hawking HWREG1 Wireless G Range Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this Hawking HWREG1 repeater after a miserable experience with the Linksys repeater. The Hawking unit works perfectly and was very easy to configure. It truly was a 10 minute deal from start to finish. It is extending my Linksys WRT54G wireless network using WPA encryption. You assign the Hawking unit a second SSID (I called mine EXTEND) and then your computer will connect to what it "thinks" is a second wireless network, but everything continues to operate as if you are still on the same network.
I placed this unit on a table that is about half way between the original router and the room with low signal. It is small, and you can easily locate it in an out of the way area. When I use my laptop in the far corner of my house, the original linksys network is still visible as it always was, with a very low signal level. But the EXTEND network has a strong signal, and I just connect to it.
Once connected, you are assigned an IP address from the ORIGINAL Linksys router, and you can ping and communicate with all other devices on your network, even if they are connected to the original network instead of the repeater. So everything continues to work and operate like one network, including shared folders on other computers, printers, etc. I am 100% satisfied with this repeater.
Linksys repeater comparison:
The problem I had with the Linksys WAP54G in repeater mode is that it simply does not work with WPA encryption. It only works with WEP encryption, or no encryption at all. Note that the Linksys website and documents claim that the repeater is compatible with WPA. I can assure you that as of September 2006, up to version 3.04 firmware, the WAP54G access point/repeater does NOT work with WPA encryption. After spending 30 days emailing Linksys tech support back and forth, you will finally be escalated to an engineer that will admit that it doesn't yet work correctly with WPA, but they hope to have it fixed soon! They even sent me some beta firmware, but it did not work with WPA either. Don't waste your time with Linksys, get this HWREG1 Hawking instead. It is easier to configure than Linksys, and works with WPA. Highly recommended.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Hawking HWREG1 Wireless G Range Extender

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D-Link DAP-1360 Wireless N Range Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)It came in the mail yesterday and I had it up and running in about 15 mins. So installation gets 5 stars. And it definitely works as an extender as I am now getting full signal strength upstairs in my bedroom while the router is in the far corner of the basement. All appeared to be good until I started to do more than surf the internet. I couldn't hold a connection to my company's VPN and I kept losing connection when I tried to download podcasts to itunes. I unplugged it and I haven't seen the problem since, so it has to be the extender causing the issue. It not only causes a problem with my laptop upstairs, but any computer on the network. The D-Link forum has several complaints with the same issue, but D-link has yet to respond to these complaints. The closest I saw to a recommended fix was in their Knowledgebase - they recommended changing the "Preamble" setting to "short" (default is "long") for busy networks or for downloading large files. I will try this when I get home tonight and see if this corrects the issue.
UPDATE: 5/26/2010 - I switched the Preamble to "short" and that did nothing to solve my problem. Back to the ol' drawing board! Next stop, tech support. Ugh!
UPDATE: 6/3/2010 - I emailed customer support a week ago and have heard nothing. Also, they have failed to respond to their own customer forum regarding this same issue. Lame, very lame. They leave me no option but to return this item.

Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link DAP-1360 Wireless N Range Extender

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Hawking HiGain Directional Corner Antenna, indoor, 15dBi - HAI15SC Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a "deconstructive" review of Hawking's corner reflector. Basically I took it apart so you don't have to! BTW - I am an RF engineer, so I apologize if it gets too technical.
First let me provide a explanation of what a "corner reflector antenna" is. A corner reflector antenna is a very simple, but high gain type of antenna. It consists of a dipole antenna (a dipole is just a straight piece of wire cut in a precise way) and behind the dipole is an angled metal screen or plate which is called the reflector. The angle of the reflector is typically 90 degrees, which forms a corner and thus the name. The reflector focuses the signal so it is more concentrated, which results in higher gain versus a simple dipole.
Taking apart the corner reflector is straightforward, but it does take some time and muscle. I carefully but forcefully pulled on the gray plastic end caps. After some time, the end caps finally came off. This revealed an unlabeled, rather ordinary black "stick" antenna inside the white plastic pipe. It's probably a 5dBi collinear dipole. The antenna is connected to the coax cable via a panel mount SMA connector. I was able to remove this antenna, but it does take some torque because Hawking applied thread locking glue.
Based on it's construction, I have no reason to doubt the 15dbi gain claim. However, I seriously doubt the 90 degree vertical and horizontal beamwidths that the manual seems to claim. I guesstimate that 3dB beamwidths are in the order of 40 degrees horizontal and 30 degrees vertical, based on my experience with similar corner reflectors. This makes orientation MUCH more critical. If you are 15-20 degrees off, you could be losing half (3dB) of your signal! On the other hand, such a narrow beamwidth is a good thing if other people's AP's/client's are interfering. Any other transmitters outside of the main beam will be weakened, reducing your noise and improving signal quality.
Now to analyze the coax cable. The outer jacket is unlabeled white plastic, so you can't tell who made it or what type of cable it is. It's thin, about 1/8" thick . I cut off one end to see what's inside. The shielding is quite good. It's a dual shield, foil plus braid. The foil provides complete coverage. The braid is tin plated copper and has excellent coverage, probably 95%. The center conductor looks and cuts like pure solid copper, not copper clad steel. The center insulator (the dielectric) is a clear translucent, solid (not foam) plastic. When I soldered on an SMA pin, the dielectric easily melted! It's probably NOT teflon, but cheaper, higher loss polyethylene. Based on this, it's probably a RG-174 type cable, not the lower loss RG-316. Cables of this type generally have a loss of 0.6dB per foot at 2.4Ghz. The cable is 6 feet long , so you lose more than half (3.6dB) of your signal in the coax! Making a shorter cable and/or using better cable would help.
Considering how it's made, a lot of the negative reviews make sense. It's a 15dBi antenna, but you lose 3.6dBi in the cable so effectively it's only 11.4dBi. Plus if you don't point it within 15 to 20 degrees of your target (both horizontally AND vertically), you will lose even more signal. Used indoors, there is so much RF scatter that the actual direction of maximum signal can very often NOT be in the direction of the target due to signals being bounced around. You'll have to rotate the antenna in different directions vertically and horizontally to find the maximum signal. Used outdoors or in unobstructed area, just point it at the target and you're done. However, keep in mind that this IS NOT a weatherproof antenna, so don't leave out outside where the rain and sun will beat down on it.
Used properly, this antenna really shines. It provides a tremendous value for under $50. Antennas with similar gain will cost MUCH more.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hawking HiGain Directional Corner Antenna, indoor, 15dBi - HAI15SC

Increase Your Wireless Network Strength, Works with 2.4GHz 802.11b /g Wireless Standards, Extend your Network Range, Great for Large Conference Rooms or Open Spaces, East Installation (No Software Required).Main FeaturesManufacturer: Hawking Technologies, IncManufacturer Part Number: HAI15SCManufacturer Website Address: www.hawkingtech Product Type: High-Gain AntennaFrequency: 2.4 GHzGain: 15 dBiImpedance: 50 ohm NominalConnectors: 1 x Reverse SMAStandard Warranty: 1 Year(s)

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Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander WRE54G - Repeater - external Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This thing cannot stay sync'd with the base access point period. It works just well enough that you don't chuck it, but it is not usable in any sense of the word.

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Hawking Hi-Gain Outdoor Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this hoping to expand wireless coverage at my church. We currently have a single Netopia 3347 DSL modem that has okay range. I was looking for a product that would provide much more range and coverage and work with the existing setup.
After opening the package and following the quick-start instructions, I was able to get the Hawking Smart Repeater to "see" the existing wifi connection. It was able to connect quite easily. This is where things got tricky ... the Hawking Smart Repeater then proceeded to create its own separate wifi connection with a different SSID, a different encryption method, and a different subnet.
The end result was that my laptop would see two different wifi SSID connections - the original connection to the Internet, and the repeated one. This configuration technically worked, but it wasn't what I wanted. What I wanted was one seamless area of strong wifi coverage.
So on the Hawking device, I tried changing the SSID and encryption of the repeated wireless connection to match the original connection. And that's where things got really ugly. The Hawking Smart Repeater still tried to act as a DHCP host on its own subnet. I tried disabling the DHCP, activating bridge mode, and putting it on the same subnet. The Hawking Smart Repeater then failed to connect to the Internet. It could still see the original wifi network, but was unable to access the Internet. I tried making a few more changes, and all of them were unsuccessful. Most frustrating however, was that after activating bridge mode, it became nearly impossible to access the web configuration page. Nearly all attempts to access it via the repeater's local ip address ended in errors, but it would sporadically let me see the page. This would get my hopes up that I could make changes, but when I clicked the 'submit' button, it would disappear again.
Even worse, because it was built for the outdoors, there was NO Reset button. The instruction manual said a hard reset could be performed by holding the reset button down for 10 seconds, but doesn't indicate where this button may be located. I think they used the same instruction manual from an indoor version of the smart repeater.
Anyway, I gave up and decided to send it back to Amazon.
Pros:
-STRONG wireless antennae. While I had the internet connection working with two separate SSIDs, my laptop could see and communicate with the box from good distances and through walls.
-Tough exterior box. It says it's built for the Outdoors and it's true. The housing seems to be pretty robust.
Cons:
-Creates a separate wifi network. Attempts to make one seamless network were unsuccessful.
-Expensive.
-NO RESET Button. VERY FRUSTRATING.
I can see this device working well if two neighbors wanted to share one internet connection. One neighbor would host the internet connection, and the second one could use this device to pick up the signal and create his own separate network.
The back of the box also showed other possible uses: sharing/rebroadcasting an internet connection at an RV park, and also for sharing/rebroadcasting internet for boats in a harbor.
For those situations, this device would be great. If you're trying to expand the coverage of your current network and have the same settings across, this is not the device to buy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hawking Hi-Gain Outdoor Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater

Unleash your Wireless Network with the Hawking Hi-Gain Outdoor 2.4GHz Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater, HOW2R1. The HOW2R1 outdoor smart repeater connects and repeats your existing wireless network with up to 64X the power output and 8X the distance of a standard Wireless-G device. Similar to the Hawking's HW2R1 Smart Repeater with dual radio design, the HOW2R1 Outdoor Smart Repeater is engineered with two powerful Wi-Fi radios, one radio is dedicated to receiving signals from a wireless source, access point or router, and the other radio is used to rebroadcasting wireless signals throughout your surroundings. To further enhance its wireless range and coverage, the WiFi receiving radio is connected to an 11dBi directional antenna, integrated internally in the HOW2R1. In addition, two external 5dBi antennas are connected to the rebroadcasting WiFi radio to effectively elimnates wireless deadspots inside and outside of your home or office. This powerful repeater is not only robustly design to withstand outdoor environment, it also packed with wireless security features, such as MAC access control, IEEE 802.11x authentication, WPA, WPA2, hidden ESSID, and the basic WEP encryption. With data transfer rate of up to 300Mbps, the HOW2R1 is an ideal solution for High Performance Wireless Solution, extending your wireless signals for your home or your business, or providing wireless access to RV parks or Marine docks. The possibilities are endless.

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