NETGEAR Powerline Wireless Range Extender WGXB102

...it was to get the Netgear WGXB102 wireless booster kit up and running - it genuinely was a 15-minute job from opening the parcel to connecting to the extended wireless network. The package consists of a quick start installation guide, extensive documentation in several languages on the accompanying CD, and the hardware itself: two plug-in units and an Ethernet cable (this is only about 1 metre long, which is a bit on the short side). The quick installation ...
...power boosted), plus a new Netgear entry in the list. This is an unsecured network as default, but you can change the settings to allow the entry of an access key if you want to employ the same security settings as you have for the primary network.

The WGXB102 is not cheap, costing anywhere in the region of 80-100 pounds from most electronics retailers. However, some suppliers abroad do provide it at a much reduced price and I found ... more

In the dim and distant past, installing any sort of peripherals for a home computer used to be an exercise fraught with unexpected pitfalls and problems. The wrong jumpers were set, you didn't have enough expansion ports, or your PC was incompatible with the hardware you wanted to add. Times have changed of course, with the advent of developments such as the USB standard and Plug&Play - and the more complex the computers become, the more manufacturers seem intent on convincing us that everything really is as easy as A-B-C. Nonetheless, experience tells me to always approach adding anything extra to my computer with a wary eye, no matter how easy the instructions say the process will be.

This is why I was so surprised at how simple it was to get the Netgear WGXB102 wireless booster kit up and running - it genuinely was a 15-minute job from opening the parcel to connecting to the extended wireless network. The package consists of a quick start installation guide, extensive documentation in several languages on the accompanying CD, and the hardware itself: two plug-in units and an Ethernet cable (this is only about 1 metre long, which is a bit on the short side). The quick installation manual describes the steps you need to take with the minimum of fuss, using simple instructions and clear diagrams to explain the points.

Assuming that you already have a functioning wireless set-up, all you need to do is plug the primary unit, the Ethernet Bridge, directly into a wall socket (using power strips or splitters is not recommended of course) and connect this unit to your router with an Ethernet cable. The secondary unit, the Wireless Range Extender, is plugged into a socket elsewhere in the house - typically, this would be on another floor or beyond a wall that may be blocking the signal, for example. This second unit takes about a minute to warm up and then the extended wireless network is available for reception and use by any appropriately equipped devices in the vicinity. A not-really-scientific check (i.e. walking into the garden until the signal failed) revealed that the wireless field is good for about 15-20 metres from this secondary unit.

Connecting to the extended field is easy too - any wireless receiver now shows your original wireless network (with its power boosted), plus a new Netgear entry in the list. This is an unsecured network as default, but you can change the settings to allow the entry of an access key if you want to employ the same security settings as you have for the primary network. The WGXB102 is not cheap, costing anywhere in the region of 80-100 pounds from most electronics retailers. However, some suppliers abroad do provide it at a much reduced price and I found a good deal from a French store - 70EUR is a bargain for this, and even after adding the price of shipment outside France it is still considerably cheaper than anywhere I found it in the UK. At that price, and taking the ease of installation and use into account, it's hard to find a reason not to recommend this, but one important minus point to consider is that this product might well not be suitable for permanent use, as even after a few hours both units were very hot to the touch indeed.

System Requirements:

• Microsoft® Windows® for Workgroups 3.11
• Windows 95, 98, 2000, Me, XP, Windows NT® 3.51, 4.0 or Novell® * NetWare® Client32 for DOS Client for Windows 95/98 Server™ 4.10, 4.11, 5.0
• RedHat® Linux® 5.4, 6.0
• CO OpenServer™ (Unix®)
• NDIS 2.0 for DOS driver for operating systems that require it
• A wired or wireless home router

For more information, see the Netgear website: http://www.netgear.co.uk/wallplugged_range_extender_wgxb102.php 

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