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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 261 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
327 of 332 found the following review helpful:
 Hard to configure, a charm once its done Dec 18, 2007
By Chovy
I have shared the same experience as the most helpful reviews here: this is a pain to install when you want to configure this Extender to be secure (so strangers can't mooch off of your internet or worse). On the other hand, once you have it set up, it works like a charm.
It's possible, but prepare to burn an hour or three. I would like to add some instructional steps, which are a variation of the very helpful ones already present here on Amazon.
Dummies Guide on How to set up the Extender with security turned on:
1. Completely ignore the instruction sheet that comes with the product. At first, I tried following it stubbornly despite reading these Amazon reviews, and I found that it is an embarrassment. Shame on you Belkin, for giving us so much unnecessary grief.
2. Find a computer in your home to use for this setup. Any computer (that isn't Vista) will do.
3. If this computer happens to be plugged into your router (I'm not talking about not the Extender), unplug it from the router. If this computer happens to have a wireless connection, disable the wireless connection.
4. Plug in the power cord for the Extender into the wall, then connect an ethernet cord (looks like a fat telephone cord) into the back of the Extender, then stick the other end into your computer. The "LAN" light will now light up. Just in case you're concerned, you can ignore the red "search" light that may blink.
5. Install the "Belkin Range Extender Utility" onto this computer. The installation CD will place a program in your Start->Programs menu once you run the install.
6. Go to start->settings->network connections. At this point the only enabled network connection should be Local Area Network (or Local Connection... the name may differ slightly for you). If anything else is enabled, disable it. Right click Local Area Network and select Properties. You're now looking for a new window to pop up that lists a bunch of internet-sounding words like Network or QoS. Look for the item called Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Double click that.
7. Select manual IP, and enter 192.168.2.100
8. The subnet mask will get filled out automatically. Ignore the gateway. Hit OK, you're finished.
9. Start up the Belkin utility, and hit "refresh" if nothing shows up on the list of detected Extenders. If you're lucky, you will see the Extender show up, and you can now click "Web Management".
10. If no items show up on the Belkin Utility's list, or an item does show up but the "web management" icon is unclickable, then repeat steps 6-9 but enter the IP address 192.168.1.100 instead. Then the Extender should show up.
11. Finally, once you are able to click "Web Management", it will bring you to a webpage that is very much like a Router setup page. The details of what you need to do here can be found in instructional docs on the web elsewhere. The basic idea is that you want to copy pretty much everything over to be identical to what your router settings are. The only exception is possibly the SSID of the Belkin Extender. Depending on your preference, you may want to choose a different name for it just so you can confirm that its really working later on.
12. Save those settings (there's a systems tab at the bottom of the web management panel that allows you to save the settings into a file as a backup).
13. Unplug the Extender from the computer, unplug the power for the Extender, and move the extender to wherever you want. Plug the power back in.
14. Go back to steps 6-9. Remove the manual IP configuration for your Local Area Connection, and revert the panels back to the way they were (which is probably "automatically obtain ip address"). Hit OK. Enable all your network connections if you disabled them in step 6.
15. You should now be able to use your wireless connection to see the Extender under its fresh new SSID. Enjoy.
A version of the above for those that are network-saavy:
1. Disconnect all wireless from your computer, then connect your computer directly to the Extender as if it were a router. Power up the Extender.
2. Manually specify your computer's IP address to be 192.168.2.xxx with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Yes, I know this step is weird. I'll explain the reason for it in step#4.
3. Install the Belkin Network utility. Its a simple executable. Start it up. It's purpose is to scan for the Extender, provided that your Extender is directly wired to your computer (which we did in step 1).
4. You should see your Extender show up in the utility. If the Extender does not show up or the "Web Management" button is greyed out, this is because your computer and the Belkin Extender are on different subnets. The Belkin Extender is usually shipped from the warehouse hardwired to the IP Address 192.168.2.254. What??? When you plug your computer into the Extender, you need to hardwire your computer to be on the same subnet so the stupid utility will work. Hence, since the factory setting for the Extender is 192.168.2.254, hardwiring your computer's IP to 192.168.2.100 will get the utility to connect to the Extender. However, if for some awful reason your Extender is hardwired to some other IP Address (which is configurable once you get to step#5), you need to change your computer's IP Address to have a value that matches the Extender's new subnet. In other words, if the Extender IP somehow changes to 192.168.5.254, you should change your computer IP address to 192.168.5.100
5. Once you click "Web Management" you can configure the Extender via a browser window. Replicate your router's settings here (they all need to match the original router's, with the exception of the Extender's SSID).
6. Hit Save, then unplug the Extender's power cord and ethernet, and then move it to wherever you would like. Power it up again.
7. Remove your computer's manual IP address. You're now officially done.
*As a note, I had occasional connection problems when I had my Belkin router & extender encryption set to WPA-PSK. I just switched my encryption to WEP and now it is fine. Not everyone has this problem.
Up this review, if you found it useful. I want to see other people spared from the excessive pain the rest of us have already experienced!
69 of 72 found the following review helpful:
Works well, but paid hell gettin' there Nov 16, 2006
By L. Friedersdorf
I read some of the other reviews on Amazon for this product before deciding to buy it. Despite the comments about setup difficulty, I was tempted by the low cost and allure of home-wide wi-fi instead of being relegated to the garage (where my Motorola router resides)or the adjacent den. I use 64-bit WEP, so I knew I was probably in for some sweat and swearing before I was done. I had to call Belkin tech support (get to the router techs) and spent a solid hour on the phone. Got some good info from them, but also some bad info. They apparently don't know how to set the security settings on this unit to match the security settings on your base router. I recommend disabling wi-fi security, using the one-touch connect button to teach the Extender your SSID, then cable-connecting your Extender directly into your PC (not through the router) and keying in your security keys. Once that is all done (it was tougher than it sounds) unplug the Extender (cable and power), put it in your desired location, and plug it back in. Hook your wireless router back up and the system should work. My biggest challenge was simply accessing the setup page on the WURE (Wireless Universal Range Extender). You must connect the WURE directly to your computer (not through your router as the downloaded manual indicates). With my regular router you can just type the URL in the browser and it pops up. Not so with the Extender. First manually configure your IP address (mine was 192.168.2.105, DNS populates automatically, and enter the default gateway as 192.168.2.254) After that, you can type the URL 192.168.2.254 into your browser, and you're in. When you are done with the WURE settings, you need to go back into network connections, TCPIP, and change your setting back to Obtain An IP Address Automatically. If your network is unprotected,the one touch configuration is all you need, but then everyone in your neighborhood is using your network. Works great throughout the house and our 3 laptops move seamlessly between the 2 signals.
32 of 37 found the following review helpful:
 Best of all and the cheapest with lifetime Guarantee Aug 29, 2007
By Leo Piyush
"Leo Piyush"
Belkin Range Extender
I have seen so many negative reviews about this product. I really don't understand why. But one thing I figured out was that everyone who wrote a negative review was not able to set it up properly, or missed a clue or two somewhere in the setup.
This is the best extender I have seen so far. Moreover, it is the cheapest, Universal(it can be used with any router) and with life time guarantee..... What more you can ask. I am using this Extender in a radius of 300 - 400 feet. and I am getting all 5 bars or 100% connectivity.
I advise all those who had problem with setting up this router to take time and read the reviews as well as the manual. Let me tell you the cd is not of much help so get ready to set it manually.
Let me give you some easy steps.
A) If you don't have security set on your wireless router then setting up the belkin is a piece of cake.
But if you have security then follow the following steps and enjoy the excellent range and continuous connection.
1) remove the security setup of your wireless router (WR)
2) Connect Range extender (RE)using the auto button (press for 10 to 15 sec).
3) Connect the RE directly to your computer using the cable provided. open internet explorer and at address write 192.168.2.254 and hit enter
Now you are inside the RE.
4) Change the SSID name (I kept BRE ---- Must be different from your WR name). Type the name of your WR at PARENT AP SSID. Hit apply changes. Disconnect the power cable and reconnect after the router reboots.
5) Now set the security of RE the same way as you are about to set in WR.
I will advice wpa-psk. After clicking apply, unplug the current cable as well as internet cable.
6) Now set the security of your WR. Make sure you are doing the same in your WR. If needed unplug the current cable as well as internet cable.
7) Plug the WR and RE and let RE search the WR. You are good to go now. In your computer's view wireless connection. Choose BRE and Connect to the BRE (instead of WR) from the selection of wireless connections.
After using it for more than two weeks. There has been some problems with my LAN but I have faced no problem with RE.
If you think you can follow the above steps then ,, trust me you will not repent this purchase.
Note: It also converts your wireless connection to a wired connection, that means that you can connect your Vonage (or any other similar service) wirelessly.
Edited April 6th, 2008
Thank GOD I bought this great router. I am more than satisfied.
18 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Strong Signal & Easy Setup Oct 11, 2006
By S. Tadge
It took about 10 minutes to setup and I had a full strength signal in areas of my house that were poor at best. I have been using it for about 3 months now with no problems and always a strong signal. I never thought it would have been this easy and so inexpensive to improve my signal stregth. My Netgear wireless route provides very good signal strength for one end of the house, but there are areas at the far end that had a poor signal. There was no easy/cheap way to run a wire, so this was a perfect solution. I have just bought one for my in-laws and it works perfect at their house. I highly recommend it and you can not beat the price.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Secure Setup Not Intuitive, But It IS Possible! Mar 15, 2007
By GuyLumbago
I just received this box today, and after about 2 hours, got it configured and working on my wireless network, in range extender mode. I bought it so my wife's new laptop could get a decent signal at the other end of the house from my office - where my new Netgear Wireless 4-port router is installed.
Here is how I finally got it working (Win XP):
1) Plugged the repeater into a port on my router using the cable provided
2) Using my hard-wired desktop and the Belkin utility I gave the repeater an IP address several integers above the four my router normally assigns via DHCP
3) Removed the WEP key from my laptop and from the router
4) Pushed the "search" button on the back of the repeater
5) At this point, the repeater connected automatically to the network and picked up the correct network SSID
6) Also at this point, my laptop displayed a message about an address conflict on the network. (And I figured out that it was caused by the repeater - one hard-wired connection to the router - AND a wireless connection to the router - both with the same IP address! I'll bet this is where most folks will have problems.)
7) I disconnected the cable between the router and the repeater, and moved over to my wireless laptop. It connected right away, using the IP address I had assigned to the repeater earlier as the browser URL.
8) I added a WEP key to the repeater. (And it immediately disconnected my laptop - so we know the network is secure!)
9) I entered the same WEP key on my laptop.
10) I went BACK to my desktop, connected to my router, and entered the same WEP key as the other two devices.
11) My laptop connected. Success!
12) I moved the repeater about 1/2 way to my wife's laptop, and it picked up the connection back to the router as soon as I plugged it in.
13) I went to my wife's laptop. Good signal strength. No network connection (wrong WEP)! I added the same WEP key to her system, and it took right off! (I should add, my wife's laptop is Win Vista. There is a disclaimer sheet in the repeater box, saying "The Windows Vista operating system is not supported by this device." I knew that was misleading, because it's the Belkin installation utility that isn't supported in Vista. If the Vista system can talk to your router, it will just as easily talk to this repeater.)
14) I ran a speedtest at Speakeasy, and the throughput was right at 6mbps with Bellsouth FastAccess Extreme DSL 6.0 - just like my hard-wired desktop - virtually no loss of bandwidth due to the extra hop.
I would give this device a 5-star rating - it performs exactly as advertised. But I don't think the installation is particularly straightforward, and for anyone without some networking background, I think it would be VERY difficult to figure out why it's not working when it should. The manual is like MOST manuals these days, that is, not a lot of help.
The KEY here is NO key (no WEP) on ANY device in the network to start out with.
I hope this helps somebody out there!
Update: After further review, I might drop my rating another notch to 3 stars. It has a very fragile browser interface. If you try to change the settings on the repeater (or even look at some of the settings), it locks up. This happens every time if you're using a computer that is hard-wired into your router. If you're using a wireless connection into your router (into your ROUTER - NOT into your repeater), then it's hit or miss. Rebooting the repeater (unplugging it for a few seconds) fixes the problem, but it is certainly annoying! The bottom line is: once you get the thing working, leave it alone, and it will work fine for the intended purpose.
See all 261 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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