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jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 12:12 AM

So......

I have my cable modem hooked into my d-link 614+, then directly to my powerbook. All is well.

However... my girlfriend cant get airport reception on her powerbook in her studio about 50 feet away. (our apartment is a maze of victorian walls).

I think the answer to my question is yes, but I'm still looking for a something ridiculously obvious that I missed but am sure a kind 'nn would point out.

can I buy ,an after rebate, free 2nd wireless router and configure it as access point only and fix my problem? Or must I buy an actual access point or range extender?

As always, thanks for the help.

-j

ghporter · Jun 10, 2005, 06:45 AM

What model of PowerBook does your girlfriend have, and (more importantly) what are the walls we're talking about made of? It could be possible that a simple change in the position or orientation of the D-Link router would improve the possibility of her getting a signal, but if I understand your post correctly, and she's getting zero signal now, that's unlikely.

It seems like you're asking "can I make a D-Link 614+ act as a wireless bridge." As far as I can tell from D-Link's site, the answer is no. They do have a couple of wireless bridge models (the DWL-G810 and the DGL-4300), but it doesn't look like the 614+ is capable of simple bridging.

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

What model of PowerBook does your girlfriend have, and (more importantly) what are the walls we're talking about made of? It could be possible that a simple change in the position or orientation of the D-Link router would improve the possibility of her getting a signal, but if I understand your post correctly, and she's getting zero signal now, that's unlikely.

It seems like you're asking "can I make a D-Link 614+ act as a wireless bridge." As far as I can tell from D-Link's site, the answer is no. They do have a couple of wireless bridge models (the DWL-G810 and the DGL-4300), but it doesn't look like the 614+ is capable of simple bridging.

she has a 12" i think it's 1.25....the walls are a very thick horse hair plaster and I'd bet there is a coat or 2 of lead paint somewhere under there. I can watch the signal drop on my powerbook as I walk away as well.

I'll try repositioning the d-link today.

I dont think I want / need a bridge, I just want an additional access point. I would connect to my connect it directly to my current router, but place it in another room.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 11:04 AM

You could try a directional antenna:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1083711426397

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by John Strung

You could try a directional antenna:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1083711426397

i bought that exact one last night, and it did nothing for me. I guess you cant expect much from something with a 5' cord.

that why I thought the router plus access point thing might work.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 12:32 PM

You could get a second router and use it as an access point if you connect the two routers using an ethernet cable. The connection would go from router A to one of the LAN ports of router B (not the WAN port). You would have to disable the DHCP server on Router B and also change its LAN IP address so it is different from the LAN IP address of Router A. Set the IP of router B to a number 1 higher than router A.

The result will be that router B then operates as a wireless bridge rather than a router.

Also to avoid interference, use the same SSID on both routers, but use different channels that do not overlap. I would suggest channel 1 for one router and channel 11 for the other. (Channels 1, 6 and 11 do not overlap each other. Any other channel do.)

f1000 · Jun 10, 2005, 01:00 PM

The DI-624 has a setting to adjust RF power.

I know that some people are building highly directional antennas out of Pringles tubes and what not. Try Googling for Wi-Fi antennas on the web.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 01:33 PM

The DLink also has as setting for "external antenna". I wonder if Jersey tried that setting when he tried the directional antenna.

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by John Strung

The DLink also has as setting for "external antenna". I wonder if Jersey tried that setting when he tried the directional antenna.

I looked and I dont see the setting for it. Is that listed for the 614, and I'm just missing it?

-j

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by John Strung

You could get a second router and use it as an access point if you connect the two routers using an ethernet cable. The connection would go from router A to one of the LAN ports of router B (not the WAN port). You would have to disable the DHCP server on Router B and also change its LAN IP address so it is different from the LAN IP address of Router A. Set the IP of router B to a number 1 higher than router A.

The result will be that router B then operates as a wireless bridge rather than a router.

Also to avoid interference, use the same SSID on both routers, but use different channels that do not overlap. I would suggest channel 1 for one router and channel 11 for the other. (Channels 1, 6 and 11 do not overlap each other. Any other channel do.)

I do have an additional netgear wireless router, but it seems to be a pos. No matter what I try, I cant get it to stop broadcasting my ssid. But I think since its a new day......I'll try it again.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 01:44 PM

My recollection is the external antenna setting iis under Advanced:Performance.

If you can't find it, let me know and I will plug in a 614 we have lying around and have a look.

f1000 · Jun 10, 2005, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by jersey

I looked and I dont see the setting for it. Is that listed for the 614, and I'm just missing it?

-j

Do you have the latest firmware?

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 01:51 PM

I do have a transmit power setting, which is at 100% or 17dBm, and I do have 4X mode enabled. But I dont see anything about external antenna

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 02:03 PM

I checked the DLink we have here at the office, which has firmware 3.2 and it does not have the box for external antenna. I am pretty sure that the one I have at home does have that option. Maybe the home Dlink has newer firmware. There is newer firmware available here:

http://support.dlink.com/products/vi...D614%2B%5FrevB

Also, there are apparently two different versions of the 614+. The older rev A has two antennae and the newer Rev B (mine) has only one.

The setting to turn off DHCP is found at Home: DHCP.

You can then verify that DHCP is off by going to the Status tab.

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by John Strung

I checked the DLink we have here at the office, which has firmware 3.2 and it does not have the box for external antenna. I am pretty sure that the one I have at home does have that option. Maybe the home Dlink has newer firmware. There is newer firmware available here:

http://support.dlink.com/products/vi...D614%2B%5FrevB

Also, there are apparently two different versions of the 614+. The older rev A has two antennae and the newer Rev B (mine) has only one.

The setting to turn off DHCP is found at Home: DHCP.

You can then verify that DHCP is off by going to the Status tab.

I have a rev b.

Since it is the router plugged into the moden, should DHCP be left on, and then turned off on anything attached? At least this is my understanding of it.

I'll check the firmware.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 02:11 PM

DHCP has to be on, but only on one of the two routers. You can't have two DHCP servers on the same LAN>

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 02:11 PM

I am heading home now, so I will be out of the loop until late afternoon.

f1000 · Jun 10, 2005, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by jersey

I do have a transmit power setting, which is at 100% or 17dBm, and I do have 4X mode enabled.

Try disabling 4x mode. That's only for D-link's proprietary wi-fi solutions and it may be degrading your lady's AirPort performance.

jersey · Jun 10, 2005, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by John Strung

The connection would go from router A to one of the LAN ports of router B (not the WAN port). ... also change its LAN IP address so it is different from the LAN IP address of Router A. Set the IP of router B to a number 1 higher than router A.

So I finally got it set up and running using my additional netgear router. hooked it up to my d-link via ethernet. The hooking into lan, not wan and the change of ip address helped sort it out. However I went to 99 instead of 2 for the ip.

Everything seems to work great now.

Thank you all for your help.

-jersey.

John Strung · Jun 10, 2005, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by jersey

So However I went to 99 instead of 2 for the ip.

Everything seems to work great now.

Thank you all for your help.

-jersey.

Glad to hear it worked out. 99 is okay. As long as you stay out of the range used by the DHCP server.

My home DLink, by the way, has the 3.35 firmware, which does have a setting for Antenna Selection.