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(More customer reviews)I have a couple of computers in one room, connected via LAN to a Linksys Wireless G router/access point, which is connected to a DSL modem. I wanted to put another computer an an Ethernet-attached printer on the floor above. The standard way to do this would be to run a Cat-5 cable from the Linksys router to a small hub on the upper floor, and connect the new computer and printer to it. It would be a long and complicated run, though, and would involve drilling through the floor. Not impossible, but I didn't really look forward to doing it.
This device seemed to be just what I was looking for: a way to replace a long run of Cat-5 cable with a wireless link. Put the TRENDnet Access Point on the upper floor along with a small hub (the Access Point has only one Ethernet jack), and plug the computer and printer into the hub.
The Access Point offers five modes of operation. The one I expected to use is called "WDS", for Wireless Distribution System. From the user manual, it appears as if this is the mode for just extending a LAN as I wanted to do. I was never able to get this mode of operation to communicate with the Linksys router. The manual is not well written, and the help windows from the Access Point's built in web server are even worse. Using browsers to look at the settings of both the Linksys and the TRENDnet, I verified that everything that I can set was entered correctly: Channel number, SSID, passphrases, MAC addresses, everything. No connection was ever made, in WDS mode.
So I tried "AP + WDS" mode; still nothing worked.
Finally I tried "AP Client" mode, in which (quoting now) "the AP will be a wireless Ethernet adapter transforms any Ethernet-enabled devices to have the wireless function." From the diagram, it would seem that only one device (computer, printer) could be attached. I tried connecting the switch with both computer and printer to the Access Point in this mode, and finally it all works.
Now that it's working, it is doing just what I wanted it to. The new computer can access the internet and share files with the ones downstairs, the downstairs computers can print on the upstairs printer, and so on.
The poor manual and even worse help text really drags this product down. I would have rated it much higher if it hadn't required so much experimentation to get it going.
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TRENDnets TEW-430APB Wireless Access Point is todays link to Wireless Technology. Compliant with the IEEE Wireless Networking Standard 802.11g, it provides Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) operation for transparent bridging and roaming capabilities for wireless nodes. The TEW-430APB also provides WDS bridging functions, allowing users to connect two or more Access Points together, wirelessly. With TRENDnets Wireless Access Point and Wireless Network Adapters, users can connect to Ethernet/Fast Ethernet LAN at home or office to access network resources such as hard drives, CD-ROM/DVD drives, network printers, and Internet connection - with coverage up to 300 meters.
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