Airport Extreme / WRT54G Question

I am purchasing an Airport Extreme either tonight or tomorrow morning. I've read that I can set it up to either run in "N" only mode or "N, G and B" mode. When it is set to run in the latter, if a G or B device is on the network, it slows all the devices on the network to that speed. The solution is to run the Extreme in "N" only mode and run a second router, the source suggests an Airport Express, in bridge mode to cover those slower devices.

Not wanting to cough up another $100 for the Airport Express at the Apple Store today, I was wondering if I could run my old WRT54G in bridge mode to cover those G and B devices?

You could use the WRT54g as a WAP (Wireless Access Point). I have one here set up that way on a different channel for some older machines that will not work with G or WPA encryption either. Works great. I have 4 WiFi routers in fact all on different channels for different ends of the house and different machines. Never had an issue. Only one is set up as a Router plugged into my DSL modem. The others are set up as a WAP. DHCP turned off. The main router takes care of all that.

I repair a lot of systems and have to be able to test their WiFi and some are older and only support WEP and 11mbps..

Hope that helps.

By the way, the one router I have set to WEP is not kept online except when needed as I really do NOT trust WEP here in my area! To easily hacked.
Never had one person get into my other routers and WAP's set to WPA2.

Excellent. "Bridge mode", I believe is an Apple term but is essentially WAP and automatically disables DHCP. The Airport Extreme will be the only router connected to the cable modem and the only one handling DHCP.

A lot of DSL modems have a built in router that is not that good and you set it in Bridge Mode to make it bypass the router and just be a DSL modem so you can run a better external router.

dtravis7 said:

A lot of DSL modems have a built in router that is not that good and you set it in Bridge Mode to make it bypass the router and just be a DSL modem so you can run a better external router.

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Cool, but we use Charter cable. We had BellSouth DSL and that is exactly what we had to do but with the cable modem it is different. 

JohnTheMacGeek said:

Cool, but we use Charter cable. We had BellSouth DSL and that is exactly what we had to do but with the cable modem it is different. 

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Agreed. Was just pointing out what Bridge Mode is also used for.

Well, I'm home with the Airport Extreme up and running. Now to tackle getting that LinkSys in bridge mode...