D-Link DWL 710 Repeater w/Static IP addresses

I subscribe to Qwest DSL and an ISP which provides me with a static IP
address. I have a D-Link 624 (rev C, 2.50 firmware) that I use as a
wireless router for a number of laptops that float around our house. The
main computer is hard-wired to the router. I've got one room in my 3 story
house that is just at the edge of the D-Link's range. This particular
computer can't be moved and can't be hard-wired; wireless is the only
option. It works intermittently now.

I've had good luck with a D-Link DWL 710 Repeater at my vacation house, but
it's used with a network that doesn't have static IP addresses.

When I plug the DWL-710 into a port on the D-Link 624 router to configure
the DWL 710, I can get the login window for the 710 without difficulty, by
pointing my webbrowser to the default IP address for the DWL, which is
192.168.0.30. After logging in with the "admin" user name and blank
password, the DWL wanders off somewhere and literally never returns. It
doesn't timeout, it doesn't report that the address can't be found, it just
sits. The LAN light is solid, the power light is solid, and the WLAN light
flashes intermittently like it is thinking. At first I thought I had a
defective unit, but after my second one does the same thing, I'm think about
installer error or some conceptual block I'm having. There is a very brief
single line on the front page of the instructions that says: "You will need
to assign your computer a Static IP address within the same range as the
DWL-G710's IP address for the purpose of configuring the DWL-G710". Since
the computer is connected to the router, which dishes out the IP addresses,
the computer already has an IP of 192.168.0.1 and accepts valid addresses in
the 192.168.0.2 - 150 range. I'm assuming that because I can reach the
login screen of the DWL G710 and DHCP tables show 192.168.0.30 associated
with the MAC address of the range extender that I've done this.

I'm completely stumped here. I can't seem to reach the conceptual
breakthrough required to get this repeater working. Ideas, thoughts,
suggestions welcomed.



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Just a quick followup. After 45 minutes on the phone with a D-Link tech
support person, we've come to the conclusion that I'm an unfortunate victim
of a run of bad wireless repeaters. The offending ones seem to ship with
Firmware 1.01. Mine isn't the only report of problems. Guess I'll take the
second one back and wait for D-Link to sort out this problem before jumping
back into the pool.

Yet another followup on the DWL 710 repeater. Stay away from it. If you're
looking for an alternative repeater to use in a D-Link environment (DI - 624
Rev C, in particular), get hold of the DWL-800AP+ does the trick nicely. It
is a dual-function device - access point or repeater. It comes by default
as a repeater and it set up in less than 5 minutes. It does a very nice job
of repeating the signal in a large house and probably extends the range of
my wireless network by a factor of 2.

As evidence of the problems with the DWL 710, my local CompUSA removed all
of them from the shelves after having 4 of their original 6 returned because
they didn't work. When I went to Fry's to buy the DWL 800AP+, there were 7
DWL 710's on the shelf. Every one of them were repackaged and reduced in
price, suggesting that they were returns but not indicating why they were
returned. I might surmise why - they don't work.