Wireless device suggestions

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Author Message   woodstock Citizen Username: Woodstock Post Number: 919 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 2:38 pm:        I currently have a router (linksys BEFSR41) and separate WAP (Linksys WAP11). My company has recently provided me aith a WRTG54 wireless router. My DSL comes into my house in the basement, so putting the wireless router down there is not likely to give me a decent signal throughout the house. I'm trying to come up with a way to use both wireless devices (don't care as much about using the current router) to give me a decent signal througout the house. I do have CAT5 throughout, so I can put the WAP anywhere. But the WAP is a b device, not a g one, so I don't want to use it as my primary connection. Any ideas?   Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 1495 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 2:45 pm:        Woodstock, I was working with these two exact to devices trying to get them hooked to my Tivo. The Wap11 can be uses as a wireless extender with the WRT54G. I’m guessing the WRT54G needs to be in the basement so that you can use the ports on the router to hard wire some other areas, but if you want that to be the primary, I would move it to the first floor, or where ever you will use the wireless the most. Then you can use the WAP11 downstairs or upstairs depending, by adding a small router where the cables come into the house. I get very good range on the WRT54 so if it’s centrally located you may only need 1. The added benefit of having the WRT54 in a convenient place is that with large download I often plug my laptop into the router for better speed.   woodstock Supporter Username: Woodstock Post Number: 920 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 3:09 pm:        Brett, You guessed correctly (I didn't explain enough). I have two computers that are wired to the current router. I have eight rooms int he house with homerun CAT5 to the basement, near where my utilities come into the house, including DSL. What I had ben considering, was possibly pulling another string of CAT5 to one location, and doing an up/down link to a switch in the basement through the router. Then using the WAP11 to see if I can get my TiVO connected to the network. But since we just sold our house (moving out in June), I'd rather not do anything were I'm fishing in the walls. Last time I did that, I stepped through the upstairs hallway ceiling (but I *did* get that second cable drop in the bedroom for my TiVO!) BTW, it was your post that made me think I should find aother use for the WAP11.   Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 1496 Registered: 7-2003 Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 3:19 pm:        See your running into the same problem as me. The WAP11 CAN NOT be used as a AP Client with the WRT54g. Check out the bottom of the AP Mode setup screen. It says it there in fine print. I have been having a hell of a time finding something wireless that will work with the Tivo. Everything has to be version 1, and you get version 2. Last piece I picked up was a Belken 7050, Tivo only likes the 6050. UGH. I’d stick the WRT65G by the Tivo, and set up a small cheap router in the basement for the other machines. That’s basically what I plan on doing sometime this week.   Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5673 Registered: 1-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 12:07 am:        woodstock, it's possible that the WRTG54 will give you an adequate signal from the basement. If you try it, you will know whether to proceed with more experiments. If it works well from the basement, you don't have to invest anything. But since you have cat5 running up from the basement, couldn't you plug the WRTG54 in on the first or second floor?   woodstock Supporter Username: Woodstock Post Number: 922 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 7:59 am:        Tom, the only problem is that I have a couple of computers that are not wireless (including a server). So they need to use the CAT5. Unless I use the WRTG as an access point, rather than a router, I'd need to run cable back to the basement from whereever I put the WRTG to connect to the drops those devices attach to. I guess I should just wait until I move, then work everything out in my new places. Things are working ok right now. I'd just like better coverage...   Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5689 Registered: 1-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 4:46 pm:        woodstock, do you have phone jacks for your DSL someplace other than the basement? You can plug your router into any of them. Just take the filter off. Then you can have CAT5 cable from it, in its new location, to the computers that require cables.   woodstock Supporter Username: Woodstock Post Number: 927 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 2, 2005 - 10:00 am:        Ah! Now there's an idea! Now I just need to find the time to actually move it. Thanks Tom.   Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5957 Registered: 1-2003 Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 11:37 pm:        Any luck with this?   woodstock Supporter Username: Woodstock Post Number: 935 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - 10:09 am:        Actually, I haven't had time to try. We're moving relatively soon, and mustering the time and energy to do this (as opposed to the four thousand other thinga on my list) is tough. I'm off on Friday, so maybe I'll try it then. I'll let you know how it goes.