Nyko Wireless Net Extender - Wireless bridge - Ethernet, HomeRF Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted to connect my Xbox to the internet. The problem however, was that it was in a different room than my PC, and I didn't have the money to start a wireless network. So, I was very excited to see this product come out! But it seemed to good to be true... There must be a catch, right? Wrong!
I got it, and am very pleased with it. All I did was plug it in, and then I had instant internet access. I've had no trouble at all so far. The speed may not be the fastest available, but it's fast enough for me. There's almost no lag in games, and downloads usually don't take too long either. This is truly a great piece of hardware, and I would easily recommend it to anyone who wants to connect a device with ethernet ports, without wires, and without spending $100's. I must applaud Nyko.

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The online gaming revolution is here with the Wireless Net Extender. Connect your PlayStation 2, Xbox or PC to the Internet without wires for real-time online game play without complicated cables or software installation. You don't even have to change your settings. Two small, sleek cubes connect your existing DSL or cable modem to your game console without running wires through your house, upstairs/downstairs, or through walls, even if the Internet connection is 100 feet away from your PlayStation 2 or Xbox. Your connection will be secure and without interference thanks to RF technology. The Wireless Net Extender is also compatible with all routers, which have built-in Ethernet ports. Enjoy lag-free, online gaming, whether you're playing your friend next door or across the globe.The package includes: one Wireless Net Extender pair (Base and Remote), two Ethernet cables, and two power adaptors.

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Belkin F5D7132 Wireless-G Universal Range Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)I have shared the same experience as the most helpful reviews here: this is a pain to install when you want to configure this Extender to be secure (so strangers can't mooch off of your internet or worse). On the other hand, once you have it set up, it works like a charm.
It's possible, but prepare to burn an hour or three. I would like to add some instructional steps, which are a variation of the very helpful ones already present here on Amazon.
Dummies Guide on How to set up the Extender with security turned on:
1. Completely ignore the instruction sheet that comes with the product. At first, I tried following it stubbornly despite reading these Amazon reviews, and I found that it is an embarrassment. Shame on you Belkin, for giving us so much unnecessary grief.
2. Find a computer in your home to use for this setup. Any computer (that isn't Vista) will do.
3. If this computer happens to be plugged into your router (I'm not talking about not the Extender), unplug it from the router. If this computer happens to have a wireless connection, disable the wireless connection.
4. Plug in the power cord for the Extender into the wall, then connect an ethernet cord (looks like a fat telephone cord) into the back of the Extender, then stick the other end into your computer. The "LAN" light will now light up. Just in case you're concerned, you can ignore the red "search" light that may blink.
5. Install the "Belkin Range Extender Utility" onto this computer. The installation CD will place a program in your Start->Programs menu once you run the install.
6. Go to start->settings->network connections. At this point the only enabled network connection should be Local Area Network (or Local Connection... the name may differ slightly for you). If anything else is enabled, disable it. Right click Local Area Network and select Properties. You're now looking for a new window to pop up that lists a bunch of internet-sounding words like Network or QoS. Look for the item called Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Double click that.
7. Select manual IP, and enter 192.168.2.100
8. The subnet mask will get filled out automatically. Ignore the gateway. Hit OK, you're finished.
9. Start up the Belkin utility, and hit "refresh" if nothing shows up on the list of detected Extenders. If you're lucky, you will see the Extender show up, and you can now click "Web Management".
10. If no items show up on the Belkin Utility's list, or an item does show up but the "web management" icon is unclickable, then repeat steps 6-9 but enter the IP address 192.168.1.100 instead. Then the Extender should show up.
11. Finally, once you are able to click "Web Management", it will bring you to a webpage that is very much like a Router setup page. The details of what you need to do here can be found in instructional docs on the web elsewhere. The basic idea is that you want to copy pretty much everything over to be identical to what your router settings are. The only exception is possibly the SSID of the Belkin Extender. Depending on your preference, you may want to choose a different name for it just so you can confirm that its really working later on.
12. Save those settings (there's a systems tab at the bottom of the web management panel that allows you to save the settings into a file as a backup).
13. Unplug the Extender from the computer, unplug the power for the Extender, and move the extender to wherever you want. Plug the power back in.
14. Go back to steps 6-9. Remove the manual IP configuration for your Local Area Connection, and revert the panels back to the way they were (which is probably "automatically obtain ip address"). Hit OK. Enable all your network connections if you disabled them in step 6.
15. You should now be able to use your wireless connection to see the Extender under its fresh new SSID. Enjoy.
A version of the above for those that are network-saavy:
1. Disconnect all wireless from your computer, then connect your computer directly to the Extender as if it were a router. Power up the Extender.
2. Manually specify your computer's IP address to be 192.168.2.xxx with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Yes, I know this step is weird. I'll explain the reason for it in step#4.
3. Install the Belkin Network utility. Its a simple executable. Start it up. It's purpose is to scan for the Extender, provided that your Extender is directly wired to your computer (which we did in step 1).
4. You should see your Extender show up in the utility. If the Extender does not show up or the "Web Management" button is greyed out, this is because your computer and the Belkin Extender are on different subnets. The Belkin Extender is usually shipped from the warehouse hardwired to the IP Address 192.168.2.254. What??? When you plug your computer into the Extender, you need to hardwire your computer to be on the same subnet so the stupid utility will work. Hence, since the factory setting for the Extender is 192.168.2.254, hardwiring your computer's IP to 192.168.2.100 will get the utility to connect to the Extender. However, if for some awful reason your Extender is hardwired to some other IP Address (which is configurable once you get to step#5), you need to change your computer's IP Address to have a value that matches the Extender's new subnet. In other words, if the Extender IP somehow changes to 192.168.5.254, you should change your computer IP address to 192.168.5.100
5. Once you click "Web Management" you can configure the Extender via a browser window. Replicate your router's settings here (they all need to match the original router's, with the exception of the Extender's SSID).
6. Hit Save, then unplug the Extender's power cord and ethernet, and then move it to wherever you would like. Power it up again.
7. Remove your computer's manual IP address. You're now officially done.
*As a note, I had occasional connection problems when I had my Belkin router & extender encryption set to WPA-PSK. I just switched my encryption to WEP and now it is fine. Not everyone has this problem.
Up this review, if you found it useful. I want to see other people spared from the excessive pain the rest of us have already experienced!

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SHARES DATA & PERIPHERALS AS WELL AS A SINGLE INTERNET ACCOUNT AMONG ALL COMPUTERS CONNECTS TO THE NETWORK SWITCH & JOINS WIRELESS-EQUIPPED PCS TO A WIRED ACCESS POINT NETWORK INCREASES THE COVERAGE OF EXISTING WIRELESS NETWORK OF UP TO 1500 FT STANDARD 802.11G54 MB RAMLIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY

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Hawking Hi-Gain USB Wireless-300N Access Point/Bridge (White) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the 4th one of these I am using on my network in Afghanistan. The only thing I have to say is if you are going to set up a wireless link using these, Hawkings says to set one up as an access point and the other as a bridge. When I did this I was getting 90-100% packet loss. I ended up setting them both for AD-Hoc so they would see only the other side. Once I did this I was able to get a 0 packet loss.
I would have given it 5 stars is the setup Hawkings showed worked, instead I had to fiddle around and eventually stumbled on the adhoc and got it working.

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Hawking Technology's HWABN1 puts two solutions into one compact unit, saving you time and money. The includedSoftware Setup Wizard lets you change the function of your HWABN1 whenever you wish to adapt to your specific application and changing network environment. In the Wireless Access Point Mode, the HWABN1 allows for any existing wired network to go wireless. Simply attach the Wireless Access Point using the included Ethernet cable to an open port in your router or switch and enjoy highspeed wireless networking. You can also use the Access Point to cover "dead spots" in your existing wireless network by placing the unit in a room that is lacking wireless coverage.The Wireless Ethernet Bridge Mode enables any wired Ethernet-ready device to connect to your existing wireless network using the HWABN1. Connect your PC, notebook, printer, network camera, or even an entire wired network to the HWABN1 and establish a wireless connection to your wireless network. Whether in the home or in the office, you can wirelessly connect your networks without having to run long cables across the floor. The possibilities are endless and "driver-free" installation is simple. Package Contents: One Hi-GainTM Wireless-300N, Access Point/Bridge, One Power Adapter, One CD, includes PC Setup Wizard and Users Manual, One RJ-45 Ethernet Cable, Easy to follow Quick Installation Guide. System Requirements: Pentium compatible PC or above w/ CD-ROM, 802.11b or 802.11g or 802.11n Wireless Network.

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NETGEAR WGXB102NA Wireless G Router Wall Pg Review

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(More customer reviews)I use a wireless router in the house with great success. However, the range is pretty weak or my house is too big, and I am pretty sure it's not the latter. As a result, I researched a variety of solutions, none of which seemed too appealing to implement (bridges, wireless range extenders, new RF antenna, etc). It just all seemed too complicated, and I consider myself pretty tech savvy.
Fortunately, I was reading through some tech reviews and stumbled upon the Netgear Wireless wall-plugged router kit. It seemed like it was pretty simple to setup and easy to use. Well, I can report that it is exactly that.
There is no software to install at all. You simply plug in the ethernet cable from the cable modem in one room into the Netgear plug and then plug that into the wall. Check that all three green lights are lit and you are good to go.
The next step is to take the second half of the Netgear plug into the desired room in the house and plug it into an electric socket. When its three lights are lit, you have a connection and are good to go in there. My laptop computer picked up wireless signal immediately and I was surfing the web in no time flat. Basically, it was flawless.
So, WHY am I am only giving it four stars? Two reasons:
First, the wireless range of the Netgear plug is pretty weak. It definitely doesn't have the power of my main wireless modem. Then again, it doesn't have an antenna AND it still works, so it's no big deal; it's just not perfect.
Second, the Netgear plugs need to be plugged in somewhat near each other to function correctly and get the Homelink green light to turn green. When the Netgear plugs were plugged in on opposite ends of the house (what I was hoping for to maximize range), it did not achieve a homelink connection. However, when I moved the plugs to outlets that were closer together (but still outside my wireless routers range), it DID work. So, partial credit again here. While I cna't explain why it did not work, perhaps the electrical homelink signal degrades the farther the outlets are apart.
Anyway, everything is working pretty smoothly now and I am excited that I can get a signal in another area of the house that was not covered by internet previously.

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The NETGEAR WGXB102 Powerline Wireless Range Extender includes everything you need to provide wireless access to an existing network using only power outlets. You can now extend an internet connection to even the farthest reaches of your home without a tangled mess of cables.
Elegant Design and Simple to Install The WGXB102 is a kit that comes with two devices, the Wireless Range Extender (WGX102) and the Powerline Network Bridge (XE102).
The WGX102 is a small silver-colored box with rounded edges that has no wires or ports of any sort. Installation is truly plug and play: simply plug the device into the outlet and you have a wireless network originating from that spot.
The XE102 is a similarly shaped box that connects from an existing wired or wireless router to the power line. It then sends a network connection between connected NETGEAR Powerline devices. In addition to the included WGX102, other compatible devices include NETGEAR's XE104, XE103, XEPS103, and XE102, all sold separately.
Fast and Secure The WGX102 complies with both the Homeplug 1.0 and 802.11g wireless standards for compatibility with a wide range of devices. Since 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, you don't have to worry about your older devices that might not yet support the newer standard. The WGX102 supports 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption as well as WPA so you can be sure your data is safe from prying eyes. Additionally, it has VPN (IP-Sec and PPTP) passthrough, as well as the option to turn Wireless SSID broadcast on and off.
The NETGEAR WGXB102 Powerline Wireless Range Extender is backed by a 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box WGX102 wireless range extender, XE102 Powerline network bridge, ethernet cable, two setup CDs, installation guide, and warranty/support information card.

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Hawking Hi-Speed 54M Wireless G Router (HWR54G) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this one as a replacement for a wireless D-Link DI-784 router that was glitchy and could not be programmed at all. And this was quite a change! While this router is not too sophisticated in terms of either available wireless security protocols or some other features, it has everything one needs to create a home network, and more.
Namely, compared to similar wireless routers from better known brands (DLink, NetGear, Linksys) this one:
1. Is PROGRAMMABLE. That is, it does not stop working or deos not develop glitshes when you change modes and parameters. (Many others present you with a whole spectrum of glitches when you start changing default settings.)
2. Supports any Internet connections, not only cable/DLS. You CAN use it with a leased line, you CAN connect it to another router with a static address, etc.
3. You CAN assign it a static IP address, and it works. (MOST others don't.)
4. It does support opening additional ports for your special applications (such as IP telephony - see below), and it works. (Many others don't do it properly.)
5. You can switch the DHCP feature off, and the router still works. (Many others don't.)
6. VPN pass-through works, and one can really connect to your work networks from home without glitches.
SUMMARY: I have successfully set the router up so that it currently supports 3 wired computers, 1 wireless, and a Vonage IP phone router. I couldn't do it with other routers from manufacturers mentioned above, because all of them were glitchy and actually could not work with static IP addresses and/or other routers and/or DHCP off, etc.
All wireless features work fine, and the speed/range are acceptable. One can use a long WEP key (26 Hexadecimal characters), and communication is fast and stable.
For those who are interested in configuring IP telephony: Vonage offers great phone plans, but it currently sends you a regular Linksys router of of its own with 3 RJ45 ports and 2 phone ports. So IF you have more than 3 computers and/or computers using wireless, you need to set up TWO routers to work together. And I succeeded in doing this with the Hawking one. Namely, I have connected the Hawking HWR54G to the cable modem, and it is the "primary" router with DHCP enabled. All 3 wired computers are connected to it as well as the wireless laptop.
The "secondary" Vonage router is connected to the primary one using a STATIC IP address (outside of the range used by DHCP). That way you can guarantee that it will always have the same address irrespective of the number of reboots. This configuration makes it possible to MAKE calls, but not receive them, because the system (primary router) doesn't know where to send incoming call data packets, and also blocks some of the ports by default (firewall function).
So I opened the IP telephony ports on the Hawking router and set up re-routing of these data packets to the Vonage Linksys router at its static IP address. Also, I had to open port ranges used by Vonage by adding these to the list of custom applications. Ports to be opened on the router/firewall:
69-69 (Vonage 1)
5060-5063 (Vonage 2)
10000-20000 (Vonage 3)
All three apps should be checked.
That way the phone works both ways, i.e. you can receive calls as well!
On the negative side, the only thing that I noticed was as follows: from time to time (once a day if you work intensively for the whole day) the router can "hang", and wireless networking stops working. As soon as you unplug it and then plug it in again, it reboots, and everything works fine. Nothing else is needed (no computer reboots). Generally speaking, this is quite a good result compared to some other models, and I can live with it. Recommended.


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Hawking Technologies HWUN1 Wireless NUSB Network Adapter extends your wireless network 4 times and boosts your data throughput 12 times!It is capable of transferring data at up to 300Mbps.

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Cisco-Linksys Certified Refurbished Wireless-G Access Point Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought 2 of these access points. One of them worked fine and is still working 1 month later. The other one did not work at all. Amazon was very efficient at returning the item paying the postage and quickly crediting my account upon receipt.

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Linksys WAP54G Access Point With the Linksys WAP54G Access Point, add wireless capability to your wired network and enjoy the convenience that comes when you eliminate cables. Add wireless devices to your network using the Linksys WAP54G Access Point. The Linksys WAP54G Access Point makes it easy to grow your network by adding computers, printers and other wireless devices, without stringing cables. With less wiring, you’ll do much more.

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Hawking RP-SMA TO RJ-SMA ( HAC7SS ) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a tough, thin (~3.5 mm) all white extension cable to move your router or PCI card SMA thread ['g' or 'a'] wireless antenna up to 2.13m (6 foot) away from your PC or router. Being white it is very unobtrusive. I use it with the tall chubby DWL 50AT SMA antenna (Hawking etc. make similar) that is a direct replacement for the tiddly SMA one that comes with D-Link, and other, routers and PCI cards. This cable has a standard SMA (one male/one female) fitting, so it easily fits in between the antenna socket and antenna. All fittings are gold plated.
Using a simple signal strength meter I found the strongest nearby signal location to the PC. To do this you need something like the Kensington 'WIFI Finder Plus' that has a 6 LED strength meter. Using this Hawking antenna extension cable I have now put the wireless antenna 4ft above the PC monitor where the signal is very strong at 4 LEDs (dropping to 2 LEDs occasionally) compared to zero to 1 LEDS at the back of the PC. I now have a 54 Mbps (full strength/fastest speed) wireless network all the time with few drop-outs. So if your wireless network isn't running at full speed or frequently drops out, try some high gain antennas, a WIFI strength meter and one or two of these Hawking extension cables. It's a lot cheaper and easier than re-investing in new MIMO or Pre-N hardware.
I bought my Hawking extension lead from an Amazon reseller and it arrived promptly. D-link make a similar SMA extension lead to this and it is available on Amazon, but was a bit more expensive. This one worked very well for me though, is well made, and was very good buy as it was going cheap.

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Hawking - HAC7SS - 7ft RP-SMA to RJ-SMA Extension Cable

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