Do you have to have the same brands for a wireless range extrender?

[TommyHolly]

Hey guys,
My buddy has a "D-Link" wireless N router. For some reason, the N router is having trouble going 300 feet probably because there are 4 brick walls in the way where he needs a internet connection. I'm kinda surprised he is even having trouble at all because I have a Linksys wireless N router and people over a block away (1,000 feet) can receive my signal.

1. He wants to install a Wireless N Range extender. Does he have to buy a D-Link extender or can he buy any brand he wants?

2. I have not seen any Wireless N range extenders in the stores... Do they even make these yet?

[TommyHolly]

After 3 days of painfully long phone calls and support chat sessions I found the answer in case any of you are interested.

1. Although different brands should work together, it usually is quite a hassle getting them to work using thier software. Unless you know enough to understand what every option and link in your router setup means, you are much better off staying with the same brand.

1a. In my case, my buddy wanted to use a D-Link wireless-N router with a Linksys wireless-G range extender. That WILL NOT WORK. Mainly because you'd have to set the N-router to ONLY broadcast at G...so whats the point of having a better N-type router then?

2. Currently, there are no Wireless-N routers (as of 27 May 2008) because the technology is so new and it's considered "draft" as I was explained by a few different Network customer support technicians at Linksys and Dell. Linksys still does not even have a PCI wireless N card to support thier fastest router, the WRT600N (the 'Ultra Extended Range Plus" version) its so new.