Router as an Access Point?

[Josh123]

Would I be able to buy another one of these routers and set one up as an access point?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-33124276-L08B

 

[alizee]

Most likely. Most routers have the ability to work in "bridge mode" where they are, essentially, a switch. You would turn off DHCP, and it would pass through te DHCP server on your first router. This is the way I have my Time Capsule set up, works very well.

 

[Josh123]

Most likely. Most routers have the ability to work in "bridge mode" where they are, essentially, a switch. You would turn off DHCP, and it would pass through te DHCP server on your first router. This is the way I have my Time Capsule set up, works very well.

I was hoping it would. Currently I've been trying to figure out what the best solution would be in order to get connectivity to my entertainment center in my living room. I've been debating on running CAT5 through my crawl space but if I can get an access point setup it would be much easier.

 

[JackMDS]

The general approach that I take for Coverage issues is the following.

The best way is to lay few CAT6 cables to central locations in the house, install Access Points, or Cable/DSL Routers configured as an Access Points ( Using a Wireless Cable/DSL Router as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html ), and connect them to the Main Router.

You do not want/can not/hate/your client hate to lay Cables.

Start with One affordable Wireless Router that can do WDS (the reason to start with WDS capable Router is that in case you need to add more Wireless WDS hardware the original Router has to support it).

If you are lucky and your environment is conducive to get covered with one Good Wireless Router and you are done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireles...ibution_System.

Due to the added flexibility, it is better solution to choose Routers that can work with DD-WRT

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WDS_Linked_router_network

Using a Laptop loaded with Wirelessnetview, do a Wireless survey, http://majorgeeks.com/WirelessNetView_d6102.html

According to the signal strength reading, identify spots that have strong signal. and spot with weak, or No signal.

Evaluate how you can cover the space and start placing WDS units.

Additional Wireless Routers in WDS Mode (Wireless Network - Configuration Modes. ) has to be placed in spots were the signal is good about Half way to the dead spots.

How many WDS units are needed? It depends on your specific environment (that is a good the reason to buying WDS units one at the time, try it, and decide on the Next step).

More about the topic (the pages bellow were written a while ago, ignore the specific hardware recommendation just stick to the principle and get current hardware)

Extending Distance - http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html

Wireless Router as an AP - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Wireless Modes - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html

Wireless Bridging - http://www.ezlan.net/bridging.html

Hi Gain Antenna - http://www.ezlan.net/antennae.html


😎

 

[Josh123]

Wow Jack, a simple yes or no would have worked lol.

Has anyone used the router I posted above? Currently I have one in my office and I'm planning to dump the DD-WRT firmware on it when I get home this afternoon. I'm fairly familiar with setting up routers but I'll be sure to read up on the links you posted Jack and see what trouble I can get myself into lol.

 

[Hogan773]

The general approach that I take for Coverage issues is the following.

The best way is to lay few CAT6 cables to central locations in the house, install Access Points, or Cable/DSL Routers configured as an Access Points ( Using a Wireless Cable/DSL Router as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html ), and connect them to the Main Router.

You do not want/can not/hate/your client hate to lay Cables.

Start with One affordable Wireless Router that can do WDS (the reason to start with WDS capable Router is that in case you need to add more Wireless WDS hardware the original Router has to support it).

If you are lucky and your environment is conducive to get covered with one Good Wireless Router and you are done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireles...ibution_System.

Due to the added flexibility, it is better solution to choose Routers that can work with DD-WRT

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WDS_Linked_router_network

Using a Laptop loaded with Wirelessnetview, do a Wireless survey, http://majorgeeks.com/WirelessNetView_d6102.html

According to the signal strength reading, identify spots that have strong signal. and spot with weak, or No signal.

Evaluate how you can cover the space and start placing WDS units.

Additional Wireless Routers in WDS Mode (Wireless Network - Configuration Modes. ) has to be placed in spots were the signal is good about Half way to the dead spots.

How many WDS units are needed? It depends on your specific environment (that is a good the reason to buying WDS units one at the time, try it, and decide on the Next step).

More about the topic (the pages bellow were written a while ago, ignore the specific hardware recommendation just stick to the principle and get current hardware)

Extending Distance - http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html

Wireless Router as an AP - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Wireless Modes - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html

Wireless Bridging - http://www.ezlan.net/bridging.html

Hi Gain Antenna - http://www.ezlan.net/antennae.html


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Doesn't using wireless routers in WDS mode halve the throughput though? If you use multiple repeaters does it take the throughput down to 1/4 or 1/8 etc? or just half no matter how many repeaters you use? (I could envision that if 1 repeater had to communicate with a second repeater and not the base router that would effectively make the throughput 1/4?)

 

[JackMDS]

Doesn't using wireless routers in WDS mode halve the throughput though? If you use multiple repeaters does it take the throughput down to 1/4 or 1/8 etc? or just half no matter how many repeaters you use? (I could envision that if 1 repeater had to communicate with a second repeater and not the base router that would effectively make the throughput 1/4?)

Yap, each device of a single radio Repeater halfs the bandwidth.

There is a way to avoid it, not very elegant but it works.

Combine two Wireless Router to work as a Repeater.

One device works has a Wireless bridge and feed via few inch Cat6 a second Wireless Router configured as an Access Point.

Using two flat Linksys Wireless Routers (configured to ch. 1 and 11) attached back to back can provide a good look too.

I.e., a source Wireless Router transmits at Ch11, a second Wireless Router configured as a Client Bridge receives the signal elsewhere, and a 3rd Wireless Router at the same location of the second device (or in short distance) connect via cable from the Bridge (LAN port to LAN port) configured as an Access Point and transmitting at Ch 1.


😎

 

[Hogan773]

Yap, each device of a single radio Repeater halfs the bandwidth.

There is a way to avoid it, not very elegant but it works.

Combine two Wireless Router to work as a Repeater.

One device works has a Wireless bridge and feed via few inch Cat6 a second Wireless Router configured as an Access Point.

Using two flat Linksys Wireless Routers (configured to ch. 1 and 11) attached back to back can provide a good look too.

I.e., a source Wireless Router transmits at Ch11, a second Wireless Router configured as a Client Bridge receives the signal elsewhere, and a 3rd Wireless Router at the same location of the second device (or in short distance) connect via cable from the Bridge (LAN port to LAN port) configured as an Access Point and transmitting at Ch 1.


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Interesting - never thought of that one. Are you then broadcasting 2 different SSID's I assume - so its as if you have 2 separate networks at your house? Negative would be that you can't handoff if you're moving around - so if you have your iPhone I would assume you can't set it to constantly figure out which of the 2 is the better connection and go to that one.

 

[alkemyst]

Doesn't using wireless routers in WDS mode halve the throughput though? If you use multiple repeaters does it take the throughput down to 1/4 or 1/8 etc? or just half no matter how many repeaters you use? (I could envision that if 1 repeater had to communicate with a second repeater and not the base router that would effectively make the throughput 1/4?)

Everytime you repeat you halve the signal. This often times brings the entire network to the lowest speed.

Repeating via wireless is a method for the last resort when dealing with 'people' using data. For things like RFID and the like, it's a simple way to increase the network distance.

 

[alkemyst]

Interesting - never thought of that one. Are you then broadcasting 2 different SSID's I assume - so its as if you have 2 separate networks at your house? Negative would be that you can't handoff if you're moving around - so if you have your iPhone I would assume you can't set it to constantly figure out which of the 2 is the better connection and go to that one.

You really can't do seamless handoffs anyway without a controller...roaming in a residential situation is highly overrated.

 

[JackMDS]

Wow Jack, a simple yes or no would have worked lol..

What keeps me going for so many years is Not just the OPs but the hundred of "Shy" people who read our advice but do not post.

For them Just "Yes. or No" is Not enough.


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[kornphlake]

Jack, in case nobody has ever said it before, thanks!

 

[bobdole369]

You really can't do seamless handoffs anyway without a controller...roaming in a residential situation is highly overrated.

I can't agree with this more. Try to explain that to a CEO of a small business that isn't willing to invest in wireless infrastructure, yet still wants excellent coverage in both his warehouse, office, outside patio, conference room, and office extension that is sealed off by double concrete firewall.