Questions about wireless ethernet bridges.

[Pritchi]

Hello there! I am planning on getting a wireless ethernet bridge for my desktop when i go to college. The house i am staying at has a modem and router already setup, but is in another room, and i will be unable to have a wired connection directly to the router (unless i run a 50ft cable through the house, which i am not going to do). I did a little research and found that using a wireless ethernet bridge is probably the best option, but I don't want to go out and buy just any random bridge for fear of incompatibility with the router. So i am wondering if it matters what type of wireless ethernet bridge i get? I want to get the best i can get for a decent price, and i want the bridge to be able to work with the router.

 

[bobsilver]

Determine what type of wireless router you will connect to. Single band, Dual band. A bridge to be clear will connect to the wireless signal and give you ethernet ports. It does not repeat wireless. Just gives you a hardwired connection.

That said there are different types of bridges. Single band or dual band, single port or multiple ports.

An inexpensive single band, single port bridge is the Netgear WNCE2001. A basic but good bridge. I use them with IP cameras. A more advanced dual band bridge w/single port is the Netgear WNCE3001. And there is the Netgear WNCE4001 dual band with 4 ports.

Other options also may be to use power line. These devices plug into an ac outlet and connect to a router ethernet port and provide you an ethernet port at the other end. Performance will vary based on electrical noise in the home.

Ans lastly you can get a repeater like the Netgear 2000rpt that is single band , has 4 ports and can be used as a bridge and or repeater. There are dual bands too that have technology called Fast Lane that use one band to connect to the router and the other to your device. Look at Netgear WN2500RPT. If it were me that's what I would do. More functionality and about the same money. You can always turn off the repeating function if you don't need it.

Bob Silver
NETGEAR Networking Assistant

 

[Pritchi]

Ans lastly you can get a repeater like the Netgear 2000rpt that is single band , has 4 ports and can be used as a bridge and or repeater.

What uses does a repeat have?

Also, I will be gaming, so would the WNCE2001 or WNCE3001 be suitable for that? If not, would the 2500RPT be better?