WiFi at 300 Feet

The majority of this week has involved installing wireless access points and hardware firewalls. The jobs have made me change my mind about a brand that I swore off several years ago, NetGear. I had 4 NetGear b/g routers show up bad in the box. These devices were always more difficult to configure, but they had greater range than their competitors. Enter the Netgear WAG-302;



This is product will cost you a little money. You can find it for $229.99 at CDW which is one of the most reliable suppliers on the internet. The extra money is worth it if you are looking for range. You will need a routing mechanism since this is a true access point. This is the first access point used by the beach house that will deliver the 300-400 feet range all manufacturers claim is possible. Most are lucky to get anything over 50-60 feet. Of course structure and atmospheric conditions will determine the limitations.

This test was done in an area adjacent to 4 other wireless networks and delivered the signal through a brick wall. It is dual band with "A" on one channel and "B/G" on the other. Yes it's a little pricy, but if you have need of the range this looks like a good product. Time will tell.

"I regularly read Internet user groups filled with messages from people trying to solve software incompatibility problems that, in terms of complexity, make the U.S. Tax Code look like Dr. Seuss."
~Dave Barry