WRT54G as an additional AP?

I have a WRT54GS installed at the far end of my home office. I had to
install it there because that is where the broadband connection comes in and
that is where the wired servers reside. I still have this WRT54G on my
hands. I have two computers on the opposite end of the house that can
barely detect the network -- sometimes not at all. The house runs
lengthwise about 80 feet and the signal must penetrate three walls to reach
the other end.

Q: Can the WRT54G be placed, say, in the middle of the house and connect
with the base AP and operate as a repeater to the two long runs? Can it be
done wirelessly or must I have a CAT-5 connection? What are the caveats?

Thank you for any help or pointing to a URL to assist me.

The Walrus wrote:
> I have a WRT54GS installed at the far end of my home office. I had to
> install it there because that is where the broadband connection comes
> in and that is where the wired servers reside. I still have this
> WRT54G on my hands. I have two computers on the opposite end of the
> house that can barely detect the network -- sometimes not at all. The
> house runs lengthwise about 80 feet and the signal must penetrate
> three walls to reach the other end.
>
> Q: Can the WRT54G be placed, say, in the middle of the house and
> connect with the base AP and operate as a repeater to the two long
> runs? Can it be done wirelessly or must I have a CAT-5 connection? What
> are the caveats?
> Thank you for any help or pointing to a URL to assist me.

If you change your wording a bit (wireless is NOT the same as no cat-5),
then you can do it very simply using existing power wires, I use netgears
http://www.netgear.com/Products/Powe...ome+Networking
both their ethernet bridge, and the access point over powerline, and have
one of each hooked into my linksys wrt54g, so I can use both hardwire or
wireless from anywhere in the house... Under $100 and runs at max 85mbps
(faster than wireless).. Before I went with their powerline ap, used the
powerline bridge to go from one wrt54g to another (had the 2nd set as just
an ap, no dhcp server)...

Yah, but since I already have this other router, I was looking to see if I
could just use it without having to spend more coin. The two far runs are
still connected via CAT-5, so I'm not in any particular hurry. I was just
curious as to the best way to accomplish the task with what I have.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:52:38 -0400, The Walrus wrote:

> I have a WRT54GS installed at the far end of my home office. I had to
> install it there because that is where the broadband connection comes in
> and that is where the wired servers reside. I still have this WRT54G on
> my hands. I have two computers on the opposite end of the house that can
> barely detect the network -- sometimes not at all. The house runs
> lengthwise about 80 feet and the signal must penetrate three walls to
> reach the other end.

a couple of thoughts

-someone, ToddH? mentioned 3rd party firmware DDWRT and OpenWRT to you.
Unless you are totally inept and can't follow directions, you are unlikely
to brick the Linksys. Advantage? Ability to boost signal strength via
software on the Linksys. Your orphans at the other end of the house would
benefit.

-since you've already got cable running the length of the house, run a
coax cable from your through-wall entry point to a spot in the middle of
the house where you could place the WRT54G

"The Walrus" <nospam@please.com> wrote in message
news:460ab04d$0$24769$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> Yah, but since I already have this other router, I was looking to see if I
> could just use it without having to spend more coin. The two far runs are
> still connected via CAT-5, so I'm not in any particular hurry. I was just
> curious as to the best way to accomplish the task with what I have.

Many devices in the wireless world should do what you think they should
do but will not. I had a similar problem in that I wanted to connect two
wired lans with a wireless link. I ended up buying three separate boxes
(netgear) to solve the problem. Wireless extenders must be able to work
in "bridge mode". Otherwise they controll their own lan. I think that
WRT's with the factory software will not bridge but the 3rd party software
adds that capability. Do the research first BEFORE flashing.

later.....

I bought these and they work great. I had the same problem with the WAP
being
in the far back room and trying to get the signal to the front room and to
the back yard.

I just plugged the wired transmitter in the room where the router was and
then plugged the
wireless extender AP to a wall plug in the living room and it works great
getting the signal
to the rest of the house and out back.

Try them. You can find them pretty cheap at some outlet sites. I bought
mine for $24.95.

You need this kit to make it work.
http://netgear.com/Products/Powerlin...s/WGXB102.aspx


"The Walrus" <nospam@please.com> wrote in message
news:460a9d55$0$1347$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>I have a WRT54GS installed at the far end of my home office. I had to
>install it there because that is where the broadband connection comes in
>and that is where the wired servers reside. I still have this WRT54G on my
>hands. I have two computers on the opposite end of the house that can
>barely detect the network -- sometimes not at all. The house runs
>lengthwise about 80 feet and the signal must penetrate three walls to reach
>the other end.
>
> Q: Can the WRT54G be placed, say, in the middle of the house and connect
> with the base AP and operate as a repeater to the two long runs? Can it
> be done wirelessly or must I have a CAT-5 connection? What are the
> caveats?
>
> Thank you for any help or pointing to a URL to assist me.
>
>

"Juan" <n7rcm@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:JPAOh.18889$Jl.6031@newsread3.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
>I bought these and they work great. I had the same problem with the WAP
>being
> in the far back room and trying to get the signal to the front room and to
> the back yard.

Excellent message. Thank you very much.

"Juan" <n7rcm@pobox.com> wrote in message
> Try them. You can find them pretty cheap at some outlet sites. I bought
> mine for $24.95.
>
> You need this kit to make it work.
> http://netgear.com/Products/Powerlin...s/WGXB102.aspx

That kit is $150 at Office Depot. What is the $24.95 item you referred to?

The Walrus wrote:
> "Juan" <n7rcm@pobox.com> wrote in message
>> Try them. You can find them pretty cheap at some outlet sites. I
>> bought mine for $24.95.
>>
>> You need this kit to make it work.
>> http://netgear.com/Products/Powerlin...s/WGXB102.aspx
>
> That kit is $150 at Office Depot. What is the $24.95 item you
> referred to?

Over the years netgear has made 4 types of the powerline stuff... they use
some number scheme for em , i just call em Type 1=14mbps, type 2= 54 Mbps,
type 3=85 Mbps, and type 4=200 Mbps (only work with gigabit ethernet
cards)... The cheapie ones are the older slower ones someone blew out for
cheap when the new ones came out.. The kits at Office Depot are probably the
same one's I got from them (85 Mbps).. Note the earlier link I posted is the
page before the one above.. They make both powerline bridges AND powerine
access points... Used to use the bridge and one of my spare wrt54g's, got
tired of two power things and went with the powerline access point above
(the access points above are about $150, the bridge version was about $90,
can be used with spare wrt54g's)

The Walrus <nospam@please.com> wrote:
> I have a WRT54GS installed at the far end of my home office. I had to
> install it there because that is where the broadband connection comes in
> and that is where the wired servers reside. I still have this WRT54G on
> my hands. I have two computers on the opposite end of the house that can
> barely detect the network -- sometimes not at all. The house runs
> lengthwise about 80 feet and the signal must penetrate three walls to
> reach the other end.

I go about 80 feet through a couple of outside walls (or at an angle
through some non-facing windows, it's hard to say), using a free reflector.
If you have any signal at all, this might help enough.

http://www.freeantennas.com EZ-12, printed on photo paper for thick stock,
with aluminum foil glued to the sail, provides a substantial boost in
signal. http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/EZ12-windsurfer.jpg
http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/w...fer-dining.JPG The signal with
the reflector is not only 13dB stronger, it's more stable.


--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5

"The Walrus" <nospam@please.com> wrote in message
news:460adcee$0$19093$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> "Juan" <n7rcm@pobox.com> wrote in message
>> Try them. You can find them pretty cheap at some outlet sites. I bought
>> mine for $24.95.
>>
>> You need this kit to make it work.
>> http://netgear.com/Products/Powerlin...s/WGXB102.aspx
>
> That kit is $150 at Office Depot. What is the $24.95 item you referred
> to?
>

I bought them on the Woot site as a one day deal. If you don't know abou
this site, they
have one day deals on all kinds of items at awsome prices. Some go real
quick and others
linger around.

I've had them for about a month now and have had no problems whatsoever. I
got the 54mbps units.

Check it out the site for other awsome deals: www.woot.com

PS: There is a whole kit on ebay right now for less than $50. Item number:
150107214838