Belkin Repeater Problem

I bought a Belkin range extender to try to get around a large tree that
blocks my line of sight to a second building some 300 ft away. I can get
a very low signal down there from the Linksys router alone, but it drops
out etc..

The Belkin will not setup or work with the security turned on. There is
a small note in the setup leaflet, that says I have to turn the security
off on the router while I punch the auto connect button that programs
the repeater to the router, which makes sense. The Belkin then works,
but when I turn security back on, it does not work.

I called Belkin. They agreed that it wouldn't work with the security
turned on and said I needed to call Linksys to find out how to work
around it. Since I don't speak Hindu that was about all I could get out
of her.

Can anyone help me with this problem? It seems to me, that if anyone
sells a repeater which they advertise as a universal range extender, it
has got to work with security.

TIA
Blair

On May 19, 5:58 pm, mac10 <bbem...@att.net> wrote:
> I bought a Belkin range extender to try to get around a large tree that
> blocks my line of sight to a second building some 300 ft away. I can get
> a very low signal down there from the Linksys router alone, but it drops
> out etc..
>
> The Belkin will not setup or work with the security turned on. There is
> a small note in the setup leaflet, that says I have to turn the security
> off on the router while I punch the auto connect button that programs
> the repeater to the router, which makes sense. The Belkin then works,
> but when I turn security back on, it does not work.
>
> I called Belkin. They agreed that it wouldn't work with the security
> turned on and said I needed to call Linksys to find out how to work
> around it. Since I don't speak Hindu that was about all I could get out
> of her.
>
> Can anyone help me with this problem? It seems to me, that if anyone
> sells a repeater which they advertise as a universal range extender, it
> has got to work with security.
>
> TIA
> Blair

You don't say what your security is, but the problem is WPA, most
likely.

I ran into the same problems even when using two devices with the same
firmware. They were linksys/buffalo using DD-WRT, which even has more
than one way to do repeating. By making it a "G-only" system, I could
get WPA to work, but not reliably. I gave up. And that's the going
advice around here, "don't do it"

It may be easier to get WEP to work, but I don't want that risk, and
you probably don't either.

I think this security problem is endemic (is that the word?) with
repeaters and you should just take the sucker back.

If you really need to repeat, then consider using two devices back-to-
back; a wireless ethernet converter/bridge feeding ethernet into a
seperate router in AP mode. Depends on your budget, but wireless
routers are cheap enough, and if you don't want to buy a dedicated
ethernet bridge/converter, then an older linksys or current Buffalo
(among others) can be set up with DD-WRT firmware and used as a
bridge.

Possibilities using Buffalo as a preferred brand:

Two of these running dd-wrt so one is a converter/bridge:
http://www.provantage.com/buffalo-te...s~7BFLO023.htm
(cheap but currently out-of-stock most everywhere)

two of these running dd-wrt are better, bt more expensive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162134


Or, without changing firmware, one of these combined with one of the
above.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162168


Check out the wireless wiki for a list of converter/bridges.

Steve

seaweedsteve wrote:
> On May 19, 5:58 pm, mac10 <bbem...@att.net> wrote:
>
>>I bought a Belkin range extender to try to get around a large tree that
>>blocks my line of sight to a second building some 300 ft away. I can get
>>a very low signal down there from the Linksys router alone, but it drops
>>out etc..
>>
>>The Belkin will not setup or work with the security turned on. There is
>>a small note in the setup leaflet, that says I have to turn the security
>>off on the router while I punch the auto connect button that programs
>>the repeater to the router, which makes sense. The Belkin then works,
>>but when I turn security back on, it does not work.
>>
>>I called Belkin. They agreed that it wouldn't work with the security
>>turned on and said I needed to call Linksys to find out how to work
>>around it. Since I don't speak Hindu that was about all I could get out
>>of her.
>>
>>Can anyone help me with this problem? It seems to me, that if anyone
>>sells a repeater which they advertise as a universal range extender, it
>>has got to work with security.
>>
>>TIA
>>Blair
>
>
> You don't say what your security is, but the problem is WPA, most
> likely.
>
> I ran into the same problems even when using two devices with the same
> firmware. They were linksys/buffalo using DD-WRT, which even has more
> than one way to do repeating. By making it a "G-only" system, I could
> get WPA to work, but not reliably. I gave up. And that's the going
> advice around here, "don't do it"
>
> It may be easier to get WEP to work, but I don't want that risk, and
> you probably don't either.
>
> I think this security problem is endemic (is that the word?) with
> repeaters and you should just take the sucker back.
>
> If you really need to repeat, then consider using two devices back-to-
> back; a wireless ethernet converter/bridge feeding ethernet into a
> seperate router in AP mode. Depends on your budget, but wireless
> routers are cheap enough, and if you don't want to buy a dedicated
> ethernet bridge/converter, then an older linksys or current Buffalo
> (among others) can be set up with DD-WRT firmware and used as a
> bridge.
>
> Possibilities using Buffalo as a preferred brand:
>
> Two of these running dd-wrt so one is a converter/bridge:
> http://www.provantage.com/buffalo-te...s~7BFLO023.htm
> (cheap but currently out-of-stock most everywhere)
>
> two of these running dd-wrt are better, bt more expensive:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162134
>
>
> Or, without changing firmware, one of these combined with one of the
> above.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162168
>
>
> Check out the wireless wiki for a list of converter/bridges.
>
> Steve
>
>
>
Thanks for the info Steve. It rather pisses me off when they sell
something as universal when they know it won't work, with the most
important feature. Guess I will just have to run cable to a remote
router or AP. What's the use of wireless.