AirPlus XtremeG 2.4GHz Wireless 108Mbs Access Point, 802.11b,g
1 DLINK IS JUNK!
If your looking for a device to bridge with, as I once did in this device, head on over to Belkin's F5D7330 Wireless Ethernet Adapter and read my review. Belkin's equipment is so much more reliable, it does what you ask it to and doesn't flinch like inferior DLINK and LINKSYS products.
This DLINK device claims to perform 5 different purposes and can't get 1 straight, it's straight GARBAGE!
2 A Great Access point with Good Wireless Range and Features
I like this wireless AP a lot. I've used it for a couple different situations thus far, but it is usually my main AP for my home network.
The different modes are majorly convenient as there were times when I needed a wireless client/adapter card, but didn't have one with me. I just happened to have this AP along with me and configured it for client mode and I was suddenly able to get online. Amazing convenience!
The setup and upgrade and configurations aren't the easiest thing to get right away, especially if you are a novice at wireless networks. Although I found once you are up to speed on the terms and how to get around the interface you will really notice the ease of use this actually has.
3 Buyer Beware!
I bought this unit because a DLink Sales Rep said it would be perfect for my application. Hah! It doesn't work at all (I hope Amazon will let me return it). The first thing I had to do was upgrade the firmware - no instructions on how to do this, but for the uninitiated: you have to download the .ftp file from Dlink, move it to the Dlink Firmware folder on your computer, then get the AP Manager to see your unit (that's another story involving IP addresses - again, no help from the install documents), and then you can install the update. I finally got the DWL-2100AP to see my network, but never could get it to talk back - it just sent gibberish. The Net tech and I worked on it for most of two working days, to no avail. Spent a lot of time on the phone with the DLink tech staff too, where everyone involved said we got some bad dope from the sales staff, but that we might get it to work, provided it is compatible with the existing equipment blah, blah, blah... My assessment of Dlink and the DLINK DWL-2100AP? Poor pre-sales support, poor post-sales support, confusing tech support, and poor documentation/install instruction for a product that may be (but then again, may not be) compatible with your existing equipment. What's up DLink?
4 False advertising
Be careful. This AP in repeater mode does not support WPA only WEP. Dlink support can't get their stories straight. Before purchase, an email inquiry regarding WPA support in repeater mode was answered in the affirmative. Upon receiving and installing the unit in repeater mode, WPA options were greyed out. A subsequent email to Dlink met with a referal to phone support. A phone tech gave me a convoluted explaination why the repeater should work, but soon it became clear to himself that the explaination made little sense so he checked with another person. Finally, he simply said "It doesn't support WPA in repeater mode, return it to your point of purchase"
5 Great Access Point - after firmware upgrade
I'm using this AP, along with a Netgear 802.11g PC Card to test streaming live/recorded TV to other parts of my house. Seems like a capable product even if I didn't use the 108Mbps feature.
However, be sure to update the firmware or the AP might not work correctly. When I first received it, configuration was easy enough but it had trouble working with my Netgear and HP Centrino notebook. Both notebooks will get a signal and even connect be failed to obtain an IP address from my network's DNS server. A firmware upgrade solved the problem and the AP now streams TV realibly from my living room to the kitchen.
I noticed that there is are hordes of wireless APs around my house, I guess most neighbours are using some form of 802.11 wireless as well. However, this D-Link AP is able to function correctly abeit all the other APs around (2 using the same channel as mine I've found).
Overall, recommended if you want a good AP. Just be sure to update the firmware.
6 updated firmware
i've had these access points for about 6 months and i wanted to get them to work, one as a repeater. i could never get them to work even with dlink support. i put them on the shelf and used my old netgear 602 aps. the other day i was on the dlink web sight and downloaded the 2.0 firmware. plugged the access points back in, upgraded them, rebooted them both, and they just worked. all of my settings were saved after the upgrade. they work great. they fixed lots of issues.
7 Supports bridging, just like it says.
I picked the DWL-2100AP because the documentation read that this unit supports 5 different operating modes. The mode I was interested in was the Point-to-Multipoint bridging mode. I've heard this type of configuration can be very tricky and I was a bit skeptical about getting it to work. Much to my surprise, the first test I ran went very well:
This type of setup requires multiple AP's - one to act as a base, and the others to pick up the signal from remote locations.
First, I setup 2 AP's and configured them each for the bridging mode (the base set to PtMP Bridge - the remote set to PtP Bridge)
Then I set the D-Link on my roof (with the aid of the DWL-P100 - Power over Ethernet Adaptor) and drove to a friend's house about a ? mile away. I pulled out a laptop running Netstumbler (www.netstumbler.com) to see if I could pick up the signal. If conditions were absolutely perfect, I picked up on occasional `blip' - not nearly enough to maintain a connection. Then I hooked up a second DWL-2100AP (preset to the same SSID) to bridge the connection. The initial results were awesome. As soon as the remote access point powered on, it bridged the connection to my base station. Netstumbler only picked up the remote AP (since I was right next to it) but I confirmed that the bridge was working by hitting Amazon.com. All this was done using the standard out-of-the-box antennas. I was truly impressed.
I was inspired to try this project by Jeff Duntemann's book, "Jeff Duntemnn's Wi-Fi Guide, Second Edition" (ISBN: 1932111883). Eventually, I will put the AP's in a weather-proof housing and add external antennas.
The only downside I can think of is the fact that D-Link does not have very good documentation - in the box or on the web. I've come to learn that many Wi-Fi vendors lack in this area, so D-Link is no worse than any others. The ease with which I set up the Bridge was astounding. D-Link does a great job of making their equipment easy to use!
8 Perfect 802.11g Performer
I couldn't be more pleased with this wireless access point. I set it all up in a matter of minutes, secured it with WEP in seconds and rebooted with zero problems. Connected with my DWL-G650 from D-Link and even my friends came over and tested it with thier built in wireless laptops and everything worked fine. Of course only when I told them the WEP passkey. :)
I set this up to be fairly static in the fact that it sits on my desk and doesn't need to move, but I have been known to take it to a friends house, plug it into his network and change a couple settings to allow everyone to use it. very portable in that aspect.
9 One of the most Easy to use Wireless Access Points
This Wireless Access Point provides great additional coverage in my home. We already have a DI-624 to cover half the house, but I wanted something to cover our expansive back yard as well. So I run a Ethernet cable to the sliding glass door downstairs and have this wireless access point setup on the table next to the door. Now I can roam the backyard with my laptop and have an optimal connection to the Internet.
Setup was simple, basically follow the instructions and it works. Wireless Access points aren't hard to to setup anyway, but this was about as easy as it can get. My entire network is 108Mbps enabled.
10 fresh out of box and didn't power up
I got this because I was tired of horrible compatibility of my Netgear WAB102 dual band 802.11a/b access point (Centrino laptop won't transmit data through it and 802.11a doesn't work with WEP enabled). I got the D-Link unit home, pulled it out of the box, plugged in the antenna, and plugged it into the wall... no lights, no ethernet connection, DOA.
The specs for range were impressive, but after reading some reviews of compatibility problems, bad support, and having the DOA unit, I don't trust D-Link products any more than my shoddy Netgear.
When will the Wi-Fi sticker actually mean the products will interop? As it stands right now it is pretty meaningless. I guess you have to go with the masses and get an ugly and basic (but functional) Linksys.
11 Most miserable experience in computing
I purchased a DLink networking system last month and I finally gave up and switched to another brand.
I was online with their tech for days spanning three weeks of hell. I would spend an hour with a tech only to find out that the access point would not work with my router.
I purchased what I thought was the correct access points and stayed online with tech for two days. After two days, they said that this access point would not work with my router.
Finally, we were able to key in on the right product and I spent all afternoon and into the night with it. Still would not work.
All the PC magazines I have read rated the DLink as the best on the planet. I buy as much as I can with Amazon and just ordered a networking system by Linksys.
I hope to God this system works.
Never been so miserable in all the years with anything PC related.
If you are busy and cannot take the time to be on the phone for three weeks with tech, do not buy Dlink.
12 Compatibility Issues Drastically Reduce Value
I purchased a DWL-2100AP WAP last night to replace an old SMC Barricade router that was having range issues. After installing the DWL, I tested the unit with an XBox Wireless-G adaptor and a Toshiba e755 PDA with built-in 802.11b.
The major problem with this D-Link unit was compatibility: the synchronization process from the WAP to the XBox adaptor took considerably longer than with the SMC unit. More importantly, the unit would never work with the Toshiba PDA, it would connect for up to three seconds and then drop the connection. This was all done in the same small room, so there were no range issues here. After resetting both units multiple times and disabling all security functionality (WEP, etc.) the problem remained.
Unfortunately, this is a very common occurance with D-Link products as I learned from a wireless specialist at a local computer retailer who has handled many returns of these devices. The D-Links evidently have been frequently returned for having compatibility issues with other vendors' solutions.
I checked for updates to the device's firmware image and could not locate any on the D-Link web site.
My other impressions of the product are:
1. Effective but ugly user interface.
2. Poorly designed Windows software for management. The only way that you can manage a WAP with this software is to have the software auto-discover the unit (possibly with ping or SNMP tests). If those fail, which they did with me, there is no way to manually add a WAP into the software.
3. Poorly designed implementation of 802.1x authentication.
4. Poorly designed customer support web site with no firmware updates to address compatibility issues. Knowledge base was very minimal containing only small tidbits that referred to issues with setting up Windows XP networking.
I will now exchange this unit for a Linksys tonight. I will post a review of the Linksys WAP after performing the same series of tests.
13 Great Unit with Excelent speed.
I switched to this unit from the LinkSys models. It's feature set is great. The configuration software is good, however drivers shipped on the CD did not include the proper drivers for WinXP to utilize "Super G" mode. Had to call for support and download a new set of drivers. Other than that, it is a great unit. Definitely recommend it.
14 Actually, this is a FINE piece of hardware
I read a review of this product, authored by someone who apparently didn't know some things about it. Which is fair, since the information D-Link typically makes available to end users is basically geared toward people who know little, or nothing about networking technology. I guess they don't want to confuse anybody with too much information?
Although, not yet available via the HTTP UI, a Site Survey can be displayed through a command via a telnet connection (i.e. C:\>telnet 192.168.0.50). Complete with RSSI (Signal strength), SSID and MAC addresses. The command is: 'find bbs'. Once you've connected via telnet, do a '?', for a complete list of commands.
There are a number of commands (again, via telnet) that can be very useful, which aren't available via the WEB interface.
I've used these as Repeaters, Point-to-Point bridges, Point-to-MultiPoint bridges, and AP's. They work just fine!
