Repeater for WGT624

Hi!

I'm king of a newbie when it comes to wireless network stuff. I'm
receiving a quite low signal from a Neatgear WGT624 wireless router.
I'd like to increase the power of that signal (I loose the signal
every once in a while). I was thinking of using some kind of a
repeater with a high gain antenna or a directional antenna(there is no
way to place the repeater at mid-distance). I purchased a Linksys
WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander but it didn't worked since the WGT624
router is not WDS compliant. Anybody is aware that such a repeater
exists? Thanks

Here is one

http://www.sohoware.com/support/pdf/data-WLA606.pdf

Robert...

"Louis Dupont" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi!
>
> I'm king of a newbie when it comes to wireless network stuff. I'm
> receiving a quite low signal from a Neatgear WGT624 wireless router.
> I'd like to increase the power of that signal (I loose the signal
> every once in a while). I was thinking of using some kind of a
> repeater with a high gain antenna or a directional antenna(there is no
> way to place the repeater at mid-distance). I purchased a Linksys
> WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander but it didn't worked since the WGT624
> router is not WDS compliant. Anybody is aware that such a repeater
> exists? Thanks

"Louis Dupont" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi!
>
> I'm king of a newbie when it comes to wireless network stuff. I'm
> receiving a quite low signal from a Neatgear WGT624 wireless router.
> I'd like to increase the power of that signal (I loose the signal
> every once in a while). I was thinking of using some kind of a
> repeater with a high gain antenna or a directional antenna(there is no
> way to place the repeater at mid-distance). I purchased a Linksys
> WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander but it didn't worked since the WGT624
> router is not WDS compliant. Anybody is aware that such a repeater
> exists? Thanks

I'm not familiar with Linksys (as I'm using D-Link), but I recently just ran
into a very similiar problem. I've been using a D-Link 802.11a/b router
(DI-764) for the past couple years (works great), but recently went to try
to extend my range. I picked up a D-Link DWL-7100 Access Point (that can
also work in other modes, including "repeater"). I figured I would use the
new DWL-7100 (802.11a/b/g) as a simple repeater and then later perhaps use
it as an access point since it also is capable of 802.11g. (My DI-764 is
802.11a and 802.11b only.) The DWL-7100 also has that "WDS" feature, which
would not work with my DI-764. I was able to get 802.11b (11 MBS) to
repeat, but it would not repeat my DI-764's 802.11a (108 MBS) or 802.11b (22
MBS). The increased bandwidth is by D-Link's proprietary schemes, but they
are also capable of linking with "standard" 802.11a and 802.11b while in
those modes. I'm guessing Linksys probably uses various proprietary schemes
of their own to increase data rates as well.

I thought about taking the DWL-7100AP back (store has a liberal return
policy), but after playing with it started to like it a lot. I ended up
just hooking it up straight up to my router (ethernet) and it worked great
as an access point. I now have D-Link 108 MBS 802.11g available, so got
best of all worlds. I've since picked up another DWL-7100AP, which I'm
using as a repeater to repeat the initial DWL-7100AP that is now being used
as a second access point (router is AP as well). Its works great as a
repeater, repeating an AP that is the exact same piece of hardware. This
definetly wasn't the most "cost effective" way to extend my range, but since
it added 802.11g into the loop figured it was a decent investment. (Looking
at some of those new "wireless internet devices", such as media players and
broadband phones -- which all pretty much seem to be going with 802.11g) :^)

If I had the option of using a higher gain antenna with my router/AP, I
probably would've tried that first. Unfortunetly, the antennas on both my
DI-764 and DWL-7100(s) are hard mounted and can't be replaced. (Well, I'm
sure they could be taken apart and something rigged for it -- but they
weren't manufactured with modular antennas that can be replaced.) Not
having the option to replace the anntennas isn't a shortcoming of D-Link,
but rather a requirement by the FCC since this DI-764 (and DWL-7100s) are,
in addition to 802.11b/g at 2.4 Ghz, putting out 802.11a at 5 Ghz. D-Link's
802.11b/g 2.4 Ghz only stuff has modular antennas that can be swapped out.

Have ya done some googles for antennas? In addition to commercial high-gain
omni and directional antennas, there is a lot of cool "home brew" stuff that
people are doing. I wonder how long it would be before the FCC started
knocking on my door if I put together a cantanna and used it with my 802.11a
:^)

Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, while readings the specs of the
Sohoware access point I noticed:

"Designed with the latest mode options, including WDS, the AP allows
for fast expansion of the wireless LAN by enabling repeater"

I assume that means that the Sohoware can only act as a repeater with a
WDS compliant router witch is not the case of the Neatgear WGT624
router.

Thanks. Unfortunalety, I don't have access to the other router and I
already returned the WDS repeater.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> Thanks. Unfortunalety, I don't have access to the other router and I
> already returned the WDS repeater.

Forgot to mention that I've also since picked up an 802.11b repeater.
(Well, I had actually ordered it while thinking about returning the
DWL-7100AP -- which I not only kept but ended up picking up another one as
well.) Anyway, the 802.11b repeater just recently and I threw it into the
loop as well. Its the D-Link "DWL-800AP+" (AP/Repeater). Its a little guy,
about the size of rubik's cube with simply just two LEDs (Power/Net
Activity) and an antenna sticking out. If you are only wanting to repeat
plain vanilla 802.11b, this could be something worth looking at. There are
no "advanced features" such as WDS, it just simply repeats without any "data
processing". (Garbage in, garbage out.) It can also handle D-Link's
proprietary "Turbo Mode" for 802.11b, but works fine for plain vanilla
802.11b. Not familiar with Linksys, but I'd be surprised if they didn't
have a simple repeater as well. If they do, definetly go with Linksys (main
reason I stick to D-Link is just to ensure compatibility and to take
advantage of their "proprietary features) , but it may be an option. The
retail price ($80 to $100) for the DWL-800AP+ is far too much with most
stores (online and brick), but they can be found for less than $50. I
bought mine off Ebay for $42 and am happy with it...