WAP54GP

Good afternoon.

Thanks for a great forum, I hope you can help with my problem.

Further to earlier threads, I have a problem with Linksys WAP54GP access points. I have installed 9 on board a yacht. I upgraded the firmware to 1.28 before installation. All access points have the same SSID, but the channels are set between 1,6 and 11 with AP's on the same channel at extreme ends. Three of the AP's are configured as repeaters.

Security is by personal WPA.

Problems are:
1) Repeaters do not appear to work.
2) The laptops assciated with the access points will periodically drop off the strongest signal, hunt around and seem to try to attach to one of the other access points, and then re-associate with the nearest and strongest AP. This can take 20-30 seconds, but sometimes the laptop wifi has to be turned off and then turned back on to get back on.
3) Roaming does not appear to work, though this is only based on the laptop not associating with a second AP when it drops he connection to the first - I haven't walked around yet as the boat sailed before I could fix the first problems.

This happens with both Windows and MACs.

There is obvioulsy a problem with the APs.

My questions are :

1) Does anyone know anything about this?
2) Is there a fix ?
3) Is there any point in contacting Linksys support ?
4) Is it a viable option to just forget the access points and go for the trade in and upgrade to Cisco gear ?

Please feel free to answer, I have a couple of days grace, but the customer needs an answer by Monday (pressure...) and I am faxcing losing a couple of thousand dollars on this stuff that plainly isn't fit for purpose.

Many thanks in advance and best regards,

Neil Mac
Mallorca,
Spain