Using a Linksys WRT54G as a network repeater?

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HaLo2FrEeEk

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I've read a lot of articles on this all over the net. Some recommend using a third-party firmware in my router, which I'm unwilling to do. Others go over steps of linking the two routers by means of an ethernet cable, which I'm unable to do.

I recently moved from Washington state to Texas, and the place I'm living has no internet. My neighbor, however, has a wireless network set up in his house and he lets us use it. It is secured, but we have the password for it, unfortunately there is only one place in the house close enough to his house to actually connect to this network, and my computer isn't in that place. I'd like to use my Linksys WRT54G router, which I used in Washington, to repeat that signal. I have a very long ethernet cable so that's no an issue, I can wirelessly connect to the signal and wire it into my computer. I know there will probably be a speed loss involved, but right now I'd just like to have internet.

Does anyone know any way I can connect to a secured wireless network using a router, then wire it into my computer? Like I said I have the SSID and password for the wireless network, so that's not an issue, I just don't know how I'd go about connecting to it.

Thanks in advance for any help, I don't know when I'll be able to get back on to check this but hopefully I get some help soon, I hate not having reliable internet.
 
What you are suggesting will work OK. But once your neighbor discovers his connection speed is reduced by allowing you to connect, you may not have the same friendly neighbor.
 
I'm not sure I quite understand that link you gave me, strategic. Only one of the routers is under my control and that's mine. The other is my neighbor's, in his house under his control. It is passphrase protected, but I have that passphrase, and he's allowed us to use his internet, no issue there. Basically what I want to do is tell my router, the Linksys WRT54G, to connect wirelessly to his router, make/model unknown, and then I'll wire my router into my computer. Basically his router will send the data to my router, which will send the data to my computer, effectively allowing me to use my router as a wired repeater. Is this possible with default firmware for the router? I can't see that it wouldn't be, like I said I'm unwilling to potentially mess up my system by installing a 3rd party firmware, UNLESS I can get the exact version of firmware I have installed on my router currently to restore it if I have to.
 
You cannot do what you are asking with a WRT54G and the stock firmware.

You must use third party firmware, such as OpenWRT, in order to accomplish this. Barring that, you must purchase a wireless bridge(for repeating LAN) or a range extender(for repeating WAN), which are both intended to accomplish what you want.

So long as you have the ability to associate to his router, you CAN do what you want - but NOT with stock firmware. If you are unwilling to flash your router with OpenWRT, then buy yourself a range extended. It would be useful if you knew the make/model of his router so that you could buy a model of range extender guaranteed to work with his router.
 
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