Wireless Access Points - Why should I care? - Overclock.net

lattyware · 11-03-07

After once again recommending Wireless Access Points (Sometimes called Wireless Bridges) to people, I have made this.

Glossary:

Wireless Access Point (AKA: WAPs, Wireless Bridges):
A device that connects via a standard Cat5 cable to a device, and then routes all data from the device through a wireless network it is set up to connect to. The device sees a wired connection, the Access Point handles the wireless part. Configured via a browser-interface. Now, access points and bridges, although often used as synonyms (something I am guilty of) are actually very different - it's just that one will do the other's job 99% of the time. Bridges are what I am really explaining here - what effectively connects two devices together as if there was a wired ethernet cable. An access point is a device that other clients (PCs and Bridges) can connect to.

Hub:
A device that connects multiple devices together, it has a series of ports along it, and routes data to all devices. Generally for 10mbps connections. Older hardware.

Switch:
The same as a hub, but generally faster. A Hub routes data to all devices, a Switch remembers what device is connected where and routes only to that device. Generally, Switches are used with 10/100mbps. Often the terms are used interchangeably because they do the same basic job. A switch is basically a super-hub.

Router:
A router generally contains two or more. So a hub/switch and a WAP, or a hub/switch and an ADSL modem.

Cat5 Cable:
Standard Ethernet cable for networking.

WAPs are the best way, in my opinion, to set up a wireless network. They have two main uses.

1) To connect to a wired hub/router to add wireless capabilities to it.
2) To connect to a device to connect to a wireless network.

I use them in both ways. My current network is set up like so:

Edit: I actually have a WRT54GL Router in my room now instead of a switch and a WAP. It just combines both things in one unit, and also has a lot of different features. I throughly recommend the device. It works brilliantly.

Study:

Code:

Phone Line             -> 
PC                     -> Router
Printer                -> 
Wireless Access Point  ->

My Room:

Code:

Server                -> 
PC                    -> Switch
Xbox 360              -> 
Wireless Access Point ->

Now, the wireless network has four things talking on it:

The WAP in the Study.
The WAP in my room.
My sisters PC with a wireless PCI card.
Nintendo DS

This way, all of the devices in my room can talk to everything on the wireless network, as can everything in the study. This means I saved money as that is one wireless adapter for all of my devices. Now, I also get a far better connection than my sister (albeit hers is good anyway), despite being further away from the Study, because the WAP has a better range. My DS gets a good connection everywhere in the house, seeing as the WAPs together give a large coverage area. Also, All of my devices work instantly, no driver hassles, whatsoever.

You simply buy it, plug it into a PC, change your PC's IP to match the right range for the WAP (it'll tell you what the default IP is in the manual) - to connect to it to set it up - you just put in the IP address into your browser, then set it up via a web interface. You can change the IP to suit your network, set it all up, then change back your PC and boom, wireless. You can now plug that into any device and that device will be able to connect to your wireless network.

You can really benefit from a WAP if you have any of the following:

A PC running Linux - Wireless PCI Cards are a pain in the ass to set up with the wrong chipsets.
If you have multiple devices set up - you can connect them all to your wireless network with a WAP and a switch/hub.
If you want a wireless network, and have a wired router that works well. Why buy a new one? Just add a WAP to make it work.
You have thick walls or are a distance from your wireless source - The WAPs have good range, and you can even set one up halfway between you and the source to bounce the signal.

As to good WAPs, there are a wide variety. If like me, you are connecting a lot of devices, some routers actually function as a WAP and a router, meaning they can be perfect. Here are my suggestions.

WAPs only: Good for connecting to single devices, converting your router into a wireless router, or if you have a switch/hub group of devices.

Belkin F5D7132UK - I have two of these, been running for some time and are great. They are £30 - so not all that expensive. I would recommend them fully.

Edimax EW-7206APG - If you are looking for something really cheap, this is about the same price as a standard PCI Wireless Card. It's not the best thing in the world, but it'll do the job.

Routers with WAPs: Good as routers themselves, and also if you have a lot of close devices with wireless cards.

I would only recommend the WRT54GL - this baby can run a Linux-based firmware - meaning you can run applications on it - like Xlink Kai or the like. This gives it a lot of extra functions, add to that good hardware and at around £40 - it's a bargain. Note that this is a switch/WAP router - it does not contain an ADSL modem, you would need to connect it to a modem like this one for you to use it like that. Without one it functions as a router/WAP.

So, you can grab a WAP from £20 up, and £40 for a Router with the function built in (at that price, It might be worth using the WRT54GL if you can, even if you don't need to switch part - it allows for expandability and the running of stuff on it, which is nice to have if you can.)

I seriously recommend WAPs to anyone with a wireless network. They make everything plug and play and so much easier.

Donnie Darko · 11-04-07

This is interesting. Hardware I've never heard of before.

Please explain in basic and simple terms what these are and what they do ?

chailvr · 11-04-07

I think he did. He layed it out fairly simply. Good faq/howto

The Hundred Gunner · 11-04-07

I think it would help if we had the definitions for the following types of devices:

Access Points

Bridges

Ethernet Converters

Switches

Routers

Am i missing anything?

lattyware · 11-04-07

I updated with a glossary of terms.

Donnie Darko · 11-04-07

EXCELLENT definitions. I understand perfectly now. I especially like how you mentioned how the PC would "see" a wired connection, but it would in fact be wireless.

It's relevant to me because this hardware is the very thing I have been needing. Now I know what to buy.

I "prettied up" the text a bit, for clarity and to make it look nice.

Quote:

Glossary:

Wireless Access Point (AKA: WAPs, Wireless Bridges):
A device that connects via a standard Cat5 cable to a device, and then routes all data from the device through a wireless network it is set up to connect to. The device sees a wired connection, the Access Point handles the wireless part. Configured via a browser-interface.

Hub:
A device that connects multiple devices together, it has a series of ports along it, and routes data to all devices. Generally for 10mbps connections. Older hardware.

Switch:
The same as a hub, but generally faster. A Hub routes data to all devices, a Switch remembers what device is connected where and routes only to that device. Generally, Switches are used with 10/100mbps. Often the terms are used interchangeably because they do the same basic job. A switch is basically a super-hub.

Router:
A device containing both a hub/switch and a broadband modem. This is used to connect multiple devices to one internet connection.

Cat5 Cable:
Standard Ethernet cable for networking.

dualhYbrid · 11-04-07

I have an SMS brand bridge/ap (depending on the mode) i got from the egg for $80. I have it outside my room in my frat house because all my walls have pipes in them....
So basically I moved my wireless antenna outside my room.

Ide@logical · 11-05-07

Awesome post....kind of ironic as I just purchased 2 D-Link WAP's for a client am setting them up tomm. Great reference....Thanks!

lattyware · 11-05-07

Good stuff, Just got my first flame because of this post. </offtopic>

Anywho, glad it's useful. I just find WAPs so easy, and normally wireless is so damn annoying to set up.

I also made the Glossary look a bit better as requested :P

**Burn** · 01-16-08

Question for you- I want to hook up my Xbox 360 to my wireless network (G). I currently have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router. I heard something about being able to use another router where the 360 is and it should work fine, is this true? WDS is the term I was looking for

http://web.belkin.com/support/kb/kb.asp?a=2815

Anyway, could I buy another WRT54G and use WDS on it?

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Wireless Access Points - Why should I care?

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