| Linksys WET54G Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge |
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Model: WET54G
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 123
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: Game console
Data link protocol: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
Product Type - Bridge
Complies with IEEE 802.11g standard, and backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11b products
Supports WPA Security, 64/128-bit WEP Encryption
Installs in minutes with easy-to-use Setup Wizard
Built-in web user interface for easy configuration from any web browser |
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| Description: |
| The versatile Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge can make any wired Ethernet-equipped device a part of your wireless network. At home, use the Bridge to connect game consoles, set-top boxes, or computers to your Wireless-G network and its shared high-speed Internet connection. In the office, convert your Ethernet-wired printer, scanner, camera, notebook or desktop into a wireless networked device. |
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| User Reviews (123 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 of Total 6 Pages
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Easy Connection and Set-up, August 9, 2008
By Retired and enjoying Life (Orange Park, FL)
Link quality connecting to a Linksys WRT300N always at 100 percent. One of the best Wireless Bridge's designed for a home system. Getting to old to run cables from one end of the house to other. Nice alternate.
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This thing is crud, August 2, 2008
By The Real Beej (Burke, VA United States)
I like linksys products typically. In fact I was really upset when Verizon FIOS switched me to their proprietary router. But this wireless bridge was ALWAYS acting up. I could never get it to stay connected to the network for more than 24 hours. It's like everytime it tried to renew it's IP, it died. And the weird thing was, I couldn't cycle the power on the surge protector; I HAD to pull the pluc out of the WET and then plug it back in. When it DID work, it worked as advertised. But it was always killing the connection.
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It does just what it claims and does it well!, July 20, 2008
By phyxer (Altus, OK)
I am using this bridge as a wireless bridge from my wired network in one room of the house to connect to my WRT54G wireless router in another room. It works perfectly. I have 1 computer and 2 printers connected to a D-Link DGS-2208 Gigibit Switch which is connected to the WET54G Wireless Bridge which is connected WIRELESSLY to the WRT54G router. That's right, no wired connection between the wired network in one room and the internet which is from the WRT54G router/modem/switch in another part of the house. My wife's laptop connects wirelessly to the home network through the WRT54G and is able to print to either of the two installed printers and we can share files between my computer on the wired network and hers wirelessly through the WET54G and the WRT54G. If you need to connect your wired network to the outside world and don't want to run wires all over the house then this is your answer!
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Works well after the setup, July 18, 2008
By Andy Beatty (Iowa, US)
As many other have said in their reviews the documentation is extremely poor. However after having read many of the reviews and all the tips people left I was able to get the device set up fairly quickly. The performance of the bridge was actually better than I expected. My main use was for an XBox 360 for online gaming. I was surprised to have a solid connection and no noticeable lag during a large multiplayer game on a Friday night. I also have a switch hooked off of the bridge and have no problems running several devices.
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Great product, lousey tech support, July 18, 2008
By Taz (Las Vegas)
The product is great. Enables me to upgrade firmware for my electronic components and allows me to connect Wii to the internet from another room. BUT, about 85% of the time you can't just plug it in and it works so you have to call tech support. They had my network, my computer, my laptop, my router and the bridge so messed up that it took three days to get me back online on just my PC. Everyone I talked to had a different fix and by the time they finally sent me to the "advanced" person, it was such a mess I couldn't connect to the internet at all, from any of my connection points. I still can't connect to my network from my laptop. They've got it so messed up that my ipconfig reports one set of ip numbers and my router reports another so when I enter IPs for my HD player to download firware, it gets confused. Instead of sticking with it, they told me I'd have to call my laptop maker and my HD maker for fixes. Fixes that wouldn't have been needed had Linksys not screwed it up so badly.
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Tricky to setup -- but then it works fine, July 1, 2008
By Michael Mccormick (Saint Paul, MN USA)
I had to replace my trusty old D-Link DWL-810 bridge with this Linksys WET54G when I upgraded my wireless network from 11b to 11g.
I'm an experienced computer professional and even I had some trouble getting the WET54G configured properly. By all means try running the Setup program that comes on the CDROM, but if it fails to detect the bridge then you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and set it up manually:
1. Make sure the Ethernet light is lit solid and the Wireless light is flashing. If they're not both on, then you need to recheck cable connections. Do not move to step 2 till this is fixed.
2. On the computer the bridge is connected to, open a web browser and try entering the "URL http://192.168.1.226" in the address bar. If prompted for a password enter userid "admin" / password "admin". Then the Linksys administration web page should appear. If so skip to step 6.
3. OK, the magic URL on step 2 didn't work for you, but don't panic. On the same computer open the Network Connections window. Right click on the LAN connection you normally use and click Properties. In the protocol list highlight "Internet Protocol TCP/IP" then click Properties.
4. On the General tab click "Use the following IP address" and then enter the IP address 192.168.1.101. Click OK twice to close the open dialog windows.
5. Return your attention to the Network Connections window. Is the LAN connection enabled now? If not, right click on it and choose Repair. Close the Network Connections window and return to step 2.
6. Once you're in the Linksys browser administration console, select Wireless and click Site Survey. You should recognize the SSID of your home wireless network on the list. Note the signal strength, then select it.
7. If your network has WPA2-PSK security enabled, click Security Settings and enter the shared key passphrase. If not, and your router supports WPA2, then go to the router and turn it on! Older WEP security no longer works against hackers.
8. Open a web browser on the same computer and enter the URL of a web site that you have not visited in the last month. If it comes up then your bridge is working! If you get an error then continue on to step 9.
9. Try right clicking on the LAN connection icon down in your system tray (lower right corner by the clock display) and choose Repair. Then close all browser windows, open a new browser window, and once again try the web site from step 8. If it comes up then your bridge is working! If you get an error then continue on to step 10.
10. Restart the computer. While it's rebooting, press the Reset button down on the WET54G and hold it down for about half a minute. Then try the web site from step 8. If it comes up then your bridge is working! If you still get an error then I'm osrry to say it's time to call Cisco / Linksys tech support. :-(
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This was easy to setup., June 21, 2008
By J. Clark (Omaha, NE United States)
I really don't get why so many people are complaining about how hard this bridge is to setup, I got it working in a couple of minutes. I am going to guess that the windows software that comes with it is must be really bad.
I have a rule on all networking products : If you can configure it over its web server do so ( telnet or ssh are good also ). I plugged it in hooked up the ethernet cable then used the static ip that was printed on the only printed manual that came with it ( 192.168.1.226 ). At that point I clicked on the site survey and picked the network, if it is a secure network you have to enter a passphrase/key and you are done. Most linksys web interfaces are pretty simple.
There is WPA support but only TKIP encryption ( no AES ). From what I read before I bought this, the only way to access WPA settings is over its web iterface.
I run a mixed network with windows, linux, and game consoles, so this was a great solution. I even plugged my WET54G into the lan port on my WRT54G ( changed its subnet ) and then hooked my machines into it and it all works great.
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Setup more difficult than it should be, June 5, 2008
By Hank Kennett, Jr. (Chicago)
Setup for the device was more difficult than it should have been. The device comes hard-coded with a 192.168.1.* static IP address, so the install program was repeatedly unable to find it, even when I patched it directly to my PC. I had to manually assign a static IP in that range to my laptop in order for the setup program to detect the bridge. The quickstart guide was rubbish.
Also, mac owners beware: you won't be able to run the setup CD.
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Fair, you really need to play with it, May 31, 2008
By A. Gula (Florida)
Simply put this works but you have to play with it. I found that it was terrible at holding signal when there was anything in between the bridge and the source. Sure it will connect but drop outs were frequent. Now that there is a mostly clear LOS to the source I'm not having nearly the same amount of issues.
For regular browsing this unit is great. You shouldn't have any major issues. For gaming I think there may be better alternatives. This will work but make sure you have clear LOS or you'll be having some serious packet loss issues and disconnects.
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Bad experience, might have been a fluke., May 31, 2008
By John Reitmeier (NW Minnesota Farm)
We're Linksys lovers...if Linksys makes it we have it. We bought some of these to give our IP phones some freedom. My guys carry actual phone system IP phones on the road so we can have a full on office wherever they are. These didn't work good, the little Linksys black box without external antenna works great. Go for that one.
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Not Good, May 30, 2008
By Ross E. Adderley
I am very disapointed in this companies performance. I am a soldier in Iraq and I spent almost 3 weeks waiting for the bridge to get to me witch is fine I know it takes a while for mail to get here. Once I did receive the item it never worked. Freash out of the package and it would not even turn on. I requested to return the product and was denied because I was not in the U.S.A. This is just not good customer service if you ask me.
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Great Product, May 17, 2008
By Larry Mcgee
This is a great "put it where you need it" wireless access device. Works perfectly with my home network. It lets you extend wireless to devices that aren't wireless access equipped.
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(Setup zero stars), April 26, 2008
By K. Sullivan (Minneapolis, MN USA)
Works great once setup. Setup is a nightmare. Shipped model in April 2008 had 2005 firmware that did NOT support WPA2 (support never figured this out). Setup disk failed instantly on my Vista laptop with an obcure 2 word error message. Tried running setup on my XP Desktop, didn't immediately fail but could not find router even when plugged into the router and firewalls turned off (2wire 2701).
Solution after six hours of work.... Move WET54G to laptop for configuration. Reset WET54G by pushing reset button for 30 seconds. Setup static IP on laptop within default WET54G range of 192.168... so that laptop can find see WET54G. Bring up manual config web page by entering default IP of WET54G. Update firmware. Setup WET54G SSID, WPA2 security manually using web interface. Change my entire home network back to 192.168, since it was easier to do this, then try to get the WET54 to actually run on my 172.16 range I was using. Only after the above, could I move to my Slingbox setup which requires punching a whole in my firewall for port 5001. WOW, can "normal" people really do this stuff????
MAYBE, if you are lucky the setup disk works, but if not, and the above scares you, just return the unit. Support knows just enough to get you into real serious trouble.
But heh, if you can do this, the device works great, streaming all the Slingbox video I want seamlessly.
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Negative reviews are outdated - ver 3 is great, April 23, 2008
By Wyndover (Adirondack Mountains, NY)
I needed to connect two networks located in separate buildings about 60' apart. Each network had two Linksys WRT54Gs, several wired PC's, and a broadband Internet connection. The objective was to eliminate one of the Internet links - accomplished by installing the WET54G on one network and a wireless access point (WAP) on the network in the other building dedicated to the bridge.
I used the web interface for setup. Two areas that initially caused me some problems:
- DHCP didn't come through the WET54G with a weak signal from the WAP; reducing the distance to about 75' improved the signal to 70%, which solved this.
- When configuring the WET54G, it was necessary for me to explicitly set the IP address of my PC to something in the same subnet as the WET54G. After completing setup, I had to change the PC back to DHCP.
The existing wireless routers were on channel 11, so I configured the bridge-WAP to channel 6. As hoped, the bridge was transparent to users of both workgroups.
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Works great. Instructions are confusing., April 21, 2008
By R. Flodr
We have purchased two units. Initially we had a problem with a set up, since the instructions are quite confusing, but ones we found out how to connect it, it was a breeze.
You do not have to use the utility CD, just type in the assigned IP. For the same application, you can also use a game bridge. We found the game bridge worked faster and better, but you have to use a provided utility CD, since it actually does not have its own IP. With WET54G you have more flexibility, but you have to have an extra router in order to program the unit.
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Excellent product, lousy documentation, April 20, 2008
By Nilotpol Kundagrami
I bought this for my desktop. In my home I run WPA2. Documentation is so poor (and wrong), I almost return this bridge. Called Linksys support, the didn't have any clue. Then I found an email from Linksys support and it is now working like a champ. Linksys should add this in the documentation. My WET54G is running ver. 3.2. Here is the documentation. I modified couple of places to make it clear. Good luck.
You are trying to setup your network bridge. Please try the following steps in setting it up.
1. Connect the cable supplied with the bridge from the Network Bridge to a computer.
2. With the device on, hold down the reset button for 30 seconds. Then turn it off for 10 seconds.
3. Assign a static IP on your computer.
a. Click on Start > run > type "ncpa.cpl"
b. Right click on the Local Area Connection and select Properties.
c. Select Internet Protocol TCP/IP and click Properties.
d. Click on Use the following IP Address and assign the following values:
IP Address: 192.168.1.5
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1. 226
DNS: leave these blank
e. Click OK and Close.
4. Open the Internet Explorer and on the address bar, type in 192.168.1.226
5. Leave the username blank and type admin on the password field. You can also try typing admin on both username and password.
6. On the setup screen make sure to have the following settings:
a. Configuration Type: Static IP
b. IP Address: must be on the same range as your router's IP Address.
Example:
(i). If the Router's IP is 192.168.1.1 then, IP Address here would be 192.168.1.226.
(ii). If the Router's IP is 192.168.0.1 then IP Address here would be 192.168.0.226.
As you can see, first three sets of decimals are similar to the router's IP Address.
c. Subnet Mask: the subnet mask that your router uses. For most routers, it is 255.255.255.0 (leave the Gateway to 0.0.0.0)
d. SSID. This the Wireless Network name of your router. It can be checked on your router, or you can also check this on your working wireless computers as it will be displayed under the available wireless networks.
e. Network Type: Infrastructure.
f. Security: this should match to the wireless security or wireless encryption of your router.
7. When the settings are all set, hit apply.
8. Set the computer back to obtain an IP address automatically and the Network Bridge should be working now.
a. Click on Start > run > type "ncpa.cpl"
b. Right click on the Local Area Connection and select Properties.
c. Select Internet Protocol TCP/IP and click Properties.
d. Click on Obtain an IP Address Automatically and Obtain DNS Automatically.
e. Click OK and Close.
Turn the WET54G off and on again. After 10 seconds, the computer hardwired to the WET54G should be online. If you connect this to your Playstation, the Playstation should be online, too.
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Works well but documentation could be better, April 5, 2008
By Kent Kuriyama (Hawaii USA)
Wireless bridge works as advertised but the setup documentation fails to explain that you must configure your workstation's network interface prior to accessing the unit's web interface. I am using the unit to acccess a WPA protected access point. Once configured the product is very solid and I have not had any problems.
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A awesome wireless-G bridge, March 27, 2008
By C. Jeffers (Tulsa, OK)
First let me just say read the manual. Better yet visit the Linksys support site and read the instructions for web browser based setup. This is easy to setup and works great with my Linksys WRT54GS V.6
I set this up months ago when I purchased it and it has worked flawlessly since. I have it connected to my DIRECTV HR20-100 HDDVR for "On demand" download use.
Even when the power goes out this thing springs right back to life (we were without electric for over a week due to the ice storm here in Oklahoma) as soon as power is restored. I would not trade it for anything.
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WET54G, March 24, 2008
By CephMan (Maryland, USA)
This product was so easy to set-up and requires no maintenance what so ever. I use it with my DirecTV HD-DVR so it is always online. Excellent product.
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Pain in the butt lousy documenation, March 22, 2008
By dogstar49 (Denver, CO)
I live in an old house with thick brick walls. My wireless router is downstairs and I have 2 PCs upstairs. Rather than getting a wireless network adaptor (3 years ago, USB network adaptors were a dream and the card type were/are very expensive) What better way to get my wireless upstairs than to use a Bridge! The results over the past 3 years have been frustrating. I know, I know, why put up with something that disconnects all the time while you're using it. The next step up the ladder was too expensive. So... I put up with it. Now, last week as I was going through the throughs of another disconnect, after reconnection (going into the Bridge's admin console and rebooting the unit and waiting 30 seconds for it to come up was my twice or 3 times a day ritual), I decided to see if there was new firmware available at Linksys/Cisco's website. Yes there was. All my problems may vanish, I thought with excitement. So I downloaded the img file for my Bridge. Good enough, before installing I took some screeen shots of my wep key entries and other configuration screens. Then I installed the new firmware. The process of installing the updated firmware was easy. What was not easy was trying to figure out how to reconnect to the thing as the firmware upgrade wipes out all the settings. The hard part was figuring out what the bloody default IP Address was/is, so I could connect to it. I scoured the index, the table of contents of the pdf guide and could find nothing. Finally, somewhere in an area of the manual that had nothing to do with setting the Bridge up, there is a mention of IP 192.168.1.226 being the default address the thing is set with. So I set it up back to back with my laptop and set it up until I could see that there was a good connection to it by going to the "Status" menu in the web interface.
Phew... nothing is easy, however, some vital information up front in the manual would be nice. Likely, I'll forget the address and in 2 years (the dinosaur that I am... if it ain't broke or you can continue to live with it, why change it?), when I decide to upgrade the firmware, I'll have to go through the same drainbamage to find the default IP Address again. More likely, though, I will have lost the will to try to figure this crap out, and just call the Geek Squad and verbally harrass them as to what's taking them so long to get thd new thing to work.
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