Hi,
Is anyone currently using a D-Link Tri-Mode/Dual Band (802.11a, 802.11g,
802.11b) DWL-7100AP Access Point?For my router/AP, I have been using a D-Link DI-764 (802.l1a, 802.11b) for the last couple years and it's worked very well. I've been using 802.11a for LAN traffic and 802.11b for some "internet devices" such as bridges to game consoles. I've been very pleased with this setup. I'm using all D-Link hardware in order to take advantage of their proprietary "turbo modes" (i.e., 108 Mbs for 802.11a and 22 Mbs for 802.11b -- in theory, anyway. Of course actual throughput is much less, but still was a nice improvement over "vanilla 802.11a/b").
Anyway, I have been looking at various "media centers" and possibly "broadband phones" recently. Since all these new "devices" are primarily going towards 802.11g, I decided to get something that would put 802.11g into the loop. I also wanted to extend the range of my 802.11a to a "dead spot" that I've lately been using my laptop at. 802.11a is at 5 Ghz, so doesn't have the range of 802.11g/b. The "dead spot" in my house wasn't completetly "dead", but the rather weak 802.11a signal would sometimes cause connections to drift in and out. A little annoying when doing large file transfers! I do quite a bit of video work, requiring transfering enormous files around the LAN. I have a file server with 1.2 Terabytes (!) of HDD, which I use for storage -- but prefer to do actual work on a laptop. Transfering files upwards of around of 4Gb is routine and 802.11a has proved itself adequate, assuming I'm in range of a decent signal.
To extend my 802.11a coverage (and also bring 802.11g in), I recently picked up two DWL-7100AP's. These are the "seven thousand one hundred" models, not to be confused with the "seven hundred and ten" models also by D-Link. (Model numbers by D-Link can be very similiar.) The DWL-7100AP, in repeater mode (WDS), is not capable of repeating the DI-764 so my intent was to plug one DWL-7100AP directly into the DI-764 (acting as a second AP) and use other DWL-7100AP as an 802.11a repeater and also be able to something with it's 802.11g. The DWL-7100AP plugged directly into the DI-764 router/AP is working beautifully, as access points for both 802.11a and 802.11g/b. The second DWL-7100AP, works beautifully as a repeater (repeating the DWL-7100AP plugged into the router) for either 802.11a or 802.11g/b. However, when repeating either band, the other band seems to not be capable of anything other than a stand alone AP. (I.e., to get any use, ethernet would need to be plugged into the WAN port.) I'm currently using it's 802.11a band as a repeater, which is working great. The "dead area" now has a signal strength of 90 percent. Traffic is flowing beautifully from the DWL-7100AP "repeater", to the DWL-7100AP "Access Point", to the router, out to internet, to other computers on the LAN, etc. However, with 802.11a repeating, I can't seem to make any use out of 802.11g at all. As the location of this "repeater" is where I'm planning on putting a "media center", I would like to make use of it's 802.11g. The manual states that when the DWL-7100AP is in repeater modes (plural), that it becomes transparant on the network, as expected. It also states that you won't be able to access it's web configuration over the air when using repeater modes (plural), also as expected. The language in the manual is clearly implying that it can repeat both 802.11a and 802.11g. I can still get to it's web configuration over the air as it's currently only repeating 802.11a. When attempting to repeat both bands, it locks up and all traffic ceases -- also required a hard reset and pulling out an ethernet cable to re-configure (as expected). I've called D-Link technical several times and, while they try to helpful, I get different answers each time. Some say it can't repeat both (opposite of what manual implies), others say it can repeat both but can't figure out why it won't. Both have their newest firmware installed. The 802.11g in this location is also rather weak, so I really would like to repeat it for the MC. I've also tried using it's "client mode" for 802.11g (laptop plugged into WAN port), but that also doesn't work when 802.11a is in repeater mode.
Anyone using this AP (DWL-7100AP) and successfully been able to use both bands for modes other than AP? I..e, repeater/repeater, repeater/client, etc? The manual, and half of D-Link's technical support, says that it should work.
Thanks!