Need ethernet -> wireless bridge recommendations

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

I have an older computer with only an ethernet port (no USB and no
available slots) that I'd like to connect into an existing wireless
(802.11b would be fine) network. If I had a more modern machine of
course I could get a USB -> wireless adapter, or maybe even a PCI or
similar card, but that solution isn't possible for this machine. I
can't find *any* hardware that advertizes itself as a bridge of that
kind, but it looks like some of the ones called access points might be
able to work that way. Some of those do talk about being able to
work as either a client or server, but the specs in general don't seem
to say. Does anyone know which access points, or possibly even
routers, some of which are cheapter than access points, would be able
to do the job I want done?

Sue Hanson

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Sue Hanson wrote:

> I have an older computer with only an ethernet port (no USB and no
> available slots) that I'd like to connect into an existing wireless
> (802.11b would be fine) network. If I had a more modern machine of
> course I could get a USB -> wireless adapter, or maybe even a PCI or
> similar card, but that solution isn't possible for this machine. I
> can't find *any* hardware that advertizes itself as a bridge of that
> kind, but it looks like some of the ones called access points might be
> able to work that way. Some of those do talk about being able to
> work as either a client or server, but the specs in general don't seem
> to say. Does anyone know which access points, or possibly even
> routers, some of which are cheapter than access points, would be able
> to do the job I want done?

There's a popular configuration these days for a network appliance that
consists of a 4-port Ethernet switch bridted to a WAP, with a
router/firewall going to a fifth Ethernet port.

A couple of examples would be the Netgear MR814 and the Linksys BEFW11S4.
Either of those would do what you're asking.

> Sue Hanson

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

In article <b21d2386.0406010744.3ef8a681@posting.google.com>, sue_h_7777
@yahoo.com says...
> I have an older computer with only an ethernet port (no USB and no
> available slots) that I'd like to connect into an existing wireless
> (802.11b would be fine) network. If I had a more modern machine of
> course I could get a USB -> wireless adapter, or maybe even a PCI or
> similar card, but that solution isn't possible for this machine. I
> can't find *any* hardware that advertizes itself as a bridge of that
> kind, but it looks like some of the ones called access points might be
> able to work that way. Some of those do talk about being able to
> work as either a client or server, but the specs in general don't seem
> to say. Does anyone know which access points, or possibly even
> routers, some of which are cheapter than access points, would be able
> to do the job I want done?


What you need is an Access Point for your wireless NICs. *Then* you
need to pick up a bridge as well. The bridge will talk to your NIC and
pass along the packets to the wireless NIC.

So AP --wireless------bridge -- cable ---NIC

--

hsb

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

In article <b21d2386.0406010744.3ef8a681@posting.google.com>,
Sue Hanson <sue_h_7777@yahoo.com> wrote:
:I have an older computer with only an ethernet port (no USB and no
:available slots) that I'd like to connect into an existing wireless
802.11b would be fine) network. If I had a more modern machine of
:course I could get a USB -> wireless adapter, or maybe even a PCI or
:similar card, but that solution isn't possible for this machine. I
:can't find *any* hardware that advertizes itself as a bridge of that
:kind, but it looks like some of the ones called access points might be
:able to work that way.

A good group for wireless related questions is alt.internet.wireless .

What you are looking for is a Wireless Bridge. They are made by
a few different manufacturers. Linksys has at least two,
Dlink has at least two that are hard to tell apart (watch the
model numbers carefully!!); and if I recall correctly, SMC has at
least one. In higher price ranges, aimed at different markets,
Cisco makes at least two.


If you just want to find -something- and you are not interested in
the fine details about relative strengths and weaknesses of the various
models, then I would suggest to you that you get a Linksys WET11.
A single WET11 *might* be all you need: it is compatable with some
access points (including some by different manufacturers) but not
compatable with all models by all manufacturers, as the relevant
technologies are not standardized as yet. But depending on the
exact equipment on the other side of the link, it is possible that
you might need a second WET11 -- or I can say from personal
experience that the WET11 will connect without difficulty to
Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless Routers.

If you would like to investigate the fine details of the models
in more detail, I suggest that you check the google group
archives of alt.internet.wireless first, and then post in
that newsgroup.

I would particularily caution that the Linksys WAP11 is less
expensive and looks from the specs to do much the same thing
as the WET11, but that in practice the WAP11 only communicates
with other WAP11's (whereas the WET11 is more flexible in what
it will talk to.)
--
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics."
-- not Twain, perhaps Disraeli, first quoted by Leonard Courtney

 

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.lans.ethernet (More info?)

Walter Roberson wrote:

> I would particularily caution that the Linksys WAP11 is less
> expensive and looks from the specs to do much the same thing
> as the WET11, but that in practice the WAP11 only communicates
> with other WAP11's (whereas the WET11 is more flexible in what
> it will talk to.)

ALL the older atmel chipset based access points can be hacked into being
bridges. Or even clients! Goes for WAP11's (ver 1.x only) some belkins,
some netgears.

There is a utility program that you can download to do it. Google
seartch on "wap11 hack" and "seattle wireless". Most of the online web
stuff about the utility is geared toward using it to boost the
trasmission of the WAP11's to 100db, but the utility can also be used to
make the access points into bridges or clients. In fact I have 2 Belkin
model#f5d6130 802.11b access points - one set up as an access point and
the other set up as a CLIENT of it, which is connected to a switch,
effectively briding that switch to our main ethernet segment via the
access point. The belkins I think cost me 50 bucks each a year ago.


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