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Wireless Access Points

downerdowner Registered User regular
edited August 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
In a couple months I'm moving into a new house. What will be the Computer Room has no phone or cable jacks, so the modem/router for whatever ISP I go with will not be in that room. My Desktop does not have a built in wireless card. On top of that, I like to host LAN's with a few friends of mine (which at this property will likely be in the basement, which also has no phone or cable jacks). Because of these two reasons, I've been looking at Wireless Access Points.

My first question is: Can I plug a switch into an access point? This is primarily for my LAN's. It would be <10 people, mostly local games, but people like internet access.

Second: How is connection reliability with access points?

Third: Any recommendations on brand/model?

downer on

Posts

  • Jimmy KingJimmy King Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    downer wrote: »
    In a couple months I'm moving into a new house. What will be the Computer Room has no phone or cable jacks, so the modem/router for whatever ISP I go with will not be in that room. My Desktop does not have a built in wireless card. On top of that, I like to host LAN's with a few friends of mine (which at this property will likely be in the basement, which also has no phone or cable jacks). Because of these two reasons, I've been looking at Wireless Access Points.

    My first question is: Can I plug a switch into an access point? This is primarily for my LAN's. It would be <10 people, mostly local games, but people like internet access.
    Yep, you can. In fact, if you get a pure access point, this is what you will HAVE to do. I don't recommend getting a pure access point, though, in most cases. They tend to cost more than the router/switch/access point units and don't provide any extra functionality or reliability that your average home user is going to see.
    downer wrote: »
    Second: How is connection reliability with access points?
    Depends on many factors, but in general, just fine. If you've got a wireless phone or lots of other access points in range then you may need to tweak the channel it uses some. Other than that, if it's not stable within reasonable range, then something is wrong with the access point or nic or you've picked a terrible environment for it.
    downer wrote: »
    Third: Any recommendations on brand/model?
    My recommendation is a Linksys wrt54gl. These use the older wrt54g hardware which is more stable and allows you to install 3rd party firmware, which will give you more functionality.

    Jimmy King on
    https://bash-shell.net | https://mobelux.com/
  • downerdowner Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Jimmy King wrote: »
    downer wrote: »
    In a couple months I'm moving into a new house. What will be the Computer Room has no phone or cable jacks, so the modem/router for whatever ISP I go with will not be in that room. My Desktop does not have a built in wireless card. On top of that, I like to host LAN's with a few friends of mine (which at this property will likely be in the basement, which also has no phone or cable jacks). Because of these two reasons, I've been looking at Wireless Access Points.

    My first question is: Can I plug a switch into an access point? This is primarily for my LAN's. It would be <10 people, mostly local games, but people like internet access.
    Yep, you can. In fact, if you get a pure access point, this is what you will HAVE to do. I don't recommend getting a pure access point, though, in most cases. They tend to cost more than the router/switch/access point units and don't provide any extra functionality or reliability that your average home user is going to see.
    downer wrote: »
    Second: How is connection reliability with access points?
    Depends on many factors, but in general, just fine. If you've got a wireless phone or lots of other access points in range then you may need to tweak the channel it uses some. Other than that, if it's not stable within reasonable range, then something is wrong with the access point or nic or you've picked a terrible environment for it.
    downer wrote: »
    Third: Any recommendations on brand/model?
    My recommendation is a Linksys wrt54gl. These use the older wrt54g hardware which is more stable and allows you to install 3rd party firmware, which will give you more functionality.


    So I can take this, and use at as an access point? So Room A will have the modem/router given to me by the ISP, and I can use the Linksys in Room B to connect to it?

    downer on
  • Jimmy KingJimmy King Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Should do the trick. If I'm understanding what you are wanting to do, you'll want to use it in wireless bridge mode. I don't remember if the factory firmware will do that or not (likely it will), but if it doesn't, 3rd party firmware like tomato will.

    Jimmy King on
    https://bash-shell.net | https://mobelux.com/
  • downerdowner Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    Excellent. Thanks!

    downer on
  • Jimmy KingJimmy King Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    btw, I am assuming that the router provided by your isp has wireless, right? So you're using this to make the wireless connection to that router, and then computers in the same room as the wrt54gl will plug into the switch ports on it. Correct me if I'm wrong, just in case that changes things.

    Jimmy King on
    https://bash-shell.net | https://mobelux.com/
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