Wireless Network Switch?

[Maiyr]

Hi all,

I have a wireless network in my house already via my ISP's supplied WiFi router.

I want to network 2 devices in my living room together without the need for traversing the wifi network to talk to each other. Of course I also want these two devices to be able to reach the main wifi router for Internet access.

I was going to get one of these to connect the devices to the wifi network, but then I realized that even though they would both be plugged into this device they would still be connecting back to the main wifi router to connect to each other. http://www.netgear.com/home/product...aming-home-theater/wnce4004.aspx#tab-features

What I want is for these devices to be on the network via wifi, but physically plugged into a device that will allow them to talk directly to each other instead of traversing wifi back to the main wifi router.

Do I just need another wifi router that can connect to my main wifi router, via wifi?, and then plug both of these devices into the new router/switch that they can get dhcp from? Is that doable or is there a better way?

I hope I am articulating this well. I know exactly what I want to do and hope I am explaining it well.

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[Maiyr]

OK, been doing some more research and I think what I need is a new Wireless Router that supports something called "bridge-mode capability".

 

[azazel1024]

A wifi bridge/media bridge with 2 or more ethernet ports, or get a regular router, set in to bridge mode. The tricky bit on the last is that you'll probably want the same model router as most bridging is done through WDS briding, and it is semi-propritary. That means that Router manufacturer X's router might not be able to bridge with router manufacturer Y's router. Sometimes, happy coincidence, it works fine. Other times, not so much.

Client/media/wireless dedicated bridges almost always use something other than WDS bridging (there are a lot of upsides if you can get WDS bridging to work).

 

[Maiyr]

Thanks azazel1024.

With the wifi bridge device... do they also behave like a switch in that devices that are on the bridge can communicate with each other w/o the packets routing all the way back to the main wifi router?

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[JackMDS]

Direct communication between Wirelesses devices is a Different mode than regular Network working.

While some Phones and tablet can alternate between the mode regular computer/laptops can not.

What I want is for these devices to be on the network via wifi, but physically plugged into a device that will allow them to talk directly to each other instead of traversing wifi back to the main wifi router

So if this is your main concern there is No ready made device like this, unless you try something like this - http://virtualrouter.codeplex.com/

Otherwise, try to explain what is "bothering" you about having a cohesive network that work centrally as it should.

 

[azazel1024]

Thanks azazel1024.

With the wifi bridge device... do they also behave like a switch in that devices that are on the bridge can communicate with each other w/o the packets routing all the way back to the main wifi router?

Thanks,

Maiyr

Wireless bridges with mulitple ports work just like switches between the devices connected to it. So if I had desktop A and Server A on a 2 port wireless bridge, if I was copying a file from A to B it would occur over the wireless bridge's switch backplane, NOT over the wifi link. If I then tried to go to the internet from A, it would then go over the wireless bridge to the main router and out to the internet.

PS The packets don't route, they are switched (at least as you are thinking/talking about). If they are routed, that means they are head out of the local network somewhere else, which would require traveling to the router to do.

 

[Maiyr]

Wireless bridges with mulitple ports work just like switches between the devices connected to it. So if I had desktop A and Server A on a 2 port wireless bridge, if I was copying a file from A to B it would occur over the wireless bridge's switch backplane, NOT over the wifi link.

azazel1024,

Thank you. That is what I want and was probably just not articulating very well.
So something like this http://www.netgear.com/home/products/connected-entertainment/gaming-home-theater/wnce4004.aspx is a wireless bridge then, right?

Thanks,

Maiyr

 

[azazel1024]

Correct.

 

[smitbret]

azazel1024,

Thank you. That is what I want and was probably just not articulating very well.
So something like this http://www.netgear.com/home/products/connected-entertainment/gaming-home-theater/wnce4004.aspx is a wireless bridge then, right?

Thanks,

Maiyr

As an aside, if you can find an old router that will accept DD-WRT, you can create a Wireless Bridge on the cheap.

Looks like NetGear and/or NewEgg caught on to this since I used to be able to pick up refurbished WNDR3400s for less than $30. Now they are almost $70. You can get 'em for less than $60 on Amazon, though and you can get a flashable WNR2000 for about $25

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WNR20...e=UTF8&qid=1416254631&sr=8-2&keywords=wnr2000