What is Linksys range extender (WRE54G)

Exactly what is the Linksys wre54G range extender? Is it a repeater? Does it
rebroadcast everything it sees?
Reason I ask: Before my daughter moved to New Orleans I installed a leftover
Linksys WMP11 wireless B card in her computer. The hope was that she would be
able to connect to the FREE wireless that the city of New Orleans has installed.
But apparently that signal is not yet in her area. But she is picking up many
local signals, likely neighbors. She bought the wre54G thinking it might help
her connect to the city's service but apparently that didn't help. I'm trying to
help her over the phone and need to understand what this device does. In her
case she gets much better wi-fi signals when the computer is in one particular
room near a window but she does not want the computer in that room. So the
wre54G is in that room and seemingly sending wi-fi to the computer room better
than the computer could pick up these signals in that room. That seems to work
but she can't connect to any of these nearby networks. The city is supposed to
have wi-fi in her neighborhood soon. I'm wondering if she should keep the wre54G
because it does seem to push the wi-fi signal to this inner room. She believes
this because WinXP is showing a strong signal. (4 bars)
Is that a good application for this device?
By the way... She was unable to install the CDROM software for the device
because it would not play in her DVD/CD drive. Music CDs play but with the
Linksys disk in the tray the computer sees no disk.

She is getting someone's signal. She might want to ask around if they would
let her piggy back off there signal. But then there open to attack as well
as her.
If she is not in the area for the free wireless then I doubt any antenna Is
going to help.
You could always burn her a copy of the software and send her a copy. Or
have her call linksys and they will send her one.


"DanR" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:QV2tf.40118$(E-Mail Removed). com...
> Exactly what is the Linksys wre54G range extender? Is it a repeater? Does
> it
> rebroadcast everything it sees?
> Reason I ask: Before my daughter moved to New Orleans I installed a
> leftover
> Linksys WMP11 wireless B card in her computer. The hope was that she would
> be
> able to connect to the FREE wireless that the city of New Orleans has
> installed.
> But apparently that signal is not yet in her area. But she is picking up
> many
> local signals, likely neighbors. She bought the wre54G thinking it might
> help
> her connect to the city's service but apparently that didn't help. I'm
> trying to
> help her over the phone and need to understand what this device does. In
> her
> case she gets much better wi-fi signals when the computer is in one
> particular
> room near a window but she does not want the computer in that room. So the
> wre54G is in that room and seemingly sending wi-fi to the computer room
> better
> than the computer could pick up these signals in that room. That seems to
> work
> but she can't connect to any of these nearby networks. The city is
> supposed to
> have wi-fi in her neighborhood soon. I'm wondering if she should keep the
> wre54G
> because it does seem to push the wi-fi signal to this inner room. She
> believes
> this because WinXP is showing a strong signal. (4 bars)
> Is that a good application for this device?
> By the way... She was unable to install the CDROM software for the device
> because it would not play in her DVD/CD drive. Music CDs play but with the
> Linksys disk in the tray the computer sees no disk.
>
>

DanR wrote:
> Exactly what is the Linksys wre54G range extender? Is it a repeater? Does it
> rebroadcast everything it sees?<snip>

Dan,
The WRE54G is an access-point repeater. In order to sucessfully
configure the WRE54 you need to have some control over the wifi network
that you are trying to extend.
The device will only work with one wifi network and require all
authetication and encyption to be turned off (WEP/WPA) on the access
point that you are trying to connect it to.
There are lots of options you have to either piggyback on an open
network or connect to the municpal network using a bridge and high-gain
antenna, but those sorts of configurations are not 'user friendly' from
a install/configure stand point.

Good luck.

-Rob