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They also have the best tech support in the business if you need assistance in setup. As with all NetGear components, another top notch winner.
This is working well. What I am using now is this WG302 w/ ANT24D18 patch panel as the access point, and the WPN802 as a repeater. I bought this access point to provide wireless coverage to a 2 story colonial house. Even with a Netgear ANT24D18 Ant 18DBI Patch Panel attached, it provided less coverage than what I was using before, a Netgear WPN802 v1.
Even a microwave can cause performance issues. But overall this item is excellent. You must understand a little about radio and interference too. I wonder if you just have network configuration issues.
Three years and running. BTW, I'm not moving to 802.11n till NetGear has stabilized the firmware. Using 802.11g near other 2.4Ghz radios is very tricky. The wg302 is excellent.
Some knowledge is required to configure a WAP within a network. I won't need to run in dual mode because I can leave the wg302 in place to cover the legacy wireless gear. Of, course early on, I had to wait for bug fixes and enhancements via updates to the firmware. I cannot understand the low ratings of others.
Maybe because I didn't use WPA. I was able to easily watch a streaming video from one computer in one building to a computer in the other. The Dlink however has it's own set of issues, big surprise though. Not quite sure why the other reviewers had so many issues. Quality-wise Netgear has always been above DLink and Linksys for me. Both AP's connected at turbo '108 mbps' speed. A Linksys AP I use at work can barely transmit through one wall without dropping signal like crazy.The only other bad thing I can say is that in a very, very quiet room, sometimes you can hear a tiny buzz from the AP.
The only issue I had was one of the power supplies was bad on arrival.These units have removable antennas so you can add larger antennas or even amplifiers.I used one of these AP's with the Netgear ANT24D18 which even though I got a good deal was a slightly expensive option. I also had another AP (DLink) running at the same time and had no interference issues. Oh, also the connection between the two AP's was WEP encrypted 152 bit. The other I used with a much cheaper (live and learn) rooftop antenna that looks more like a microwave antenna. The only issue I had was during severe windstorms that would misalign the antennas which would lower signal quality and strength.
I have no formal training in wireless networks and had no real problems with the access points themselves. We also played LAN video games between buildings with no issues.Because of the remote outdoor locations of one of the AP's (in a waterproof box but still exposed to extreme temperatures and humidity) and a shortage of expensive antenna wire, I ran the power over two of the unused ethernet wires and still had zero issues and rarely lost packets. Total distance between the antennas was probably only 300 feet.Once I aligned the signal of the two antennas, the signal quality was outstanding. I used two of these AP's to bridge two apartment buildings and several apartments connecting a total of somewhere around 16 PC's. I attached the Netgear antenna to the access point on a balcony of the apartment building across the street.
I'm not convinced the external 9db antenna really adds much more range. Users can roam the building and stay connected with no problems. The outdoor units are running in AP/Bridge mode and have been trouble-free. I have six of these installed in my main office and three outdoors to connect several buildings. Be sure you're using the latest firmware which resolves a DHCP error. On the indoor six units I'm running RADIUS authentication on a Windows 2003 network and it works flawlessly. I'm not sure why the other reviews are so negative. I've had to adjust the power output for each unit so they don't over-reach.
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