I have installed 5 large wireless networks for a client using the WAP11 as the access point to the wired network and it works great. There have been no problems with any of the hardware I have installed. The secret is to get the WAP as high as possible. I put them up inside of the false ceiling as a way to get them up. Computers 100 feet away in a concrete building with tons of stainless steel get excellent reception.

The reason I bought the linksys WAP11 is because it supposedly features "bridging" between two access points. Whether it is supported or not is highly questionable after what I went through.

The software and firmware are buggy as well. For example, the SNMP management utility requires a password to manage the device - but the current version of the firmware (1.4i.1) does not accept the password shown in the manual, nor the one suggested to me by customer service. So the SNMP utility is unuseable until the next firmware upgrade, which is a shame because some features are only accessible through the SNMP utility.

Also, one of the advertised features is misleading. They say the device has hardware support for 128-bit WEP - they don't tell you that firmware prior to 1.4i.1 only supported 64-bit WEP. 1.4i.1 is the currently shipping version of the firmware, however, so if you buy now you should be OK.

My experience with customer service has been good overall.

Well, after updating the firmware in the WAP11 and Airport card to their latest versions, I'm happy to say they work just great together!!! I love Apple stuff but $(...) for their Airport Base Station is just a bit too pricey for me. So, I bought the WAP11 for around $(...) and I'm a happy camper.

I haven't tested network printing and/or Appletalk. I think the WAP11 supports Appletalk but you will want to be sure of that if that is important to you. For browsing the web and any other TCP/IP related uses, it works just fine.

By the way, I'm using 128-bit encryption feature on both the WAP11 and the Airport card. That involves entering in a "password phrase" in the WAP11 configuration software. The software then converts the phrase into a 128-bit hex number. It's a long number so you'll want to write it down.

When your Airport finds the WAP11, you'll want to the 128-bit key in the password field but make sure it is preceded by a "$" sign. After that, you should be able to connect.

One other thing to consider, you will need a PC with a USB port in order to update the WAP11 firmware. I tried updating the firmware using the Mac and Virtual PC but it would not recognize the WAP11. So, you might want to sneak into work at night or on the weekend to update the firmware...hehehe

Long live Apple!!!!!!!

Happy computing!!! :-)

The setup was straight forward. When I first installed both, I couldn't get a link. Somewhat frusterated, I walked away and ate dinner with some friends. Later when I returned, it had a signal. The signal strength is only 13% and the Link quality is only 20% but I still get great results and fast speeds. (2-11MB/SEC) and over 600kb Internet speed. I haven't noticed any disruptions or dropped packets and it's been very stable and constant. In fact, I'm writing this review on the Wireless PC.

I almost sent it back but what saved me was the excellent tech support dialogue I had going with a Linksys techie. THE KEY TO LINKSYS TECH SUPPORT: email and patience--don't try to do it over the phone. I had a 1.25 hour hold time and a not very helpful techie. But email--email was a different story. I'd give you her name and email address but then she'd be deluged because this installation will almost always necessitate at least one call to tech support. But once you're up, you're up! Enjoy.

Some reviews here mention poor range with WPC11 cards - that was a problem with some old versions of the card, which apparently are now fixed, and are not a problem with the access point at all.

Think of this more like a network switch rather than a router - it doesn't have features like DHCP built-in (you can use a computer or separate router to provide things like that - a linux/unix box is ideal, although windows ICS, proxy server or ISA would also work).

What it does is bridge between wired and wireless ethernet, and does it well. Unlike some APs it does have SNMP statistics for some things, although they can be a little awkward to use them at times (the mailing list archives on bawug.org are one good source of information about these).

Recent firmware allows the WAP11 to act as a client to another WAP11 access point ('ap-client mode') - so you can have both computers and remote networks connected through a central AP at the same time (this is different to the point-to-point bridge mode, which is also available, which only connects networks together and doesn't allow individual computers to connect).

When configured as AP-client mode, if you use configuration software designed for the reference system from Atmel which the WAP11 is based on (snmpv1743.exe, you don't need to edit any .ini files for this), it is possible to carry out a site survey (i.e. show a list of APs which can be heard along with signal/noise information).

In a word, no range, no throughput and no customer service. Forget about 150 meters indoors, it drops off at about 10 meters, and that is line of sight! At that point the signal strength goes down to about 30% where it is unreliable.

Even when the PC is 5 feet from the access point, throughput is at about 1MBPS instead of 11 (even though the monitor claims its 11). Moving away doesn't reduce the speed. It stays at 11 all the way until it just disconnects.

I had hanging problems, but frankly, the product is so useless I haven't even used it enough to really give it a workout. Since it barely works outside of the room that contains the access point, I might as well just wire it up.

Customer service? I've sent 2 emails that went unanswered. I've called in and waited for an hour only to have someone take my name for a call back. They did call back! Only it was 5 days later and I wasn't home. I waited on hold only to have someone pick up who sounded on his death bed. I only got 3 sentences out when he hung up on me. I could go on. I only got through to someone moderately helpful twice. Both suggested I buy an antennae, saying that it would of course void the warrantee.

I am kicking myself for just assuming that the product really worked and letting my 30 day return period expire.

It was easy to install and get going. Not sure yet if it's worth the price.

I have placed several calls to their tech support. Each call results in a well intentioned first level technician trying everything they can think of then saying a second level technician will call me back. I got one call while I was out and haven't heard anything since. Calling back gets me another one of those well intentioned 1st level technicians who thought of "one more thing".

This is on top of the month and a half I had to wait for an XP driver. It was as if Linksys was "surprised" that XP was being released and was unprepared to release a driver. Not a good sign for future support.

My suggestion is to check ou the SMC product or D-link until Linksys can get their support organization together. I installed an SMC router for my sister and it is working flawlessly (although I haven't needed to call technical support on that one yet . . .)

Installation of the Linksys WAP was relatively painless. I hooked up the Linksys WAP to our wired router via Ethernet patch cable and to my desktop PC via USB. The USB connection to the WAP is temporary -- it's only needed to configure the WAP via USB. There's an SNMP configuration utility included if you don't have USB or are running Linux or UNIX and there's a configurable Management Information Base (MIB) file included on the WAP's setup CD. I didn't really research how someone with access *only* to Macs would configure the WAP, but I didn't have trouble finding a number of Apple users talking about the Linksys WAP11 and their Airport cards, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

As a precaution, I left the WAP connected via USB to my PC desktop until I had my Titanium Powerbook with its new Airport card talking successfully with the WAP. For awhile, I was very concerned that the Airport connection status was always reporting: "Status not available" on my Powerbook, but then I discovered on a deja.com discussion thread that is the normal response for an Airport card connected to a non-Airport base station. The most important thing to getting an Apple Airport card to talk successfully and securely with the Linksys WAP is to properly enter the passcode when connecting:

If you use either 64 bit or 128 bit WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol, if I remember right), you have to enter the passcode/password on your Apple in HEX (not plain text). If you configure the WAP to use 64 bit WEP security, your password will be translated to a 10 digit HEX code by the WAP's configuration utility -- write this down somewhere, and enter it within quotation marks (such as "C04D64E9D2") when prompted by your Mac's Airport card. If you configure the WAP to use 128 bit WEP security, your password will be translated into a handy dandy 26 digit HEX code by the WAP's configuration utility -- write this down somewhere (please!) and enter it preceded by a dollar ($) sign, such as: $C04D64E9D2C04D64E9D21E4D7B. I can't begin to tell you how many times I entered my plain text passcode or mis-entered my 128-bit HEX encoded key, or forgot the $, before I discovered my error while researching online.

After successful configuration of the Linksys WAP and wireless card, I was surfing wirelessly (and giddily) on my Titanium Powerbook G4 with Airport card while sitting downstairs and on the opposite side of the house from my WAP, and I still had a little over 50% signal strength (1.5 walls and 1 floor between the WAP and card). The range is such that I can connect wirelessly from my backyard deck, as well, though at obviously degraded transfer speeds. Experiment with the location and height of your WAP for best results. Mine is located in a doorway at about waist level, overlooking a half-wall that leads to an open stairway and vaulted ceiling.

Apple owners should note the Linksys WAP is a fraction of the price of an Apple Airport Base Station, and allows Mac & PC users 128 bit WEP security. It doesn't support AppleTalk and some of the other things the Airport Base Station does, but for my needs and my money, the Linksys WAP is a definite good buy.