Hawking HiGain Signal Booster version 2 - HSB2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I want to start by qualifying my comments - I'm a 16-year IT professional.I'm an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) certified from Windows NT 3.51 up to present (Windows 2003).I am also an MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) had have taught Microsoft technologies for over 12 years.

The first thing to understand about the product line from Hawking Technologies is this:these are not Fischer Price toys.When you get into the arena of boosting signals of your wifi network...or extending...or repeating the wireless signals of your wifi network....you are dealing with intermediate to advanced technology implementation.

I am reading through the reviews on this product and there seems to be this recurring "expectation" by various people....that they are buying a fool-proof product that will install itself.Well.....that's not the case and these people bring on their own frustrations.

Hawking Technologies offers this signal booster product so that you can add it to your existing WIFI router.As such there is ALWAYS a chance of compatibility issues.There is no "magic way" to make a third-party product compatible with every vendor's router.That's just not realistic.

Still, I have recommended and installed this particular booster product for at least three dozen SMB clients (small-to-medium-sized businesses) throughout NJ and NY.I have had fantastic results with each application and have not seen a SINGLE INSTANCE where the product failed after a short time period (something I've read from some reviewers).

I have been recommending, installing and supporting this product for approximately four years now (beginning with the company's first version and now their revised implementation; which is almost identical).

Furthermore, my experience with Hawking technical support has been very good; compared to that of much larger companies (such as Dell....whom I believe have the worst technical support of any large technology vendor).

Perhaps Hawking has "outsourced" their customer service to a third-world sweat shop in India just as every other medium or large IT vendor has in the US.Don't get mad at the vendor for that, people.....get mad at your politicians and our country's legislation; which makes it profitable and financially practical for this scenario.Yes, I absolutely HATE IT when I have to deal with broken-English, non-professional and disgracefully underqualified customer support people in sweat shops.These people are earning ten cents an hour with no bathroom breaks....so what can we expect?

And with regard to the inaccurate owner's manual....well.....that is valid but NOT MAJOR!!Yes, Hawking needs to revise their installation manuals such that they are accurate and easily digestible.It's silly that they haven't remediated that problem yet; considering that the paperwork is for a best-of-class product.Still......this is ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY and people can't rely on a manual in order to make this product work for them.You may need an SMA to TNC adapter; depending on your application.Any local Radio Shack should have in stock what is needed to make it plug in.I suggest packing up both the router and the booster and bring it right to your nearest Radio Shack.Have the counter guys and gals gather up for you the couplings and cables that you need for connectivity.

What matters most of all is that this product is the best booster available for the price range and for the class of application (home usage).I have installed MANY of these into mission-critical business environments and have enjoyed outstanding results EVERY TIME.....WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

Additionally....someone mentioned a health risk associated with using this product at the maximum setting. RUBBISH!!!IN A PIG'S EYE!!!People really make me laugh.As one of my mentors once said....."The Internet is a cesspool of misinformation so beware".True indeed!

I have installed industrial, omnidirectional WIFI towers that emit a hundred thousand times the radiation as this product.These towers are only dangerous when a human stands right in front of them.From five feet away....there is no health risk.Thus, the notion that this small device is a health risk is complete made-up nonsense.Go ahead and put the device in the cage with your gerbil and it will live a long, healthy life.

Lastly....the noise that this device creates is so insignifigant....I can't believe how many people are complaining about it.You can only hear it when you're right on top of the unit so it will only be an issue if you intend on strapping the booster to the side of your head.If not (hopefully NOT!!!) there is no concerns about the noise.Put it in the corner next to your WIFI router and it won't bother anyone...I PROMISE!!

I do not give up five-star recommendations easily but Hawking Technologies is one of those companies that excels infinitely at their specialized market nitche.This signal booster is the "only show in town" and I whole-heartedly recommend it above all others.When you receive it and open the box, you will be immediately impressed by the obvious workmanship and engineering that went into it.

Not only will it improve signal strength throughout your home or office but it will improve your wifi throughput SUBSTANTIALLY in every way.

IMPORTANT NOTE:When you use a signal booster, you increase your SECURITY RISK enormously.Your neighbors may pick up on your boosted signal even stronger than their own indoor wifi router signal.You will have effectively offered your WIFI network to an extended and unwelcomed audience.Accordingly.....be SURE to revamp your wifi router's security.Use WPA instead of WEP if all your machines are compatible (WEP is, for all intents and purposes....fairly hackable).Use STRONG passwords for wifi access to your network.Be sure that your firewall is properly setup.Exercise as much security as is possible without compromising your network's functionality.

And stop thinking about it and buy this product.You'll be GLAD that you did (believe it).

PS: This is a purely objective review of Hawking Technologies' signal booster product.I'm not affiliated with the company.I simply call 'em as I see 'em.

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Product Description:

The HSB2 IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Signal Booster for IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi networks, boosts the signal and performance ofwireless networks. The unique Adjustable Power Settings feature of the HSB2 IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi Signal Booster controls the range and power output (100mW to 500mW) of wireless network for security purposes and specific applications to only cover a certain area.


Main Features
Manufacturer: Hawking Technologies, Inc
Manufacturer Part Number: HSB2
Manufacturer Website Address: www.hawkingtech.com
Product Type: Wireless Range Extender
Frequency Band/Bandwidth: 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz IEEE 802.11b/g ISM Band
Form Factor: Wall-mountable
Standard Warranty: 2 Year(s)

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Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-N Dual Radio Smart Repeater Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchase the Hawking HW2R1 repeater in an attempt to extend wi-fi coverage to areas in my home that my Netgear WNDR3700 could not reach. Setup was easy with the Hawking CD and I initially placed the repeater between my computer and router. The computer at that point was close enough to the router that internet speed was 25mb/s from the router wi-fi but dropped to 3mb/s when connected to the repeater. Hawking tech support suggested resetting the router and repeater to channels 1, 6, 9, or 11 to see if the internet speed would improve. None of these channels improved the speed. Tech Support suggested waiting a couple of weeks to see if it improves. I did not think that would work so I looked for a better solution. It appeared that the repeater could not pick up the routers wi-fi signal as well as my laptop so I decided to hardwire the repeater to the router. This worked good. When hardwired to the router the repeaters wi-fi signal would provide internet speeds of about 20mb/s. The speed at the connection going into the repeater averaged 23mb/s so I am happy with this setup. The repeater and router are now located at opposite ends of the house and each provide adequate wi-fi for half of the house. I am disappointed that I had to hardwire the repeater to get it to pick up an adequate signal. I think Hawking should provide a better antenna without having to purchase an upgrade but am happy overall with the solution to my problem. Hawking tech support also could have been more knowledgeable.
Update: Another problem that I didn't notice when I first wrote the review is that computers in my house will not connect to the internet after reboot until I unplug and restart the repeater each time. The computers will connect to the repeater but not the internet. If I disconnect the repeater then the same computers will work fine when accessing the internet directly through the Netgear router so I know the problem is in the Hawking repeater. I have tried to resolve the problem for a couple of weeks and am having a very difficult time contacting the second level of tech support at Hawking. When transferred to 2nd level support I end up being left on hold for 15 minutes and then being forced to leave a message for a return call. I have not been able to get them to call me back so I am looking for another access point to replace the Hawking HW2R1.

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Product Description:
The Hi-Gain Wireless-N Dual Radio Smart Repeater is an advanced Wi-Fi connectivity solution that receives the signal of any 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi network and rebroadcasts it locally within your home or office. The HW2R1 is the flagship product for Hawking's award-winning line of Hi-Gain Wi-Fi Range Extending products. Using two isolated Wi-Fi radios, the HW2R1 connects to your desired wireless Internet connection, such as a local Wi-Fi hot spot, neighborhood wireless network or office network and repeats the signal via a dedicated 300Mbps 802.11n Wi-Fi radio locally. With 3 upgradable Hi-Gain 3dbi omni-directional antennas (1 dedicated for receiving wireless signals and 2 dedicated for rebroadcasting wireless signals within your home or office) the HW2R1 can be outfitted with Hawking Hi-Gain antennas to boost the connection range with outside wireless networks as well as locally within your home or office. The HW2R1 is ideal for Wi-Fi connections to marine docks, RV parks, adjacent offices and homes with Wi-Fi networks or any other source for wireless internet connection. In addition, the HW2R1 provides security and functionality via a full featured firewall and router. The versatility of the Hi-Gain Smart Repeater makes it the perfect solution for any wireless application.

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