Features

• 5 GHz, 802.11a compliant and WiFi5 compatible
• Up to 72 Mbps in "Turbo" mode
• 152-bit WEP encryption
• Eight non-overlapping channels
• Web-based interface

Reviews (14)

What a relief -- 802.11b is dead!
This product was one of the easiest networking devices I've ever worked with. Additionally, it absolutely blows 802.11b away in performance and in function. No more dropped links when someone picks up the 2.4Ghz wireless phone. I was so impressed I literally pulled all of the .11b cards out of our network and replaced every last one with .11a connected to this AP -- the network is operating flawlessly. Do yourself a favor and ditch the .11b for one of these babies. Outstanding.

Range Monster
I have read the other reviews about the 5000AP. For those who say the range is poor they are doing something wrong. I have tried two other Access Points from other manufacturers and could not get the range the 5000AP gives me (one was a 802.11a and one a 802.11b). I have a 3500 Square Foot 25 year old Ranch that was built with thick walls. It reaches end to end with a 36% to 50% signal strength using a Proxim Harmony PCcard. The Bios is lacking some major features (DHCP is missing what were they thinking...) but for me range was most important and this is the best I found.

Fairly Simple Install and Great Speeds for Wireless
I mainly wanted to get some 802.11a hardware because I've heard and read great things about the speed. I went with D-Link because I have had only good experiences with their products and this time was no different. I bought a laptop card to go with this router and shortly after bought a PCI card for my desktop. I don't want to run cables through the walls, which is also a major consideration for this purchase.

My experience with installing Access Points is fairly non-existent but after setting up this one I felt like a pro. The instructions are fairly short and straight to the point.

The range I am getting with this AP is good and I don't think I could ask for more. It provides my house with constant coverage everywhere I go. I am in a one-story home but the length of the place is bigger than most homes. I even get good coverage outside in some places, but that's not what I bought it for.

I am impressed with this 802.11a wireless access point and would recommend this to anyone looking for some faster wireless solutions.

No DHCP - depressed feature set
Up and running in 10 minutes, this is completely compatible with my Linksys WPC11v3 and WCP51AB cards with and without WEP, MAC ACL, etc. It is next to my Netgear ME102 WAP and neither one affects the other. The DWL-5000AP works as advertised with excellent range and throughput. 152 bit WEP and 72 Mbps Turbo are cool.

Important considerations before you decide to purchase it:

The Atheros AR5000 chipset supports DHCP, bridging, DFS/TPC, 802.1x and QoS, but none of these are implemented. (This WAP will not lease its own IP address from a DHCP server on the network. IP addressing is strictly static.) And D-Link won't be doing anything about any of that.

Firmware upgrades require it be connected via CAT5 crossover and RS-232 cables to a computer running an FTP server. You pay strict attention to a meticulous 32 step process involving connecting via a terminal program, creating and logging in to an FTP account, configuring the Web browser utility for FTP, entering console commands and assuring the upgrade file is in the root of the FTP server, and multiple reboots.

The v1.3 firmware works well for most users. The v1.4 on D-Link's FTP site adds 256 WEP and fixes a reset problem - each and every time you make a change to this WAP, it needs to be reset (rebooted). And depending on your computer, sometimes it fails to "come back" unless you stop and start the setup utility.

Password setup requires extreme caution. There is only one field for entry and you can't see what you type. So, a typo (i.e. "mypasswird" instead of "mypassword") locks you out until YOU SEND THE WAP BACK TO D-LINK FOR A FACTORY RESET!

Otherwise, if you're interested in the "clean air" and slightly better security of 5 GHZ, this is an excellent 802.11a WAP at a great price, which is sure to continue to plummet with the increasing popularity of 802.11g.

Finally, even though this is a "current" product, D-Link has completely abandoned any support or upgrades. When you buy this, what you get is what you get; there will never be any enhancements - no SSID supression, no ANY block, no WPA.

excellent, works as advertised
Not much else to say. Set one up in my office and one in my house. No problems with range, it's on the main floor and I get fast connections three rooms over and one floor down or three rooms over one floor up. No problems setting it up. It also worked out of the box with a Netgear 802.11a adapter I have in another machine. ... Read more

Features

• Provides wireless signal rates of up to 54 Mbps in the 5GHz frequency and up to 11Mbps in the 2.4GHz frequency range
• Wireless range of up to 900 feet
• Simultaneously serves802.11a and 802.11b wireless connectivity
• Fully 802.11a and 802.11b compatible
• 3 Year Warranty (USA only)

Reviews (1)

Great Product, but awful tech support!
I'll admit it -- I'm a networking moron!!! Even so,
the setup of the D-Link DWL-6000AP was fairly easy
(I also purchased a DWL-AB520 wireless NIC for
my other computer). The "setup wizard" to configure
the Wireless Access Point is straightforward -- just
make sure your proxy server is turned off, or you
won't be able to access it!

I did have a couple of problems, so I called tech
support twice. Even with my limited networking
knowledge, it seems that the tech support person

knew less about this product than I did!

At $...(after $...mail-in reabte), I could not
pass up this WAP! The 802.11a mode works
flawlessly in my house, even though the signal
goes downstairs, and around a couple of
corners to get to the 2nd computer -- and we need the
802.11a, with 2 teenagers who constantly use
our 2.4Ghz cordless phones constantly! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link DCF-660W is a wireless 802.11b-compliant CompactFlash card, providing a solution for connecting PDAs and handheld computers to an existing 802.11b wireless network. It operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency range and uses Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS). The DCF-660W is for users of PDAs and handhelds who want the convenience of roaming and connecting to an existing wireless network without being tethered to wires and cables.

The DCF-660W will operate in either ad-hoc mode (networked without an access point) or in infrastructure mode (networked using an access point). It transmits data at 11, 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbps. The DCF-660W also provides an auto fall-back feature to automatically adjust the speed of the adapter, depending on the distance from the access point. In an open environment, the DCF-660W with its built-in antenna has a range of up to 460 feet at 11 Mbps and up to 1,311 feet at 1 Mbps.

The DCF-660W requires a CompactFlash Type I or Type II interface (available in most PDAs and handhelds). To ensure long battery life, the DCF-660W has minimal power consumption of 80mA in power-save mode and less than 350mA in transmission mode. The DCF-660W is compatible with Windows CE 3.0 and works with Windows PC 2002. It comes with a one-year limited warranty. ... Read more

Features

• Compatible with most 802.11b networks
• Speeds up to 11 Mbps
• For Type 1 and Type 2 CompactFlash slots
• Low power consumption
• Works with Compaq, HP, Casio, Sharp and more

Reviews (20)

A Welcome Surprise!
I was in the market for a CF Wi-Fi card for my iPaq H3955. Had intended to purchase either the Socket or Symbol cards, but then I found this card at Best Buy. Smaller than the previous D-Link card (DCF-650W), but not quite as small as the Symbol or Socket. Price was right though. ... Power consumption seems fine- using with the CF-Plus Expansion Back, get at least a couple hours before the first low CF battery warning. Extends above the CF sleeve about a half-inch. Software installation was smooth and painless. The card itself has an LED to indicate operation. Bringing up the card settings does offer a complete set of options, including infrastrucure or ad-hoc operation, and the documentation explains how to set up the card to work with any public hotspot. WEP works fine with my Linksys WAP. Detractor: does not have any kind of indicator on the Today screen as to signal strength. Also, no carrying case for the card.

Works well
I have this CF card running on a 56XX series IPAQ with the upgraded PocketPC 2002 OS. HUGE TIP- unless the disk they are sending has updated drivers, download the drivers from Dlink. It isn't that the older drivers on the CD don't work (they do), but the new drivers on the website add tons of funcionality such as an Orinoco like icon on the bottom of the today screen that monitors signal strength. It also adds the ability to browse AP's within the DCF-660W's reach (hotspot searches). These (as well as the old ones) installed flawlessly and after a soft reset to load the drives worked well once the proper IP, SSID, and WEP settings were set.

I find the range from my router, a Dlink 614+, decent for such a small device, but definitely shorter that my old lucent chipped Orinoco and Avaya PCMCIA WiFi cards. A great product overall, time will tell how well it holds up.

Good card with a stable, long range connection
I have an Hewlett-Packard iPAQ 2215 and I was looking for a wireless card to connect to my campus's wireless network. This is a pretty good card, like most D-Link products are. It can establish and maintain a connection very well, both indoors and outdoors. The software comes on a CD, which is active-synched to your PDA. It is a fairly simple and routine procedure to setup the card to access the network.

So far the only complaint I have is that you sometime have to push the card in hard in order for the PDA to pick it up. I occationally have to pull the card out and reinsert it before it starts working.

If you don't have a PDA already, I would recomend getting one with integrated wireless since you won't have the reciever end sticking out of the PDA. However, if you are just looking for a wireless card, then I would recomend this one.

Fails within 3 months
I bought the card for My iPaq 2215 so I could surf wirelessly while watching football, it lasted about the length of football season (I bought mid-season for $75).

The site says it doesn't support Mobile 2003 for PPC but then claims to work on the device (it did). But now that it stopped working tech (ha ha) support claims they don't support that configuration (it's too new??) Give me a break, the product is obviously defective. But they just bail on the customer. Last time I buy D-Junk.

UPDATE - I continue to request an RMA from D-link and the response via e-mail simply is to call, you call, you get the "it's not supported" line. You e-mail, you get the "it could be defective and you should call" - All I really want is an RMA or my $75 back.

Great product at a great price
I was up and running in just a couple of minutes out of the package with an iPaq 2215. Downloaded the latest drivers from the D-Link website, plugged it in and was asked which of the two connections available I wanted to connect to. (I don't have a wireless access point, but apparently two people in my apartment building do!) Worked even better when I was actually near an access point. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link AirPlus DWL-520+ PCI adapter is an enhanced 802.11b network adapter. The DWL-520+ is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b standard, making it interoperable with all existing 802.11b-compliant devices. Now you can transfer files or communicate up to 20 percent faster than with earlier 802.11b solutions, even when connected to a standard 802.11b network. When you're connected to other D-Link AirPlus products, the performance is even greater--up to 22 Mbps.

D-Link's PCI adapter also features 256-bit WEP encryption that gives you a higher level of security for your data and communication, and a configuration utility that can quickly and automatically discover available wireless networks and create and save detailed connectivity profiles for those networks accessed most often.

The DWL-520+ is a powerful 32-bit PCI adapter that installs quickly and easily on desktop PCs, and, when used with other D-Link AirPlus products, automatically connects to the network. And all D-Link wireless adapters can be used in ad hoc mode to connect directly with other cards, or in infrastructure mode to connect with a wireless access point for access to the Internet in your office or home network. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 22 Mbps with AirPlus products
• Fully 802.11b compatible
• Higher data encryption (64/128/256-bit)
• For desktop computers
• 3-year warranty

Reviews (47)

Good Speed - Limited Range Signal
The hardware design of this card is very good. In most systems, (besides those running Windows XP), it will also install very easily.
As packaged, it will not work with Windows 98 first edition, but D-link has recently posted a Win98 first edition driver on its support site, and with that patch in place, it does work very well.
This product advertises that it is compatable with Windows XP, but Microsoft has NOT certified it and with good reason. The woefully inadequate installation documentation and software do not address many of the known XP quirks. Fortunately, the D-Link tech support staff are well versed in these common problems and are very helpful if you have an hour or so to wait on the phone. The website also has more patches than Grandpa's old dungerees, so D-Link is aware of the problem and, with some effort, you can overcome most XP related glitches. It's just too bad D-Link hasn't spent as much time updating their packaged software/documentation as they have designing their robust and speedy hardware.
The encryption schemes work exceptionally well, (up to 256 bits), and do not degrade speed nearly as much as some competitors products sometimes do.

Works ok w/ driver 3.0.23.4, not with 4.15.5.1 (ver 3.07)
Like everyone says, Customer Service is terrible. They deny that a problem exists, blame everything else. I had problems with their 810+ Wireless Bridge not working with WEP also, same awful experience with cust service then as well.

Not FOR W2K
P1$$P00r Compatibility issues found across the www. Don't be Too late to get informed. D-Link support even less helpful than a diaper against a dam break. System lock-up maybe resolved by diabling this or that or removing other PCI devices.

Beware - major software bug causes blue screen crash
D-Link has a major problem with it's products (including the 520+) crashing systems on power down with a blue screen and a message stating that there has been an NMI parity error in hardware. You system will be locked up. Pulling the power cord is the only way out.

What is REALLY bad is that I have 3 "Case I.D's" requesting a fix. If... if you own certain Compaq models you may... may be able to fix the problem with manual modifications to your system BIOS. However, unless you "get lucky", you are stuck. There is, apparently, no real customer support at D-Link, only an automated response system that patronizes you with the issuance of a case I.D.

Be very, very careful about purchasing D-Link products. Buggy software and NO technical support nor issue resolution.

No problems
It's ironic that another model, the DWL-520 (without the +), gets so many bad reviews. This model works fine. In retrospect, I'd probably be happier with a USB connection as those adapters can easily be transferred to a laptop or another computer. If you don't mind opening up the computer for a "permanent" install, you should be happy. One issue I did run into - I ended up having to remove my ethernet adapter to get it to work or I ran into IRQ conflicts (I thought Windows 98 and up were supposed to solve this problem.) I also notice problems if a 2.4ghz cordless phone is too close, but I'm not sure if it interferes with this card or the wireless router.

The drivers out of the box seemed a little deceptive. My signal strength was showing as much stronger than it actually was. Later drivers were even more deceptive, showing signal strength at the highest level and the strength never changed. The most recent drivers (version 4.15.51 as of the time of this review) seem to be accurate so you may want to download those for your initial install rather than use the ones in the box.

Performance is great. The card is powerful enough to pick up (and connect to) my neighbor's network two houses down. One of these days I might even advise him to put a password on his network, but first I want to catch him downloading porn. ... Read more

Features

• Two different modes--Access Point and wireless range extender (repeating the signal of other compatible routers and access points)
• Up to 22 Mbps with D-Link AirPlus products
• Works with other 802.11b-compatible devices when used as an Access Point
• Provides 64-,128- and 256-bit WEP encryption for added security
• Fast and easy setup

Reviews (36)

The DWL-810+ bridge w/ a DI-624 router works better...
I found that the DWL-800AP has some inherent problems with re-broadcasting a wireless link. If you have a signal/link quality of 30% with a DI-614 router, you can still get about a 1000 kbps on a bandwidth meter test on a 1.5 Mbps DSL line. Not the case with the the DWL-800AP! The connection speed will drop to 100 kbps if you move a laptop 300 ft. away from the unit.

If you want to stay with the DLink brand and want to extend your wireless range, my suggestion is to consider using a DWL-810+ bridge with an additional DI-614/DI-624 router. You connect the DWL-810+ bridge to the LAN port of the router, and configure both the bridge and router with IP addresses on the same LAN subnet as the other router (i.e. 192.168.0.30 and 192.168.0.31)

The setup works far better and more reliably, but you're obviously going to have to spend more money than just buying this unit. Just stay away from the DWL-800AP+! Even with the latest firmware upgrade, I think the repeater simply does not do the job.

The right tool for the job
I purchased this for a few reasons:

#1 - it's cheap
#2 - it's a wireless device only (in other words, it's not a router/w wireless)

I have used it with three different network routers:

- with a NetGear RP614v2, it worked with no problems
- with a homebuilt Soekris based firewall, it worked with no problems
- with a Nokia IP Security platform, I had to use static IPs

There's no real problem with this product that a bit of cluefullness won't fix.

I've used it with various PDAs - a Dell X5 using a Hawking Tech CF wireless card; an IPAQ 5550 and 4150 using their built-in wireless; a Sony UX-50 with their built-in wireless. I've also used it on my laptop with an Enterasys RoamAbout a/b/g card. All worked perfectly.

Great but check the compatability list
I bought one, set it up in just minutes, did a firmware upgrade and was all set to go, but ONE major problem ... My d-link router and ranger extender do not communicate. I checked the product support page and found out that they are not compatable. So, I'll sell mine and get the right one.

CHECK THE LABELS BEFORE PURCHASE, but this is an AWESOME TOOL

Inexpensive solution to problem
My need for this device was to extend signal strength in my new home. I recently moved from California where houses are basically wood framed, to a new, larger home in Florida where houses use blocks for outside and load bearing walls. This heavier construction, combined with the distance between my wireless router and where I use my computer, severely degraded my signal and throughput. I purchased this device to rectify that problem - which it did.

Installation, including putting it in wireless range extender mode, took mere minutes after unpacking it. I was communicating with an incredible 100% signal strength in practically no time after setting it up, which was a dramatic difference from the 20% strength before it was installed. I did an experiment by walking outside with my laptop and was still connected to my home network with 80% or better signal all the way to the end of my property.

I like the fact that this device seems to interoperate flawlessly with other vendor products. One of my systems has an SMC wireless card, and another uses a Linksys. My wireless router is an SMC.

Installation instructions were a bit sparse. I am a highly technical user, so I didn't need them, but a novice may have problems. Since I have not needed to use technical support I cannot comment on the quality of D-Link's support.

Since I have not used this device as an access point I also cannot comment on how well it works in that mode. However, if you are seeking a simple and cost-effective solution to extending the range of your existing wireless LAN, and have some technical skills this may be the solution you are looking for. Even though I am pleased with this product I rated it at four stars because I have not used all of the features or D-Link's technical support, and do not think the documentation is novice-friendly.

Great gadget with lousy documentation
Just to add to the comments here, which are very useful and key to my eventually getting this gizmo to work, I have this set up as part of my network with a D-Link DI-713P (which D-Link does not officially support) and an Apple iBook (also unsupported). While it took me a while to tinker with it at first, it's an invisible part of my network, eradicates the deadspots that used to vex us, and has been unnoticed by the rest of my family. It supports WEP, but not WAP, so it's not as cutting edge as it could be. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

D-Link introduces another performance breakthrough in wireless connectivity--the D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G series of high-speed devices capable of transfer rates up to 54 Mbps. And with the new AirPlus Xtreme G DWL-2000AP Wireless Access Point, D-Link once again sets a new standard for wireless access points.

The DWL-2000AP can be configured to perform in any one of four modes--as a wireless access point, as a point-to-point bridge with another access point, as a point-to-multipoint wireless bridge, or as a wireless client. It also includes an embedded DHCP server that once enabled will automatically assign IP addresses to wireless clients. This unique feature makes the DWL-2000AP an ideal solution for quickly creating and extending a wireless local area network (WLAN) in offices or other workplaces, or even at trade shows and other special events.

Several wireless clients can also securely connect to the network with the DWL-2000AP using 802.1x* for wireless user authentication, as part of WPA* (Wi-Fi Protected Access) providing a much higher level of security for network data and communication.

The DWL-2000AP is also fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b standard, so it connects with all existing 802.11b-compliant devices. But unlike standard 802.11b access points, its transfer rate can be up to five times faster when the wireless network is comprised of other D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G products such as the DWL-G520 Wireless PCI Adapter, DWL-G650 Wireless Cardbus Adapter.

* Available Spring 2003. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 54 Mbps with AirPlus Xtreme G products
• Compatible with 802.11b products
• Better wireless security with 802.1x and Wi-Fi Protected Access
• Four different operational modes
• 3-year warranty

Reviews (14)

Beware - NOT suitable for most Wireless Client applications
As had been plainly mentioned before in an earlier review (which I misinterpreted when buying it), there is a caveat to this product, as confirmed by this unedited quote from D-Link's own Tech Support website:

"Note: The only Access Point the DWL-2000AP can be a Wireless Client to is another DWL-2000AP. "

This means that it CANNOT be configured as a Wireless Client with your existing Wireless Router, even if your router is D-Link's own! It can only be used in this mode if, for example, you have directly connected a DWL-2000AP into your existing router to serve as your network's Wireless Access Point.

Then, and ONLY then, you can buy a 2nd DWL-2000AP and use it as a Wireless Client. This fact is not advertised in the device's technical data page here, nor was it even specified on the box it came in (thus my 2-star rating, mostly for false advertising). So beware this glaring shortcoming.

If you're looking for a simple, flexible, single wireless-G client to jack your Ethernet card-equipped device into, try a Linksys WGA54G. It is advertised as a game console adapter, but it actually works great as a basic wireless client for ANY Ethernet device, not just game consoles. I have one working quite well in this role elsewhere in my home using WEP, and will now be buying more of them.

Good at what it does ...
I had two of these to extend my network across the house without running wires. They are set in bridge mode, and connect and work perfectly with each other. Everything about these were simple and worked when I first tried it.

I recently bought a DI-624 Wireless Router and ended up selling my DWL-2000APs and buying a DWL-G810 to connect to my switch in the back room. The G810 was made for that reason, to bridge a wireless network to a wired one. The DWL-2000AP was made for bridging, or as a stand alone AP. it also has the functionality to be a client, but only with other 2000APs. Makes sense.

If you want to connect a switch with multiple wired devices on it, to a wireless network get a DWL-G810 from D-Link.

Disappointing
Quite disappointed with this product:

- Sometimes doesn't work, and restarting it through the configuration page doesn't help. Needs to be restarted by powering it off and back on.

- Terribly buggy javascript in the web configuration pages. The AP cannot be configured with a standards compliant browser like Mozilla, and requires the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer (and even MSIE complains about lots of javascript errors). That also means you need to have a Windows computer to be able to configure the AP.

- When filtering Mac addresses, doesn't give you the Mac address of a new computer in the drop-down list, so you could easily add it to the allowed clients. You have to disable filtering, restart the AP, connect to it from the new client, add the MAC address from the drop-down list, and finally re-enable MAC filtering. The alternative to this ridiculously convoluted procedure is to add the new MAC address by hand.

- SNMP doesn't seem to work. It can be configured with IP addresses for SNMP traps, but seems to never send anything there.

Finally found out why Dlink products dont work
I finally found out why we consumers are suffering with tech support for this product and the same products of other brands.

A tech for Dlink finally admited to me on the phone that when we purchase the latest and greatest G class routers and access points to create a wireless network, why we cannot get it to work even with tech support.

It is because of Tech support. Simple reason is that they are not up to speed on the glitches and major details needed to get us going. He actually admited that to me.

Besides the poor manuels, the company did not train the techs as well as they should have. New Technology folks!

To us, it is something better and faster and we jump on it like children to candy. New and Improved in advertising has been tempting us for generations and we jump in before they get the bugs out. This is why some work easy and some dont.
It all depends on a thousand variables.

If we dont have the patience to wait until they get all the bugs out, we will have to suffer on the phone with tech support.

We are in a sense the beta testers for the various tech support teams.

We can only blame ourselves in this particular instance.

Does not work with the DI-624; product description incorrect
My experience with the DWL-2000AP has been very disappointing, not necessarily because it's a bad product, but because of the way it's being marketed and supported.

I have two separate networks in my house - one on each end. Network A consists of the D-Link DI-624 Wireless Router which is wired to a DSL modem and a computer. The other network, Network B, consists of two computers and a network print server wired together via a 10/100 switch.

I bought the DWL-2000AP based on the fact that one of its operating modes is that of a wireless client. (Wireless client mode allows a wired computer [or more via a switch] to communicate with another access point wirelessly ... at least that is my understanding.) The wireless client mode should allow me to connect Network B to Network A so that computers on Network B have access to the Internet. Furthermore, D-Link's product description web page clearly indicates that the DWL-2000AP works with the DI-624 wireless router.

After enabling the wireless client mode and configuring it to communicate with my DI-624 router, the two devices connected and I had full Internet access for all of my computers. This worked flawlessly...until activity between the DI-624 and the DWL-2000AP ceased for more than five minutes. Thinking that I had configured something incorrectly, I checked my settings, and restarted the DWL-2000AP via its built-in web pages. Viola... it worked! Again, I browsed the Internet, and paused to read. And again, with no activity between the DWL-2000AP and the DI-624, the connection dropped.

I investigated this issue for the better part of a Sunday afternoon, testing various configurations, but to no avail. I then emailed D-Link technical support and got a response within two hours indicating that I should call the support hotline due to the complexity of my issue.

I called. After 25 min on hold (the call is toll-free), a support specialist answered, logged my issue, and walked me through a series of checks, but was unable to correct the problem.

Lastly, the support specialist indicated that the wireless client mode was only supported from one DWL-2000AP to another. This, however, did not make any sense to me since the DWL-2000AP supports point-to-point, and point-to-multi-point bridging with another DWL-2000AP. Why add a proprietary wireless client mode if you already have a proprietary wireless bridging mode? Realizing that the issue was beyond his remedy, I thanked him for his help and hung up.

Obviously, based on how the device behaved for me, the DWL-2000AP was quite capable of communicating with the DI-624 router without issue. I temporarily resolved my disconnecting issue with a home-brewed Windows app that sent out a ping to the router every 4 minutes. This kept the connection alive so that communication was maintained. Since I was able to resolve the disconnecting problem, I believed that D-Link had a firmware bug and that the issue would probably be corrected in a future firmware update. (I guess I'm too optimistic.)

A few days later, I was checking D-Link's support site for updates, and noticed that a firmware update for the DWL-2000AP had been posted. When I updated the firmware, the WAP and the router ceased communicating with each other altogether. Again I phoned D-Link tech support.

I explained to the support specialist what my issue was, how I was able to temporarily resolve it, and asked when would D-Link have a correction. The support specialist vehemently indicated that the DWL-2000AP would only function with another DWL-2000AP in wireless client mode, and that there were no plans for supporting any other device with the DWL-2000AP in that mode.

At that point I realized that my complaint was moot, and that, although D-Link was sitting on a gold mine if they supported what I asked, they did not care.

After I hung up the phone, I promptly RMA'd the wireless D-Link products I bought and returned them.

I researched my issue further and found that Netgear easily supported my networking needs.

It's sad to know that a networking company has the hardware capable of supporting your needs, but is not interested in doing so. I'll think twice before buying D-Link wireless products again no matter how nice the price might be. ... Read more

Features

• Up to 5 times the speed of previous wireless devices
• Supports 802.11g, 802.11a, and 802.11b standards
• Greatly enhanced security features
• Easy-to-use Web-based user interface

Reviews (4)

Readme.1st
this is a 2 star or less router which will take you a week of screwing around if you havn't read my review. out of the box the DHCP Server within the router will re-lease lan ip's every 9min, 24/7, constantly restarting the lan, which somehow causes all kinds of seemingly unrelated problems throughout your lan if you don't follow these simple steps. when you get the router home, plug it into the wall, cable modem and computer. turn everything on and wait for things to settle down. log onto the web base interface by pointing your web browser to your new router's lan IP of http://192.168.0.1/ (BTW, 192.168.0.1 is not a public IP . . . it's contained within your local network), admin, no password. click the tools tab and firmware button and download the firmware to your desktop. MOST importantly: nOw . . . GeT a BaLlPoInT pEn aNd ReSeT the router _BEFORE_ u go back and update the firmware!! congratulations, you have a smooth running, art state, 5 star router

Extremely Good Product
I had a high-end 802.11b router for two years. When I started having problems, I wanted to go with a dual-band router. This was the cheapest one, but it matched my requirements (built-in switch). Not only was the setup simple and quick, but the network delay caused by my earlier router disappeared. I now have a great wireless network with blazing speed. Wonderful product.

Good range with 2.4Ghz, and Solid Connection
I am using a DWL-G650 in my laptop and my wife uses an 802.11a based card in her laptop she uses at work mostly. She gets a good connection from within the room of the office, but if she goes very far away from the room she loses her connection. 802.11a is that way for everyone so it isn't just this router. That is the price you pay for faster speeds.
802.11g is a happy medium with adequate speeds and good range. I can go anywhere in the house and if I am furthest I can get from the router I still get a good 2Mbps transfer speeds which means no slow down in gaming online and surfing online.
The router/AP keeps our connection fairly good. There have been times when we were dropped from the wireless connection, but it came back up in about a minute after that. It happened at completely random times so it might have been something do to with interference or some weird wireless thing. It rarely happens and it fixes itself so everything is fine with me.
I'd recommend it to others and advise in changing the default password, SSID, and enable WEP to actually be secure. You'd be suprised that about 75% of people don't secure their wireless connections.

There are better products.
This was my first dive into wireless. I was very disappointed and immediately thought wireless still wasn't ready for primetime. My whole idea was that I wanted 802.11a so that I didn't get any interference from my cordless phones or my neighbors who are close. DON'T EVEN BOTHER WITH 802.11a. Real world distance capabilities in my house were much less than 802.11g on this unit. I used it with a Dlink DWL-AG650 card.

Anyway. A friend at work let me borrow a Netgear WGR614 and it is working much better in my house than this Dlink unit. Zero dead spots using the Netgear on 802.11g with the same DWL-AG650 card. I also haven't experienced any problems in relation to cordless phone interference. The Netgear has better security features anyway.

The Netgear WG511 card had the same performance as the DWL-AG650 card.

Bottom line. There are better units out there. ... Read more

Features

• Allows users to save multiple network site profiles to gain access at different locations
• Provides a wireless signal rate of up to 54 Mbps
• Easy plug-n-play installation
• Seamlessly roams between 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11b networks

Features

• Mill beautiful rosette blocks
• Single-knife design
• 2-1/4" cutting diameter
• Use at 600 to 800-RPM
• Top quality tool

Features

• Web-Based Remote Access Using any JAVA enabled Web Browser
• Integrated Web Server
• High Resolution VGA Quality
• Ethernet Interface
• Compatible with Windows 98 SE, 2000, ME and XP

Reviews (4)

Not your average camera - below average to be precise
I've purchased this camera despite all the negative comments I've seen on the web and decided to use it as a monitoring device for our baby's room. Installation was a breeze and could not have been easier (four stars for the setup of the system). I was a bit confused that it would not receive the DNS information via DHCP (like all my other DHCP devices), but this was a minor quirk.

The killer is really the video quality. In my case high frame-rates were not a requirement, but high image quality was one. The DCS-1000W failed miserably. Compression artefacts (although it was set to lowest compression), fringing in higher contrast areas, blow out pictures the moment it was a bit brighter in the room and dark frames the moment it was a bit darker in the room.
I was in contact with D-Link support and when they looked at the images of the camera, they told me I had a broken device. After replacement I saw the same problem again and support this time said that I should change suppliers, because my current supplier probably had a "bad batch of cameras". Support never asked where I got my cameras from. Decided to stay away from D-Link ...

Numerous issues with this camera.
1. For an Ethernet device, the web interface is _incredibly_ slow. We're talking a good 10 seconds just to load up any configuration page.
2. Absolutely *HORRIBLE* CCD (the image sensor used to collect what's shown). For a device costing this much, I would expect a high-end CCD -- especially since it's advertised as a "security" device. Adjusting the resolution made it worse (see below). Bright lighting made no difference. I've seen CCDs this bad used in old (pre-2001) Logitech cameras; they're used solely for mass manufacturing (e.g. cheap).
3. 640x480 shows signs of bad hardware dithering -- hundreds of white dots along the edges of things. Bright lighting, again, made no difference. Even 320x240 shows signs of dithering.
4. Java interface lags behind by a good 1-2 seconds. This forces you to use the ActiveX component (which is properly syncd) -- however, the ActiveX component requires you to upload an .OCX file to an EXTERNAL webserver (it's not contained on the camera!).
5. This device cannot get more than 15, MAYBE 20, frames a second. I can see how for a security device this would be a Very Bad Thing(tm).
6. The latest firmware on D-Link's website is 1.26; the camera I bought from Amazon claimed to be 1.27. I find this mysteriously bothersome.

Positives, on the other hand, include VERY easy setup, and an excellent base mount (made of steel) -- although it's intended to be screw-mounted, not sit on a desk. It's Ethernet connectivity is great though (why don't more vendors use Ethernet!?)

But, for a device that costs this much, I would expect a LOT better quality.

trouble
Cannot get the camera to upload to my web site on ATTBI.

Easy to setup
The camera was a breeze to setup. Once the IP address was entered for the camera using a browser my friend across the country could see me instantly by entering that same IP address into her browser. Setup took less than 5 minutes. The image was clear and bright. Frame rate was under 20 but that is ok for my use. A couple of nice features was the ability to send an image to an email address with a click of the button and also send images to an FTP server. Well worth the price if you have a 2nd IP address to use for the camera. ... Read more

Features

• Wireless broadband router with 4-port 10/100 Ethernet Switch
• IEEE 802.11b compliant access point
• Hardware router/firewall
• Share broadband Internet access
• Safety/security of port blocking

Reviews (11)

great little wireless router
I struggled a bit to choose between Linksys
and D-link DI-714. Some people's negative
experience with the Linksys product made me turn to the D-link product even though there is not much review for the relatively new DI-714.

I opened the package today and the experience so far is excellent. It was 2 hours from the time I opened the package to
me surfing the internet from a laptop. Most of the time is spent in configuring my desktop to talk to the DI-714. I had fixed IP address with my cable modem provider. The instructions given to configure my desk top to this new environment were woefully
inadequate. Even now, I am not sure if I have set all the TCP/IP
parameters properly on the desktop. This experience of taking too long to configure the desktop to talk to the router is the reason I gave this product a 4 star as opposed to 5 star.

Once the router was given all the TCP/IP settings, setting up the laptop was less than 5 minutes and it established the wireless connection ( with D-link DWL650 ) right away. It was
a very pleasant experience.

Throughout the house, the link quality is greater than 75% and
signal strength is greater than 65%. Even at the low end of these numbers, I did not see any deterioration in speed.
I could watch video at 300kb/sec easily. It is just a cool thing to see full screen video on your lap top as you walk around with it.

My advice to D-link would be to provide better documentation on the quick install manual about how to change the desktop if it is configured for static IP addresses with the DSL or Cable Modem provider. If I just follow the instructions given, it just does not work. It says, run winipcfg and select releaseall and renewall. That does not do anything. I had to statically
assign the router IP address to talk to it first. I do not know
what the problem is.

I did not have to download any new firmware. Dlink website has great scope for improvement. When I went there to see if there is any firmware update for the 714, it is just absolutely unuserfriendly to figure this out. Even now, I do not know if there is a firmware update or not.

Fast, Reliable, Easy Set-up and Ready for the Future
This is another great router from the D-Link Wireless Router Family. The difference from this one and the more popular DI-713P is that the DI-714 has detachable Antenna for future utilization of bigger and stronger Antenna. This would allow for a much stronger signal and a bigger area in which you can establish a connection. This would come in handy for larger homes, or small offices that have many walls or interference.
Although the DI-713P has a built in Print Server, you might be like me and already have a Print Server on your network. The DI-714 seems to have traded it's Print Server for an extra Ethernet Port. In my book these two trade offs are just what I needed. I just don't want to wait so long to get the bigger and better antenna.
The Set-up and configuration is very easy with the DI-714 because it is all HTML based and you can access it from any computer on the Network with a web browser. And the built in firewall is a bonus. I was running a software based firewall, but now I don't need to with my built in hardware firewall.
Everything has been coming up D-Link these past months, and I always check to see if they have something that can fit my needs first. And I highly recommend this product.

Fly By Night, mediocre at best company
This Router (like most of their products) is the product of
a company founded on widespread mediocrity.

As a Network security Engineer, and even more importantly,
the guy that many people try to keep up with technologically
I have to say that D-Link has successfully embedded themselves
in the technology market. They are the company to buy from if
you don't mind paying an average price for below average
quality.

If you want a real broadband router try Linksys they cost
about the same but are better overall. I think D-Link needs
to narrow their product range and put more effort into
their product quality as they seem to be spread too thin.

yes and no
Overall installation was very easy, up in 15 minutes.

I found the wireless component of this product very good. Decent range (whole house), easy to setup. I hear you should use encryption to hide the backdoor of this product, and any "piggybacking" from the outside.

The initial install was very good. Using DHCP from ISP, all went together well. All my computers found the router without problems,and received an IP address.

This product goes straight down the tubes with its advanced features, which is what sold me. I cannot get its "virtual server" settings to route HTTP, FTP, Telnet traffic to internal servers. The "ALL(DMZ)" setting was the only way to get one server visible on the outside, which defeats the purpose of the firewall. I was only able to get one of three computers in the DMZ. Also, with DMZ enabled, I was not able to VPN (using IPSec) to my company's private net thru the router. However, with DMZ disabled, VPN works fine.
I am using the most updated firmware, which shipped with the product. Hoping there is a upgrade soon to fix this hunk of junk, and allow it to do what I want it to. I had a friend who bought this, and returned it in two days for the DI-713P, which he reports works much better.

Support is free, and not very helpful. Reboot the router, upgrade the firmware or send it back seem to be their favorite replys. Don't try to call the support phone number, because you will never hear back. By the time I got around to trying the advanced features, my trial period was over, lost my receipt and original packaging. Definitely re-thinking this purchase...

Piece of Junk
Not only is the design of this router ugly and unattactive, but the guts don't work either.

I was at first impressed with the router. The firmware is very easy to access and configure. It worked great for a while, but I noticed that Internet programs such as chat clients--AIM and ICQ for example--kept disconnecting on their own, after about an hour or so of being connected. This never happened with my Linksys router. I check my configuration. Everything is how it should be. So, I called their free tech support. Now I know why it's free. The guy I talked to didn't know a Broadband Router from a hole in the ground. He came up with every excuse as to why it wasn't working, and myself being a CIT major, told him why the reasons he was coming up with didn't make any sense. He finally decided that I had a bad router, and that something was just "missing" from the firmware.

"But I have the most recent firmware installed on it!"

"Yeah, well, sometimes it just happens to where there's something missing on the router."

Right. I'll be sticking with either Linksys or Netgear, and I recommend you do too. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

software setup is very bad
D-Link software setup is very bad. I get lots of wireless packet loss even though the signal strength is "very good" at 72Mbps, which results in bad internet connections. Systematic problems interfacing between shared networking setup and wireless ethernet connectivity. Requires fixed IP setup. Worst hardware purchase I ever made. What a waste!

good router / Bad tech support
D-link has the worst technical support team ever. It seems like they have high school students working for them. I take it back. Most high school students probably know more. I returned the product because of their tech support! Not sure if I will buy D-link again. There are many other great network company. ... Read more

Features

• Ideal way to extend the reach and number of computers connected to your wireless network
• Can be used to provide access to the shared network facilities of an ethernet LAN network
• Can help increase the effective communication range of wireless workstations
• Easy to set up, manage, change and relocate
• Easy to connect

Reviews (10)

D-Link Wireless Access Point - First Impressions
I bought this for a great price from [on line company]. I just received it today and I have to say, it works well. The instructions were clearly written and the setup was a snap. It took a little more work to get my PCMCIA Adapter (purchased separately) connected (Problems unrelated to the DLINK), but, everything works well together.

PRO's: Low Price; Easy Setup; Configurable as either a Wireless Access Point or a Gateway (to bridge Wireless networks together); Detachable Antennae (can potentially connect aftermarket antennae to allow for greater coverage); Compatible with any Ethernet Router that has an extra ethernet port.

CON's: USB Connection Required for Setup (but drivers available for current OS's including XP)--afterwards can be managed via SNMP software included with the router; USB Cable Included, but, No Ethernet Cable Included.

NOTES: This product is only a Wireless Access Point -- It does not function as a ROUTER--so if you want/need to share a Cable Modem or other network connection wirelessly you'll need a separate router,...

Great wireless access point/bridge/client!!!
I already have a DLink wireless network at home, but have a computer which has some software conflicts preventing me from adding a wireless card to it. The DWL-900 allowed me to use the existing network card and a cross over cable to gain wireless access to my existing DLink DWL-1000 Access point. The computer uses its existing network card, drivers, etc. and has no clue it is remote.

The DWL-900 appears to do everything plus more than the DWL-1000 as far as I can tell, but I am very happy with both access points.

The included USB connection and cable made setup a snap. Only non-trivial issue was the need to use a cross-over cable (rather than a standard network cable) in my situation. If using two of these devices to connect two hubs, you would just use the uplink ports of each with standard cables.

Terrific speed and signal strength
I've been using the DWL-650+ card with the matching DWL-900AP for a year now and have been completely excited and happy with its performance.

Its range through two rooms, up stairs and down a hall is very good. I've never once had a problem with dropped signals. I turn my laptop on and the signal stays solid until I turn it off. I'm using 128-bit WEP encryption, as well.

The speed is terrific. I applaud D-Link. I picked this combo because of the 22Mbps data rate. I can tell you that it really does double your throughput. On top of that, D-Link has a new firmware for the 900AP and driver for the 650+ that provided 4x/44Mbps mode. Note: it never actually negotiates at 44Mbps, but it does boost the speed. For example, at 2x/22Mbps, I get an average of 6.5Mbps (tested with QCheck from www.netiq.com), and at 4x/44Mbps, I get an average of 9.2Mbps... almost a 50% boost. Advertisement aside, getting 9Mbps from 802.11b is absolutely terrific.

Although I'm so high on this combo, if you're thinking of ordering any combo, I suggest going with D-Link's Extreme G 802.11g combo of DI-614 and DWL-G650, like I've done (should arrive in a few days).

Shoddy
Echoing the sentiments of many others, my DWL-900AP works, but barely. It took me hours to figure out how to set it up, and work around the bugs in the software and firmware. In the end, I ended up flashing the firmware with Linksys firmware (the firmware for their WAP11 device works on the DWL-900AP).

The wireless network works now, but occasionally, a remote computer can't get through. Pinging the AP seems to remedy this. Other times (once every couple months), the unit stops working entirely. So I load up the configuration utility and play with the settings until it magically starts working again.

Its inconsistent behavior is extremely frustrating, and I'm tempted to throw it away and buy a different AP, just to get rid of the hassle. I don't recommend this product to anyone.

Poor UI--Mac Address Filtering works...
I'm in agreement with the review from September 30. The software included with the DWL900AP is sorely lacking. There were times where my hitting the 'Apply' button had no discernable impact on the Access Point's operation. Only after I hit 'OK' and re-loaded would the Access Point change its behavior.

In addition, if you install the USB drivers for the access point on a computer, despite USB's hot-swap ability, make sure you reboot prior to trying to modify configurations.

But you can get mac address filtering to work. The file needs to be in a specific format. Each address must be on it's own line, and the last line in the file should be empty (i.e. hit Enter after you're done entering the last entry). ... Read more

Features

• Provides an immediate way to expand existing 802.11b networks with rewiring
• Greatly increased security features
• Option of2.4GHz or 5GHzfrequency bands reduces outside interference
• Allows access throughout the organization to access wireless access points or routers

Product Description

D-Link (DSM-320RD) MEDIA PLAYER DVD 802.11G 54MBP ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link DWL-500 is a high-speed 11 Mbps Ethernet wireless networkadapter that plugs into your PC's PCI bus slot. Once connected with othernetworked PCs, it allows you to share hard disk drives, DVD drives, CD drives,Zip drives, printers, or a modem for Internet access.

You can use the DWL-500 either with or without access points. If used withaccess points, the DWL-500 can be connected to a broadband residential gatewayor a to cable/DSL modem for high-speed wireless Internet access on an existingnetwork. Supporting a 2.4 GHz direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) frequencyrange for wireless networks, the DWL-500 features full mobility and seamlessroaming from cell to cell, or across access points, at distances of up to 328feet per cell indoors and up to 984 feet outdoors.

Bandwidth data transmission rates can be set manually at 11, 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbpsper channel, or you can use the system's dynamic auto-sensing configuration toautomatically determine the best rate.

Adhering strictly to the IEEE 802.11b networking standard for wirelessconnections, the D-Link DWL-500 provides full compatibility with multiple vendorenvironments using IEEE 802.11b standards. The DWL-500 also provides wiredequivalent privacy (WEP) encryption for network security.

D-Link provides a lifetime warranty and free technical support for the DWL-500wireless network card. ... Read more

Features

• High-speed 11 Mbps Ethernet wireless network adapter
• Share hard drives, printers, and a modem for Internet access
• For desktop PCs
• Indoor range of 115 to 328 feet; outdoor range of 328 to 984 feet
• PCI local bus 2.2 compliant

Reviews (10)

Focus on the specific card not the technology
I agree with most reviewers that wireless technology is fantastically liberating, particularly in the house when you don't want to drill holes. I also agree it's easy to set up. I've tried three different manufacturers products and they're all pretty easy to configure. However just because the technology in general is great doesn't mean this specific card is, relative to it's peers. In my house this D-Link card gets very low to non-existant signal. A computer next to it, with a Lucent Orinoco card gets full signal. I've tried moving them around and the Lucent consistently out-performs the D-Link. If you have an open plan room for your installation then no problem the D-Link works just fine, but if there are a few walls in the way, then buyer beware, not all cards are created equal.

Lives up to its Promise and Performs Great
I bought one of these (Wireless PCI NIC)for my computer upstairs along with an Access Point because I was hesitent on drilling holes in my walls and running Ethernet Cable.

To say the least I am pleasently suprised. The installation was without hassle and it performs like it says it should. I have Cable Access and I just plug this into my switch/firewall and it braodcasts the signal upstairs. I get Very Good signal strength and I don't see a difference in connection speeds to the Internet from the computer with the wireless connection to the computers hard wired.

I would buy another in a heartbeat, but first I need another computer.

An old and neglected product
I have used this card (PCI adapter and PCMIA card) with win 98 and had no real problems except for a weak reception, but it thought that had something to do with the fact that its an old pc
which probably causes a lot of electromagnetic interference.
Changing to a newer Pc, i decided to use win XP. The drivers for
XP, do not really work properly. You can't boot up the system.
Ok so we start again, with win2000 this time. Everything seemed to work fine. Allthough uninstalling previous installation of the
drivers is near impossible. Ýour have to mess around in the registry (don't like that). Nervertheless it seemed to work, then I noticed that the connection was interupted (eventhough it says it has a strong signal) after about 5 min.. After a reboot of the PC or the gateway it worked again. Funny so i try to reinstall the drivers and to my horror now windows wont boot up (as xp did) with the cards in the pc.
This is not good enough.... If i can make decent drivers for win98 then I could do the same for 2000 or XP right.

I bought them despite poor reviews...
I bought a pair of DWL-500 and an SMC7004AWBR router over the weekend. I put DWL-500 on both Windows ME and XP with little difficulties. I did have fairly loaded systems so it took me a while to free an IRQ on the system running XP. After that, it was only a matter of installing drivers, PCI card, and then it's all done. Installation on ME was only a series of reboots due to the architecture of ME. Both systems perform well so far; I haven't experienced any reset or interruptions. I am pretty satisfied with

IRQ Problems
I bought the D-Link DWL-500 and tried to install in my new Dell Dimension 4400 running XP. Initial instalation went okay but subsequently was unable to re-boot...got blue screen of death specifying IRQ conflict with card in. If I removed card, computer would boot, but would freeze if I pushed the card in. Called D-Link support who told me to call motherboard manufacturer. Tried removing other cards (modem, sound card) to see if I could get DWL card to work, hoping then to reinstall others, but no luck. De-installed all software/hardware. Still get a system error message on re-boot! I have seen others say they used DWL with XP but I haven't been able to. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-LinkAir DWL-650H is a high-performance, 2.4 GHz, IEEE 802.11b-compliant PC card for laptop computer users who want to connect to a wireless network within a home or corporate environment.

The DWL-650H transmits data at speeds up to 11 Mbps, but dynamically scales to 5.5 Mbps, 2 Mbps, or 1 Mbps to ensure wireless network connectivity. The D-LinkAir DWL-650H features Multi-Channel Frequency Optimization technology that delivers consistently stronger wireless signal strength than standard wireless PC cards, and is especially useful for indoor environments with significant radio frequency interference. As the wireless signal strength increases, data transmission rates increase. The variation utility within its advanced network management software enables users to adjust power level settings to maximize laptop battery life. The DWL-650H provides users with the ability to transmit and receive mission-critical data even in busy environments where severe interference may be present. Unlike standard wireless PC cards, connection is more consistent and dropouts and signal hangs are significantly diminished with the DWL-650H.

With its strong transmit power signal, rated as high as 20 dBm, users will be able to roam seamlessly throughout a 802.11b wireless network. The DWL-650H's advanced network management software allows users to quickly connect to a wireless network and monitor the status of their signal strength. ... Read more

Features

• Multi-channel frequency optimization technology
• Power variation utility
• IEEE 802.11b compliant
• 128-bit wired equivalent privacy (WEP)
• Advanced network management software

Reviews (3)

Solid performer
I have had this product for about 3 months and I have few complaints. Installation was simple enough and the range is good. I use it with a Linksys wireless router and it works perfectly from 2 floors above where the router is located. The only gripe I have is that the speed degrades somewhat with 128bit WEP encryption turned on. I do not know if this is the fault of the router or the D-Link card, but the throughput drops to about 1Mbit/s. Considering I use it to surf online and my cable modem can only do 1.5Mbit/s, it is not such a big issue. WIthout WEP turned on I get the full cable bandwidth.

Incredible difference!
I have a relatively small place which, due to really bad design, happens to have only one cable outlet. Plus, between the outlet and where I do most of my work is about 4 or 5 intervening walls, plus a refridgerator and hot water heater. The net result is a LOT of barriors for wireless signals to penetrate. I purchased a D-Link wireless access point and bought the standard D-Link PC Card wireless NIC for access. I consistently got Low or Very Low signal when in my work space, even tho the physical distance between me and the WAP was only about 50 direct feet. I was almost ready to give up on WAP altogether when I ran across this product. I figured what the heck and ordered it. Well I just got it and the difference is incredible. Now, my signal reads Excellent in the exact same location where this product's little sibling could barely download web pages. I'm back to being hooked on wireless and on this D-Link product in particular. If you have any issues with access or signal strength, try this card. If the card doesn't fix it, you're probably dealing with bigger issues. But I'll bet any WAP problems are due to signal strength. I'm running WinXP Pro and this card plugged in, was installed, and asked for my WEP code to access the network. I was browsing literally within 3 minutes of unpacking this card. In the case of wireless, Microsoft finally did something right. Highly recommended. Kudos to D-Link for recognizing the problem of signal strength and releasing a product to deal with it. No other manufacturer has anything close. I have to ding them however, because they easily could have put this into their base product and just sold one version.

Weak range
I would not recommend buying this product, because when i bought it, i thought that it would have the necessary range to operate in our 3-bedroom home. But in fact, the wireless USB adapter that came with the original package had more range. This PCI card has a very eratic range and was so weak that the laptop it was hooked up to, was not able to recieve a signal, less than 100 feet away from the base. Although D-link is a fairly good brand, some of its products are unreliable and generally hard to set up. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link AirPlus DWL-900AP+ can be configured to perform in any one of four modes--as a wireless access point, as a point-to-point bridge with another access point, as a point-to-multipoint wireless bridge, or as a wireless client. It also includes an embedded DHCP server that, once enabled, will automatically assign IP addresses to wireless clients. It also eliminates the need for a separate DHCP server on the network. This unique feature is ideal for quickly creating a wireless local area network in offices or other workplaces, or a temporary network at trade shows or other events.

The DWL-900AP+ also features 256-bit WEP encryption for a higher level of security for your data and wireless communications.

The DWL-900AP+ is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.11b standard, making it interoperable with all existing 802.11b-compliant devices. But unlike standard 802.11b access points, its data transfer rate can be up to 20 percent faster. When your wireless network is comprised of other D-Link AirPlus products, such as the DWL-520+ wireless PCI adapter, the DWL-650+ wireless CardBus adapter, and the DI-614+ wireless router--transfer rates can be as high as 22 Mbps. ... Read more

Features

• 4 different operation modes
• Auto IP address assignment
• Fully 802.11b compatible
• Up to 22 Mbps with AirPlus Products
• 3-year warranty

Reviews (44)

A Perfect WAP
This wireless AP is a perfect addition to any network. It can do so many things right out of the box and do things it does. The wireless range alone is worth buying this AP. I can get wireless internet anywhere in my home and if I set it out my front window I can go down the street about 2 houses down and still get a connection. A neighbor of mine bought one of these as well and was facinated by it as I was. So we tested out bridging our networks together and found that with a clear line of sight his network can be connected to mine from 3 houses down and across the street. Or he can set his as a wireless acess point and I will set mine as a wireless client and I can receive his signal just fine.

Either way it's fun to have this piece of hardware lying around. I use mine as an AP and access the internet securly with 256-bit WEP enabled on both my laptop and this AP. I can access the internet from any room in my home and I can't thank this little device enough for freeing me and my laptop up from cables!

Easy to configure, harder to get good reception
The Good: Can get up to 95% of a wired connection speed under the right circumstances, web interface, flexible configurations

The Bad: Skimpy documentation, very sensitive to placement under some circumstances, confusing to choose right setup options

I am using this access point on a Mac network. I got it because of the 22mbps throughput available with other similar D-Link products which I also purchased. It is in the challenging position of pushing a broadband cable internet connection to a house across the street (please don't mention this to AT&T!).

The box is small, setup is pretty easy via direct connection and Internet Explorer, the interface screen is HTML-based. We chose wireless client, and set it near a window which is almost direct line of sight about 200 ft. from my office. Once we figured out what to do, we got up to 3800Mbps throughput, which was tons better than the dialup.

Worked for five days...
I did a lot of research on wireless access points, and this one was very highly rated. It was easy to install and fairly easy to configure using D-Link's web based interface. Unfortunately, the device only worked well for five days.

Then I upgraded the firmware - and things went downhill. The signal strength became very inconsistent: Excellent one moment, fair the next, then poor, etc. It was all over the map - even when the wireless client remained stationary.

I spent hours trying to fix it. D-Link's telephone tech support people were not particularly helpful. It sounded like they didn't know one product from another. Email tech support merely regurgitated what is posted on the website.

I finally gave up, decided to return it, and bought a Linksys BEFW11S4 wireless router. It is less expensive, easier to configure, performs more consistently, and does the job of both a router and wireless access point - so I've now got one less device to manage.

The D-Link may work for you. But if it doesn't, my advice is not to waste a lot of time trying to fix it.

Working Flawlessly For Over One Year - NO Problems!!!
I installed the DWL-900AP+ into an existing 'wired' network to connect my Dell laptop with a D-Link DWL-650+ PC card. The DWL-900AP+ is plugged into a D-Link Hub, that is hooked up to my network server. Installation/setup was extremely easy! I did my homework first! I read all the reviews and documentation that I could find online, THOROUGHLY read the instructions...a couple of times...then went through everything step-by-step! Everything worked FLAWLESSLY!!!

The DWL-900AP+ has been powered-up CONTINUOUSLY 24/7 for over thirteen months...NO problems at all!!!

Signal strength, link quality, and range are all excellent. It is mounted 7 feet above floor-level on the front inside wall of my home, and I can easily surf the 'net throughout the entire house, and from the backyard and garden area of our property (approx. 150 ft). Signal strength and link quality drop a little, but the drop is negligible!

Our home isn't paper-thin either! All the interior walls are plaster and lathe, covered by thick wood paneling and 3/4" knotty pine planking. The exterior is 3/4" pine with 3/4" lap-board siding...covered by insulated aluminum siding! It is a THICK house!!! However the D-Link wireless AP and PC card work GREAT!!!

I highly recommend D-Link for ALL of your networking needs!!!

I'm the network administrator at work, and have had some experience with several brands...and in my estimation, D-Link Rules!!!

Strong Signal and Simple Install
First I set this up in about 5 minutes and the connection to my laptop was almost instant. Then I tested how far I could be away from this AP and my laptop would still be connected. I was surprised that I could be anywhere in my home. I read so many other reviews that say they had bad range, but this works great in my home. Maybe it all depends on your environment/home/work.

Security is strong with the 256-bit WEP and MAC filtering. I think this is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a wireless network and doesn't want to spend a lot of money. Plus you get top shelf security and speed in the 802.11b spectrum. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link DWL-1000AP is an IEEE 8.02.11b-compliant, 11 Mbps wirelessEthernet access point designed for use in office and home environments. Itoperates in 2.4 GHz direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), which providestransparent bridging and roaming capabilities to wireless nodes at ranges up to100 meters indoors and 300 meters outdoors.

The DWL-1000AP supports Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), MAC address control, anduser authentication to ensure a secure network connection. When connected to anEthernet LAN, the DWL-1000AP automatically identifies the IP of the host PC aswell as the subnet. In addition, the IP address of the DWL-1000AP can bemanually assigned. The bandwidth data transmission rate can be set automaticallyusing the dynamic auto-sensing configuration or set manually to 11, 5.5, 2, or 1Mbps.

You can manage the DWL-1000AP remotely with its access point manager software,which can be installed on Microsoft Windows 95 OSR2, 98, 98SE, NT 4.0, Me, and2000. ... Read more

Features

• No cables between computers
• Fast 11 Mbps
• Acts as an Ethernet bridge
• Easy to connect
• IEEE 802.11b compliant

Reviews (47)

A very good access point but poor documentation
I am very satisfied with the D-LINK access point, once installed that is ! Thanks to Scott's review, I quickly checked the second manual and realized that I could configure the DWL-1000AP via the Ethernet link. I was unable to configure it via my laptop with a RoamAbout wireless PCMCIA card, either via automatic detection or manually. Once configured, it worked as a charm. The only problem is that Encryption is not compatible between my Roamabout card and the DWL-1000AP ... As Scott, I would rate the documentation as a 2, and the AP as a 5, for an overall rating of 4. Hadn't I been a software engineer, I'd have been frustated trying to configure the AP ...

Claims a little exaggerated, but it works.
This is my second wireless Access Point. I started with a Hawkings access point and was very impressed with how I was up and using the Internet from my patio in 10 minutes. However, the next day I had no connection. After 1 hour on technical support, we concluded it was defective. Therefore, I turned to another manufacturer. After reading the reviews, the D-Link product looked to be the best. I fully expected that I would be up and running within 10 minutes of opening the box based on my previous experiences.

First off, the D-Link product is tiny and convenient. It comes with a wall mount if one decides to mount it that way. I do not know why no vendor includes a network cable, but make sure you have one before you get the product.

I connected the D-Link to my Linksys Broadband router and based on the literature the D-Link was supposed to get an IP address from the DHCP server and I would be up and running. Well that was not the case, I do not know if it was the Linksys or the D-Link but after 20 minutes of messing with the manual, I still could not make a connection.

Here is what I have discovered. If it does not work right away, throw away the manual and call technical support. The manual was useless. I went through the setup step by step and nothing worked. I was convinced that I had another defective product. But with the help of technical support (about a 20 minute wait) we had it up and working in 5 minutes. Here is a procedure that works if the unit seems dead out of the box.

1. Reset the unit and write down the MAC address. This is the same as the units Serial number.

2. Connect the unit to a network hub and your computer to the same hub. You must have a standard network card for this procedure to work. If you only have wireless, I would recommend getting at least 1 wired connection, otherwise you will be in for prolonged frustration.

3. Run the installation software and if the unit is not detected automatically, be prepared to add the unit manually. Try to follow the manual, but in my case, the IP addresses in the manual only confounded the problem.

4. Determine the IP address of your network card. This can be found by running the command ipconfig from the MS DOS command prompt.

5. Once you determine the IP address of your network card (in my case it was 192.168.1.101 for a linksys network), add the device manually. Type in the MAC address (Serial Number) and then pick an IP address in the same network as your network card. Do not use the IP address in the manual (192.168.0.10) unless your network card has the same first three numbers (192.168.1.xxx). In fact, I do not ever recommend using 0 as a network address. I picked 192.168.1.10 and then the software found and added the device flawlessly.

6. Next, pick the same SSID as your wireless network card. Pick something you can remember like HOME for home.

That procedure is what finally got my unit to function. As a side note, this same procedure worked for the Hawkings unit as well. In fact, I think they are the same unit only different packaging. Same power units, same software, and same quirks. So for functionality, get whatever unit is cheaper, the Hawkings or the D-Link. Although the Hawkings has even worse technical support than D-Link.

I would also not recommend the unit for first time network users. Good price and good product overall once you get it working. However, I am disappointed with the claim for DHCP and range. The unit was supposed to grab an IP address from my DHCP sever and I would not have to configure the unit manually, so claimed the literature. Well it does not work that way, and neither did the hawkings. Technical support told me that it happens that way sometimes. In addition, I live in a very simple three-bedroom square shaped southwest stucco home and even with unit in the center of the house my connection quality drops to nearly 10% just on the patio. Nevertheless, I predict the same quality from all the vendors; it is the same with cordless telephones. Take the range they claim; divide by 4 and that is what you will really get.

I'm Wireless!
Welcome to my first WIRELESS Amazon review. Unfortunately, it's not a good one for this product. Here's my plight.

I bought this product on eBay for 30 bucks, new in the box. Couldn't resist. I was like a little kid waiting for something to come in the mail.

Out of the box, it worked! But only for a second. Then, like other posters here, it couldn't find my SSID. Went through the troubleshooting guide - no dice. Looked to forums - no dice. Tried this - no dice, tried that, no dice.

Finally called tech support. 20 minute call to the first rep. Nice enough but couldn't help me. Bumped me to the next guy. He told me (get this) that I needed to go buy a router. Okay, I don't need a router. That's why I bought a WAP! It's supposed to be a router. See, alls I want is to be able to connect from my laptop to the net. That's it.

Soooooooo I mozey on down to Radio Shack, and I see a vanilla router - 45 bucks. I see the Lynksys wireless b router, $59 bucks.

Went with the Linksys - BINGO! Right out of the box. Connected.

The moral of this story? Don't buy electronics stuff on eBay unless you can return it. When it comes to this type of stuff - do your homework. Check reviews and customer experience on Amazon. Don't be penney wise with wireless!

Was great until the firmware update (2.2)
I had used this device without a problem for a year. I upgraded the firmware on this device a couple of weeks ago to version 2.2. I now cannot download a 5MB file without it dropping its connection 10+ times. It has become completely unusable.

I just got of the phone with D-Link technical support. I am not joking, the gentleman on the other end told me that I had "fried" my card upgrading the firmware. I was angry that he used the words that "I" had fried it and I clarified with him. He said multiple times "Yes, the firmware fried the access point". To be completely sure I said "You are saying that your software fries your products, is that correct" to which he replied "Yes".

On the upside, he said they will send me another access point. On the downside I have not received the email he said I would get with instructions.

I don't think I will ever purchase anything from D-Link again. At least not until they can keep their software from frying their hardware.

Do NOT upgrade the firmware on this unit!
I purchased the 1000AP and it works perfectly out of the box, with the original firmware installed. Pretty simple to set up and operates flawlessly.

However, as soon as I upgraded to the new firmware from the DLink site, the product dropped connections so often that it is unusable. This happens with no encyption turned on, or using the 64 or 128 bit modes.

This is a common problem with the new firmware, and DLink refuses to acknowledge the problem, or to post a "downgrade" to restore the original firmware. The problem has been visible on the Internet for a year. I have gone from a DLink admirer to never wanting another one of their products.

If you have purchased this unit, then do NOT install the firmware. If not, then look elsewhere and avoid DLink products. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The D-Link DI-711 is a broadband IEEE 802.11b-compliant wireless gateway. The DI-711 provides two or more computers with the ability to share a DSL or cable modem through either its single local Ethernet port or its integrated wireless IEEE 802.11b component. The DI-711's integrated router and firewall provide NAT, DHCP, and packet-filtering services between the local network and the Internet.

D-Link's DI-711 allows several computers on a wireless LAN to share a single Internet connection while it provides the safety and security of port blocking, packet filtering, and a natural firewall. Static address support, integrated DHCP, PPPoE, and device name support will allow it to connect to nearly any broadband provider, whether Ethernet cable or DSL-based, while simplifying settings for the local area network.

The DI-711 provides two levels of security support. First, it masks local users' IP addresses from others on the Internet, making it much more difficult for a hacker to target a machine on your network. Second, the DI-711 blocks outgoing ports unless required by applications specified in Virtual Server settings.

The DI-711 provides special pass-through support for common VPN implementations, including PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol), L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol), and IPSec*. The Virtual Server feature allows the user to expose HTTP, FTP, game servers, and other local services to Internet users located outside of the LAN. A DMZ setting can be applied to a single client behind the DI-711 to expose it to the Internet and ensure complete Internet application compatibility even if specific ports are not known.

Unlike a proxy server or NAT software that requires the software server to remain visible on the Internet, no local computers are externally visible when using the DI-711. Also the DI-711, like broadband, is always on, removing the need to constantly boot a software server when access is desired from a client.

The integrated DHCP feature allows up to 252 users to get their IP addresses automatically each time a computer boots up the DI-711. With this feature, computers do not require additional software when connected to receive an IP address and instantly connect to the local network.

* The router passes PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec packets. VPN compatibility is dependent on the platform used.

... Read more

Features

• Wireless connectivity up to 100 meters
• Share an Internet connection
• Web-based management
• Advanced security features
• Acts as a firewall for added security

Reviews (10)

Works fine
Using it with Comcast cable modem and two computers about 500 feet and 1 floor apart. Works quite reliably, it auto detects the IP and does eveything transparently. My only gripe is D-Link's support seems to be run by underqualified technicians that just give you the run around. Good thing it works fine already, so it's not much of an issue to me.

P.I.T.A to get working, Poor Tech Support
It took me 3+ days to get this thing to work with my notebook. Cannot get it to work with my desktop. Tech support was no help at all. They just had me retrying things I already did. If your not a networking wizard do not buy this router. Newer models don't need the manual setup of this one.

Never again D-Link
I purchased this over a year ago. After constant frustration with lock-ups and reboots, I went and bought the MS access point (which worked flawlessly right out of the box) and threw this one to the IT guys at work. They couldn't get it to work for more than 15 minutes at a stretch either. Then I found a posting about a firmware upgrade on dslreports.com. It was produced, presumably, by the OEM (Gemtek) for the device (see their website). I flashed and it works now, its been up for three days! Shame on D-Link for not providing working firmware; I can't begin to calculate all of the time I wasted with that thing thinking it was something with my network. Though it appears to finally be working, I will never do business with D-Link again.

Bad choice
worked more or less ok, with one major drawback: built-in "firewall" which could not be deactivated did too much protecting me, filling up "intruder list" with packets sent and received by ICQ. After some number of such packets device locks up, and you have to reboot it manually. This is not a "BUG", this is a "FEATURE", it is even in the manual - they say it's for our protection.
Do not buy it.

Great product for the price
I have been using this product for a week now and I love it. It works great and has great range and WEP works flawlessly. It took a mere 5 minutes to get setup and running and now I can connect to the Internet anywhere in the house on my laptop. I even went outside and across the street and things still worked good. I have only had minor problems of things not working briefly or getting disconnected for a second, but I figure this is common among all wireless networks. It is nothing major. ... Read more