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NETGEAR WG302 ProSafe 802.11g Wireless Access Point | List Price: $250.00
Discount Price: Too low to display
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Brand: Netgear
Binding: Electronics
Warranty: NETGEAR lifetime warranty
Features: - High-speed networking with IEEE 802.11g
- Powerful RF management and control with AutoCell technology
- Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security support
- Wireless Distribution System supports bridging and repeater modes
- Two detachable 5 dBi antennas
Mistake! [Posted on 2007-03-07]
I purchased two of these units in December. This model seems to randomly stop routing traffic to the internet on random wireless attached computers (local network is fine). Three months later and numerous emails and phone calls to Netgear they sent me a replacement; SAME issues with the new model! Not all Netgear products are bad, this one is. Don't ever try to work with Netgear support, just not worth the stress.
Warning - Unstable Product [Posted on 2007-05-12]
I bought two of these for my church. I struggled with these products for 4 months before finally convincing the VAR to let me return them. There are severe bugs in the firmware and possibly the hardware. I went through 4 RMAs with Netgear before giving up on the product. Technical support was great but engineering just couldn't come through with a fix. Look at the forums before purchasing to make sure that the issues have been addressed.
They work well for me [Posted on 2008-01-14]
I have six of these installed in my main office and three outdoors to connect several buildings. I'm not sure why the other reviews are so negative. On the indoor six units I'm running RADIUS authentication on a Windows 2003 network and it works flawlessly. I've had to adjust the power output for each unit so they don't over-reach. Users can roam the building and stay connected with no problems. The outdoor units are running in AP/Bridge mode and have been trouble-free. I'm not convinced the external 9db antenna really adds much more range. Be sure you're using the latest firmware which resolves a DHCP error.
Good, reliable, sturdy wireless option. [Posted on 2008-03-08]
Not quite sure why the other reviewers had so many issues. I have no formal training in wireless networks and had no real problems with the access points themselves. Maybe because I didn't use WPA. I used two of these AP's to bridge two apartment buildings and several apartments connecting a total of somewhere around 16 PC's. The only issue I had was one of the power supplies was bad on arrival.
These units have removable antennas so you can add larger antennas or even amplifiers.
I used one of these AP's with the Netgear ANT24D18 which even though I got a good deal was a slightly expensive option. The other I used with a much cheaper (live and learn) rooftop antenna that looks more like a microwave antenna. I attached the Netgear antenna to the access point on a balcony of the apartment building across the street. Total distance between the antennas was probably only 300 feet.
Once I aligned the signal of the two antennas, the signal quality was outstanding. Both AP's connected at turbo '108 mbps' speed. I was able to easily watch a streaming video from one computer in one building to a computer in the other. We also played LAN video games between buildings with no issues.
Because of the remote outdoor locations of one of the AP's (in a waterproof box but still exposed to extreme temperatures and humidity) and a shortage of expensive antenna wire, I ran the power over two of the unused ethernet wires and still had zero issues and rarely lost packets. The only issue I had was during severe windstorms that would misalign the antennas which would lower signal quality and strength. Oh, also the connection between the two AP's was WEP encrypted 152 bit. I also had another AP (DLink) running at the same time and had no interference issues. The Dlink however has it's own set of issues, big surprise though. Quality-wise Netgear has always been above DLink and Linksys for me. A Linksys AP I use at work can barely transmit through one wall without dropping signal like crazy.
The only other bad thing I can say is that in a very, very quiet room, sometimes you can hear a tiny buzz from the AP.
Long time WG302 user [Posted on 2008-09-05]
Three years and running. The wg302 is excellent. Of, course early on, I had to wait for bug fixes and enhancements via updates to the firmware. But overall this item is excellent. I cannot understand the low ratings of others. I wonder if you just have network configuration issues. Some knowledge is required to configure a WAP within a network. You must understand a little about radio and interference too! Using 802.11g near other 2.4Ghz radios is very tricky. Even a microwave can cause performance issues.
BTW, I'm not moving to 802.11n till NetGear has stabilized the firmware. I won't need to run in dual mode because I can leave the wg302 in place to cover the legacy wireless gear.
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