DWL-G710 Wireless Range Extender
Anyone who relies on wireless networking will be aware that the strength of a wireless signal varies wildly depending on how far you are from the base station and what stands between it and your PCs. If, for example, the walls are particularly thick, or there’s a metal structure, or large piece of furniture between you and the base station, you will see your signal fall to weak or non-existent.
Fortunately, D-Link has recognised this problem and come up with a device that promises to solve the problem. The DWL-G710 Wireless Range Extender is designed to extend the range of a wireless network, providing improved coverage across your home or office.
Easy Setup
The device comes with a default IP address to enable you to connect, and you have to give your PC an IP address in the same range to allow you to set it up. Once you’ve run the setup wizard, you then have to allocate the device an address in the range of your existing network, while reverting your PC to its original settings.
When the device is up and running, it worked very well. It brought new locations within the range of the wireless base station that had previously been no-go areas. It works with a range of wireless networks including 802.11b and g, and supports WPA and WEP encryption.
The Problem
The only problem is that the documentation that comes with the DWL-G710 is confusing and fails to explain the setup procedure properly. While this is a good device that solves a real problem for those using wireless networking at home or work, it is far from easy to use. Even experienced users will have trouble setting it up. The addition of a well written, easy-to-follow manual would make this product far more accessible. It would also transform it from rather an awkward device into a must-have for anyone suffering from a patchy wireless network.
Pros: Extends range of wireless network.
Cons: Poor documentation; confusing setup procedure.
Official Website: www.dlink.com
Hi… I bought this relay station and i have had alot of trouble trying to set it up… and i still havent gotten it to work… if someone could email me at (super_steve9@hotmail.com) and give me better and detailed instructions on how to set up this repeater properly that would be muchly appreciated… thank you
Hi, I’m setting this up right now and have more or less got it up and running. But I haven’t been able to get it to ‘repeat’.
Can you pls give a detailed account of how you set it up so we could learn from your experience?
thanks
‘Fish
I bought this device and had problems getting it configured correctly just like this article says. Everytime I configure it as per the instructions that come with it, my laptop is unable to aquire an IP address from the device. As soon as I unplug the range extender I can get an IP address on my laptop.
It would be great if you would add to this article the steps that need to be taken to get this device working properly.
Thanks
It is best to use Static IP adressing when using a repeater because of DHCP issues with differing manufacturers, I have found Static IP to work when DHCP has failed.
I also just bought the wireless range expander from Linksys and spent six hours yesterday trying to set up this “simple” device. I had to go back and forth betweeen Linksys and my internet service provider because I kept losing my connection to the internet and couldn’t reconfigure the settings needed for a connection. Today I spent another two hours because I no longer have internet, even close to my base.
Now the person who sold it to me says perhaps I should have a technician come into my house! That will cost me about $160. I am furious about the amount of time I’ve spent with this. There is nothing on the outside of the package to indicate there are could be so many commplications.