D-Link launches wireless LAN range extender

If your wireless LAN isn't offering the kind of range you've been hoping for, D-Link has a $100 solution for you. The company this week launched a wireless LAN range extender and access point for its 802.11b+ products, the D-Link AirPlus DWL-800AP+. The device includes a repeater function that increases the wireless range in large homes and buildings, D-Link said. The range of the wireless network can extend up to 50%, the company added.

The repeater signal is provided when the device is deployed in conjunction with either a wireless router or second access point, D-Link said. With the repeater function, the DWL-800AP+ can receive a signal from a wireless router or access point up to 328 feet away, and then rebroadcast the signal to wireless clients beyond the edge of the original network. When users put the device into the enhanced 802.11b mode (up to 22M bit/sec) on a D-Link AirPlus network, the device provides higher performance, D-Link said.

The DWL-800AP+ is set up and managed through a Web-based interface, and MAC address authentication and 64-, 128- and 256-bit WEP encryption is supported. The device has a high-performance, omnidirectional antenna that can be detached. The device costs $99 and is available now through retailers and the D-Link Web site.