Using Old Befw11s4 Version 4 Router As A Wap

[jmet]

I have been using the BEFW11S4 router for a couple of years now. It has worked flawlessly! I wanted some more control over my router configurations and settings so I bought a WRT54GL router. The reason being so that I could load third party firmware. (Yes I know that voids my warranty).

Right now I have 2 PC's connected in my house (my desktop and laptop). My mother lives about 300 feet behind me, at first I ran CAT5 cable through the trees to her computer. That worked great until lightning struck the line and fried her PC. So I then went wireless with her. She gets a signal barely! Most of the time its 1 bar.

Now my brother lives to the left of me. He is closer but the line of sight its not good for him (alot of trees). He also gets 1 bar some of the time. It fluctuates for both users.

Now my question is can I use my old BEFW11S4 router as a wireless access point?

I was told that I could connect the two routers via CAT5 and disable DHCP on the BEFW11S4 router and it would broadcast the wireless signal.

FYI: I also have some high gain antennas.

[Chewy]

Now my question is can I use my old BEFW11S4 router as a wireless access point?

BEFW11S4-CA(FR) - Wireless Access Point Router with 4-Port Switch

run cat 5 cable out to it and hang on corner of house under eave and try to get line of sight and use the tin cans pointd at it?

don't think it will work as a range extender if you are trying to get it to receive tho

[jmet]

Its like the version before that one you listed Chewy. Its not "technically" a access point but I've been told you can use it as one.

[Chewy]

if it had cat 5 going upstream to the wan(cable or dsl modem?)

BEFW11S4 - Wireless-B Broadband Router

looks like you just have to surf into it and then make sure you assign an ip addy for it, connect it by cat 5 to your new router

should work fine

[jmet]

I thought a wireless access point didn't have to be hardwired? I was told that it would act as a reapter for the wireless signal it recieves from my old router?

[Chewy]

good luck! where are you going to put it if it works, out in the middle of the field

btw I hate wireless with a passion

royal pain in the tush

[jmet]

I will put the BEF router in my bedroom with high gain attennas that I can send a signal to my mom who lives about 300 ft behind me (it is not a clean line of sight to her).

Then I will put the new router/access point on the other end of the house (approx. 80 ft) to send the wireless signal to my bother who lives about 250 feet from that end of the house (his line of sight is worse than my mothers, lots of trees).

[Chewy]

http://www.cat5ecableguy.com/outdoor_bulk_cable?b=1

if all else fails and you get the 20 gigabit backbone

[doctorhardware]

There are antennas that are high gain directional that you can buy. But I can not remember the web site that sells the antennas. I think there was an article in PC magazine that also showed you on how to make a high gain directional antenna.