Review on 📶 Cisco-Linksys WAP11: Enhanced Wireless-B Network Access Point for Seamless Connectivity by Dan Sturm

Let me start by saying this AP is great. All the range problems people have are related to using a Linksys wireless card. I am using this access point for a desktop system that is in an awkward location to get an ethernet cable. So I decided to make this desktop wireless. I also use it with a Dell Inspiron laptop with a second WiFi card as this hotspot supports up to 32 users. I use two wireless cards: D-Link 650 and Orinoco Gold Card. Both great cards. D-Link is used on a desktop system and I use Orinoco Gold on my laptop. The range is great if you aim the antennas first to get the maximum signal strength. I get over 50% signal with the D-Link card after sequencing the signals. It also runs through two walls and is placed diagonally to each other. This signal level is more than sufficient to work effectively at the full speed of 11 MBit/s. I also successfully configured the 128-bit WEP security as well as the MAC address authentication feature so that only two of my wireless cards can access the access point. Initially I had a little trouble getting the WEP and MAC authentication to work, but you definitely need at least firmware v. 1.4f.8 or higher and the latest software. For WEP to work, the encryption keys on both the wireless access point and the wireless card must match exactly, or the devices will not communicate. In order for MAC authentication to work, you need to open Notepad and create a plain .txt file of your MAC addresses that you want to grant access to. in this format without a hyphen. Example: (00-01-12-FB-7Z-04) must be entered in the editor as: 000112FB7Z04. You must use a separate line for each card's MAC address. When you are done, save the .txt file and you can easily go to the wireless access point configuration tool and upload this .txt file with the MAC address to allow access. After downloading you won't see a list of available MAC addresses, but it works. I am using this access point with a Linksys BEFN2PS4 cable/DSL and voice router and it works well with it. I also have a Linksys EFSP42 print server. All 3 Linksys devices are great products and integrate well with each other. They also look good as they can be conveniently stacked on top of each other. A voice router is also a great product as you can make cheap internet calls using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) with any regular phone. These calls can also be made when your computer is completely turned off. It is completely independent of the computer. In summary, the wifi hotspot is a great product and I'm definitely glad I bought it. Just make sure you are NOT using a Linksys PC wireless card with it as I've only heard BAD reports of poor range. Use a D-LINK 802.11b or Orinoco Gold card, both great cards. It works with any WI-FI compatible card.