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Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender? (Read 69599 times)
Dan Goodell
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #15 - May 23rd, 2008 at 5:38am
 
"if you need to do fine measurement to tell the difference that'd be a negative result in my book"

Yes, I would agree.  I've told people that if their laptop already has 'g', then spending money to replace it with 'n' won't do any good unless they have a 'n' base station.  So I wanted to make sure I haven't been misadvising them.

But I've also been telling them that replacing a 'g' base station with 'n' won't make any difference unless they also replace the laptop adapter with 'n'.  Based on your comments above, I'll have to modify that somewhat.



 
 
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Brian
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #16 - May 26th, 2008 at 4:55pm
 
I'm using a Linksys WAG54G. Can I use my old Linksys WRT54GS, with DHCP disabled, as a repeater and extend my range?
 
 
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Rad
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #17 - May 27th, 2008 at 9:43pm
 
Magoo sent me a Wireless Range Expander he had laying around, not using. It arrived today. Linksys WRE54G. At first I thought it might have trouble, cuz the house Wireless unit = 2Wire. But it works fine. Basically plug it in and load install CD. Have to have a connection to source wireless in order for WRE54G to sync-up.

I put it ~half way between me and the source router. Signal boosted from low/dropping to good. Definitely faster.

Thanks Magoo. Karma to you.

This thing was still in the shrinkwarp .. never opened. I love you, man.  Smiley
 
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Dan Goodell
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #18 - May 28th, 2008 at 7:58am
 
"Can I use my old Linksys WRT54GS, with DHCP disabled, as a repeater and extend my range?"


Probably, but it might depend on how old your "old Linksys WRT54GS" is.  GS versions 5.0 and later have crippled the amount of flash memory, so the only dd-wrt version you can use is the stripped-down "micro" version.  Earlier GS versions could use any dd-wrt.  I haven't used the micro version, so can't confirm what's in the feature set.

I've become familiar enough with the choices, but for a newcomer the plethora of download choices is a serious source of confusion.  First, there's the main versions (2.2, 2.3, 2.4, etc.), then there's the mid-version betas and release candidates (rc2, rc7, etc.), then there's the feature set variations (standard, mini, micro, mega, voip, vpn), and finally there may be different builds for different hardware (Asus, Belkin, Linksys, Dell, etc., and "generic").

(Tip: the "Linksys" builds are only if you're using a stand-alone tftp uploader; if you're upgrading via the router's web interface, use the "generic" build.)

Documentation isn't bad, but the Wiki idea doesn't lend itself well to coherent organization, making info sometimes hard to find or follow.  To cut through some of the confusion, here's some quick links:

Assuming you're not restricted to the "micro" version type, I recommend:
  • download: dd-wrt.v24_mini_generic.bin
  • download: dd-wrt.v24_std_generic.bin
  • reset the GS to factory defaults
  • isolate your computer and GS from your existing LAN:
    • disable your computer's wireless adapter
    • set computer to static IP 192.168.1.10
    • connect ethernet cable from router to computer
  • using the GS's web interface, flash the mini_generic version
  • reboot
  • using the GS's web interface, flash the std_generic version
  • configure GS as repeater

See the dd-wrt tutorials for lots of neat options that can keep a geek happy for months.  In particular, I like static dhcp (which comes in handy setting up network printers, or when configuring port forwarding to specific machines), and pptp vpn (which allows me, without special software or special vpn routers, to vpn into my LAN when I'm away from home).



 
 
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Amish.
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #19 - May 28th, 2008 at 2:36pm
 
Must say .. beautifully-formatted post. Bullets. Paragraphs. Links. Clean.
 
 
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #20 - Jun 3rd, 2008 at 2:07pm
 
For those people using Linksys wireless routers, the ones with dual antennas, Radio Shack sells High Gain antennas for them.
The replacement antennas are at least twice as long as the original ones and should give extended range.

I'm considering investing in a pair.  I'd like to link my neighbor to my system and their computer is about 200' away. 


just a thought,

The Shadow  Cool
 
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Dan Goodell
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #21 - Jun 4th, 2008 at 7:22pm
 
"Radio Shack sells High Gain antennas for them. [...] I'm considering investing in a pair.  I'd like to link my neighbor to my system and their computer is about 200' away."

Shadow, if you do that, I hope you'll share your assessment of how well it works.

Or if anyone has tried a directional antenna (like this Hawking example) with a run-of-the-mill consumer-grade router, I'd like to hear about that, too.  I'm curious what inexpensive options are available to the ordinary home user who just wants a little more range.

 
 
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #22 - Jun 4th, 2008 at 8:57pm
 
TheShadow wrote on Jun 3rd, 2008 at 2:07pm:
For those people using Linksys wireless routers, the ones with dual antennas, Radio Shack sells High Gain antennas for them.

My only problem with the Hi-gain antennas is that they usually cost as much as a repeater or another router would.  It might be a good idea if you have a really expensive 802.11N router, but for the cheaper routers it seems to make more fiscal sense to buy a repeater.
 
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Brian
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #23 - Jun 4th, 2008 at 11:37pm
 
Dan,

I'm out of town and have just noticed your post. Thanks. I'll work on it in a few days time.
 
 
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Dan Goodell
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #24 - Jun 5th, 2008 at 7:32am
 
"My only problem with the Hi-gain antennas is that they usually cost as much as a repeater or another router would."

That's a good point, and worth keeping in mind.

But don't forget you need to have a power outlet available.  If The Shadow only has outside space between him and the neighbor, there wouldn't be a place to plug in a router/repeater.

Between my parents' house and their neighbors, it was convenient that my parents' garage was appx halfway between the two, so it was natural to stick a repeater in the garage to relay the signal from the neighbors.  And also more neighborly than going over and changing their antenna.

 
 
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #25 - Jun 5th, 2008 at 8:55am
 
Looks like these are only $9.99.  Not too shabby if they work...

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032382&cp=2032061.2032365...
 
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John.
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #26 - Jun 5th, 2008 at 9:32am
 
There's an interesting article in the July 2008 issue of Maximum PC magazine on upgrading the Linksys WRT54G router with other firmware, specifically the Tomato firmware.  Also some performance and feature enhancements.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/hack_your_hardware?page=0%2C3

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato



 

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Rad
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #27 - Jun 5th, 2008 at 7:28pm
 
A little problem I had was that another laptop in the main  house COULD NOT SEE the repeater. I'm guessing this was cuz the router ("gateway" they say this is called) is 2wire, while the PCMCIA card in the other laptop is also 2wire, while the extender is Linksys. So the two 2wire items connect fine, but the 2wire laptop cannot seee the Linksys extender. (After loading install CD, it says "No Linksys extender can be found" .. while sitting right next to it).

And then the Linksys extender was interfereing with the connection between the 2wire (PCMCIA) laptop and 2wire router/gateway.  Soon as you unplug the Linksys, the laptop would then immediately see (connect to) the router/gateway.

Sorta fixed this by moving the extender to a different room, which was previously sitting right next to 2wire laptop.

Also the AT&T ppl kinda screwed up by putting the router/gateway on firplace mantel (which contains metal flue), which was a bad place to put it. They came out a couple days ago and moved it away from and on the OTHER SIDE of the fireplace, so the firplace is now NOT BETWEEN router/gateway and laptops. That seemed to help a lot. Before, I think the metal flue was bouncing the signal A-WAY from the direction where it was needed
 
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Brian
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #28 - Jun 6th, 2008 at 2:27am
 
Dan and John,

My old Linksys router, WRT54GS, was ver 1.0 so I flashed dd-wrt.v24-9517_VINT_std.bin. I chose Repeater mode and entered my WPA number but I must be omitting something as the signal strength and range of the signal is unchanged whether the WRT54GS is on or off.

Anything obvious here?
 
 
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Brian
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Re: Wireless Repeater vs Range Extender?
Reply #29 - Jun 7th, 2008 at 4:29am
 
I followed the tutorials and setup the WRT54GS for wireless bridge mode, then repeater bridge mode. I can't detect any better range or signal at the "periphery" of my network.


PS... I finally got it working. I'm not sure yet about extended range but signal strength in marginal areas has been improved significantly.
 
 
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