WRE54G Range Expander

Does any one have any experience with the Linksys range expander?

Reply to
William Boyd
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Amazon.com description indicates that it is not connected in the network, but just picks the traffic up and, I guess pings it out. I wish I had found the WRT54GX with SRX router before I had already invested in the expander and a new WRT54G router. The SRX is the new stuff they are bragging about, but seeing is believing. But I have not used anything but the WRT54G router before, and that is connected to a cable modem. I'm setting up a new network off of a satellite system that Directway is supposed to install in a few days. I have to be able to connect at 227 feet between the router and pc adapter.

Reply to
William Boyd

No but what is it? I've already asked whar ro do when 3rd floor router sometimes kicks out 1st floor laptop. Move router to 2md is so far best/.

Reply to
Avalanche

The WRE54G is a repeater and will repeat the signal of the wrt54g, or a WAP54G can do the same. Whichever is the best value.

Reply to
Airhead

Thanks for the info. How does the WRE54G accomplish the extended range of a router, by increasing the signal strength co-located or do I have to place the WRE some where between the radio and client PCI adapter.

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Reply to
William Boyd

I tried to use one but couldn't get WPA encryption to work so gave up on it.

Dave G

Reply to
Dave G

I could never get it to work well either and returned it in favor of a WAP54G. In hindsight, I'd rather have a second WRT54G and use the Alchemy firmware to do WDS.

Reply to
Tom Scales

I've installed one.

Its pretty easy, you set it up somewhere that has good connection to the router. It then repeats the signal. I've only set it up in a unsecure network though.

Reply to
Cliff Hartle

That's what a "repeater" is!

If you have AP with a range of say, 200', and you put the repeater at 180'... it will connect to the AP, and then *it* has a range of 200' too, so you can put a client another 180' farther away (putting it at 360' away from the AP with a 200' range, or 160' beyond the distance the client would be able to connect to the AP) and it will connect to the repeater.

Think of it this way... If your AP (which is connected via a wire ethernet to your satellite system) is sitting in a window facing the distant building that you want to connect to, and that distant building has a window facing this AP, you can put a client or a repeater in that window facing the AP, and they will connect.

The client has to then be connected via a wired ethernet to whatever local network you have within that distant building. The WRE54G, however, will connect to *other* wireless clients.

Assuming you have a desktop computer that you cannot get close to a window, you have the option of using wired eithernet to a client in the window, or putting a wifi client interface into the desktop and letting it connect to the repeater. Either way will work. Of course if you have a laptop, it can have a wifi client and can be used anywhere inside the building that allows connection to the repeater. If the building is long and has many walls, or if any of the walls have metal or brick in them, then you won't be able to connect. But it is very likely that the laptop would not connect to the AP in the other building unless it was sitting in the window, so with the repeater you do get a "range extender" function.

Now, that said... a WRT54GS functions far better, and costs perhaps same. A WRT54G functions much better, and costs much less. In fact, in most instances you won't be able to tell the difference between a WRT54GS and a WRT54G. Connecting to the Internet, either of them is faster than your Internet connection, so you get no benefit from the WRT54GS over the WRT54G.

Go with a WRT54G unless you have some specific reason to use a WRE54G or a WRT54GS. (The WRT54G and WRT54GS require that you use 3rd party firmware, but that is available at no cost and is no more difficult to set up that the stock firmware.)

Unless you can put the client wifi unit for the distant building's computer in that window, a repeater of some kind is going to be essential. To use a laptop, it will be necessary regardless.

Probably... *if* the high gain antenna is in the clear (as in a window, or mounted outside) and has a short (6-15 feet max) feedline of good quality. On the other hand, if you need a

100 foot feedline and are thinking of using typical TV 75 ohm coax... ferget it!

I have no idea what the problem is, but I'd suspect that it is a problem of mechanics. Maybe they aren't able to do that without causing leaks? There is certainly no reason that a satellite antenna won't work, electrically, from on top of a metal roof.

However... you probably don't care anyway! All it needs is a clear shot at the satellite. It need not be high up in the air like a TV antenna. It can actually be mounted on the ground if there are no obstructions. What it does need is a *very* *solid* mount! Hence the side of a building, just up high enough that it is not a hazard for passing humans, is often the best mounting location.

Reply to
Floyd L. Davidson

WOW! the information about this device is so scarce I have no idea how it connects. Is it wired to the router and takes over the wireless part, or does it access wireless and ping out what the router broadcasts. How can it be called a range extender if it functions as a repeater. I am Totally confused and havent the slightest idea if this is going to help my situation or not. The satellite installation crew will be here on monday and I'm not sure if I can shoot the 227' from my router with the high gain antennas to the PCI adapter also with a high gain directional antenna. The installation crew chief threw another coal in the fire, and that is they cant mount the satellite on the roof if it has metal sheeting. Of course I am talking about a barn and I do not think I have ever seen a barn in the US with out a metal roof. There fore no barns are enhanced with Direct Way Satellite for internet.

Reply to
William Boyd

"Cliff Hartle" skrev i melding news:5w50e.33648$FB6.6264@trndny09...

I did set up two on the same network a fortnight ago with wep. That was a bit more complicated. In short I disabled wep. Since the network used the same ip-range as the WRE54Gs in default mode, I could use auto setup when I had disabled wep.

The next step was to adjust one WRE54G at a time, leaving the other one off. For each one I set a admin password, set the wep-keys for the network and enabled wep. Since I had two repaters I had to adjust the ip-adress on one. When I was done with them I turned them off, connected to the router and enabled wep on it. Finally I turned the repeaters on.

Reply to
not

I looked into buying the WRE54G but when I found out it does not support WPA (only WEP) I decided not to buy it.

Reply to
Christian

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