Which is the best Wireless Access Point and Wireless Card?
 

Hey,

I am just about to make my flat go wireless....(it has been cabled for the last 2 years and my flatmate (who owns the wires etc.) is moving out).

The setup for the Interet is that it come into my linux box which is connected to a WAP and then everyone can get the Internet wirelessly.

Here's a diagram:
- OTHER COMPUTERS (wirelessly)
-
-
Internet --- Linux Box --- WAP - - - - OTHER COMPUTERS (wirelessly)
-
-
- OTHER COMPUTERS (wirelessly)

My questions are:

1. Which WAP do you recommend?

Obviously I want one which is 802.11g and I really want one which also have a couple of RJ-45 hookups (in case I have guests who are wired). I have found one which I really like, the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router. However, I am concerned taht I would not be able to run this as a WAP given that it is advertised as a Router. It describes itself as an "all in one" router, switch and WAP. Does anyone know if would be OK to use this JUST as a WAP and NOT as a router?

There are some tech specifications here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...17443?v=glance

2. I need to buy one more wireless network card. I understand that some 802.11g cards are now supported in Linux. Is this so? Which one do you recommend?

Thank you very much for your help, in advance. I look forward to buying all my new goodies!!! :)

Hamish

EDIT

The diagram should just be this:

Internet --- Linux Box --- WAP - - - - OTHER COMPUTERS (wirelessly)

:)

I have that router you are asking about. You are able to disable the the routing frature and use it just a wap.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Wireless Networking and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Is it easy to disable routing?
H

How do I disable routing?

Yeah, is it easy to disable the routing feature?

H

ill post instructions in a minute

I appologize, I previously had a Belkin wireless router, and you had the option to disable the routing capabilities and only use it as a wap. The plus to a Belkin is a lifetime warranty, but I switched to Linksys because It got a better range. Belkin and Linksys both sell wap units only w/ no routing.

Linksys - http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...id=35&prid=608

Belkin - http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=136486

I can't seem to find the option in the linksys, so it might not have it. Ill look a little more, and if I find anything, Ill post another reply.

The problem with both of those is that they only seem to have one RJ-45 connection. I was hoping to find a model which could act as a switch for wired networks as well as doing wireless.

You don't know if one can disable the routing option int he Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router, do you?

Thanks for giving me so much info! :)

Hamish

I'll look into it more, but I did not see something right away. The Belkin can have the routing disabled, and that will still give you the 4 port 10/100 switch. But if you want the Linksys, that is something else. Ill keep looking.

Thanks. I will keep researching too. If you find anything, please let me know!

thanks again
Hamish

Hey,

I dug out an old copy of LXF an found this WAP;
http://www.actiontec.com/products/br..._overview.html

it looks great, but it isn't a switch. One hugely cool thing is that it has web-based management and MAC address filtering. I guess this is pretty standard, but it is good.

I still really want one which is s switch, though

hamish

Hey Digitalgravey,

I have found a promising looking WAP/switch from buffalo:
http://www.buffalotech.co.uk/webcont...ss/wla-g54.htm

It says that it is a "bridge type" WAP, which doesn't mean much to me. I know that bridges are used to connec two sperate networks. Is this what it means and does that mean that is isn't really what I want?

Does anyone reading this know if this WAP has management via HTTP?

Hamish