Wireless Access Point decision

[navychop]

I installed a TRENDnet 300 Mbps Wireless Easy-N-Upgrader (TEW-637AP) (link) at my MiL's residence a few months ago. Easy. Worked fine. For a couple of weeks, then she lost connection. I returned, reestablished her connection (have no idea how it "broke") and all was well. For a couple of weeks.

The connection is to a Comcast cable modem which is used for both TV services and Internet. I plug it in to an RJ-45, another RJ-45 goes to a PC, and she is trying to use a laptop no more than 40 feet away thru one wall, or 50 feet thru an external wall also. No gaming and currently little video (that may grow). Mostly used for email and surfing to art sites for the classes she's taking.

It is about a 90 minute drive there, one way, and matching our schedules for me to get there is, uh, "challenging." I don't want to fool with this anymore, I'll just write it off as 2.4 GHz problems or who knows. I'd like to move to a 5 GHz and am willing to spend more money on it, but preferably no more than $160 and certainly no more than $200 (unless there is a fantastic reason). B/G/N.

I don't need a wireless bridge (the cable modem is not wireless), I don't need a router (I'd just have to defeat DHCP in it), I just need the access point. Really simple, really short range. But I find dropouts and "permanently" dropped connections seem to be common. Even for Apple. I need something simple, reliable and idiot proof. It's simply got to keep working without any help from me or action from her beyond pressing a button or unplug/replug.

I have a Belkin N1 Vision F5D8232-4 ver 2000 router, removed from service due to poor performance. I was thinking of trying it with SHCP defeated, but lost the CD. I contacted Belkin, who says software is no longer available. Well, it didn't perform well anyway. I could IP it, though. Not sure it's worth it.

I've just started looking, and have come across Cisco-Linksys WAP54G Wireless-G Access Point; Linksys WES610N 4-Port Dual-Band N Entertainment Bridge; ZyXEL 300 Mbps Wireless N Access Point, Ethernet Client, Universal, Repeater, and Range Extender (WAP3205); INTELLINET 524735 WIRELESS 300N POE ACCESS POINT. At this point, I decided to stop and get current opinions. If possible, I'd like to get it by this weekend for installation. Amazon, other well known online stores or Microcenter are at the top of my preferred sources.

I'm asking for recommendations and experiences. Thank you.

 

[Voyager6]

This may not be exactly what you want but I've had great results with the Linksys E3000 and Asus RT-N16 routers. Both can be flashed with DD-WRT or Tomato and have been working flawlessly. The E3000 has been in operation for 6 months now and the Rt-N16 for a year. I am using the RT-N16 as a wireless repeater but was my primary router before the E3000.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Remember 5ghz only works if the network adapter in the computer accepts it, my toshiba oud not see 5ghz n when I first switched.

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[navychop]

OUCH! I forgot about that. Sigh. I'll have to get her exact model number, but it's a few years old and probably won't see 5.

Maybe I ought to just play with that Belkin first.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

OUCH! I forgot about that. Sigh. I'll have to get her exact model number, but it's a few years old and probably won't see 5.

Maybe I ought to just play with that Belkin first.

Yeah, the Toshiba I had was bought in 2009 or 2010 and it could only see 2.4Ghz. I was annoyed. But now that I am on Mac, its not a problem.

The other thing if there is a 2.4Ghz problem is that the solution might just be a question of finding a channel that isn't interfering. My microwave would drown out and kill wi-fi all the time, as it operated on a frequency that significantly over-lapped the Wifi. I was able to find a channel that worked however after a lot of experimentation.

 

[navychop]

Well, I burned the butter, bowed to the east, prayed to the west, and spent way too much time on that Belkin N1 router. It appears to be, shall we say, "Toes Up." I finally connected it directly to the modem and it can't see the Internet. Routersetup, 192.168.2.1 and 192.168.1.1 don't work. And the customer service response was less than serviceable. I can see why they are trying to act as if they never produced this dog.

I'll mess with the TrendNet if I can't come across a better (non-router) wireless access point. I'm really inclined toward a pure wireless access point, and not a partially disabled router. I only messed with the Belkin because I already had it. Her laptop is strictly 2.4 GHz. As for channel - do you think specifying a channel will be better than "auto?" Maybe I'll visit MicroCenter.

I was surprised at the negative posts with the amazing dot com folks about the Apple Airport Express and some other Apple products. The new Extremes are just too expensive for this application. And noisy, apparently. This access point will go in their bedroom, where it must be absolutely soundless (FiL has Alzheimer's).

I have another week to sort this out, as she cancelled the visit scheduled for today.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Well, I burned the butter, bowed to the east, prayed to the west, and spent way too much time on that Belkin N1 router. It appears to be, shall we say, "Toes Up." I finally connected it directly to the modem and it can't see the Internet. Routersetup, 192.168.2.1 and 192.168.1.1 don't work. And the customer service response was less than serviceable. I can see why they are trying to act as if they never produced this dog.

I'll mess with the TrendNet if I can't come across a better (non-router) wireless access point. I'm really inclined toward a pure wireless access point, and not a partially disabled router. I only messed with the Belkin because I already had it. Her laptop is strictly 2.4 GHz. As for channel - do you think specifying a channel will be better than "auto?" Maybe I'll visit MicroCenter.

I was surprised at the negative posts with the amazing dot com folks about the Apple Airport Express and some other Apple products. The new Extremes are just too expensive for this application. And noisy, apparently. This access point will go in their bedroom, where it must be absolutely soundless (FiL has Alzheimer's).

I have another week to sort this out, as she cancelled the visit scheduled for today.

One of my Airport Extremes is in the living room, and it does NOT make a peep. quiet as can be. But yeah, expensive. The Airport express doesn't make noise either, but gets hot.

Until I got the AE, I was blown away by how crappy all the 80211N routers were. Drop-offs, poor distance, just not at all what I expected. I struggled for a year or so before I finally made that switch to the Extreme.

 

[isaacmorseMI]

My Airport Extreme does not make ANY ?noise at all.

 

[navychop]

Hmmm. I wonder if those posts about noise are outdated- but they're dated December 2011. Between his dementia, and hearing aids picking up static, I must be very careful. Getting an Apple Extreme seems to be using a Cadillac to tow a dung wagon. $175 to connect a single old Windows laptop wirelessly. Maybe two laptops, if I'm there and surfing. Plus, it's a wonderful N - and she'll be on G. But rather than keep throwing money on cheaper, non-working solutions, I may have to break down.

I could save a whole lotta bucks if I went with the old model Apple Extreme, but they're only available used. Don't want to go there.

New idea: I will contact her about what the brand and model of her cable modem is. Maybe I'd just be ahead to replace it with a wireless cable modem. There is some odd configuration at the "facility" for in-house channels and other data, but I suspect that's not resident in the modems. However, I'm reading that Comcast wants you to buy only from an authorized retailer (Best Buy seems to be the only one). If you can get around that, you might still have trouble getting them to activate it.

Sigh. If I can't get the TrendNet working reliably, maybe I ought to just rent a wireless one from Comcast, if available in that area (recently "brought in" to the Comcast camp, lotta old equipment, not all regular Comcast channels available). Cost per month seems to be about one Joey.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Hmmm. I wonder if those posts about noise are outdated- but they're dated December 2011. Between his dementia, and hearing aids picking up static, I must be very careful. Getting an Apple Extreme seems to be using a Cadillac to tow a dung wagon. $175 to connect a single old Windows laptop wirelessly. Maybe two laptops, if I'm there and surfing. Plus, it's a wonderful N - and she'll be on G. But rather than keep throwing money on cheaper, non-working solutions, I may have to break down.

I could save a whole lotta bucks if I went with the old model Apple Extreme, but they're only available used. Don't want to go there.

New idea: I will contact her about what the brand and model of her cable modem is. Maybe I'd just be ahead to replace it with a wireless cable modem. There is some odd configuration at the "facility" for in-house channels and other data, but I suspect that's not resident in the modems. However, I'm reading that Comcast wants you to buy only from an authorized retailer (Best Buy seems to be the only one). If you can get around that, you might still have trouble getting them to activate it.

Sigh. If I can't get the TrendNet working reliably, maybe I ought to just rent a wireless one from Comcast, if available in that area (recently "brought in" to the Comcast camp, lotta old equipment, not all regular Comcast channels available). Cost per month seems to be about one Joey.

I agree it's a lot of money. Just get another router, or try to exchange the one they have. I had no problems with mine except for strength of connection in terms of bandwidth.

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[TheForce]

The other thing if there is a 2.4Ghz problem is that the solution might just be a question of finding a channel that isn't interfering. My microwave would drown out and kill wi-fi all the time, as it operated on a frequency that significantly over-lapped the Wifi.

A microwave oven is supposed to not radiate any RFI. If your's does the door seal is likely defective and leaking. Few people realize that a microwave oven door seal is a maintenance item. While you observe this problem with your wifi it could also be a cause for unknown long term health risks such as radiation poisoning but this is obviously not more of a risk than one using a cell phone as this is intermittent. The difference between a router signal and a cell phone is power. The oven's main concentration of power should be in the over; if the leak is very bad the RF leakage power could be 500 to 800 times as intense as the cell phone transmitter power. Dangers could be long term health risk of radiation poisoning to acute and immediate cardiac arrest due to a person with a pacemaker on dependent service. I have a high end microwave here and use a radiation monitor and it has zero leakage. We also have no disruption of the wifi when it is on even set to high power mode. You would not sprinkle a little lead oxide in your family's food every time you operate the microwave ( also a silent killer) so why would you operate a leaking microwave? Answer- you didn't know! Now you do. Get it serviced if you suspect an RF leak. The formula for: radiation danger = frequency x power x exposure time

 

[rockymtnhigh]

A microwave oven is supposed to not radiate any RFI. If your's does the door seal is likely defective and leaking. Few people realize that a microwave oven door seal is a maintenance item. While you observe this problem with your wifi it could also be a cause for unknown long term health risks such as radiation poisoning but this is obviously not more of a risk than one using a cell phone as this is intermittent. The difference between a router signal and a cell phone is power. The oven's main concentration of power should be in the over; if the leak is very bad the RF leakage power could be 500 to 800 times as intense as the cell phone transmitter power. Dangers could be long term health risk of radiation poisoning to acute and immediate cardiac arrest due to a person with a pacemaker on dependent service. I have a high end microwave here and use a radiation monitor and it has zero leakage. We also have no disruption of the wifi when it is on even set to high power mode. You would not sprinkle a little lead oxide in your family's food every time you operate the microwave ( also a silent killer) so why would you operate a leaking microwave? Answer- you didn't know! Now you do. Get it serviced if you suspect an RF leak. The formula for: radiation danger = frequency x power x exposure time

Thank you. Had not thought about that. Will get it checked out. THere definitely is 2.4GHz RF interference. Its a Wi-Fi killer on six or seven channels.

 

[navychop]

And I thought I was the only one with a microwave leakage detector.

 

[navychop]

.
I'm infected.

I determined that my MiL's wireless access point was fine, there was just a keyboard chair interlink error. But then [strike]my wife told me to [/strike]I decided I needed to extend the wireless signal more strongly into the back yard, the better to use the iPad with. So I continued to look around for a wireless access point.

I gave up, and bought the Apple Airport Extreme. The only other one that came close, after WAY too much research, is the ASUS N66U, which actually costs MORE than the Apple and only seems to be about a month into stable firmware. This will make 3 Apple products in the house. I'm doomed.

On the other hand, the beverage is sweet and tasty and they passed it around for free!

 

[StevenD]

Airport Extremes are only $99 at best buy right now.

 

[navychop]

Airport Extremes are only $99 at best buy right now.

 

[Ilya]

.
I'm infected.

I determined that my MiL's wireless access point was fine, there was just a keyboard chair interlink error. But then [strike]my wife told me to [/strike]I decided I needed to extend the wireless signal more strongly into the back yard, the better to use the iPad with. So I continued to look around for a wireless access point.

I gave up, and bought the Apple Airport Extreme. The only other one that came close, after WAY too much research, is the ASUS N66U, which actually costs MORE than the Apple and only seems to be about a month into stable firmware. This will make 3 Apple products in the house. I'm doomed.

On the other hand, the beverage is sweet and tasty and they passed it around for free!

Resistance is futile!

 

[rockymtnhigh]

That is for refurbs, not new ones.

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[rockymtnhigh]

.
I'm infected.

I determined that my MiL's wireless access point was fine, there was just a keyboard chair interlink error. But then my wife told me to I decided I needed to extend the wireless signal more strongly into the back yard, the better to use the iPad with. So I continued to look around for a wireless access point.

I gave up, and bought the Apple Airport Extreme. The only other one that came close, after WAY too much research, is the ASUS N66U, which actually costs MORE than the Apple and only seems to be about a month into stable firmware. This will make 3 Apple products in the house. I'm doomed.

On the other hand, the beverage is sweet and tasty and they passed it around for free!

It's a solid router. Apple pricing sure, but blows away the similar priced Cisco one.

Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[navychop]

I'm counting on the concurrent dual band feature. Still need to support some 2.4GHz laptops, such as the one my MiL uses.