LINKSYS WAP54G Wireless Access Point: Love Them and Hate Them

By Eric Meyer

I have installed the WAP54G wireless access point since its release and found it a great access point to work with. I have installed the WAP54G wireless access point in small offices, large warehouses, schools and office buildings. Companies like the WAP54 so much because first it’s cheap and second it’s cheap.If you have the money you will always want to purchase enterprise class wireless access points. They are sturdier and have many more power and antenna features that the WPA54G wireless access point.If you don’t have the money and need a wireless network the WAP54g is the most versatile and cheapest access point you can buy on the market. Cheap does come with Quarks and over the years I have noticed many which I will list here.

1. Firmware - Before you start configuring your wireless access points upgrade the firmware first to avoid head aches. WAP54g’s will work 100 times better if you have the correct firmware version installed. Linksys is very good at fixing bugs and if they have a more recent firmware version out you better install it. If you don’t have the most up to date firmware and plan on using WPA2 with AES you will have problems.

2. Power Cycling - A common problem with all Non- Enterprise class access points is that sometimes they need to be restarted or power cycled. The WAP54g is no exception, if your wireless users are experiencing slow connections or they are not associating with the wireless access point then restart it. It is a quark but it does fix many of the WAP54g’s issues.

3. Less is More - Because the WAP54g is a cheap wireless access point companies will purchase a lot of them (often too many) a place them in a small space. Just like all wireless access points placement is the key to having seamless quality wireless coverage in you operations area. If a company says that its wireless network is slow or they are always losing connections they might have too many wireless access points in a small area. Too many WAP54g in a small area will cause chaos, turn them all off and start placing them in better higher positions one at a time, preferably mounted on the wall.

You will need less wireless access points if you use the correct wireless antenna. The WAP54g comes with two di-pole omni-directional antennas that emit a wireless signal in a doughnut pattern. If you place the WAP54 wireless access point near a wall half of your signal is going out the window. Purchase a directional antenna to replace the rubber duck antennas. You will find that you have a better signal quality and your wireless network will be more secure because nobody can sit in the parking lot and pick up your SSID.

4. Bad Access Points - I due recommend the WAP54g wireless access point but I have run into many lemons. If you install a wireless access point and many people are having problems connecting, after you have upgraded the firmware and upgraded their drivers, You could have a lemon wireless access point. As a network admin you don’t have hours and hours of time to screw with one thing, if everyone connects fine to all the WAP54g’s except for one toss it or return it. WPA54g’s are sensitive to power fluctuations and it could have got zapped, always have it plugged into a surge protector.

Like I have said before the WAP54g is a good cheap wireless access point. When your client is strapped for cash and needs a wireless network use a linksys WAP54. Just remember to upgrade you firmware, power cycle if you are experiencing odd problems, less is more and don’t waste your time on a lemon.

If you have a question we have the answer. Come to the most popular wireless technology database on the internet http://www.wirelessninja.com Come see us today!

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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g-ver2 LINKSYS WIRELESS-G ACCESS POINT WAP54G-ver2
US $30.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-g-access-point-2-4-ghz-54-mbps LINKSYS WAP54G WIRELESS G ACCESS POINT 2.4 GHz/54 Mbps
US $26.02 (4 Bids)
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linksys-wap54g-802-11g-wireless-access-point Linksys WAP54G 802.11g Wireless Access Point
US $12.00 (3 Bids)
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new-linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g-802-11g NEW LINKSYS WIRELESS-G ACCESS POINT WAP54G 802.11g
US $20.50 (6 Bids)
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cisco-linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g-v-2! Cisco Linksys Wireless G Access Point WAP54G v.2!
US $19.99 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wap54g-v-2-wireless-access-point Linksys WAP54G V.2 Wireless Access Point
US $20.50 (6 Bids)
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linksys-wap54g-v-2-wireless-g-access-point Linksys WAP54G v.2 Wireless-G Access Point
US $65.00 (0 Bid)
Auction Ends: Wednesday Jan-07-2009 9:45:48 PST
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-access-point-v3 Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point v3
US $20.00 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-w-ses-802-11g-wap54g LINKSYS WIRELESS G ACCESS POINT W/ SES 802.11G #WAP54G
US $6.50 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g Linksys Wireless - G Access Point WAP54G
US $7.50 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-access-point Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point
US $25.00 (0 Bid)
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wireless-g-access-point-linksys-wap54g-used Wireless-G Access Point - Linksys-WAP54G (used)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g-used Linksys Wireless-G Access Point WAP54G Used
US $3.58 (5 Bids)
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-access-point Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point
US $20.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wap54g-wirless-g-access-point Linksys WAP54G Wirless-G access point
US $25.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-access-point-wireless-g-wap54g-802-11g LINKSYS WIRELESS ACCESS POINT WIRELESS-G WAP54G 802.11G
US $6.93 (3 Bids)
Auction Ends: Friday Jan-09-2009 9:51:49 PST
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-g-access-point-mounting-bracket Linksys WAP54G Wireless G Access Point Mounting Bracket
US $1.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wap54g-wireless-g-access-point-v-2 LINKSYS WAP54G WIreless G Access Point (V.2)
US $9.99 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-model-wap54g-v-2 Linksys Wireless-G Access Point Model WAP54G v.2
US $11.50 (2 Bids)
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wireless-access-point-linksys-wap54g-802-11g- Wireless Access Point Linksys WAP54G 802.11g
US $35.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g Linksys Wireless G Access Point WAP54G
US $5.00 (0 Bid)
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new-linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g New Linksys Wireless G Access Point (WAP54G)
US $20.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-802-11g-access-point-model-wap54g LINKSYS Wireless-G (802.11g) Access Point Model WAP54G
US $9.99 (0 Bid)
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US $5.00 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-wap54g-v3-1-access-point-2-4ghz- Linksys Wireless G WAP54G v3.1 Access Point 2.4GHz
US $0.99 (1 Bid)
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US $39.99 (0 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-wap54g-v2-access-point-2-4ghz-cisco Linksys Wireless G WAP54G v2 Access Point 2.4GHz Cisco
US $4.99 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g-no-reserve LINKSYS Wireless-G Access Point WAP54G No Reserve
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US $1.88 (0 Bid)
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linksys-router-wall-mount-bracket-befsr41-wrt54g-wap54g Linksys Router Wall Mount Bracket BEFSR41 WRT54G WAP54G
US $5.00
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linksys-wireless-g-access-point-wap54g Linksys Wireless-G Access Point WAP54G
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linksys-wireless-g-wap54g-54g-access-point-in-new-box LINKSYS WIRELESS-G WAP54G 54G Access Point In New Box
US $50.00 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wireless-access-point-wireless-g-wap54g-802-11g LINKSYS WIRELESS ACCESS POINT WIRELESS-G WAP54G 802.11G
US $64.99
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linksys-access-point-wireless-wap54g-802-11g-wireless-g LINKSYS ACCESS POINT WIRELESS WAP54G 802.11G WIRELESS-G
US $64.99
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linksys-befsr41-wap54g-wireless-networking-combo Linksys BEFSR41 - WAP54G wireless networking combo
US $65.00
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linksys-wap54g-linksys-2-4ghz-54g-wireless-g-access-poi Linksys WAP54G Linksys 2.4GHz 54g Wireless-G Access Poi
US $64.35
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January 3rd, 2009 | Posted in access point reviews | No Comments

Wireless Routers: Features of DLinks DI-634M MIMO Wireless Router

By Eric Meyer

If you are interested in purchasing a new wireless router you should consider DLINK’s DI-634M. Many wireless routers such as the Linksys WRT54g have been on the market for many years which lack the speed and coverage of newer MIMO enabled routers.
Features:

MIMO - MIMO stands for (MULTI in MULTI out), this enables to the router to transmit and receive twice as fast as a non- MIMO router. MIMO technology will be a part of the new 802.11n standard that is being worked out by the IEEE. MIMO technology is also in Wi -MAX routers as also. MIMO does not give your router the ability to cover vast amount of larger areas by it will improve your signal quality and speed of transmission. Still in an average size house you will be able to receive an outstanding signal any where in your home, basement or even the backyard with proper placement.

Wireless Antennas - These antennas are not just your ordinary rubber duck antennas. They are actually four antennas two vertical and two horizontal. Four antennas sending out a blazing fast speed spread evenly on all directions.

VOIP - This router was designed to handle VOIP. Many router state that VOIP will work on their router but the DI-634M blows them away. The biggest reason to VOIP is to save a ton off your phone bill. I was paying $70 a month through the phone company and now use VOIP and pay only $30. I’ve tried using VOIP with many other wireless routers but the bandwidth is used up.

Security - Security features for this router include:

1.MAC address filtering - Limits only the computers you want or don’t want to access the network

2.WEP,WPA,WPA2 - WPA2 is the highest form of wireless security out their for wireless routers. WEP is a weaker form of security with flaw due to it’s reuse of encryption keys. WPA2 rotates the keys which doesn’t let the cracker hack your system.

3.TKIP - Encryption is in conjunction with WPA2, if your gamming you will wan’t to use TKIP because AES does use more bandwidth.

4.AES (Advanced encryption standard) - Holy crap you need like five degrees and 30 computers to crack this form of encryption. THe only draw back is that all users might not be compatible with it, also it does slow down the network some.

QOS- Quality of Services is all about regulation how much bandwidth each application uses. You don’t want lime wire or kazzaa eating up all your bandwidth when your trying to purchase Steelers tickets. So, when you are sharing your internet connection with multiple users you can limit how much their file sharing software eats up. Also you may want to dedicate more bandwidth to gamming programs.

VPN - Setting up a VPN server to your home network or an SSH server is a must. IF you ever need to get around a firewall or proxy server you will need a remote connection. DLINks DI-634M will work with a VPN.

The DLINK DI-634M has all the features you should be looking for in a wireless router. MIMO to extend your wireless signal’s range and signal quality. VOIP which will save you a ton of money on phone bills and free long distance. All the latest security features from WEP to WPA-RADIUS. Like I said before to crack WPA2 you have to be an uber hacker who has tons of time and tons of computer power to crack it. Finally QOS if you are sharing your signal with your brother who is sucking up your bandwidth buy this router and get control over it.

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d-link-di-634m-wireless-router-80211-g D-Link DI-634M Wireless Router 80211.g
US $25.00 (7 Bids)
Auction Ends: Monday Jan-05-2009 22:59:59 PST
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ac-power-adapter-supply-for-d-link-di-634m-router-5v AC Power Adapter Supply For D-Link DI-634M Router 5V
US $13.99
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d-link-di-634m-wireless-router-in-great-condition D Link DI-634m Wireless Router In Great Condition
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January 3rd, 2009 | Posted in router reviews | No Comments

A Look at the Linksys WRT150N Wireless-N Router Security Features

By Olan Butler

The Linksys Wireless-N router has a number of security features. The security features include: WEP, PSK Personal (WPA), and PSK Personal (WPA2). In this article, I will explain characteristics of WEP. The explanation will not be highly technical but more practical for everyday decisions.

WEP is the oldest security encryption feature of the home router. WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy. WEP has a serious flaw. It is possible to perform the attack with a personal computer, off-the-shelf hardware and freely available software such as aircrack-ng and crack any WEP key in one minute or less. One might say that a solution to the problem would be to use higher bit keys. However, it is possible to recover a 104 bit WEP key with a 50% probability using just 40,000 captured packets. For 60,000 available data packets, the success rate is 80% and a 95% success rate for 85,000 data packets. Using active techniques like “deauth” and “ARP re-injection”, 40,000 packets can be captured in less than one minute under good condition. The actual computation takes about 3 seconds and 3 MB main memory on a Pentium-M 1.7 GHz and can additionally be optimized for devices with slower CPUs. The same attack can be used for 40 bit keys too with an even higher success probability.

In 2005, a group from the FBI demonstrated a crack of a WEP-protected network in 3 minutes using tools that are available to the public.

Fortunately there is a solution to the WEP vulnerabilities. The PSK technologies in the form of WPA and WPA2 provide a much more secure alternative.

To get information on the more secure mechanisms, see my article on PSK for the Linksys Wireless-N router.

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fastest-linksys-wrt150n-wireless-n-wifi-router-802-11n FASTEST LinkSys WRT150N Wireless-N WiFi router 802.11n
US $59.77
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wireless-n-combo-deal-linksys-wrt150n&wpc300n-802-11n :Wireless-N Combo Deal: LinkSys WRT150N&WPC300N 802.11n
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linksys-wrt150n-wifi-router-802-11n-wireless-n-_fastest LinkSys WRT150N WiFi router 802.11n Wireless-N _fastest
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linksys-wrt150n-wireless-n-wifi-router-802-11n-fastest! LinkSys WRT150N Wireless-N WiFi router 802.11n FASTEST!
US $59.77
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linksys-wrt150n-+-wpc300n-wireless-n-802-11n-combo-deal LinkSys WRT150N + WPC300N Wireless-N 802.11n Combo Deal
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fastest-linksys-wrt150n-wireless-n-wifi-router-802-11n FASTEST LinkSys WRT150N Wireless-N WiFi router 802.11n
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wireless-n-combo-deal-linksys-wrt150n&wpc300n-802-11n :Wireless-N Combo Deal: LinkSys WRT150N&WPC300N 802.11n
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linksys-wireless-n-router-wrt150n Linksys Wireless N Router wrt150n
US $22.00 (1 Bid)
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linksys-wrt150n-wifi-router-802-11n-wireless-n-_fastest LinkSys WRT150N WiFi router 802.11n Wireless-N _fastest
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linksys-wrt150n-+-wpc300n-combo-deal-wireless-n-802-11n LinkSys WRT150N + WPC300N Combo Deal Wireless-N 802.11n
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