Recommended Wireless Access Point & Noteboojk Adapters 1

[ElijahBaley]

Hi

Just wondered what are the front runners in 802.11b & 802.11g wireless access kits.

My needs are simple, I will be setting up a tempory office with a traditional LAN for fixed users with Internet access available through an ADSL connection. The ADSL router will perform NAT to give me a private IP range for allocation on the LAN.

I would like to introduce a WAP to the network for occasional use by mobile workers who will infrequently visit the office, I need a simple reliable solution to enable these users to gain Internet access through a wireless device.

What are the options taking into account simplicity, cost and security?

Thanks for any help,

EB

 

[bcastner]

I would purchase a Linksys WRT54G and set it up as essentially an access point, not a router. It is a fairly priced piece of equipment and works well with both b and g equipment. As this is a temporary office, using the device as a full router down the road makes it more attractive than using just an access point.

To configure the device, access the web-based setup routine on the Linksys and disable DHCP, and select router instead of its default of "Gateway" operation. Give the device a static IP in the subnet of the existing router, say 192.168.1.2. Take a straight-thru cable and plug from the uplink port of the first router to a regular (not WAN) port on the Linksys.

A longer and more illustrated discussion can be found at Tom's Hardware Guide:

http://www4.tomshardware.com/network/20030716/index.html

 

[ElijahBaley]

Thanks Bcastner,

I was actually looking at the Linksys devices as they were highly rated in a magazine labs comparison test and have a 4 port 10/100 switch built in.

I was wondering if routing and DHCP functions could be disabled - if they can, fantastic this is the way I will go!!

Thanks for your reply, i'll check out Tom's discussion later!

EB

 

[bcastner]

There is a Linksys Forum on Tek-tips, if you go that route. There is also an incredible forum of users at broadbandreports.com. The Linksys FAQ there is terrific, with great links to the Linksys FTP servers for firmware updates.

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/equip,16

Hope it works for you. I have slightly more than 100 I have deployed to date, many using the non-router configuration I discussed above. I like this product. But spend a little time at the Linksys forum on DSLR mentioned above, as there are some tricks to its specific configuration if using both "b" and "g" clients.

Bill

 

[ElijahBaley]

Got this setup now in a test environment - works a treat!!

Now need to do a little research into security, and hopping between different networks (Starbucks?)

Great advice, thanks

EB

 

[bcastner]

See the (yesterday) issue of PC Magazine (US) on wireless issues.

Also, Google "war driving"

Also,

http://www.netstumbler.com

Also, Knoppix:

http://www.knoppix.net/get.php