difference between linksys wireless access points?

[broadwayblue]

One model has a built in four port switch while the other one doesn't. Why would you need the built in 4 port switch when the wireless access point can already support up to 32 users?

 

[broadwayblue]

anyone...right now i have the 4 port router but i want to upgrade to a wireless model.

is the plain wap (no switch) not a dsl/cable router? that might be it.

 

[LordQria]

The access point w/o the switch will let you add a wireless device to you current set up. The other one just combines everything in one box. We have 3 computers networked around the house and my roommate just bought a laptop. Now we are considering upgrading to a combo wireless/switch router to allow the laptop to roam the house freely.

 

[Pariah]

You want to wire your network through the switch whenever possible. The hard-wired computers will communicate with each other at 100mbps, while the wireless systems top out around 11mbps. The wireless feature should only be used for systems that cannot be wired without significant work or are really far away.

 

[broadwayblue]

thanks for the info. so if i want to be lazy and don't care about getting 100mb between the computers then i could just get the one without the switch. i think i will get the one with the switch built in as it's not that much more. you can preorder it from amazon for $259.

what about wireless cards? I've read that the linksys one's are not very good, and that the orinoco or smc are better. What brand cards do you use and what is their realistic range?

 

[Pariah]

Distances are listed in the stats and should be pretty accurate:

BEFW11S4

 

[broadwayblue]

pariah, that's what i thought, but after reading the product reviews at amazon it seems like a lot of people agree that those numbers are overinflated and don't take account things like walls, which should be considered especially when the manufacturer lists inside and outside numbers for range.

 

[Pariah]

You always have to take overhead into account. 100mbps theoretically should transfer at 12.5MB/s but you will usually see closer to 8MB/s or so which really isn't all that close. When I say they are resaonably accurate I mean with respect to how mouch other stats are usually off. A number of things can affect wireless transfers. The numbers listed are ideal transfers. I assume the indoor transfer stats take into account walls furniture and other typical obstacles which is why the distances are shorter.