Wireless AP with working WDS repeater function

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fannypad

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Feb 18, 2004
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I'm looking to buy a simple 802.11g access point with a view to getting another if the signal can't cover my entire house.

I've had a look online and it seems that WDS/repeater features are a bit hit and miss, even when it comes to Linksys gear.

So, are there any sub-£50 APs out there that are guaranteed to work WDS/repeater mode?

Thanks in advance :)
 
If you can stumble across some of the wrt54g v 1-4 units....slap on hyper-wrt or dd-wrt.

However....since you're shopping now, instead of purchase a few old G units...why not get 1x MIMO unit, feel more confident about that signal getting punched all around.

Now that N-Draft gear is hitting the shelves, Pre-N units will be chopped in price.

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...926522&pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper
 
WRT54GL with DD-WRT firmware, Buffalo WHR G54S with DD-WRT firmware.

Either way, works fine.

Its tough to say which will work better, MIMO certainly has its advantages, and you'll lose some speed with WDS repeating, but will a strong 54Mb signal repeated be faster than a marginal MIMO? I need some gear to play with, but I'd probably go with G as a safe bet.
 
Thanks for the replies and recommendations, although I haven't gota clue what MIMO is, how it compares to WDS, and which solution is better for me.

All I want is a unit that'll simply work without any fuss if the times comes to add another AP to extend range. Speed isn't the be all and end all as there'll be minimal file transfers going on.

Any help would be much appreciated :)
 
fannypad said:
Thanks for the replies and recommendations, although I haven't gota clue what MIMO is, how it compares to WDS, and which solution is better for me.
Click to expand...

MIMO is the newer technology being used in the new and evolving "N" wireless gear...which is what's replacing "G".

I've setup quite a few Pre-N/MIMO WLANs....and it's been my experience that, even if you use an old B NIC...your increase in range is simply phenominal.

I even did a site survey a year ago to introduce a WLAN to a small magnate school. Based on that, I planned on using 3x WAPs to cover it. But then it finally got approved, Pre-N/MIMO gear had hit the shelves. I used 1x Pre-N/MIMO WAP..and had full coverage. In a school..with the typical cynder block walls, open HVAC systems, suspended flourescent lights, hallways lined with lockers.

Since then...I've not turned back...it's been MIMO all the way. I've not installed a plain G WLAN since last summer..they've all been MIMO. I really don't have to deal with the compliants of "Works well here, and here..in this room....but as soon as I go down the hallway, or upstairs....I lose it"....that kinda stuff I used to hear all the time with B and G. With MIMO...I really don't hear that anymore. It really is that much better.

I can't wait to get my hands on the new WRT300n
http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.php?name=News&file=categories&op=newindex&catid=2
 
MIMO = Multiple In Multiple Out

2 or more radios, more speed, better coverage, uses reflections to its advantage. Good idea, good design, but I don't have the experience YeOldeStonecat has with MIMO.

One of the few places where I've dealt with MIMO it wasn't that impressive, but it is an older Linksys WAP54GX.
 
0ldman said:
One of the few places where I've dealt with MIMO it wasn't that impressive, but it is an older Linksys WAP54GX.
Click to expand...

Just looked in my notes...that's what I used at the school...got the WAP model since they already have a router (RV082).

I used B cards there....tested with my Linksys PCMCIA B card...because this school (a small magnate school) had a fleet of IBM laptops donated by Pfizer...and had some old Cisco 350 B PCMCIA wireless cards.
 
The old Cisco 350 802.11b (AIR-LMC352) cards are 100Mw. If you do a survey with one and expect to use some Generic or for that matter not so generic card that runs at the more typical 30 Mw you will be in trouble.

It almost sounds like you may have ended up with the opposite Stonecat. We still have a ton of those cards here.
 
moetop said:
The old Cisco 350 802.11b (AIR-LMC352) cards are 100Mw. If you do a survey with one and expect to use some Generic or for that matter not so generic card that runs at the more typical 30 Mw you will be in trouble.

It almost sounds like you may have ended up with the opposite Stonecat. We still have a ton of those cards here.
Click to expand...


Dunno...performed the site survey with my IBM Stinkpad initially using a Belkin G card because I was planning on installing G wireless....and performed the testing post WAP54GX install with same laptop with both my Belkin G PCMCIA card, and a prehistoric Linksys B PCMCIA adapter. Or maybe I used my 3COM B PCMCIA card..eh..probably my Linksys...anyways (I carry a crapload of different cards around in my bag) It game me the results I see all the time on the many many other MIMO WLAN installs I've done since then...that the range increase is well worth it...and you see that range increase regardless of what you use, N, G, or B.

Client had the Thinkpads w/Cisco cards donated from Pfizer...a whole bunch of them. I imaged them using Apricon EZ Gig in one of the offices with a lot of counterspace...they ran fine. Granted that pain in the butt Cisco utility had a learning curve til I realized what it didn't like about being cloned with an imaging program...man what a pain in the butt that thing is. Lappies had Win2K...so I was stuck having to use a painful utility instead of WinXPsp2 wzc.
 
Thanks for the explanation, but I don't think MIMO is for me; as I mentioned originally, I'm looking for an AP costing around £50 (~$70-80 once you take into account the higher prices over here) with the option of adding another by means of WDS if I need extended range, preferably without too much modification/firnware flashing etc.

Also, how does WPA encryption work over WDS?

.
 
fannypad said:
Thanks for the explanation, but I don't think MIMO is for me; as I mentioned originally, I'm looking for an AP costing around £50 (~$70-80 once you take into account the higher prices over here) with the option of adding another by means of WDS if I need extended range, preferably without too much modification/firnware flashing etc.

Also, how does WPA encryption work over WDS?
Click to expand...

Anyone?
 
I don't use WPA due to a driver issue, but it does work over WDS. You need the same encryption on each AP.

No biggie. Preferably, set up the link first, then turn on encryption. Gotta be the same on each AP.
 
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