Wireless Repeaters?

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Inertia

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Looking for a wireless repeater to increase wireless signal for my home network. What's the best product to get, and from where?
 
Also interested in this ... the consumer stores (Budget Technologies, Incredible Connection, etc) know nothing about it, it seems.
 
Might be a better bet just to get a better AP. What AP do you currently have?
 
If your wlanAP supports WDS then setup a both with WDS and put it half way between your AP and the required coverage area.

Make sure that you use the same SSID, security and channel for WDS to work.
 
Coza said:
If your wlanAP supports WDS then setup a both with WDS and put it half way between your AP and the required coverage area.

Make sure that you use the same SSID, security and channel for WDS to work.
Click to expand...

This is quite important, and something that I made a mistake with when I first setup a network with repeaters. Quite a few wireless routers (Most Netgears, most of the telkom ones, etc.) don't have Wireless Distribution System (WDS) built in. This means that you cannot go out and buy a wireless access point, and hook it up to your current router (unless the router has WDS).

To solve this problem, I used the following:
- 1 x Netgear DG834 (but any router will do - doesn't need to be wireless)
- 1 x Wireless Access Point (connected to the router through wired LAN)
- X x Wireless Access Points needed to extend your network (connected through wireless to the above AP).

I use the following Access Point: http://www.netgear.com/Products/APsWirelessControllers/AccessPoints/WG602.aspx

Alternatively, buy a router with WDS. And then connect the AP's to this.


Hope this helps,
Nick
 
Last edited:
Nickste said:
This is quite important, and something that I made a mistake with when I first setup a network with repeaters. Quite a few wireless routers (Most Netgears, most of the telkom ones, etc.) don't have Wireless Distribution System (WDS) built in. This means that you cannot go out and buy a wireless access point, and hook it up to your current router (unless the router has WDS).

To solve this problem, I used the following:
- 1 x Netgear DG834 (but any router will do - doesn't need to be wireless)
- 1 x Wireless Access Point (connected to the router through wired LAN)
- X x Wireless Access Points needed to extend your network (connected through wireless to the above AP).

I use the following Access Point: http://www.netgear.com/Products/APsWirelessControllers/AccessPoints/WG602.aspx

Alternatively, buy a router with WDS. And then connect the AP's to this.


Hope this helps,
Nick
Click to expand...

I would much rather point him in the direction of 2 linksys WRT routers if he wants to do wds, flash them with custom firmware and you have 2 powerful wireless routers.
 
Fair enough. I found my supplied solution very easy to setup, and the only hardware I needed to purchase was two additional access points. But then I'm not a CTWUGger and so obviously have less experiance :P
 
Nickste said:
Fair enough. I found my supplied solution very easy to setup, and the only hardware I needed to purchase was two additional access points. But then I'm not a CTWUGger and so obviously have less experiance :P
Click to expand...

You are not perhaps interested in becoming a CTWUGGER? Well be having a meeting on 9 Feb 2008, so if you are interested in joining send me a pm and i'll give you details as to where the meeting will be held.
 
Kloon said:
You are not perhaps interested in becoming a CTWUGGER? Well be having a meeting on 9 Feb 2008, so if you are interested in joining send me a pm and i'll give you details as to where the meeting will be held.
Click to expand...

hehe.. Another dedicated Wugger! :D
 
I use the wrt45gl's religiously, flashed with DD-wrt or openWRT, they go for around R500 and they are more than you can get from any other ap , obviously not as awesome as mikrotik though, but close enough.
 
Nickste said:
Quite a few wireless routers (Most Netgears, most of the telkom ones, etc.) don't have Wireless Distribution System (WDS) built in.
Click to expand...
The tips on WDS are useful, thanks all

Kloon said:
I would much rather point him in the direction of 2 linksys WRT routers if he wants to do wds, flash them with custom firmware and you have 2 powerful wireless routers.
Click to expand...
But isn't it possible to get APs significantly cheaper than routers (powerful or not)? I feel like I'm being cheated ...
 
Basically a AP = Router. but a router doesn't = AP. All access points is routers to put it simple.
 
OK, I meant isn't it possible to get an AP cheaper - eg R300/R400 - than an ADSL-equipped router with wireless - which are generally more like R700+ (not that I have properly researched the prices recently).
 
A router doesn't mean it is a ADSL modem. You get routers with wireless, routers with adsl modems and so forth.
 
The WRT54GL is not an ADSL router, but it goes for R500-R600. An AP that has routing capabilities, doesnt mean that its an ADSL router.
 
Coza said:
The WRT54GL is not an ADSL router, but it goes for R500-R600. An AP that has routing capabilities, doesnt mean that its an ADSL router.
Click to expand...

Its what they like to call a "Broadband Router", so technically, it is an ADSL Router, it just doesn't have a built in ADSL Interface for WAN, it has an Ethernet Interface for WAN.
 
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