Question 1

i have three computers wired thru a router that share a printer.  my 4th computer is wireless.  my wireless router went down.

i know this wireless router will give be internet, but will it communicate with my printer that is wired to the other three computers?

Accepted Answer

I don't follow how your printer is shared through the router (before it went down). Is it a network printer and thus accessible to all other computers on the network via its IP address?

The Netgear WN604 is not a router. It is a "wireless access point", which creates its own wireless network (same as a wireless router also creates its own wireless network). But the WN604 requires a wired connection to the "base router" in order to then provide its own wireless network.

The WN604 also acts as a "switch", which is like an "ethernet power strip", i.e. providing three more wired ethernet connections through the four ethernet ports on the WN604 (one of which must be used to connect the WN604 wired to the "base router").

So the WN604 provides its own wireless network for a number of devices to connect wirelessly to it while also allowing up to three more wired device connections.  All devices connected through the WN604 will appear to be "wired devices" back at the base router and will be assigned DHCP IP addresses by the base router (not by the WN604).

So... back to your question. The printer you have can be connected wireless or wired to the WN604, but the WN604 must be wired connected to your "base router" which must be replaced if it has died.  Or, the printer can be connected wired or wireless to your replacement "base router" which must be replaced if the original one has died.

The WN604 is thus no different than an "extension" of all the wired and wireless ports on your "base router", generally used to deliver a second wireless network to a remote region of your home if your "base router" wireless network cannot reach that far.  Or, the WN604 can also be used to provide three more wired ports from that location, since one of its four wired ports must connect to the "base router".

Otherwise, the WN604 provides no magic. If your printer worked with the router to satisfy your needs, it will also work connected to to the WN604 wired or wireless.

Question 2

Is there a separate port for the ethernet-in on the device?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there are four (4) Ethernet ports on the device. Where I have deployed this access point, one port is used for connecting to the network core switches and the two serve local wired Ethernet devices (printer and camera), leaving one free port. A maximum of 10 wireless clients also connect through the access point.

Question 3

I have a netgear r7000 router as my main access point between my pc and the ISP modem. I need a CLIENT wireless printer server to accept the signal from my r7000 for my printer that is in the basement. In other words can this device act as a CLIENT wireless printer server with a strictly wireless connection to my r7000 router and a usb connection to my printer downstairs? If not what do you suggest.?  Thx in advance.

Dan

Accepted Answer

I don't think this access point will do what you want. It does not support wireless client mode (but does support wireless bridging, known as WDS in 802.11 parlance). There also is no USB port on the access point so connecting any USB device is not possible. I am not aware of any device that will tunnel USB over an Ethernet/wireless network.

Question 4

range?

Accepted Answer

Its very reliable. The range is actually really good for the price. Even at 2 bars my connection speed is still great.

Question 5

Do I need to buy another gadget to access internet using the NETGEAR WN604-100NAS Wireless-N 150 Access?

Accepted Answer

You need to have the WN604 nearby a wired access to your LAN, since one of its ports connects via wired to your home network.

The remaining wired ports on the WN604 are also available for other wired device connections to the WN604, exactly like a "switch" would do.

And of course the WN604 also provides wireless connections to itself via its own local wireless network (and then relayed on via wired to your primary router, to which the WN604 has been wired-connected).  So these wireless connections are also part of the "switch" functionality of the WN604.

If you don't have a nearby wired access to your LAN for use by the WN604, you will have to create one... since the WN604 must be connected wired to your LAN.  You will need to somehow get a wired ethernet jack connection into the vicinity of your WN604, as this is a prerequisite to making the WN604 work.

If nothing else is available I recommend something like a powerline approach (which uses your home A/C power wiring in the walls and a pair of adapters plugged into wall A/C power sockets, one near the router and the other near where you want to place the WN604).  Many vendors manufacture these "ethernet over powerlines" adapters for exactly this use.

Alternatively, if you have coax wiring throughout your house and you have a coax outlet near your router and another coax outlet near the WN604, you might consider "ethernet over coax" adapters, from a company like Netsys, which is for exactly this type of use.  Same functional result as via powerline adapters, but by using coax (like MOCA from your cable company) instead of using the A/C power lines that run through the walls and ceilings of your house.

Questions & Answers