Media for Confused by how to extend wireless range. (LONG)

Confused by how to extend wireless range. (LONG)

Sorry for the long-winded post, but really didn't know how to ask particular questions in a short form. :/

I've had a wireless network for a couple years now, however I am currently looking how to extend the range of my network and must admit that I have a mental block!

My network consists of primarily D-Link's "AirPro" (now discontinued, unfortunetly) family that incorporates 802.11a / 802.11b. When I started putting my network together, 802.11g was just about to emerge. After doing a lot of reading, I decided to just go ahead with 802.11a instead of waiting for 802.11g. During the last couple years, I have been extremely satisified with my 802.11a (and 802.11b) WLAN, which has proven itself to be rock solid. One of my main applications I use 802.11a for is to access a file server that I use for various video applications such as storing captured video, editing, etc. The file server is simply just an old P3 tower that I stripped down, threw an 802.11a card into, and then hid in a closet. Over the course of the last couple years, I've added additional HDD space on a regular basis. (It currently has 1.2 Terabytes of HDD.) I primarily use my new laptop to do the actual video work and, as can imagined, such application requires the transfer of enormous amount of data.

802.11a has proved itself to be seamless and I've been more than pleased with it's performance. (All of my 802.11a is D-Link, taking advantage of it's 108 MBS "Turbo Mode". Of course, actual throughput is not 108 MBS, but its efficient enough that it seamless for what I do.)

In addition to 802.11a, I'm also using several 802.11b clients -- primarily with just stuff that only needs to talk on the internet such as a PDA, a bridge being used for game consoles, etc. They have all been working wonderfully as well.

My router/AP is the D-Link DI-764 Multiband/Multimode (802.11a, 802.11b, 4 hard ethernet ports). No complaints with it, it has worked wonderfully over the last couple years. One of many folk's complaints about 802.11a is that it's range is limited, as compared to 802.11b/g. Having used 802.11a for a couple years now, I can attest that is a valid concern -- however, I believe that operating in 5 Ghz (cleaner spectrum) has been an advantage for transfering massive amounts of data around on WLAN -- as on occassion, I do sometimes get RFI with my 802.11b from my cordless phones. I haven't done any range comparison between the two, but I do know that my neighbor does see a faint (5 percent) 802.11b signal coming from my house (I also see a faint 802.11b signal from him), however he does not see my 802.11a signal. Both my 802.11a and 802.11b saturate almost my entire house, however, with the exception of one area (recently remodeled). I'm now wanting to extend my wireless into this section of the house and have been looking at these so-called "repeaters" and "wireless extenders" -- which is causing some head scratching.

It appears that the word "repeater" is being thrown around by manufacturers to define different functionality. Even the same manufacture seems to throw the word around carelessly to define "repeating" functionality with different pieces of hardware.

When I think of a "repeater", I think of network transparent, stand-alone, device that simply just re-transmits and receives for a remote AP. In essence, I think of a "repeater" as being a "remote antenna" for an AP. Some of the manufacturer descriptions that I have been reading, however, seem to state otherwise (i.e., a "repeater" connects two seperate AP's. I'm assuming that, in this scenerio, the second AP is configured identically like the first -- i.e., same SSID/channel/encryption.) Am I in error by thinking that I could use a "repeater" without having to add another AP? Can't clients just simply connect to the "repeater", which in turns relays back to the remote AP to do all that is needed to get it talking (i.e., assigning an IP through DHCP)?

In other words, would this not work? Cable Modem --> Router/AP --> Repeater --> Clients

I was hoping that a "repeater" was something relatively simple. I.e., you just figure out where your signal begins to drop off at, configure a "repeater", and put it in that location. I was under the impression that the ethernet port on the "repeater" was simply so you could just connect it to a PC in order to configure it. Once configured, it was just a stand-alone device that simply was just RF in - RF out. If that was the case, then I also assumed that you could even link multiple repeaters in order to take your signal out even further.

The more I have been reading product descriptions, the more blurry this has become. I see there are many devices that also act in various modes (AP, repeater, bridge, etc). I'm at a lost as to which is my best option. I would like to stay within the D-Link family, in order to continues to take advantage of their "Turbo Modes" (802.11a being 108MBS, and 802.11b being

22MBS) as I am doing so with everything else.

Devices I have my eyes on (so far) include:

D-Link DWL-800AP+ Wireless Extender This guy, from what I have read, does seem to be the type of "repeater" that I'm thinking off. Its also the only one I have encountered that uses the term "Wireless Extender". (Is that different than a "repeater"?) This is an 802.11b (also does D-Link's "Turbo Mode"). Its looking the most attractive of all I have been eyeballing, but if possible I would prefer to get something that can repeat both 802.11a and 802.11b. From the FAQ's on their website, it is stated to be compatible with my DI-764 router/AP.

D-Link DWL-900AP+ Wireless Access Point This is one of those animals that has various "modes" (AP, bridge, repeater). Its also 802.11b only, but does incorporate D-Link's "Turbo Mode" (which seems to be the only difference between it and DWL-700AP). For all it's functionality, I would prefer it over the DWL-800AP+, however its unclear if the "repeater" works in the fashion that I have in mind. It uses the term "repeater" and not "wireless extender". From the description, I can't determine if by "repeater" it means my "remote antenna" analogy or a "AP to AP bridge" analogy. From the FAQ's on their website, it is also stated to be compatible with my DI-764 router/AP.
D-Link DWL-7000AP (or DWL-7100AP) Not to be confused with DWL-700AP mentioned above. (Why does D-Link love giving products ID's so similiar with one another? LOL). If I knew, with full certainty, that either ones of these would work with my DI-764, I would not hesitate to jump on it. They are the most expensive choice, however are capable of 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. They are both capable of repeating 802.11a and 802.11g, however don't repeat 802.11b. I could easily also just pick up a DWL-800AP to repeat. The DWL-7000AP, oddly, is more expensive than the DWL-7100AP. The DWL-7000AP belongs to D-Link's "Air Xpert" family, while the DWL-7100AP belongs to D-Link's "Xtreme G" family. Not really sure of what the differences in "families" are, have to read up on that. I am leaning more towards the DWL-7000AP, as my initial feeling is that if either works with the DI-764 it will be this one. The DWL-7100AP doesn't list the DI-764 as one of the routers it can repeat, while the DWL-7000AP makes subtle mention that it will repeat any D-Link 802.11a/g router/AP. The DWL-7100AP also makes mention (and defines) "WDS" (Wireless Distribution System) that basically, from what I can, is used to link and coordinate AP's together. This "WDS" also seems to find itself, on other devices, labeled as "repeating" through market-speech. Perhaps this is what led to my confusion of the defition of "repeater". The DWL-7000AP looks very attractive, but I would like to confirm if it works with the DI-764. Emails to D-Link's customer service have never been answered. I'll probably have to telephone. Seems, on the surface, to be the peg I'm looking for. It's capability for 802.11g is also a strong selling point, as while I won't be using 802.11g in the near future, down the road the now-emerging "wireless devices" (media players, cameras, etc) may be looking attractive -- and they all seem to be gear towards 802.11g. This DWL-7000AP, if compatible to repeat my DI-764's 802.11a, seems like the perfect choice for now and future expandibility. The core of my WLAN is

802.11a and I have far too much (money and time) invested to make any migration to 802.11g. Plus, I've been more than pleased with 802.11a. Down the road, however, I would most likely begin using it as an AP rather than a repeater, which leads me to another question. If my thinking is right, I wouldn't have to get another router at that time since the DI-764 would still take care of all the routing? I.e., I wouldn't want to use the DWL-7000AP to create a new 192.168.x.x network, but to simply just expand on the existing one.

Advise and comments are much appreciated!

Thanks,

-ES