Do Ruckus Repeaters Improve Portland Wi-Fi?'To a point,' say locals of $99 device.... ( old news - 06:40PM Tuesday Oct 02 2007) tags: business · wirelessMetro-Fi's free ad-driven citywide Wi-Fi service in Portland has suffered the same complaints of all such services -- namely that coverage isn't so hot, and indoor reception often leaves something to be desired. In order to help the latter, the company has struck a deal with Ruckus Wireless, who's offering customers a $99 "Metroflex" repeater to boost indoor signal. The Oregonian gives the network a spin with the new device, and gives their impressions: We tried that device, the MetroFlex made by Ruckus Wireless, and found it did its job -- to a point. The MetroFlex took unusable wireless signals and bolstered them to a degree that I could establish a reliable connection to the Internet. In one location, the connection was so fast that it rivaled the DSL access my phone company provides. The MetroFlex has some notable drawbacks, though, and not the least is price. A lot of people would balk at paying $99 to access a "free" network. A potentially difficult setup process, highly variable connection quality, and the fact that many parts of Portland still don't have access to MetroFi's network mean the MetroFlex is probably only for those technically inclined or very determined to connect. Ruckus VP David Callisch says in the piece. "Wi-Fi, it can be a crapshoot sometimes."
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 | JJV
Premium
join:2001-04-25
Seattle, WA
clubs: | Toilet Seat Would you buy a wifi device that looks like a toilet seat? | |
|  | NbWY1
join:2003-05-23
Columbia, MD | Re: Toilet Seat If it worked. | |
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MrMoody
Carbon Based Lifeform
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC | If it got me out of a monthly bill, hell yeah. | |
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Owlbet
Ignite the Ice
Premium,MVM
join:2002-09-24
Palmer, AK
clubs:
 ·MTA Online
| said by JJV  :Would you buy a wifi device that looks like a toilet seat? They in no way look like a toilet seat. My ISP refers to them as "white tacos". 
Yes, I use Ruckus Wireless Products. I don't use and can't comment on the MetroFlex devices, but I do use their MediaFlex products. I have three of them plus the main access device in my home. In July I dumped my "customer no service" and expensive cable TV provider, GCI, in favor of my ISP's digital offering. When the installation technician surveyed my home for where I wanted my three set-top boxes, he said a wireless configuration was the way to go. My home has 4 floors and the technician said hard-wiring my home would be an all-day job. So wireless it would be.
These three "white tacos" are on floors 1, 2, and 4. Floor 1 is below ground, Floor 2 is halfway above ground, Floors 3 and 4 are above ground. The wireless device and accompanying set-top box normally found on the 4th floor is a roamer. Both will sometimes be connected to a TV on the third floor. These devices are also hauled out to the shop out back and connected to a TV out there when my husband is tinkering on toys or whatnot. These things don't miss a beat.
So before anyone dismisses these devices as just another gimmick, I believe them to be a good product. I have a fairly large home and there hasn't been a corner in my home that the wireless coverage hasn't been able to reach. And for the device to pick up the signal from the access device inside my home and get digital TV reception in the shop is sweet.
My ISP, MTA (Matanuska Telephone Association) is listed on Ruckus Wireless' site here: »www.ruckuswireless.com/company/customers.php
I don't work for Ruckus, I just think they have a nice product.  | |
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paulhaskew
Unoffical Dominos Spokesman
join:2002-01-10
Vancouver, WA
clubs: | lol... I live across the river from Portland... people bitch about free, wow... | |
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John Galt
Forward, March
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp
·CenturyLink
| Re: lol... said by paulhaskew :I live across the river from Portland... people bitch about free, wow... LOL
Damn tootin'! F*in' whiners!
LOL
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A is A | |
| PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR | You get what you pay for... And what do you expect from unlicensed spectrum? | |
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Jon
Premium
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL | I heard a Ruckus! Could you describe the Ruckus sir?  | |
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MrMoody
Carbon Based Lifeform
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC | Re: I heard a Ruckus! Breakfast Club, LOL | |
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
 ·Comcast
| Huh? "indoor reception often leaves something to be desired"
Sitting here on my bed, this laptop sees 8 different wireless routers/APs.
WTF kind of crappy wireless is MetroFi using?
WTF crappy wireless clients are these people using?
Get router. Set to bridged. External antenna and lead(Cantenna, get one at RadioShack!)
»www.radioshack.com/product/index···e=search
Bitch bitch bitch! The access is free, pop for the antenna if you have to! Geez!
Got Pringles?
»www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448
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Think outside the Fox... Opera | |
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KA3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium
join:2006-01-17
West Chester, PA
clubs:
 ·Cricket Broadband
 ·Verizon FIOS
| Re: Huh? said by dadkins :"indoor reception often leaves something to be desired" Sitting here on my bed, this laptop sees 8 different wireless routers/APs. WTF kind of crappy wireless is MetroFi using? WTF crappy wireless clients are these people using? Get router. Set to bridged. External antenna and lead(Cantenna, get one at RadioShack!) » www.radioshack.com/product/index···e=searchBitch bitch bitch! The access is free, pop for the antenna if you have to! Geez! Got Pringles? » www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448 Outdoor Directional Antennas, just consider the possibilities.... 
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"Lithium is no longer available on credit" | |
| DufiefData
join:2006-06-13
Gaithersburg, MD
| In other words... ...this device works everywhere that it's intended to work. Is anybody actually going to complain about having to purchase extra equipment to access their otherwise "free" internet in places where the "free" network can't be reasonably expected to go? Please. | |
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MalibuMaxx
join:2007-02-06
Chesterton, IN | One time Fee? Free... It works one time fee... shut up... lol if i could make my internet free i would...  | |
| bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | MMMMmmmmm Freeeee If I could get 20/5 internet for free like my FiOS...I would be like Homer at the Duff factory...
But I would also pay $99 one time for free access if I had dial up or slow DSL.
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Just my 2 cents...Flame Lightly... | |
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