Using PC as wireless router

[DesiPower]

I looked around a little bit on the internet and seems like there are some software that can be used on the PC, but what about the hardware?

Can I use any PCI(x) card? or are there some special adapter that can be used to transmit too? Are there any recommended one, maybe with stronger antennas or something?

Can I get a dual band adapter and then have a dual band router? Probably the router software needs to support that?

How does it actually work? I plug my PC to the modem and then the wireless adapter on the PC will transmit like a router?

Do these PC run windows and then a routing software or these routing software are OS in themselves?

I want a strong dual band router, now I can go out and spent anywhere between $150 - $250 or I can get a good adapter and then convert my old PentiumD PC into a router.
Does anyone have experience with DIY routers? are they as reliable stock routers in terms of speed and connecting not getting dropped?

 

[Red Squirrel]

While it is possible I see little point in it, I would look into Unifi access points (or other similar solution) before using a PC. An AP is going to use WAY less power than a full blown PC and be simpler to manage with less points of failure.

That said you can convert a PC into a router using solutions like pfsense, which will give you much more options than the SOHO stuff you can buy. I would still keep the wireless portion separate though. You can think of wireless as adding a switch to get extra ports. There's not really much reason for this to be part of the router.

 

[JackMDS]

Any computer with Wireless card can act as an Access Point with free software like this.

http://virtualrouter.codeplex.com/

A full Router is a different story and all together it does Not worth while doing it.

The electricity spend on it will be after few month more expensive than a new Good Wireless Router.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Non-dedicated, PC based access points are going to be very limited compared to a soho router, and may even be problematic. You'd be better off with a wireless router, and you should be able to find some for much cheaper than $150-$250, even outside the US. If necessary, Amazon ships to Argentina, and there are several dual band wireless routers for under $50.

FWIW, a single dual band PCI adapter will likely cost as much as a router itself.

 

[azazel1024]

You have lots of hardware limitations. Most wifi adapters don't have full access point support and none are concurrent dual band, if that matters.

Considering you can get a GOOD 802.11n router for around $50 (TP-Link WDR3600) that is also rather quick as both a router and an access point...why? You'd likely spend more on electricity in a year on your old repurposed computer than you would on the entire router.

Also considering the march of technology, a new 802.11ac router, something like an R7000 might well have MORE processing power than an old PentiumD, and it will certianly use massively less power.