Got the Media Extender, Now what?

[MeInMaui]

If you return the wireless MVP's, you could get a wired MVP + wireless bridge for about the same price. Or you could pick up a 5 port 10/100 switch for about $25. I know this is frustrating, but I wouldn't give up. The MVP's are great aside from the built-in wireless.

Aloha,
Mike

[Todd3835]

Ok, but just returning them to get some of the money back, to get the wireless bridges, and waiting for them to recieve these back (plus the shipping to send them back), then probably loosing the shipping I paid for these 2 to show up, then paying more shipping to get 2 non-wireless ones sent, you're talking alot of wasted money for something that should have worked when I got it. Someone bought these for me as payment for a laptop, so returning them just isn't easy. I'm very disappointed that I recieved something that doesn't work as stated on thier website. Again, I'll state that I didn't pick these up somewhere else, I bought them FROM SAGE. I can't believe they'd sell a product saying it works with thier software, when it indeed does not. That's false advertisement in my eyes. If I wanted to run wired, I have old machines kicking around that could handle it, the thing was I wanted something quick and easy, and about 10 hours of screwing with it, it's far from quick, or easy...... From thier website, I was lead to believe this would be easy to install. The included documentation didn't warn about wirewall settings, which if I'd installed the MVP software, it solves that problem, but Sage's docs said NOT to install the software. I'm just very very disapointed. I went through alot in my time using BTV, and heard alot of good things about Sage. I'm starting to wonder if going with Sage was such a good idea after all.....

[Todd3835]

Oh, and the cheapest bridge I'm seeing is about 80 dollars, and when you consider I have 2 MVP's I'm trying to setup, that's 160 bucks I just don't have.....

[PGPfan]

Just curious if maybe you have a router that can run something like DD-WRT, or some other custom Linux router s/w? Seems that most if not all the successes I've seen with wireless router have been using the non-standard firmware/software and it allows MUCH better control of the wireless hardware.

As for me, I've just go wired so just a guess is as good a help as I can be, sorry.

-PGPfan

[Todd3835]

I'll have to check. I have a Netgear WirelessG WGR614 v6 and a Linksys WirelessB BEFW11S4 so I'll have to look into that.....

-Todd

[Todd3835]

Well, it doesn't support either. I found a linksys it does support on Buy.com though. Anyone having any luck with Linksys WRT54G using the DD-WRT Firmware?

[PGPfan]

Seems like there are several according to this thread.

Hope it helps!

-PGPfan

[jcesare]

Originally Posted by Todd3835

Oh yeah, so if I want to run it wired, I now need a hub, since my router connections are full, hence the whole purpose of going wireless. I think these will be going back to SageTV. Can't really do anything with em on wireless and I don't want to spend a small fortune either getting the bridge or getting a hub and running cable.....

Don't use a hub, use a switch.

[stevech]

Originally Posted by jcesare

Don't use a hub, use a switch.

He probably meant switch; no one uses hubs anymore and they are even hard to find for sale these days. Indeed, don't use a hub.

[Todd3835]

I'm not sure what the difference is between a hub and a switch. I have a 4 port 10mbit hub (i think) kicking around already, which I'm going to use, but I also picked up a 5 port hub from Walmart just now, incase the other one doesn't work. Guess if I don't have luck with that, i'll have to return it, Bestbuy had a belkin something for 20 (this one was 30, but I didn't feel like driving 20 minutes to bestbuy as opposed to 5 for Walmart). This also depends on what happens with the Belkin USB Network thingy, if it'll work ok on one of the systems. Otherwise I'd have to make a bigger hole for the network cable (going to 2 rooms.....

-Todd

[Menehune]

Basically, a hub copies the traffic to all the ports, the switch sends the traffic to only the ports requesting it. If it is a 10mbs, it may only be a hub. Most switches I've seen are 10/100 and auto switching for the uplink port. It should say on the equipment case if it is a hub or a switch.

[Todd3835]

Ok, so I'm looking around, and I'm wondering if a "Wireless Access Point" would work. Not sure if that and a bridge are the same thing. I'm seeing a Linksys WAP11B on Ebay for an affordable price. The link is here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Linksys-WAP11B-8...QQcmdZViewItem

I'm wondering if this would do the trick of plugging the Extender into the WAP11B and getting wireless that way.....

-Todd

[ke6guj]

Nope, a WAP is a way to add wireless to a network, without using a wireless router (which is a router + WAP).

[Todd3835]

Well that about sucks..... Guess I'll be running red colored ethernet across the house...... 2 wires at that. Damn holes in the wall I can't get the ethernet to go through all the way. And of course the hole is behind my huge computer desk to make it that much harder anyways..... Routers sell for 35 bucks or less, Cheapest bridge I see is 40, plus shipping...... So why is it a bridge costs more than a router I wonder lol

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by Todd3835

So why is it a bridge costs more than a router I wonder lol

Because there is less of a market for bridges compared to routers. And if you want a multi-port wireless bridge, look out .

IIRC, some router models can set set up to run as a bridge via the manufacturer's software. Because, basically it is all the same hardware, its just the software package that makes a router a router instead of a bridge.