Wap

can someone explain briefly how WAP works? Can it be used with a wireless router?

i already have a wireless router and what i was thinking of doing was having a WAP in one room so guest w/o wireless capabilities can physically connect to it and be able to go online.

am i totally way off?

 

A Wireless Access Point is basically a wireless router without routing functions.

A wireless access point would be correct in your setup. The wireless access point would have to connect to your router either wired or wirelessly. Wireless Access Points are usually harder and more expensive to buy. If you can connect an ethernet cable from your guest room to your router, then you can just buy a wireless router and use the LAN port.

 

so can i also use that to connect the xbox 360 online?

the cable from the router to the guest room is a no go. cant have wires running across the house.

now the next step is to see if i can get my spare linksys router to act as a WAP.

 

Use the wireless access point? Yes.

Then you'll need to by a wireless access point. Only that can be used in repeater mode.

It will need to have repeater mode, which wireless routers don't have. Unless you have a specific Linksys WRT54G wireless that needs to be flashed with a 3rd party firmware, you'll need a wireless access point.

EDIT: I did some researching and apparently some wireless routers support repeater mode. Let me look one up for you.

 

http://www.buffalotech.com/products...uter-and-access-point-with-high-gain-antenna/

This wireless router supports WDS (wireless distribution service), basically repeater mode.

More information about WDS can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System

 

What he is asking for is not a wireless access point.

You are looking for a wireless bridge. What router do you have, this can help.

Many Wireless Access Points and Wireless routers can act as wireless bridges.

I use a Netgear WG102 for my WAP at home and they can also be setup in bridge or repeater mode as well.

 

Doesn't WDS also distribute traffic through LAN jacks, not just wirelessly?

 

get up in that atic and run a cat5 cable thru the ceiling do it the cheap way and dont even worry about the the wirless

 

thanks but dont need another router.
so how is WDS different from WAP?

so whats the difference between a bridge and a WAP?

both my routers are Linksys WRT54G

 

You need a wireless ethernet bridge.

 

A access point can do multiple wireless functions. But if you want to extend your network to another loaction you need to setup a Wireless Bridge. This requires 2 AP that support bridging. If your trying to connect a PC that does not have wireless, buy your self a Wireless card for the PC, usb or AP. Most AP support Client Mode as well as bridging functions. A AP used as client bridge will connect to your existing wireless router, wirelessly. You can add as many AP Clients has you have PC's, 1 required for each pc. If you elect to go with AP's instead of USB wireless cards, you will be able to have the AP (2 required) make a bridge to your existing wireless router. In effect have 2 seperate networks tied together by wireless.

 

If you have a WRT54G prior to v5, you can do wireless bridging on that. It'll require a 3rd party firmware, however. The version is labled on the sticker of the router. You'll need to re-flash your router to a firmware such as DD-WRT.

 

essentially that is what i am trying to do except its not for my PC. its for guests that dont have wireless capabilities on their laptop and maybe to connect the 360 online...so no go on that wireless card.

yeah i guess i'll look into this some more, but im still confused about bridging. is that what a WAP essentially does?

 

WAP is Wireless Access Point. This is the wireless part of wireless router. There are different nodes for client PC's.

 

just an update for those who might be interested.

finally got it to work last night. flashed an old Linksys router with the DD-WRT v23 sp2 firmware and its working exactly how i want it. main router is upstairs and the bridged router is downstairs and the the xbox and an old computer is connected to it. next im going to see if disabling the SSID broadcast from the main router will still work and if i can get the WPA2 to work.

in case anyone is interested in doing the same thing, heres a couple of links that i found helpful when setting it up

installing DD-WRT: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation
setting up the router: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Bridge

those two pretty much walks you thru the whole process.
or you can also get something like this Netgear Ethernet Adapter. more expensive, but a lot less hassle