Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Travel Technology
Reload this Page >

Wireless bridge recommendations

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Wireless bridge recommendations

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 26, 2007 | 7:48 am
  #1  
Original Poster
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago, USA
Programs: UA 1MM Gold AA Gold NW Silver Marriott Plat. SPG Plat. Hilton Gold Hertz 5 Star
Posts: 3,252
Wireless bridge recommendations

I have a locked down work laptop which has no wireless access.

As such its a pain to work at home because I have to be right at my access point.

I would like a buy a wireless bridge to plug into the ethernet port.

Any recommendations? I see low prices of 30 dollars for some SMC *bleh*
up to 99 dollars. And the ones designed specifically for gaming consoles seem to be a bit cheaper (duopn't know why).

see http://shop1.outpost.com/product/536...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

instead of

http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4621548
chichow is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2007 | 8:55 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 255
It depends on what you have for a wireless router at home is it G or B also could you use a usb wireless connection instead? How locked down is your computer? The reason I ask is the AP will need power so you'll still be attached to an outlet.

Could you ask work to install the drivers of a usb wireless card?
Snow n Sail is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2007 | 9:47 pm
  #3  
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: MEL/LAX
Programs: AAdv GLD(MM), QF LTS, UA MP_nada, HH Gld, SPG, GoldenCircle Jade
Posts: 4,478
I bought an SMC bridge for my replayTV - it was cr*p. I trashed it and then bought a Netgear - have had it ever since and it works great. Sorry I can't recall the model number.
alect is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2007 | 11:23 pm
  #4  
 
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,708
I have netgear bridges. They are older ones and don't support WPA, so I have to run WEP only.

You might consider that when looking for one and also make sure it can be connected to a switch as well as direct connected to a computer. The 2 that I have work fine most of the time. One is direct connected to the family computer in the living room. The other is connected to a netgear switch in the office. For my wireless router, I finally gave up on netgear.

-David
LIH Prem is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2007 | 11:32 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
40 Countries Visited
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: PDX
Programs: On a collision course with Kettledom
Posts: 25,550
I have a super-cheap Airlink I bought at Fry's for under $30. It works fine, although the transformer brick is huge. WPA and related security is supported.
opus17 is offline  
Old Oct 7, 2007 | 7:54 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago, USA
Programs: UA 1MM Gold AA Gold NW Silver Marriott Plat. SPG Plat. Hilton Gold Hertz 5 Star
Posts: 3,252
I run a 54G wireless netgear router (used to have a buffalo, but someone else has it for the moment). No n spec for me in the near future.

need to support WPA.

I don't mind being tied to an outlet. I just need to be able to work in another room.

No usb option for me. I can't install any system level or system wide stuff.
chichow is offline  
Old Oct 7, 2007 | 9:44 pm
  #7  
In Memoriam
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
You could also do the entire outlet thing, where you pass the ethernet over the power line in your house. That would work anywhere (most of the time depending how your house is wired) so you could work in any room at all.
cordelli is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 12:07 am
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,784
Originally Posted by chichow
And the ones designed specifically for gaming consoles seem to be a bit cheaper (duopn't know why).
My guess would be sales volume.
nkedel is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 4:08 am
  #9  
10 Countries Visited
20 Countries Visited
30 Countries Visited
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Posts: 534
I have never used a device, however even though it is a bridge, you'd still have to set the SSID, etc, correct?

If your laptop is locked down, I'm not sure you could do this... It depends on how 'locked down' it is.

just a note to think about
sdsvtdriver is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 6:31 am
  #10  
Original Poster
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago, USA
Programs: UA 1MM Gold AA Gold NW Silver Marriott Plat. SPG Plat. Hilton Gold Hertz 5 Star
Posts: 3,252
Couldn't I set the SSID through another computer? or even through a web browser interface?

I tried the powerline stuff. either I got bad equipment, or it doesn't run at my house.
chichow is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 12:56 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: US CP, *wood Gold, Marriott gold, Hilton something
Posts: 1,458
I'm loving the buffalo wireless products. They do have a bridge, but their G base station can be turned into a bridge by replacing the firmware... I haven't tried it in some time, but I recall it being fairly easy.
SpaceBass is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 2:45 pm
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,784
Originally Posted by chichow
Couldn't I set the SSID through another computer? or even through a web browser interface?
Almost definitely the first, probably the latter as well.

(I could see a even-further locked-down machine having a fixed assigned-at-work IP address, but then it probably wouldn't work on your home network at all, even on a wired connection.)
nkedel is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2007 | 11:41 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,246
I can't imagine that the computer would be tied down to a specific IP address. If it was made to only work at one location then one wouldn't need a laptop. But even if it is, as long as it is an ip that starts with 192.168 you can configure it to work at home.

I personally would go with a netgear product.
myfrogger is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2007 | 6:22 pm
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
30 Countries Visited
2M
All eyes on you!
25 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
Programs: AA 2MM (LT-PLT, PPro for this year)
Posts: 19,784
Originally Posted by myfrogger
I can't imagine that the computer would be tied down to a specific IP address. If it was made to only work at one location then one wouldn't need a laptop. But even if it is, as long as it is an ip that starts with 192.168 you can configure it to work at home.
Depending on the network setup, "only work at one location" could mean "this one desk", "anywhere in this building" or "anywhere on our gi-normous worldwide corporate network."

Given enough work, of course, you could make it work on a home network with ANY IP address -- while you're supposed to use private IPs, in practice it's pretty doable to make your NAT-space on someone's public IP range (although it does then limit your ability to get back to that address or those addresses)
nkedel is offline  
Old Oct 10, 2007 | 7:03 am
  #15  
Original Poster
All eyes on you!
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chicago, USA
Programs: UA 1MM Gold AA Gold NW Silver Marriott Plat. SPG Plat. Hilton Gold Hertz 5 Star
Posts: 3,252
I can VPN no problem onto the corp network, its just that they lock it down so its hard to install drivers etc.

Any other suggestions than netgear?

I like netgear, but all I see is this

WGE111 which I think is discontinued and expensive...
chichow is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.