Easy <$50 wi-fi bridge.

[AndrewAZ]

Just thought I would post up a quick and cheap wireless bridge for people who dont have an internet connection next to their TV. Basically a wireless bridge in this case is a stock wi-fi router that will be flashed with 3rd party firmware so it can act as a bridge without having to buy an expensive wi-fi bridge.

1. WRT54GL (it will say on the box it supports linux, some of the WRT54g's dont support this and linksys brought back the linux support with the GL model due to popular demand.)
2. DDWRT- Use a stable version V23 is very stable.
(http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads.php)
3. Follow the wiki instructions
(http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge)

I have done this at least with 6 different routers for friends and personally use one in my house and they are rock solid and fast. I currently have 3 WRT54GL in my house 2 for wireless access and 1 ad a bridge not a single issue with any of them.

You can usually find a WRT54GL for around $50 check your local stores especially the sunday paper I got lucky one day and was able to one for $35 after a main in rebate.

[RonV]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

Actually if you want an even easier one use Tomato instead of DD-WRT. I have been setting up many bridges with Tomato. You can find Buffalo routers as low at $40 bucks and they work great.

Lately DD-WRT is just too bloated and has many "reboot/brick" scenarios that make it a bit too geeky. Don't get me wrong. I have many deployments of DD-WRT in small shops and stuff. But for home where you don't need all the features Tomato is the choice.

I agree don't buy a gaming adapter. You pay more for less and will usually have some difficult time with connections.

[AndrewAZ]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

Actually if you want an even easier one use Tomato instead of DD-WRT. I have been setting up many bridges with Tomato. You can find Buffalo routers as low at $40 bucks and they work great.

Lately DD-WRT is just too bloated and has many "reboot/brick" scenarios that make it a bit too geeky. Don't get me wrong. I have many deployments of DD-WRT in small shops and stuff. But for home where you don't need all the features Tomato is the choice.

I agree don't buy a gaming adapter. You pay more for less and will usually have some difficult time with connections.

The main issue with the rebook and brick was linksys changing the design to be unfriendly with linux.. But the outcry form people like me got them to make the old box again so we could have 3rd party firmware hence the WRT54GL, now its a simple load the dd-wrt firmware file and thats it no special junk to get it working.

But yea a buffalo would be great also, they run the same chipset as the linksys, so its a matter of price(obviously buy the cheaper one).. And both can run either the firmware you suggested or DDWRT.

[sgoldblatt]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

DD-WRT is certainly difficult to use or setup for the "layman," and I would consider most "targeted" VUDU users to be "laymen." The software is stable, though, if you choose to go down that path... remember that you, as a VUDU user, still have to connect to that router through an ethernet cable - mine is working fine (although I had trouble with it in other instances/uses). I would certainly recommend DD-WRT, but not for anyone that has no experience with "flashing" the firmware on a router - it can cause headaches.

While I do understand VUDU's hesitance to integrate wireless into the box, it'd make sense as VUDU gets more widespread adoption... people want less devices and less wires, not a cool box with advanced features and then another router or adapter to plug into that... that is where TiVo might have hurt themselves... to not integrate wireless into their boxes. There might also be other reasons for VUDU to not integrate like form-factor, heat, size of box, etc.

Tomato looks easy enough (I have never personally used it), but like DD-WRT it is not for the "novice" user who has never flashed firmware to a router.

[cmunguia]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

maybe this is a silly question but with all the problems people have with trying to get a wireless connection to work, wouldn't it be easier to run a cat5 cable through the wall and into the room where your router is? not to mention you would have a stable connection and not worry about drop-outs.
Don't get me wrong, I have 5 pc's and a laptop all running wireless trough-out the house but made a point of hard-wiring the vudu. they sell some nice wall plates and jacks at home-depot. Just a thought

[sgoldblatt]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

maybe this is a silly question but with all the problems people have with trying to get a wireless connection to work, wouldn't it be easier to run a cat5 cable through the wall and into the room where your router is? not to mention you would have a stable connection and not worry about drop-outs.
Don't get me wrong, I have 5 pc's and a laptop all running wireless trough-out the house but made a point of hard-wiring the vudu. they sell some nice wall plates and jacks at home-depot. Just a thought

cmunguia - I would agree that this is the best option. Hard wiring is always going to be the most "stable" option, but for some hard-wiring may not be an option. For those that live in apartments, maybe they cannot cut into walls, or in some cases there will be people who do not know how to run wire. So, there are pluses and minuses for either option. Each VUDU owner will have to choose the option that works best for them and their situation. We can only help with that process, to ensure that each VUDU gets the most out of the service.

[cmunguia]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

cmunguia - I would agree that this is the best option. Hard wiring is always going to be the most "stable" option, but for some hard-wiring may not be an option. For those that live in apartments, maybe they cannot cut into walls, or in some cases there will be people who do not know how to run wire. So, there are pluses and minuses for either option. Each VUDU owner will have to choose the option that works best for them and their situation. We can only help with that process, to ensure that each VUDU gets the most out of the service.

I can agree with that, but what about just running an already made ethernet cable along the wall with a nice cover to hide it?

[sgoldblatt]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

I can agree with that, but what about just running an already made ethernet cable along the wall with a nice cover to hide it?

That is an option, certainly.

[MaxH]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

I can agree with that, but what about just running an already made ethernet cable along the wall with a nice cover to hide it?

That depends...my wife doesn't consider raceways to be "nice" looking, so our house is wired through the walls.

[sgoldblatt]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

That depends...my wife doesn't consider raceways to be "nice" looking, so our house is wired through the walls.

"Raceways" - great... love that. Yeah, I will agree with that... although in my house it is not about looking "nice," but about the fact that last time I tried that, our daughter decided that it'd be fun to pull at those wires on the stairs... don't even ask what happened...

[RonV]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

Just do like I have done in most of my rooms (except where the VUDU is had to use wireless) and run the wire from the basement or from the attic into the wall. My wife would never accept raceways either...

In pecking order:

• Wired dedicated (Cat5e) - Most secure most reliable
• Wired powerline - Secure but not 100% reliable (depends on powerline conditions)
• Wireless - Questionable security(depending on supportable security) , questionable reliability (depending on terrestrial conditions)

[AndrewAZ]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

I am not saying that this will happen.. But I have heard that some insurance companies will not cover you incase you have a fire that is caused by self wired Cat5 cable.. Now I doubt this would ever happen but its possible a rat might chew a few wires and the wires touch and light something on fire.

Reason I cant do it is distance and no attic...

[Greg]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

I am not saying that this will happen.. But I have heard that some insurance companies will not cover you incase you have a fire that is caused by self wired Cat5 cable.. Now I doubt this would ever happen but its possible a rat might chew a few wires and the wires touch and light something on fire.

Reason I cant do it is distance and no attic...

Wow does CAT5 carry enough juice to start a fire?
Intuitively I'd be more scared about phone and regular 115V wires, but I haven't looked at the CAT5 physical spec to know for sure.

At any rate, you should check your policy. I know when I moved in here I did a lot of rewiring (for regular electricity), as whoever did the previous wiring did a really poor job (no grounding in a lot of areas, open wires, wrong matching between AWG and breaker spec in some circuits, etc), so I feel a lot safer now.

-- Greg

[AndrewAZ]

Re: Easy &lt;$50 wi-fi bridge.

Wow does CAT5 carry enough juice to start a fire?
Intuitively I'd be more scared about phone and regular 115V wires, but I haven't looked at the CAT5 physical spec to know for sure.

At any rate, you should check your policy. I know when I moved in here I did a lot of rewiring (for regular electricity), as whoever did the previous wiring did a really poor job (no grounding in a lot of areas, open wires, wrong matching between AWG and breaker spec in some circuits, etc), so I feel a lot safer now.

-- Greg

Its very very unlikely, but I think it falls under the category of people who change electrical plugs from say an older 2 prong to a 3 prong and dont do it right and end up having a fire. They insurance wont cover it since it wasnt done professionally. I know a few local networking places wont run Cat5 cable in the walls because of this insurance risk. But like I said getting Cat 5 to start a fire would be hard.