Cisco-Linksys WET54G Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge
by Linksys
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List Price: Our Price: $69.99 You Save: $30.00 (30%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $43.93 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Cisco-Linksys WET54G Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge
Customer Review: (Setup zero stars)
Summary: 5 Stars
Works great once setup. Setup is a nightmare. Shipped model in April 2008 had 2005 firmware that did NOT support WPA2 (support never figured this out). Setup disk failed instantly on my Vista laptop with an obcure 2 word error message. Tried running setup on my XP Desktop, didn't immediately fail but could not find router even when plugged into the router and firewalls turned off (2wire 2701).
Solution after six hours of work.... Move WET54G to laptop for configuration. Reset WET54G by pushing reset button for 30 seconds. Setup static IP on laptop within default WET54G range of 192.168... so that laptop can find see WET54G. Bring up manual config web page by entering default IP of WET54G. Update firmware. Setup WET54G SSID, WPA2 security manually using web interface. Change my entire home network back to 192.168, since it was easier to do this, then try to get the WET54 to actually run on my 172.16 range I was using. Only after the above, could I move to my Slingbox setup which requires punching a whole in my firewall for port 5001. WOW, can "normal" people really do this stuff????
MAYBE, if you are lucky the setup disk works, but if not, and the above scares you, just return the unit. Support knows just enough to get you into real serious trouble.
But heh, if you can do this, the device works great, streaming all the Slingbox video I want seamlessly.
Update 03/07/2009: Had a Linksys 4-port hub downstream, between bridge and Slingbox, that was causing communication problems between the bridge and Slingbox. Pulled hub, which I can live without and ran ethernet cable directly from bridge to Slingbox, and Slingbox never lost settings again. Not sure if this was bridge issue, but thought I would mention it.
Customer Review: LAN Printer / Wireless Workstation
Summary: 5 Stars
Scenario: Had a wireless workstaion running Vista that would not connect to a OKI printer via USB. By acquiring this Linksys device WET54G(hardware version 3.1) I successfully got the job competed for the client. Attached the WET54G to the Linksys WRT150N router. From a wired workstation configured the WET54G to talk with the proper SSID, WPA security and setup the proper gateway. Move the WET54G to the Wireless workstation and connected the LAN port of the printer to the LAN port of the WET54G. Pinged from the Wireless WS the IP of the WET54G and Printer 192.168.1.103 successfully. Installed the printer under Add printer and chose NETWORK printer. Vista found the printer but received a Sub Spooler error message. Time to think out of the box: Deleted printer from Printer section and set it up as a LOCAL printer using a Standard TCP/IP port with proper IP address of .103. All successful. This product saved the client as she wanted the OKI printer to work in her WiFi environment at her desktop. Linksys support was oustanding to say the least using their Tech 2 Tech line (we are a VAR for Linksys). Can't say enough good things about their staff in assisting in getting the job done.Customer Review: This was easy to setup.
Summary: 5 Stars
I really don't get why so many people are complaining about how hard this bridge is to setup, I got it working in a couple of minutes. I am going to guess that the windows software that comes with it is must be really bad.
I have a rule on all networking products : If you can configure it over its web server do so ( telnet or ssh are good also ). I plugged it in hooked up the ethernet cable then used the static ip that was printed on the only printed manual that came with it ( 192.168.1.226 ). At that point I clicked on the site survey and picked the network, if it is a secure network you have to enter a passphrase/key and you are done. Most linksys web interfaces are pretty simple.
There is WPA support but only TKIP encryption ( no AES ). From what I read before I bought this, the only way to access WPA settings is over its web iterface.
I run a mixed network with windows, linux, and game consoles, so this was a great solution. I even plugged my WET54G into the lan port on my WRT54G ( changed its subnet ) and then hooked my machines into it and it all works great.
Customer Review: Hack your own!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this product up and running connecting my DVR to the internet without running wires all over my house. This
product does work as stated but, If I had known then what I know now I would of saved about sixty dollars or so by
ordering the linksys wrt54g router and downloading DD-WRT firmware and wala after about 5 minutes, you'll have a
four port bridge for a fraction of the cost, so simple a cave man can do it! Linksys won't tell you this, Amazon wont tell you this, so I will. You don't need a masters degree in computer science. The firware download is free!
all you need as about 10 minutes of your time, Manually insert the SSID and WPA key and Channel your current router
is using and the router will do the rest, Tested this with my xbox 360 and and it thinks its hard wired to the Internet! Yes you can run up to four different wired devices off your new router converted to a wireless bridge.
you can purchase a wrt54g router off of amazon for about 25-30 dollars, or you could purchase a 5 port linksys bridge for about 160.00 or a single port for about 90.00.
Customer Review: So Easy to Use
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a PC running linux which I wanted to connect to my wireless home network. I tried using a USB adapter but because there is no available driver for linux I could not get it to work. So I ordered this ethernet bridge hoping that it will work since in the description say "no drivers needed." When I got the unit I followed the instructions on the quick set-up guide ( I used a windows laptop ). Then I connected it to my linux PC. It started working as soon as the PC had boot-up. It was the easiest set up I ever experienced. I hope manufacturers make more stuff that are as easy to set-up as this one. I am not a techie yet I had no problem at all. Another plus is that now I have another PC connected to it using a hub, (maybe this is why the manufactorers do not want you to know about this, so they could sell more of those USB adapters where you could only hook up only one PC or laptop) and I get better speeds than with the other PC's at home connected through a USB adapter! I am planning to buy another one of these great item!