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Linksys WAP54G Wireless-G Access Point | List Price: $79.99
Discount Price: Too low to display
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Brand: Linksys
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: 3 years warranty
Features: - Supports data rates up to 54 Mbps--up to 5 times faster than 802.11b
- Backwards compatible with existing IEEE 802.11b devices at 11 Mbps
- Supports 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption
- Wireless MAC address filtering
- Router not included, so you cannot connect multiple users to the Internet
One "no" vote [Posted on 2008-05-03]
I wish this device could feel pain. It certainly has caused me hours of grief. When you set the password in the setup tool, it may or may not correctly allow you to long in through the web page administration. I'm now configuring it to work as a bridge connecting to my new wireless router. I can't do that, because it won't set the password correctly. I've only been trying for a couple hours, though. So very, very frustrated. It's worked before, so eventually, it will probably work again. I'd give it zero stars if I could.
Good Access Point if you know all restrictions [Posted on 2008-06-07]
I bought this product after I moved to a bigger place and needed a Access Point to widen the signal range. After setting it up, I realized there were a few things I wasn't aware.
1. The device must be physically connected to your existing router (so it's not totally 'wireless') to be used as Access Point.
2. If you want the device to be completely wireless, it needs to be configured as Wireless Repeater.
3. To use it as Wireless Repeater the model of the existing router you have must be WRT54G. (not WRT54GC, WRT54G2, WRT54GS, etc.)
After spending hours on chatting with Linksys support (apparently she wasn't even aware some of these restrictions) we found out this device won't work with my router so I decided to return it.
Doing the Job [Posted on 2008-06-09]
I have an ethernet home network which is working perfectly. I decided to get a laptop and at first connected it to the network by an ethernet cable. I had been told that in no time at all I would be wanting to go wireless and that turned out to be true.
I researched connection options as I wanted to add the wireless capability to the existing ethernet network and found that something called a wireless access point existed. This seemed to be the right answer as I did not need another router.
All of my network equipment was Linksys so I decided the Linksys WAP54G would be the best way to go. As usual, Amazon had as good a value as anyone on the equipment so I ordered it from Amazon. Once the WAP54G came in it set up and installed without any problems.
I had read a lot of information about wireless security so I followed the Linksys instructions very carefully in selecting the highest level of encryption available for home use. This was not difficult to do but did require that one read the installation alternatives and proceed carefully.
It is now in operation and has not given any problems. It has been interesting to note that there are 6 wireless networks in my area; three of them have no encryption at all, two of them have the lowest level of encryption, and only mine has the highest level. All that says to me is that they were not careful in setting up their security level when they installed the software.
I guess the moral of this story is to carefully read and select the highest level of encryption if you don't want your network to be public.
Using as a repeater? Read this [Posted on 2008-07-01]
(Note: Amazon has deleted certain key info from my review. Since they don't edit comments, read the comment below for the missing info.)
After reading through many reviews here, and struggling all day to get this unit running as range extender/repeater, it looks like the negative reviews are mostly from people trying to use it as a repeater. Apparently, if you're just using it as a wireless router, it seems to work fine. In fact, the setup disk and the PDF instructions deal only with that use of the product. If you want to use it to extend the range of your signal, Linksys leaves you without any instruction whatever, despite a blurb on the box stating you can use it as a repeater.
Luckily, another reviewer (Pinoy in NJ) was kind enough to detail just how he got the unit to work as a repeater. Definitely start there. A few additional comments:
- If you are on a Mac, the installation disk won't run. If you're trying to set up a repeater, the disk is useless anyway. So are the instructions on the PDF file.
- You need to have the unit hooked up via the included CAT5 cable to your existing router, or you won't get anywhere. Once you have "programmed" the unit, you will be able to disconnect it, and place it elsewhere in the house.
- After attaching the unit to your router, go into your Internet browser and type "[...]". This calls up the setup menu. The login is blank, the password is Admin, unless you changed it.
-Type "[...]" to bring up the setup page for your WRT54G router (unless you have a different router)
-From the WRT54G pages, you need to find the MAC address. It's in the tab "Status", third line down on that page. Write this down.
-On the WAP54G page, click the Setup tab, then the AP Mode subtab. Select the third option, Repeater. Enter the Mac address from the previous step.
-I disabled all security, since I couldn't get it to work. Sorry I can't help you there. It was something of a miracle when the thing worked at all. If someone wants to camp out at the curb with a laptop browsing [...], more power to them!
-Make sure both the router and the Access Point are tuned to the same channel.
At this point, you should be able to disconnect the cable, and still be able to ping the AP using the [...] address. Try accessing the Internet now using a wireless computer somewhere in the house.
Wish I could be more specific, but honestly, I found myself repeating the same actions over and over, and it seemed to work finally for no apparent reason. I list the main points above, as these seem to be key.
What I wish Linksys (or someone) would sell is a Repeater. You would plug it in to the power (no cable at all), and it would sense the wireless network. Pop in a setup disk, configure the settings and security, and you're done. It doesn't work that way at all.
Instead, Linksys provides a button (it looks like the Cisco logo) that blinks furiously for five minutes, and seems to do nothing but change the SSID. It's SUPPOSED to "automatically" set things up, and maybe it does with a newer version of the router (WRT54G), but not mine. There is lots of opinion about the SSID (do they need to match, should you broadcast the SSID). People report that it changes by itself, which means your connection will drop until you pick the new SSID in your Network Connections.
All this just to boost the signal to a room at the end of the hall. Linksys needs to make this a MUCH easier process somehow. If someone like me, an IT person with 20 years experience with computers, struggles for a full day to get it to work, there's a problem. No more Linksys for me!
Hassle free [Posted on 2008-07-15]
The Linksys WAP54G is well suited for personal and SOHO use. It supports a variety of security modes, from open networking, to WAP with RADIUS authentication. Initial configuration is simple.
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