When we tried to log on to our existing home wireless network with the reader, we quickly found that there were poor signal areas or even "dead zones" in or around our home. In most instances, the further away we got from our wireless modem/router, the worse the signal. We know that walls, cabinets, furniture and such affect the signal strength, so we needed to find a way to resolve this issue.

We found a solution with a wireless repeater, also called a range extender. All we had to do is to place the repeater in a location somewhere between our current wireless modem/router and the poor signal areas. The wireless repeater then receives the signal from the WiFi wireless modem/router and retransmits it to cover the weak signal areas. The re-transmitted signal quality is commonly poorer (slower Mbps) than the original signal, but more often than not is quite usable and stretches the WiFi coverage. The details:

The range extender we choose to solve our problem is the High Power Wireless - 150N Smart Repeater from amped|wireless (www.ampedwireless.com). It’s a small device (5.75 inches x 3.5 inches x 1 inch) and can be placed horizontally or vertically. You need to initially program the 150N Smart Repeater to "teach" it about your home network (configuration, passwords and the like). This is done by connecting the repeater to an ethernet port on your PC, using the included ethernet cable (the repeater must be connected directly to your PC). Next, using the computer browser, enter the repeater’s provided URL address. This brings up a setup wizard that steps you through the rather tedious process of scanning, entering info, selections and such. All this setup required only one call to amped|wireless tech support, which is very good. When configured, the repeater is ready to be disconnected from the PC and placed in an appropriate spot. The repeater sets itself up as a separate WiFi hotspot that must be logged in to. This is not so much of a problem if you stay in one place, but if you move around between coverage areas, it’s necessary to re-log into the closest signal.

The High Power Wireless - 150N Smart Repeater comes with the ability to customize security features such as limiting signal strength, protected setup, firewall and passwords. Included also are five wired ethernet ports that can be used for connecting PCs, Internet TVs and other A/V devices. We think it’s a useful addition to our home wireless network.