Wondering how to hook up 7 AP's...

[datdamkid]

Well my uncle wants me to hook up wireless at his bussiness he says he wants 7 AP's ....4 on one floor and 3 on the other floor. But to hook each AP up to the internet source, would this be done by a router? say I have a 7 Port router, do I hook up each AP to a port on the router? this is what I was thinking....but I'm not quite to sure...like I know my home network which consist of 1 AP and a router...the ap is just wired in to one of the ports on the router, but I'm not sure if 7 would work with a router....or would you use a switch or what.....if anyone could help me out that would be fantastic. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks alot.


Palak Shah

 

[Garion]

I'd connect a switch to your router, then plug each cable into the switch.

- G

 

[Concillian]

Access points --> router

or

Access points --> switch --> router

or any combination thereof. In a small network such as this, think of a switch as a way of expanding ports.

You can have an AP into a switch or router, you can have a switch into a switch if you need it. The only real limitation is the total ethernet line transmission length over UTP.

The only thing I wonder is if your uncle knows so little about networking, how does he already know he needs exactly 7 access points for his coverage area?

 

[datdamkid]

He doesn't know he needs exactly 7 but he has another bussiness that was already done which is a little bit bigger than his which only has 9 and that was professionally done by someone else but he paid like 5000 bucks for it.....also what kind of gear would you recomend? I was thinking dlink/linksys...cisco is out of the way...thats really expensive....

 

[datdamkid]

Well im going to crash if anyone would like to help me out .....leave your aim sn in a post and i'll check it in the morning.....thanks alot


Thanks again
Palak Shah

 

[amdskip]

Honestly he needs to have as much possible directly wired up especially in a business environment. As far as I'm concerned, wireless is not secure enough and should only be used in the impossible networking senario for cable runs or on laptops that require mobility.

You could have a router on the first floor with one cat 5 running to the second which goes to a switch. All second floor AP's go off the switch. First floor could also go off a switch on the first floor.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: amdskip
Honestly he needs to have as much possible directly wired up especially in a business environment. As far as I'm concerned, wireless is not secure enough and should only be used in the impossible networking senario for cable runs or on laptops that require mobility.

You could have a router on the first floor with one cat 5 running to the second which goes to a switch. All second floor AP's go off the switch. First floor could also go off a switch on the first floor.

 

[datdamkid]

well, this is to give the customers free access. He has a motel, and he wants to give his customers free wireless access...