Hawking Technology Hi-Gain Wireless-300N Range Extender Pro (HWREN2)

When setting this booster up, there are several important things to consider.1. After connecting to the HAWKING WREN2 wireless network and putting 192.168.1.240 in your browser you will access the router's web server. Enter the default username and password which will be listed. Be sure to set the wireless security settings the same as your Router. If your router uses WEP then set the booster for WEP etc. Be sure to apply the settings. Do this before running the setup wizard. If you do not do this properly, you will be able to connect to your booster but the Internet will not work.2. This system supposedly allows you to name it with the same name (SSID) as your router. It then is supposed to allow "roaming" using your router's name and connect to the strongest signal. This did NOTwork reliably for me. My tablet would work ok for a few hours then it would disconnect from the booster and connect back to my main router (as noted by the reduced signal syrength). Rebooting the booster would help for a few hours then I was back connected to my main router again.I found a way to make the booster work wonderfully and very reliabily.RECOMMENDATION: Configure the booster to use a different wireless name (SSID) than your main router. For instance if your main router is named MYROUTER this can be accomplished in the setup wizard by unchecking the appropriate box in the setup wizard, and entering a different name for it ie. MYROUTER2. Then in the setup wizard, still connect the booster to your MYROUTER for the source. Let the system pick the channels. Apply the changes.NOTE: This router has a default network of 192.168.8.1 while many main routers have a default network of 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. This is not a problem as the booster will join your router's network and recieve a valid IP address from it. HOWEVER, it will appear to be joining, and when it leaves it's own network, it will appear to hang and the browser "page not found" will come up. This is normal as the booster has joined your main router's network. If you had set everyting properly your new MYROUTER2 wireless network will show up. Connect to it and you are set to go. It will require you to enter the security key the first time you connect as with any new protected wireless networks.If it all gets messed up, nothing is lost, press the reset button on the back of booster FOR 30 seconds, reconnect to the HAWKING WREN2 wireless and try again.Happy surfing!

Seems to work as advertised. Took awhile to configure as I was using Chrome. Chrome is omitted from their listing of browser requirements so they must have a reason. When I switched to MS IE, things progressed nicely. I used the CD Wizard however the paper Setup Guide is OK too if you avoid the Chrome browser.I'm testing it now. First tests with smartphone, laptop and IP camera worked as anticipated. Device was placed in signal poor spot. Extender brought signal up to excellent and device worked normally. But maybe a tad slower than when next to primary wireless router.CON: Front panel LED's so tiny I can hardly see them. Why? They should be easily seen.Will raise to five stars if more study verifies.One curiosity. This expander advertises seamless transitions going to and from expander country. Seems like a LInksys WRE54G I am testing does the same thing? Am I wrong?Later report:I was reconfiguring extender for another building. I found the Wizard when finished, summarizes what you have configured. Problem is it only shows what you tried to do, not what is actually in the extender. I had the setup connected wrong and was doing nothing to the prior settings.I found my laptop and the extender both needed to be Ethernet cabled back to router. I had the laptop running wireless, it looked like it was working but wasn't.And finally, use MS IE browser, not Chrome.I am trying to boost signal to and from IP cameras. Although the extender signal is much stronger at the camera, I cannot see any FPS speed improvement. Things like laptop, tablet, smartphone etc. can select the stronger same name SSID manually, not so the IP Camera.

I owned the HWREN1 and thought I would be doing myself a favor to update. The HWREN1 is reliable and works, but is difficult to reset when a power outage occurs. This product was easy to set up - the first time. Subsequently it became more difficult. The worst problem however is its inconsistent unreliability. We have a small QuickBook Network and each user would get knocked off randomly about three to four times a day. Adding a new user would seem to kick off one of the others. We tolerated it because tech support had no idea how to fix it except to exchange the router. Then Windows did an upgrade and suddenly some of the files could no longer be opened - not sufficient authorization. After hours trying to reset admin settings I suddenly got the bright idea of reinstalling the HWREN1. EVERYTHING WORKED and even the macmini showed up again (had given up trying to connect it to the new setup). I don't understand it all but the new router was way too unreliable.