Best Router Among these to With Repeater Mode !!

[phoenix1313k]

Hi, I already have a router Asus DSL-N10E , and since i need to extend this network around the house i need another wireless modem. I am thinking of these two ,

1. D-Link DSL-2750U Wireless N ADSL2 4-Port Wi-Fi Router
2. Asus RT-N10U 150Mbps Wireless-N Router

Since i need to extend an existing network, i was looking for this feature, by googling a bit about both i found out that both of these have Bridge mode (Repeater function ). Still i'm not sure. Since i already have Asus i wanted to try Dlink modem. But the problem is that i dont know whether the dlink will support the older Asus DSL-n10e as a repeater or not. I think the older one does not have the bridge mode function. Hence i'm in huge confusion. I'm not sure what to do? Can some one help me make sure the compatibility of these. The Asus RT-N10U 150Mbps Wireless-N Router has Universal repeater function , which i guess means it will support any router as Repeater, irrespective of the brand? am i right?

But i'm not sure about the Dlink, and i want to try a dlink. If you know 100% if this router will work with my old asus, please let me know. Also will i be able to use my old asus as access point??? Please Help me out. In case i'm wrong anywhere please do correct me.

 

[bill001g]

bridge mode is not repeater mode. The feature you need is called client-bridge. You 3 basic forms of bridge. The most common bridges things like DSL to ethernet or cable to ethernet. The next is if you bridge a ethernet to wireless. This basically is a AP but you don't need to actually bridge to use a router as a AP. When you run in AP client machine connect to the device and get translated to ethernet. The one you must have to run a repeater is client-bridge. This one uses the wireless as the client to another wireless device. It is the reverse of a AP.

In addition to make most repeaters work both devices must support WDS. There is a small number of bridge devices that can connect without WDS but these are rare.

So your main router must support WDS and the device you have you want to be a repeater must have both WDS and client-bridge features.

I would avoid running repeaters unless you have no other way to get the signals. It will at a minimum get 50% less bandwidth and it will also degrade even users who directly connect to the main router. If you can run a cable and run the wireless devce as a AP it will provide the same wireless coverage increase with non of the issues of a repeater.

 

[bobsilver]

Might I suggest you begin by adding a newer router that has higher speeds and dual band technology. Many of the newer routers will have improved signal strength that will negate the need for a bridge. Since you are using 150mbs routers today (the slowest n based technology) you will do yourself a great service updating to a current design.

Look at these routers as examples ( and I believe they also operate in bridge or repeater mode)

Netgear R6250
Netgear R6100
Netgear WNDR3400 (not sure about repeater mode on this one)

If all you want is a bridge or repeater then look at the Netgear RPT2000. It is a 300mbs single band (2.4ghz) repeater. I have one and its works well as a repeater and bridge. This would be the simplest and least expensive approach if you dont want to upgrade your router.

Bob Silver
Netgear Consultant