TRENDnet 54Mbps 802.11G Wireless Access Point

List Price: $58.07 Discount Price: $40.64

Features:

• Network Interface - Fast Ethernet, Ethernet
• Build-in Switch Interface - Ethernet
• Dimensions - 124 x 86 x 40 mm

Customer Reviews:

Didn't work with Airlink  [Posted on 2008-03-30]
I tried and tried to get this AP to work with my Airlink wireless router to no avail. Customer support was O.K.

Works as I wanted it to, after difficult setup [Posted on 2008-04-05]
I have a couple of computers in one room, connected via LAN to a Linksys Wireless G router/access point, which is connected to a DSL modem. I wanted to put another computer an an Ethernet-attached printer on the floor above. The standard way to do this would be to run a Cat-5 cable from the Linksys router to a small hub on the upper floor, and connect the new computer and printer to it. It would be a long and complicated run, though, and would involve drilling through the floor. Not impossible, but I didn't really look forward to doing it.

This device seemed to be just what I was looking for: a way to replace a long run of Cat-5 cable with a wireless link. Put the TRENDnet Access Point on the upper floor along with a small hub (the Access Point has only one Ethernet jack), and plug the computer and printer into the hub.

The Access Point offers five modes of operation. The one I expected to use is called "WDS", for Wireless Distribution System. From the user manual, it appears as if this is the mode for just extending a LAN as I wanted to do. I was never able to get this mode of operation to communicate with the Linksys router. The manual is not well written, and the help windows from the Access Point's built in web server are even worse. Using browsers to look at the settings of both the Linksys and the TRENDnet, I verified that everything that I can set was entered correctly: Channel number, SSID, passphrases, MAC addresses, everything. No connection was ever made, in WDS mode.

So I tried "AP + WDS" mode; still nothing worked.

Finally I tried "AP Client" mode, in which (quoting now) "the AP will be a wireless Ethernet adapter transforms any Ethernet-enabled devices to have the wireless function." From the diagram, it would seem that only one device (computer, printer) could be attached. I tried connecting the switch with both computer and printer to the Access Point in this mode, and finally it all works.

Now that it's working, it is doing just what I wanted it to. The new computer can access the internet and share files with the ones downstairs, the downstairs computers can print on the upstairs printer, and so on.

The poor manual and even worse help text really drags this product down. I would have rated it much higher if it hadn't required so much experimentation to get it going.

Worked for Its Purpose and great price [Posted on 2008-04-13]
A little tricky but works great for Direct TV access for beta OnDemand program downloads

Excellent for wireless when devices require ethernet connections [Posted on 2008-04-16]
Very simple setup and flexibility in settings. I'm using it as a wireless adapter for a DVR that doesn't allow a USB wireless card now and it's been flawless since setup.

TRENDnet WPA [Posted on 2008-04-29]
I do like this product, for it has all the useful features (Disabling SSID broadcast, Security - WEP, WAP, WAP2, MAC Filter, among others) that I need, and its Interface is so simplified that you don't need the manual at all to try to understand it.

This product works on my D-Link AirPlus XtremeG (DWL-G650) with no problem at all.

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