Wireless networking (802.11b) general help question!!

[miketvr]

Hi. I want my laptop to be wireless throughout my house. So, I ordered a Linksys 802.11b pcmcia card and the Linksys wireless access point. Buy.com sent me the pcmcia card, but now theyve told me the Access point is backordered for the next 6 weeks. I've checked quite a few places on the web, and no one else has them in stock. so, my question is two-fold:

Can I use a different brand Wireless access point with the linksys card? I'm assuming YES because its all the 802.11b standard but I wasnt 100% positive, which is why I ordered both parts in Linksys. If I can, I'll order a D-Link or something. Now, the second question is, can aNYBODY find the Linksys Wireless access point somewhere on the web in stock? I checked all the major places, such as buy.com. onvia, outpost, merchants that pricewatch listed as selling it, hell even eb@y.. At this point I don't really care what brand I get though, as long as the two parts will be compatible. In all honesty, I only chose the linksys in the first place because I like their color scheme, so it would match my switch... 😉

Thanks for the help!!

 

[ktwebb]

Yeah, those Linksys wireless products are hard to find. Any 802.11b compliant Access Point will work. Try the SMC wireless AP. NAT and other features. Works great with the Cisco cards we sell.

 

[miketvr]

Well i just need it to extend my existing lan/subnet. I already have a machine performing nat. As long as it at least does that, im fine. i dont need nat from it too

 

[RBlount]

Well considering I am also waiting for the Linksys WAP (late and getting later Xmas present), I was very suprised to see a couple of them in stock in a local CompUSA. The wanted full retail, but I actually held it in my hand.

-Rob

 

[miketvr]

Hrm, well full retail being $440, looks like I'm going to go with the SMC for the time being. If buy.com or anyone else gets them in stock in the near future, ill order that and return the SMC.