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D-Link DWL-800AP+ Wireless Range Extender, 802.11b, 22Mbps | List Price: $79.99
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Brand: D-Link
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 3 years warranty
Features: - Two different modes--Access Point and wireless range extender (repeating the signal of other compatible routers and access points)
- Up to 22 Mbps with D-Link AirPlus products
- Works with other 802.11b-compatible devices when used as an Access Point
- Provides 64-,128- and 256-bit WEP encryption for added security
- Fast and easy setup
Easy set up, works with a Netgear router. [Posted on 2004-08-14]
I bought the DWL-800AP+ to be used as a range extender with a Netgear MR814v2 wireless router. The enclosed quick guide was enough for setting it up in few minutes; I run the set up with a Mac PowerBook, using Safari and Explorer; both worked smoothly. I upgraded to firmware version 2.0 before testing the network. The signal strength from the DWL-800AP+ is comparable to the one from the router; together they increased the coverage from 30% to 100% of my apartment, which is built in concrete walls. It required a bit of trial and error to play with the placement of the router and the range extender to obtain the full coverage, but with the easy plug and work design of the extender, it wasn't much of a fuzz; moreover, the small footprint of the DWL-800AP+ and its very unobtrussive look make very easy to place it anywhere. For a modest price it solved all my home wireless networking problems with full compatibility with the MR814v2.
Know What you are buying! [Posted on 2004-09-09]
I bought two of these to replace an existing Home Phone network that I had. I thought that they would also function as wireless access points/Ethernet bridge just like the DWL810+. I was wrong. If you are looking to use this as a range extender it will work. You might also try purchasing an antenna booster. I had problems getting a signal in my basement. This product worked OK but you can get an antenna for less than half the price. Otherwise you are much better off with the DWL810+ which I had purchased before.
Very Disappointed with DWL-800AP and Dlink Technical Support [Posted on 2004-11-05]
I purchased this product to repeat the signal of a non-Dlink brand access point. As you may know by now, this doesnt work and was not mentioned in any sales information I found from Dlink before I purchased.
Also, their technical support staff was completely rude and out of line. This product is being returned. This is my first and LAST experience purchasing a Dlink product.
I like it, but understand why some would not. [Posted on 2004-12-20]
This item is not easy to set up -- even for someone who has experience with such equipment. I bought two of these to use as additional APs in my house and I'm glad that I did. Although their functionality as an AP is not as full-featured as the full-blown AP models, these little boxes pull their weight.
If you want to make your wireless LAN as "silent running, stealthy" network that only you and your closest friends know about, then this product is not for you. It does support 64, 128, and 256 WEP; however, it does not support disabling SSID broadcast nor does it support WPA.
The difficulty that I had setting up these little monsters is that, out of the box, they require you to have a network that is in the 192.168.0 address space. If you are like I was on the 192.168.1 address space that Linksys prefers, you have to disconnect one of your machines, readdress it for the D-Link preferred address space (192.168.0) and then cajole the little box to respond to you. The first one that I installed finally responded to my web browser and I was able to re-address it to the 192.168.1 address space and get it set up with 64bit WEP without much trouble.
The second one was a little more trouble. I actually had to power-cycle the box while pushing the reset button in the back to bring it up in firmware update mode, install the latest firmware that I downloaded from the d-link web site, and only then was able to configure this little beast for normal operation.
The plus side of these little beasts is that they are more powerful and reliable than my version 1 WAP-11s Linksys WAPs that I bought back in 2001 and they work better with the D-link DCS-900W Securicams that I also recently purchased (imagine that).
These boxes don't have all the features that the Version 1 Linksys WAPs have, but they definately hold on to a signal much better.
My wish list for the DWL-800AP+ is that they add the ability to disable SSID broadcast and make the configuration a little more forgiving out of the box. WPA support would be a "nice to have" feature.
This works amazingly! [Posted on 2005-01-23]
I ordered this item (refurbished from another website for $30.00) because I was having connection issues using my neighbor's wireless connection. My laptop (Dell Inspiron 1150 with Dell's 1450 Internal a/b/g card) could pick up the signal with no problem but my desktop (with a Linksys WMP55AG) would barely pick up the signal and disconnected all the time. I talked with Linksys's "Technical Support" (my neighbor uses the Linksys wireless router mentioned in the previous post) and they told me their repeater would not work with the version of router my neighbor has (I bet it would but I didn't want to spend $80 bucks to find out). I did some research and found this D-Link product. The post below convinced me to get it.
Armed with the D-Link, my neighbor's LAN MAC address, and the instructions in the previous post, I set out to configure the D-Link Repeater. The version I received (B) required no firmware upgrade, as it has the latest version available. I also had no router to hook this up to so I hooked it up directly to my laptop.
When I typed in the IP address of the router 192.168.0.30) I was presented with a login screen. The refurbished D-Link comes with no paper work. I tried the common admin/admin and it didn't work. I then discovered that the username was admin with no password (which of course I immediately changed). I then went into the wireless tab. I found that when I used it in the repeater method, I could not change the default channel, so I clicked the Access Point button and set the channel to 11 (the channel my neighbor uses). I then clicked the Repeater button and it kept channel 11. I then typed in the LAN MAC address of her wireless router. After the router rebooted, I disconnected the network cable from the D-Link and my laptop. I was suprised to see the light on the Repeater dim greatly but saw it flashing. I then rebooted my laptop and turned on my desktop. I know have an excellent signal strength on my desktop.
My laptop is acting kinda funny though. It actually sees two networks from Lauren, both on channel 11. The laptop's wireless card seems to be super sensitive. I think it gets kinda confused sometimes, but that is a different topic.
This is a great product and I highly recommend it!!!!
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