D-Link's USB-Powered Access Point

Roger Ryder writes "D-Link announced the AirPlus G DWL-G730AP Wireless Pocket Router/AP, a pocket Access Point for travelers. It can be powered by a USB cable and works as an 802.11g access point, client or router. A 3-way configuration switch on the bottom of the unit changes the mode of operation. In AP mode, the DWL-G730AP can be used to create a wireless network in a room where a single Ethernet port is provided. In Router mode, it can be used to share a single broadband Internet connection. The internal DHCP server automatically assigns IP addresses to ensure everyone in the room can connect to the Internet. It supports VPN Pass-through and firewall features including Network Address Translation (NAT) and MAC filtering to protect your wireless network from malicious attacks. When set in Wireless Client mode, the device allows connection to an existing wireless network, without having to install complicated drivers or additional software. For added mobility, the DWL-G730AP can be powered over USB if power outlets are not available. Similar devices are available from ASUS, SMC, Apple's AirPort Express and Netgear."

Again?

[thejoelpatrol]

This looks like another ad/press release. First the Nokia phone, now a wifi product. Why are these getting approved?

New way to war drive?

[jarich]

Cruise into an internet cafe, turn your access point, then innocent bystanders will use your access point instead the cafes.

Hang out for an hour, record the packets, go home and extract email passwords, etc...

This would probably work in an apartment complex, etc as well

D-Link catching up

[MerryGoByeBye]

Looks like D-Link's been doing its homework.

I recently bought a D-Link 802.11g+ card. The loaf at Best Buy expressed doubts about whether D-Link's 108Mbps "protocol" (compression, etc on regular g) would work with Netgear's 108Mbps protocol and he suggested I buy the same company's brand for the entire network.

Naturally, I ignored him. It works fine.

If D-Link can keep making devices that perform reliably and interact correctly with those of other manufacturers, I say "Great!"

Been there, done that.

[naitro]

I fail to see how this is any different (from a linux geek's point of view) from using any prism2-based WLAN card with the Host AP drivers [epitest.fi].

Might appeal to PHBs without the necessary 'mad skillz', though, but these are hardly Slashdot's target audience.

It's not that bad people

[ian rogers]

It's not that bad. I'm sure this will be useful for people who don't want to carry a router with them if they have more than one laptop or something in a hotel room, or if they go somewhere without a network yet want to use more than one computer at a time. What's so bad about a new versitile product, even if it does have a brand name on it?

Re:Again?

[geoffybiggins]

If it was an ad then there wouldn't be mention of competing products in the same post would there? I think you're looking at this the wrong way, it's more a pointer towards emerging consumer-level tech that pretty much everyone here would be interested in rather than a shameless plug.

a more useful idea

[boots@work]

would be an ethernet-powered access-point: just one plug for an Ethernet port, and it bridges and/or NATs onto that connection.

I don't know how much power you can safely draw over Ethernet. Maybe it's not enough. But it would be cool if it worked.

Still think Airport Express has this thing beat

[digitalgimpus]

Airport express is more compact (no extra crap to carry around). It also has airtunes (hopefully someone will get a driver for mac/windows/linux so it can do more than just music).

That extra couple dollars is worth the design.

Airplane approved?

[StDave]

I could see this being useful in an airplane if you wanted to game with friends or collaborate with coworkers on the same flight. Of course, it would also probably screw up the avionics and redirect the flight to Tibet. But at least you would be able to get some work or enjoyment for the long flight...

Or it would be useful for simple impromptu networking for a quick and dirty network situations where power is at a premium (like a natural disaster). Granted, that wouldn't involve Internet access, but a small easily powered AP is somewhat useful.

Re:Please Enlighten Me

[D'Arque Bishop]

Well, let me give a real-world application that I have used...

At E3 this year, four of us were sharing two rooms, but we were doing all of our work in one room. Three of us had laptops, and we all would be doing work that would have required wireless internet. We knew our room would have internet access via ethernet, so I had brought along a full-size D-Link access point/router so that all three of us could use the internet access via wireless at the same time. Having one of these devices (or preferably an AirPort Express, had they been out at the time) would have saved me some room in my laptop bag.

Just my $.02...

Re:Wireless Internet - Just add a wire!

[Scutter]

The way I read this is that you can connect it to your computer *or* to the wall ethernet jack. That's why it supports USB power but also includes a separate power supply. It looks like it does not have to be connected to your computer to act as as access point or router. Seems like a nice tool, if you ask me. I'm frequently working in server rooms, etc. that do not have a handy ethernet jack near my workspace. I carry a bulky access point around to assist, but a device that can switch from one mode to another, is small, and comes in a rugged carrying case (preferrably with the words "Don't Panic" written in large, friendly letters on the cover) would be nice.

How about a modem?

[chris234]

One of the issues I have with all these "travel" APs that I've seen is that none of them have a modem in them. Most of the places I've had to set up a temporary wireless net when travelling don't have any existing network access aside from a phone line. I wish Apple had left out the USB port and dropped in a modem instead.

Guess the graphite Airport keeps travelling!

Re:Please Enlighten Me

[EtherMonkey]

I don't see any scenario when a bunch of people suddenly needs to share some Internet connection.

How about a team of CPA's in for a large company's audit and certification of financials? Or sales tax investigators doing a large audit? A team of programmers in for a database migration? I bet the insurance company response teams in Florida could even have benefitted from such a device. Once you start thinking along these lines, the list starts growing and growing.

Just a few weeks ago my family and I, along with two other families spent a week vacationing in some cabins at a camping resort. I brought 4 notebooks and a LinkSys WAP along with some multiplayer games. It rained two nights in a row, but the kids had a blast playing games. We had quite a crowd of family, friends and even passers-by hooting and hollering on our front porch.

This got me to thinking how nice it would be if I could find a tiny AP to carry in my daily bag for similar purposes. Granted, most cheap AP's aren't that big, but this D-Link device looks small enough to fit in one of the unused diskette pockets in my bag, and since its USB-powered, I can leave the power-supply at home.

But is it really USB powered?

[Gldm]

I find alot of things that are "USB powered" aren't. They usually need two ports and even then depend on out of spec power levels. For example, my Lacie 4x slimline DVD writer can't draw enough power from the two USB ports on my Toshiba M200. I tried a d-link USB2 card that was supposedly rated at 500ma per port (The spec maximum) but either that's not enough power or the Toshiba doesn't deliver enough power to the card. There's just no way to get it to work. On my desktop, plug it into 2 USB ports and it works fine.

I'm debating either getting a small lightweight UPS around 300VA or if I'm better off cutting up some USB device or cable and wiring in a 4AA holder to put batteries in.

WRT54G

[Schlaegel]

I bought myself a WRT54G Router (about $60) for a similar purpose. After uploaded 3rd party firmware [linksysinfo.com] It has a similar functionality (no USB).

They both can be an access point, client or router.

The WRT54G is bigger, needs power, but hooks up to your computer via Ethernet and requires no driver.

I wanted a wireless client that did not use my CPU for a controller and did not taint the kernel. The WRT54G does a great job.

EverythingUSB.com

[otisg]

This site will interest most(all?) of Slashdot readers:
http://www.everythingusb.com/ [everythingusb.com]
.