Wireless access hardware

[daeojkim]

I don't know if such hardware exists, but I am moving to a new place and a wireless internet is provided by the apartment.

I was wondering if there is a hardware that will connect to the wireless access provided by the apartment then I would connect my computers to this hardware with encryption. This way I can create a private wireless network with my computers, printers, TV, etc.

Are these hardwares called Wireless access points?

If anyone has any advice or know of such hardware with a link I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

[jdrou]

The apartment complex probably provides a wireless access point which is then connected to a cable or DSL internet connection. You would normally connect to their wireless network with a standard WiFi card.
To create your own secured wireless network I believe you would need what is called a 'wireless bridge' or an access point that is capable of acting as a bridge.

[ozzymud]

What you want is a wireless router in Client Mode Wireless... what this does is the router acts like a mini computer... connecting to the wirless network, then providing wired access to the network... to that you could then connect a wireless access point for your machines that need wireless connectivity and also to share resources between each other but not the public.

I use a Linksys WRT54GS v4 running DD-WRT firmware to achieve this

See: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Cl ... e_Wireless

once it is set up to connect to the apartments wireless and provide WIRED networking, then you can use a 2nd wireless router WIRED to the 1st to provide your own private wireless.

EDIT: added a visual: 26K JPEG Image

Notice 1st router connects to the hotspot (thus it's wireless is unavailable to share), 2nd router is wired to 1st, leaving it's wireless free to share internally and you can share drives/printers to machines in the green area.

[jdrou]

That would be another way to do it.
Yet another option would be to use a PC with a wireless card as the gateway to the apartment network either running linux or Windows Connection Sharing. It would have a wired connection to your own router/access point for your internal wireless network.

[ozzymud]

Yea, that's basically what the 1st router does (like a mini VERY low wattage PC)

The WRT54GS v4 with DD-WRT is basically running Linux with all the tools nessacery for such things as ICS and a firewall plus MUCH more.

That was my old setup, I'm now using a Asus RT-N16 with Tomato 1.28 for routers #1 & #2... This thing is awesome, 2 USB 2.0 ports (I'm using it as a file/media server now), 128MB ram, 32MB Flash ram, 480MHz CPU... all running from 12v @ 1.25amps max... cant get that kinda green from a PC... even with a Mini-ITX... this is more like Nano-ITX. The WRT54GS v4 is even lower... and costs much less... $50 versus about $95 for the Asus.

[daeojkim]

Ozzymud,

Thanks for the excellent description. I suppose that would be the best way of doing it. Energy efficient and reliable with firewall.

I was hoping that there would be a device that has #1 and #2 all built in one device. I guess I can use a duct tape to make them into a single device. LOL.

So if the apartment provides a wireless G, I could buy the WRT54GS v4 with DD-WRT for #1, then for fast internal wireless network between multiple computers for file sharing, printing, etc, just get a wireless N network router for #2.

Thanks!!!

JDK

[ozzymud]

Yea, keep in mind as well as Wireless N, the Asus also gives 1000Mb/sec... so for fast wired to wired as well... you might spend the extra $40 and snag 2 of the Asus RT-N16.

I did like the fact that the Linksys brands stacked REALLY well... I also have a Linksys cable modem... same shape and same 4 feet... so it usta look REALLY nice with the router... now it's mismatched but FAST

[craigmontHunter]

I have a old router that can be both - I was using it for a while to provide wireless access to a desktop, while at the same time broadcasting a second network since the main one was not very stable (I have since fixed that) It is a $~20 router 5 or 6 years ago, wireless G. You may need to look, but IMHO two seperate devices are the way to go - the overall speed of the router I am talking about was limited by the speed of the slowest client.

[ozzymud]

most can do that, it is a wireless bridge or repeater bridge... take note of the fact that all repeaters, including this Repeater Bridge mode, will sacrifice half of the bandwidth available from the primary router for clients wirelessly connected to the repeater. This is a result of the repeater taking turns talking to not just one partner, but to two, and having to relay the traffic between them.


PC <--> {bridge|bridge} <--> internet

every packet sent to the bridge, the bridge itself has to relay to the main access point and vice versa...