Range Extender for wireless G?

[crazyray]

I've just setup a router and wireless network using DLink stuff. I need a little more range. Any ideas how I can get it?

[M_Six]

You could buy a wireless bridge. Even if you don't hook a wired PC to it, it'll act like a relay from your WAP.

[crazyray]

Do you know if the bridge would need to be compatible with "g" ?

i.e., can I use a bridge sold for 802.11b use with my 802.11g system without reducing the speed of the connection created or causing other problems?

[M_Six]

I don't believe you can do that. The "b" bridge will work with the "g" WAP, but only at 11mbps. Have you checked for a "g" bridge? Can't say that I've ever seen one, but then again, I haven't looked.

[TheChronoRogue]

You could set up your network in Ad Hoc mode and make each of the machines act as base stations in their own right. We were actually just testing this concept out today at work and it seemed to work pretty well. It took a little fiddling with to get it to work, but its pretty cool when it works.

[M_Six]

Here's an 802.11g bridge from Linksys. Looks like Dlink doesn't offer one yet, but I'm sure they will eventually.

[crazyray]

After a discussion with Belkin on the phone, a Belkin Wireless Access Point was purchased for use as a "bridge" to extend the range of the system. Unfortunately, after futzing around for a while, I called Belkin back to find that their product will only work with THEIR router at this time...

DLink supposedly has a similar product now, but the stores are all pushing to dump their 11b stuff; it is nowhere to be seen. The DLink WAP is listed at some sites on the net. I certainly hope these compatibility issues are cleared up soon.

[kwebb]

Bridging and repeating are not part of the spec. It may work, may not when you leave the AP/client association relm. I am a little unclear about the information you have been given. A bridge, either straight PtoP or PtoMP, or setup as a workgroup bridge "client mode" won't extend your WLAN without another AP. Dlink and Linksys both have a repeater option, again not part of the spec and perhaps that is what you are looking for. Cuts your bandwidth in half on each hop but that may or may not matter to you. If you do want to repeat, or bridge to a client AP then best to stay with the same brand.