One of the most common problems with wireless networking is the lack of range provided by many access points. Manufacturers are continuing to innovate in this area, but it's something that often can't be helped.

And that's where this new product from Linksys is designed to help you out. It connects into any conventional 802.11g wireless network in order to improve its range. It does this by simply boosting the signal that it's fed.

You might see other products on the market that are called repeaters, which effectively do the same job. Because it's designed to boost signals where wireless coverage is patchy, it's not something you should put near your access point - there would be no point. You'll need to think about where you decide to position it.

If your access point is on the ground floor of your house, you might want to extend its reach into the garden, for example. In that case, why not place the Range Expander next to a window that's overlooking the garden. You might also want to place it on the first floor to extend the range of your network up to the top of your house.

Basically speaking, if you've got a small flat, you're not going to need this kit since it doesn't help with boosting wireless at close quarters. Likewise, it's not going to boost the bandwidth you can get out of your access point, simply the distance at which your wireless can operate (of course, you can get better throughput at a further distance with the device).

However, if you own a house with 17th century two-foot thick walls, it'll help you no end. Likewise, you could use the WRE54G to get your wireless signal round an obstacle, such as a meeting room in the centre of an office floor. In any situation, it may well be that you'll need to experiment with it in several positions before you find the one that improves your signal the most.