Product Description

Expand The Range Of Your Wireless Network! Expand the range of your wireless network! The Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander is the easy way to increase the effective coverage of your wireless network. Unlike adding a traditional access point to your network to expand wireless coverage, the Wireless-G Range Expander does not need to be connected to the network by a data cable. Just put it within range of your main access point or wireless router, and it "bounces" the signals out to remote wireless devices. This "relay station" or "repeater" approach saves wiring costs and helps to build wireless infrastructure by driving signals into even those distant, reflective corners and hard-to-reach areas where wireless coverage is spotty and cabling is impractical. The Range Expander is perfect to help cover large areas in multi-story homes, warehouse environments, public spaces, wireless "Hot Spots", and outdoor venues -- anywhere you need extra coverage for your wireless network. The Wireless-G Range Expander is compatible with the Linksys WAP54G Access Point, and both the WRT54G and WRT54GS Wireless Routers. It works with both Wireless-G and Wireless-B clients so you'll get the benefits of increased coverage, even with a mixed network. So, expand your wireless network's effective coverage the easy way, with the Wireless-G Range Expander. Features: The easiest way to expand your wireless network's coverage Save on wiring costs -- no wired connection to your network necessary Extend your wireless signal into hard-to-reach areas Compatible with both Wireless-G and Wireless-B networking clients

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2300 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Linksys
• Model: WRE54G-UK
• Released on: 2007-02-07
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .55 pounds

Features

• Wireless Range Expander 802.11g
• Wireless Range Expander 802.11g

Manufacturer's Description

Expand the range of your wireless network. The Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander is the easy way to increase the effective coverage of your wireless network.

Unlike adding a traditional access point to your network to expand wireless coverage, the Wireless-G Range Expander does not need to be connected to the network by a data cable. Just put it within range of your main access point or wireless router, and it "bounces" the signals out to remote wireless devices.

This "relay station" or "repeater" approach saves wiring costs and helps to build wireless infrastructure by driving signals into even those distant, reflective corners and hard-to-reach areas where wireless coverage is spotty and cabling is impractical. The Range Expander is perfect to help cover large areas in multi-story homes, warehouse environments, public spaces, wireless "Hot Spots", and outdoor venues - anywhere you need extra coverage for your wireless network.

The Wireless-G Range Expander is compatible with the Linksys WAP54G Access Point, and both the WRT54G and WRT54GS Wireless Routers. It works with both Wireless-G and Wireless-B clients so you'll get the benefits of increased coverage, even with a mixed network.

So, expand your wireless network's effective coverage the easy way, with the Wireless-G Range Expander.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Great product, horrible support.
The product is great and work really well and deserves 5 stars. The problem is that the instructions that it comes with (and the set-up wizard) only work if you use your wireless network in a not-very-secure default kind of way. I spent an hour on the phone with an ignorant linksys dude in India only to have him walk me through the dismantlement of my WLAN and its security, and then still not able to make the thing work. Documentation and support would get 0 stars. Since I figured it out, I gave it four stars overall.

Here are my config instructions if you know what you're doing in this space (note: I don't broadcast my SSID and I use WPA-TKIP, which provides decent security, enough to get any drive-by folks to target somebody else).

1. Throw away the linksys config CD.
2. Plug the WRE54G into your router.
3. Startup a browser and go to 192.168.1.240 (the default IP address for the range expander)
4. Don't enter a username and enter the default linksys password "admin"
5. In the screen that pops up, enter the SSID you're using, select the right channel, specify your mode (I use G only since I only have G devices and mixed is slower). If you don't want to broadcast your SSID (highly recommended by me) click the appropriate radio button. Select "enable" on security settings (if you are not using any security setting on your WLAN, shame on you)
6. Hit "save settings" and wait for the unit to restart (it takes while).
7. Now hit "Edit Security Settings" button and in the window that pops up (make sure your browser does not block it) make the security settings match your WLAN's security settings. Save the settings and wait for the unit to restart.

At this point, if you did everything correctly, your whole network will go down hard as the range expander will connect to the WLAN and use the same IP address that it used out of the ethernet port (how stupid is that?)

Unplug the range expander from your wireled ethernet, then carry it wherever you like. Plug it into an outlet, and it will work like a charm.

Seriously, Linksys, why can't you write something like this in the documentation?

Wow, just just what it says on the box
I have just had some building work completed on my house. This meant that the wireless router moved further away from the living room. Upshot, weak to no signal on my laptop whilst sitting on the sofa.

My first try was to replace my ageing wireless-g Netgear router with a new shinny Netgear Wireless RangeNax NEXT. Well it looked very nice but didn't improve the signal any ;-(

So I got one of these, my wife was now phoning me up at work to give me grief about the access problems - so I paid Amazon for next day by 1pm delivery - and they didn't let me down.

Anyway, I was a bit apprehensive about set-up, having read some of the other reviews. But it was a sinch. I run a Netgear DG834N wireless router set to A/G networking with 128bit WEP security. The thing to remember is that if you have security set, you need to temporarily connect this Expander to your router's RJ45 port and use the set-up app supplied on CD (there is also a RJ45 cable in the box). If you use no security a one-button set-up is available without any connection (other than mains power!).

Anyway the CD app takes you through a wizard and hey-presto before you know it you have a power booster. Just place it somewhere within your existing wireless range and it repeats the signal. I have placed it half way between my living room and the wireless router and I am back to excellent signal strength on my lappy whilst sitting on the sofa - game on!!

When I registered the unit I discovered there was a firmware upgrade available, which I placed on the unit in under 5 minutes.

Works with BT Home Hub
Previous problems to do with setup seem to be to do with either
1) Firmware ( mine is v3 EU ) which is what you should get with the product now.
2) More complex router setups.

I have a fairly vanilla setup for a BT Home Hub with WEP enabled.
I use a laptop with a BT Voyager 1065 PCMCIA Card to connect via WiFi with the BT Home Hub.
I used the following technique to set up.

1) Connect the WRE54G to the Home Hub using the supplied ethernet cable
2) Power on the WRE54G.
3) Get the machine you use to connect to the Home Hub via WiFi and place it within range of the hub.
4) Run the linksys setup, check that the MAC Address of the detected access point is that of your Home Hub ( you can see this if you don't accept the first setting that the setup disk comes with - the "choose" screen gives more details )
5) Enter the WEP keys ( 64 bit by default for BT Home Hub ) as it appears on Hub or as you have changed it ( i.e. using the 10 Hex digits type )
6) When asked for the password to the WRE54G just press next.
7) Accept the defaults
8) When you are told setup is complete ( and register if you are lucky enough to have a BT broadband connection which works - mine wasn't ) power off the WRE54G. You may also have to power down the machine you did the setup from - I had problems which meant I had to uninstall/reinstall the WiFi BT Voyager 1065 PCMCIA Card at this point.
9) Power on the WRE54G which should come up with lights changing colour in the following sequence. Single blue, Blue and Red ( Link ), after a short while, both blue.
10) To Test you can use it: Power down the WRE54G and move it to where the signal from your BT Home Hub is poor. You laptop or PDA or PC or whatever should have a Wireless network utility which shows signal strength, available networks and network details ( including the MAC address of the Wireless access point - e.g. BT Home Hub - you are connecting to ). Switch it on eventually both lights go blue. Power up the machine you use to connect to the BT Home Hub wirelessly and it should now connect to the WRE54G and show an excellent signal strength. The WRE54G is "invisible" appearing ( by default at least ) with the same SSID as the BT Home Hub. To check that you are actually using the WRE54G ( apart from watching the signal strength change ) check the MAC address of the connection point your laptop ( or whatever ) is using. It should be that of the WRE54G providing that you first powered on you r laptop where the BT Home Hub signal was poor, As you move around with your laptop the connection name ( SSID ) appears the same but the MAC address will change between the Home Hub and the WRE54G depending on which is nearest...

Thanks to all the other reviewers. P.S. linksys support is free from the UK by telephone. I wish I didn't have to pay BT £1 everytime their link goes down just to tell them THEY have a fault. Don't bother with BT support it isn't much cop.