Are there any 802.11a AccessPoint/Router out yet?

[WoundedWallet]

If so who is making them?

All I have seen are plain access points, but I'm looking for one with NAT capabilities and possibly some switch ports as well, like they have for the 802.11b.

Thanks,
WW

 

[WoundedWallet]

Is this one of them "too easy" to answer or one that nobody has a clue?

 

[WoundedWallet]

^

 

[Tallgeese]

no reply can often mean...DADGS!

 

[Rkonster]

I haven't seen any available as of now. You could always get an access point and just plug a router into it.

 

[WoundedWallet]

Thanks Rkonster. Yeah, I know I can use a router + acess point, but I'm doing this for a client and if it gets too expensive I might scare them away. I'd opt for a hybrid cable+wifi solution instead of getting two boxes, if it turns out that there is no affordable 802.11a router in the market.

And thanks too, TallGeese for the link. I had already used Google and all the major merchant sites and I still can't find one unit for sale, even on your link. But what does DADGS mean?

WW

 

[JackBurton]

Dude, I don't know if you know this or not but 802.11a has problem going through walls. It looks great but it doesn't perform nearly as good as what's on paper. You might want to get 802.11b until 802.11g comes around. 😉

 

[WoundedWallet]

Thanks Jack, yeah I read about the 802.1a short comings. But this is a small place with almost line of sight for the AccessPoint. The advantage on this case is that the person deals with large movie files, so a speedy network would be a lot nicer.

It seems though that I'll have to stick with the 802.11b.

Regarding the 'g', well... I've been disapointed enough times with vaporware to put too much emphasis on it.

WW

 

[ktwebb]

Its a pseudo myth about the range. Both standards drop down incrementally in througput as you move away or place obstacles in the path. The biggest cell size for an 802.11a is 54 in standard mode and not as large as the 11 Mb cell of an 802.11b device. They don't parallel each other in range and bandwidth but the smallest cell size for a .11a device is 6 Mb and will some close to the 1 Mb cell of a .11b device. You see the advantage. Overall, the distance attained do not correspond directly, but with the added throughput, the losses in range are usually picked up in added bandwidth. Mileage varies of course but don't believe all the hype all the time, on either side.