D-Link DWL-2100AP

• Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 20 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 6 stars

  Success is in the eye of the beowner

  by sfdays on May 3, 2005

  Pros: I got it to work

  Cons: Poor documentation.

  Summary: The D-Link DWL-2100AP has 5 modes, one of which (Access Point) is documented. With the other 4 modes, you are one your own.
  
  1) I never tried it as an
  
  ...

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  Summary: The D-Link DWL-2100AP has 5 modes, one of which (Access Point) is documented. With the other 4 modes, you are one your own.
  
  1) I never tried it as an access point, but this mode is well documented.
  
  2) I got it to work as a wireless repeater, but it didn't extend my wireless coverage as much as I expected. I also read that clients attached to the repeater work at half speed.
  
  3) The wireless client mode allows you to connect a wired device, PC, PS2, etc., to the 2100AP and have it connect to your wireless network. It was simple to configure, and it worked.
  
  4 and 5) Point to Point and Point to Multi-Point Bridge. This is what I really wanted to do and ended up doing. At first, I thought an 2100AP could bridge with a DI-624 router, but I was wrong. So I got a second 2100AP and wired it up to the DI-624. Then I put the first 2100AP at the back of the house. I connected a wired switch to this 2100AP as well as several computers. So instead of an ethernet wire running from the front to the back of my house, I have a wireless bridge. Cool. But not without some trial and error. At one point, I had set the 2100APs to the auto-channel setting, thinking that they would sync on the same channel. I was wrong. Both 2100AP have to be on the same channel to work.
  
  The main problem with the 2100AP is that it has so many modes that in some modes some settings don't make sense. It should really gray out the choices that aren't compatible with the selected mode.
  
  Dlink should have a seperate document for each operating mode of this device. If you have problems with this device you will have to deal with...DUN, DUN, DUN...dlink technical support.

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  5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Works great as a repeater

  by qwertvt on January 26, 2007

  Pros: Boosted my wireless signal 4x the original distance. Good customer service and an easy set up.

  Cons: Placement of the unit has a dramatic affect on the signal strength so you might not be able to place it exactly where you want it.

  Summary: I have a D-Link 624 router which has an average range. I bought two repeaters in the past and both were nightmare installations that never worked. Ironically, one of the ...

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  Summary: I have a D-Link 624 router which has an average range. I bought two repeaters in the past and both were nightmare installations that never worked. Ironically, one of the repeaters was a D-Link that claimed to be compatible with my router. That router; however, did not support the most recent firmware so I was out of luck.
  
  Six months later, I called D-Link and asked what repeaters were compatible with my 624 and the salesperson recommended the 2100-AP. I thought I would give it another shot despite my past difficulties. When I received it, I took no chances. I called support and insisted they walk me through the installation; step by step. They did and 10 minutes later I had a working repeater.
  
  The range is impressive. I can go anywhere in the house and receive a strong signal. I can even work on the dock (about 30 feet outside) where I have a signal strength that is equivalent to the unboosted signal when I was only one room away.
  
  If you have had problems with finding a compatible repeater/range extender, look into this unit. Just make sure you check your routers compatibility on D-Link's support page for the 2100-AP.

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  4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 4 stars

  Good features but performance makes it unusable

  by on October 2, 2004

  Pros: Good set of features. I bought a pair to bridge two networks, using AP mode on one and AP client mode on another. This was easy to configure.

  Cons: Performance is terrible. Significant packet loss for minutes on end, then it'll suddenly come good. Occasionally the unit would just stop communicating on Wifi and require a reboot.

  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 5 stars

  10 points for performance, zero for usability - makes 5 total.

  by orthorim on December 21, 2006

  Pros: Repeater mode works as advertised

  Cons: Endless rebooting and bizarre user interface; Plug on Power adapter makes for a weak connection. Browser unable to store password which means typing the password a lot.

  Summary: I have three of these running - one AP and two repeaters. They provide a good, strong signal and basically never need to be rebooted. The external antenna link allowed ...

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  Summary: I have three of these running - one AP and two repeaters. They provide a good, strong signal and basically never need to be rebooted. The external antenna link allowed me to connect larger antennas for more gain.
  I did need to upgrade all of them to the latest firmware, but thats easy from the DLink web page. The provided "management" software is completely useless.
  Once you have them all up and running - with my setup that takes at least a few hours if not more - they work fine.
  Why do they take so long to configure? Because it takes a long time to learn the web interface, which doesn't make any sense at all - it seems to be randomly thrown together. In addition, in order for any setting to change, the router needs to be reset, meaning you lose connectivity, need to re-enter the password etc. It's also very hard to see how well other APs are connecting.
  This is a hot/cold product: Once you know how to use it, it provides excellent performance. But setting it up it a really bad experience - for experts only. 10 points for performance, zero for usability- makes 5 total.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 2 stars

  This product is flaky

  by dplmartin on October 12, 2006

  Pros: Good feature set on paper

  Cons: Unreliable in actual use

  Summary: I bought three of these boxes back in February. I configured one as an access point and two as ethernet bridges; one for my upstairs study and one for my ...

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  Summary: I bought three of these boxes back in February. I configured one as an access point and two as ethernet bridges; one for my upstairs study and one for my living room.
  
  I'll say now, I had to send one of these units back to D-Link earlier this year because its hardware revision was one version behind the other two (A2, rather than A3). This is not the same as the firmware version! Consequently, this unit would drop the connection all the time. It took D-Link two attempts to send the right box back.
  
  I'm now having to send another unit back because it won't start up properly. The power light keeps going off, rather than staying on.
  
  I deeply regret buying these products. They do not reach anywhere near the speeds indicated. The access point sometimes locks up and requires a reboot to get it working again. The signal doesn't seem to go very far when compared with similar units in similar houses. Plus the problems mentioned above.
  
  In short, the features look good on paper but I think there are better products out there. Keep looking.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 7 stars

  Serious Glitches

  by on September 1, 2004

  Pros: Has good range and ease of configuration

  Cons: Drops connections and protocols - when it works it works well but fails to keep connections up.

  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 1 stars

  Bad software bad customer support

  by carguy4sp on November 7, 2011

  Pros: erhey4a5ys

  Cons: e5ye4yawe4taw4

• 2 stars

  Unless you are an IT with focus on WiFi Don't Buy This

  by fdoamerica on December 22, 2009

  Pros: I have no idea how the average users will set this up. The average user is OK at plugging in a line, or dropping in a disk, they can even answer a few questions, that the idea, usually, in today's tech world then they get "voile" success. NOT HERE

  Cons: Nice Box well packed

  Summary: This D-Link is extremely challenging to set up (I was going to write that it's is a "ball breaker",but the editors will immediately go on their red pen ...

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  Summary: This D-Link is extremely challenging to set up (I was going to write that it's is a "ball breaker",but the editors will immediately go on their red pen alert) . I have worked with computers since 1986 (hey, does anyone remember the KayPro?) and I think I know how to tweak a stubborn system and how to set up a network WIFI but this DWL-2100AP has humbled me.
  
  After many hours and my first two attempts to set up this D-Link DWL-2100AP as an "universal repeater" I reached out for salvation and called my first tech-geek (hey an actual house visit!) Tom the tech, as I will call him, had low socials skill and came in saying "just show me the problem and step back". Tom battled it out for over an hour before his head came up from staring at the screen, made eye contact and said to me "we got most of the problems fixed" Yea, right Capt Edward John Smith, that is like telling the folk on the Titanic that "we got most of the holes fixed".... But then, he blinked, pulled out his cell and called his buddy the "the guru of tech's". He said, My friend will have a look and "he will have it up and running in minutes" YEA. So the guru tech arrived jumped right and with Tom the tech's pointers and my gems of insight the DWL-2100AP was functional in an hour and a half I did say said functional, not working in a way that solved my initial problem I still did not have the signal relayed to my room (Really folks, I am talking 35 meters). Thus, Tom the tech and his Guru noted that there time with D-Link was a success but the patient died. End note: as they were leaving out the door both techs said "take it back".

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• 8 stars

  great bridge, not easy setup

  by myinthan on February 6, 2008

  Pros: great bridge

  Cons: not easy setup

  Summary: I use 2100AP as wireless bridge in the 30metre range. It works great, but has difficulties setting up two different ip range used in two local LAN.
  
  I can move
  
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  Summary: I use 2100AP as wireless bridge in the 30metre range. It works great, but has difficulties setting up two different ip range used in two local LAN.
  
  I can move 7.78mb folder in 50 seconds.

  Updated
  It is a good product in term of stable and performance. Now I'm going to try change to 7dbi antenna.
  
  Setup took me almost a month.

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• 1 stars

  Do not consider this wireless access point.

  by lauriham on December 15, 2007

  Pros: It looks good.

  Cons: Does not work.

  Summary: I've spent days over the last few months thinking that I would finally crack the code and just want to say ......... RUN from this product.

  Summary: I've spent days over the last few months thinking that I would finally crack the code and just want to say ......... RUN from this product.

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