I was looking for an Ethernet interfaced doodah that would allow 'any' Ethernet interfaced device to connect to a 'normal' WiFi AP (wirelessly).
Most of the models I've browsed only seem to work with WEP?
I did play briefly with a Belkin F5D7330uk and even flashed it to the latest version that supports WPA but it still only seems to want to be a bridge (and doesn't offer a box to enter the WPA key)?
So am I looking at a 'Gaming' thingy and do any of them really act like a typical WiFi client please (if so any recommendations please).
Well, you have one - the Belkin. Look again - for the "box to enter the WPA key". It's there. Firmware is v1.0.0.9. Mine works with WPA PSK (and should also work - haven't tried, but the option's there - with WPA AES).
I've hooked mine on now. Go to Bridge Settings and then down to Network Authentication. The pull down menu will probably say Open. Pull (down) the menu and choose WPA. Then the interface will/should change and the "box to enter the WPA key" show up. In the Data Encryption field (just below) you can choose between PSK or AES.
As John Navas writes, it's not the browser. I think you could have become confused because the appearence of the whole page changes after you activate the drop down menu - the one that otherwise has Open in it. That's when the "box" appears on the page.
The F5D7330 is definitely the one you want - it will allow any ethernet interfaced device to connect to an AP. And the firmware update (v1.00.09) gives the bridge WPA.
Ok, background on my setup .. PC's > Netgear 8 port 10/100 switch >
Belkin Cable Router. All working fine.
Dell Inspiron 8100 that is normally Wirelessly connected to the Router (or Asus AP) and also connects via Ethernet RJ45 to 'everything' (all makes models etc).
When I got the new bridge I connected it straight to the laptop but the Belkin setup util couldn't find the Bridge (laptop i/p addy in same range as bridge etc).
Connect the bridge to the lan (via Netgear switch) and Setup util run from std desktop PC finds Bridge straight away. I can't see WPA option so check Belkins site, download and install u/g, WPA now available but I can't find the key field (have now, thanks Axel ).
I just unboxed / hooked it all up again, I still can't connect via the laptop (stand alone) but can via the LAN?
The local LAN light on the bridge seemed to be going a bit mad when the laptop is plugged in so I try a PCMCIA Ethernet card in the laptop instead of the built in port, DHCP from from my router via the bridge and away it went! (my router was already configured to accept bridges from previously).
So, the only thing that worries me now is how 'fussy' the bridge ethernet interface is .. (the laptop was 100% reliable up to now)?
I use a cross cable (or the LAN, or wireless and LAN, because my PC is then on the same subnet as the bridge's default address - DHCP server). The auto-censing in the port seems to get confused.
If you have two connections from the same computer and the bridge is one of them you will get lots of blinking of the lights on the bridge.
I have tried to use the F5D7330 as a bridge (as opposed to an ethernet to wifi adapter) in place of a cable and it wasn't to stable.
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:46:19 GMT, T i m wrote in :
A doubt the bridge is terribly fussy. Could be a cable problem (normal vs crossover) when connected directly. The Ethernet port might not be auto-configuring; the PC Card might me.
Hmm, could be right and was my first thought when it worked into the hub but not the PC. But when it worked into the alternative PCMCIA Ethernet card I assumed it wasn't. John has written (later) that this could be the case so I'll check it out later (now I know it's working at least).
Nope, no duplicate routes .. ;-)
Hmm, again I must have missed the place you make the setting, thinking it's bridge mode or nothing?
Thanks. The primary reason for this is I'm due to hook Dads eMac up to a new broadband router soon and felt this was better than spending money on Mac specific hardware (Airport card etc).
I just reconnected with Firefox but couldn't see where to add / alter the WPA key. In fact the only place I had seen it before was via their Setup util.
I connected again with Firefox, no sign of the WPA fields then I noticed on the bottom line of Firefox 'Javascript void:' (but that wasn't repeated).
I then connected back to the bridge with IE and lo and behold, all the fields displayed in both the 'Bridge Settings' and 'Site Survey' screens!
I can capture both screens and send you if you are interested?
I also tried both Firefox and IE from my 'remote' desktop PC and that was exactly the same (IE ok, FF non)
The reason I think this is the case (bug?) is when I googled for the WPA support I found a forum where someone mentioned Belkin's latest firmware did support WPA *but* it only worked with IE (but I forgot the last bit when trying to set the thing up myself of course as Firefox is my primary browser) ;-(
formatting link
Not the actual link I first found but says the same sorta thing.
It's really weird .. why it should fail to display *just* the WPA security settings?
It's only a bridge/wifi adapter. No other settings. Being a bridge, it should be able to connect two LANs. It can, but the connection (to a D-Link DWL-G700AP) breaks after some time.
Oh, and one other thing. Remember to log out after configuring the unit! The F5D7330 is the only wifi unit I have ever seen that uses a log out button (up in the right corner). I once didn't and I got a duplicate admin warning screen when I tried to log on from another computer.
PS. I can configure the adapter from Safari (Apple's browser).
Sorry Axel (for being slow here) .. it's just those things combined rather than having two options.
Understood, support multiple Mac's etc ..?
Well, I didn't seem to have as much luck (as in speed / reliability) connecting the Belkin bridge to a nearby Belkin router as I did an Asus WL-300G AP much further away. There could have been other issues or I believe you can have these wireless devices too close (D-Link tech support told me that).
Been there done that Axel!
Ok. Well Dads eMac has OS 9.2 on there (It has been suggested it could have come with OSX and it's possible he had to use pre X because of date / apps he probably migrated from his old PowerPC).
He has an old versions of IE and Navigator on there (they were giving me trouble on the net the other day) but I downloaded a 'better' browser that may be more up_to_date / reliable (can't remember the name but it was short). If I can't actually configure the Bridge from the Mac I can do so with the Dell laptop and it shouldn't need touching after that (fingers crossed).
On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:17:53 GMT, T i m wrote in :
Be warned that there are limits on how many MAC addresses (not Mac computers) these low-end bridges can handle -- some bridges (often but not always called "game adapter") can only handle a single MAC address!
The usual cause of a lost bridge connection is interference.
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