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Use Buffalo for Wireless Bridging

If you want to build a network of base stations that aren't connected with wires, but use the Wireless Distribution System found first in the AirPort Extreme Base Station (AxBS), you can supplement Apple's $200 to $250 model with the Buffalo WLA-G54. Read my article on how to use it.

The Buffalo access point uses the same chips as Apple's, and in my testing appears to work compatibly with the AxBS -- but it only costs $100. You can find Buffalo equipment at many online stores.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman on September 16, 2003 07:44 AM |

Comments

I just bought an Airport Extreme base station and a Dr. Bott omnidirectional antenna in the hope of boosting the signal to my Mac and PCs at the other end of the house. Despite great hope (and advertising hype regarding the antenna) my signal reception *perhaps* improved by half a bar at best. With that in mind I had hoped to use my old Airport base station as a relay in a WDS arrangement that would radically improve signal by placing the relay station closer to my problematic office space, but this apparently doesn't work with the original base stations. So the question is, does anyone know a hack for configuring 1st generation Airport base stations for use in a WDS network?

Thanks in advance,

Larry

Posted by: LVConley | September 22, 2003 02:32 PM

Well, I gave this a try.

I'm running an Airport network connected to a cable modem and needed to get the signal to the far end of the apartment. I bought a buffalo WLA-G54 and did the things recommended in the article. I only got it to sort of work by disabling WEP encyrption.

The Airport station got as far as a progress bar claiming it was "joining AirStation" -- but after 30 minutes with no finishing I force quit and tried again. Same thing.

Any hints?

I've called the Buffalo folks - they did their best (nice phone support, by the way) but no real solution.

Posted by: Michael Tinkler | September 25, 2003 03:48 PM

well i keep on tryin' but in vain

Posted by: Syd | October 1, 2003 07:30 AM

The Buffalo people suspected that an updated driver would help. It didn't. Since the machine for the back room is a wintel laptop we traded the linksys pcmia card for a Buffalo card that can attach an external antenna for pickup.

With that antenna there's a 60% signal from the airport, which is fine.

Posted by: Michael Tinkler | October 2, 2003 05:02 AM