Possible to use a single wireless card to connect to router and as an access point?

cantab · 11-24-2009, 07:56 PM

Is it possible to use a single wireless card to both connect to my wireless router, and also act as an access point for other devices to connect to? If so, how do I go about doing this? I am running Arch Linux.

If not, would I be able to do this if I had two wireless adapters on my Linux machine?

(In case you are wondering the motivation: My router is in the lounge. My computer gets wireless signal fine in my room, but my Nintendo DS will not get signal outside the lounge.)

kbp · 11-24-2009, 11:46 PM

Maybe you could try EoP adapters and just plug one into each room, I bought the NetComm twin pack because the distance was too far for my Netgear Wireless N AP's to reach each other.

cantab · 11-25-2009, 07:55 AM

I'd be too concerned about radio noise to consider EoP. (I'm a radio amateur, and interference that won't affect most people becomes noticeable if I'm trying to receive distant signals.) Also, unless someone's made an EoP to WiFi bridge, that doesn't help me get signal on my DS.

spitler · 01-11-2010, 08:23 AM

I'm just wondering first of all if anyone knows how to make a standard wireless NIC or USB WiFi adapter into an "access point"?

My question is related to the original post in that I have a Linux project at school that involves this very idea for an access point. My instructor says it's not possible but according to everything I've learned about the OSI model aside from the link layer you can have all other layers as logical / software doing the necessary protocol work.

My setup is:

Dell Studio laptop
Intel Duo CPU 2.66 GHz
Memory 4 GB
Built in Intel WiFi link 5100 ANG
USB adapter dongle Rosewill RNX-G1W
Broadcom Netlink 1 GB Ethernet
OS running Mythbuntu

I've got a lot to work with but me and my team are having trouble since we are all quite new to the Linux environment. Is there an application(s) written to handle this or are we just need to use a wireless router for the job??

Any help is much appreciated,
Greg