For all the advantages of the proposed ‘n' standard 802.11 wireless technology, the truth is that if you're looking to share broadband around a home - and you're not too bothered about streaming weighty media - then a ‘g' standard option is both ratified and good value. Granted you won't get the range, nor the speed, but for a compact house the likelihood is that ‘g' standard equipment will be ample.

That said, there are moments when the range does become an issue, yet instead of opting to upgrade the wireless network entirely, there are range expanders, such as this WRE54G from Linksys, that promise to enhance an existing network. The idea is that the WRE54G picks up the signal from the main router and relays it onwards. It's a useful idea if you're looking to get wireless access in limited corners, or perhaps to the far reaches of the back garden.

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So how does it work? Well, Linksys as usual has put together a professional and well packaged product. The unit comes with a program CD and documentation, stored in a smart fold-over wallet, and there's also a CAT-5 cable, screws (including wallplugs) and the fairly small unit itself.

The idea is that the main box doesn't need to be attached to the network physically (although it can be, should you wish), but you have the option - through the aforementioned screws - to mount it quite high up a wall (a nice idea in a multi-storey building, where you can place the device to both catch the signal effectively and also be in an optimum position to relay it). You will need, ideally, to hook the unit up to a wired network to get it configured, though.

How you approach the next stage depends on whether you have security installed and operational on your existing network. If you don't - and, naturally, you should - you just need to hold down the unit's Auto Configuration button for five seconds and then, after a bit of waiting, the unit picks up the network. At that point, you move it to wherever in your home or office it's going to live, and can pretty much forget about it.

Should you, as the majority will, have wireless security in place, the operation is different. This time, you need to use the simple-to-follow setup CD that Linksys provides, and this takes you step-by-step through the finding and configuring of your extender (including inputting the relevant security details). It's still quite a quick process, and the end result again is that you move the extender to where it's going to be sited long term.

The WRE54G isn't the cheapest in its field, nor is it the most exciting product you're going to buy. Yet it worked fine for us, did the job it promised it'd do, and extended network range from the upstairs of a fairly large house to the garden comfortably enough. We should point out that we tested it with a Linksys router: some online forum talk debates its efficiency with routers of other brand names, something we were unable to test.

A solid way to extend the boundaries of a 'b' or 'g' standard wireless network, ideally with a Linksys router. That said, 'draft n' routers come in at around the same price now.