Wireless network card recommendations? - Page 2

Davey_Pitch · 11-01-2008, 12:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daz

I'm a little confused. You want to buy an AP now to do what? Be a wireless client to next doors LAN and also be an AP to your own wireless client (the PC upstairs) and route its traffic over to next doors LAN? A £20 AP probably wont do that - ideally you'd need two routers that support WDS.

I'll explain the setup properly and hopefully that'll clear up what I'm after

We currently have a wireless Netgear router in Lynne's mum's house (http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/dg834gt.asp), and in our current house we can pick up the signal with fairly decent speeds (over 3MB download, 50ms ping). What I'd like to do is get an access point that will sit downstairs next to the Xbox so I can wire in the 360 (I assume most, if not all AP's have a few ethernet ports on them) and broadcast the signal upstairs, where the PC will get the signal wirelessly (with a wireless PCI card that I'll be buying shortly).

When we get our own internet up and running in the house, I'd then move the AP into Lynne's mum's house so that we can hook her PC into it (via ethernet) so she can use our internet without having to worry about buying her own.

The AP I'm currently looking at is http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=276873 . Have I misunderstood what I can do with it?

Daz · 11-01-2008, 12:50

Possibly yes - you would need two routers that support WDS or as Mark says, one that supports client bridged mode, and then actually make the thing work. What I'd suggest you do is just buy 2 wireless cards (one for your PC, one for Mums) and connect them to the Sky router when it arrives

Save faffing with any wireless bridging (which is indeed a real faff sometimes).

Davey_Pitch · 11-01-2008, 12:58

Guess I did misunderstand then. I thought all an access point did was effectively take whatever wireless signal it got, and bounced it on, extending the range. That'll teach me to assume without checking I guess. Thanks Daz

Mark · 11-01-2008, 12:58

I'd go with Daz's suggestion tbh. For starters the Sky router doesn't support WDS.

You're thinking of a range extender btw - that's the device that will 'bounce' on a wireless signal. Some AP can do that job too but it's as much a faff as going the WDS/bridged route.

Daz · 11-01-2008, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davey_Pitch

Guess I did misunderstand then. I thought all an access point did was effectively take whatever wireless signal it got, and bounced it on, extending the range. That'll teach me to assume without checking I guess. Thanks Daz

No worries

All most consumer AP's do are take wireless clients and allow them to access the wired network the AP is attached to. You can of course do more things with the wireless clients but as those kinds of things are mostly out of scope for 95% of Joe consumers needs they come at a premium.

Davey_Pitch · 11-01-2008, 13:04

Ah well, back to waiting another 10 days for Sky then. Thanks to you both, much appreciated

Daz · 11-01-2008, 13:07

If you want to get online now without wasting money then you could buy that Belkin adapter (or any little bridge device) for your 360 and hook it to Mums wireless, and then when you swap it round, put the Belkin adapter on Mum's PC and hook it to your wireless. That'd work and you wouldn't be throwing money away

Only downside I guess is that the bridge needs to powered.

leowyatt · 11-01-2008, 13:25

as Daz says the bridge I linked for you will get your 360 online as soon as you get it setup

then you can give it to Lynnie's mum when you're online yourself.

Davey_Pitch · 11-01-2008, 13:27

That's a good idea. There's a Staples not far from me, so I'll pop in tomorrow and take a look. If it's any more expensive than say £20 it'd be just as easy to wait for Sky and to buy 2 wireless network cards.

Davey_Pitch · 11-01-2008, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitchen Meister

as Daz says the bridge I linked for you will get your 360 online as soon as you get it setup

then you can give it to Lynnie's mum when you're online yourself.

Ah, so buying http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=276873 and (I assume) setting it to Station Mode is effectively the same as a bridge?

11-01-2008, 12:50	#12
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	Possibly yes - you would need two routers that support WDS or as Mark says, one that supports client bridged mode, and then actually make the thing work. What I'd suggest you do is just buy 2 wireless cards (one for your PC, one for Mums) and connect them to the Sky router when it arrives Save faffing with any wireless bridging (which is indeed a real faff sometimes). __________________ apt-get moo

11-01-2008, 12:58	#13
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	Guess I did misunderstand then. I thought all an access point did was effectively take whatever wireless signal it got, and bounced it on, extending the range. That'll teach me to assume without checking I guess. Thanks Daz __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

11-01-2008, 13:04	#16
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	Ah well, back to waiting another 10 days for Sky then. Thanks to you both, much appreciated __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

11-01-2008, 13:07	#17
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	If you want to get online now without wasting money then you could buy that Belkin adapter (or any little bridge device) for your 360 and hook it to Mums wireless, and then when you swap it round, put the Belkin adapter on Mum's PC and hook it to your wireless. That'd work and you wouldn't be throwing money away Only downside I guess is that the bridge needs to powered. __________________ apt-get moo

11-01-2008, 13:25	#18
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	as Daz says the bridge I linked for you will get your 360 online as soon as you get it setup then you can give it to Lynnie's mum when you're online yourself. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

11-01-2008, 12:58	#14
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	I'd go with Daz's suggestion tbh. For starters the Sky router doesn't support WDS. You're thinking of a range extender btw - that's the device that will 'bounce' on a wireless signal. Some AP can do that job too but it's as much a faff as going the WDS/bridged route.

11-01-2008, 13:27	#19
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	That's a good idea. There's a Staples not far from me, so I'll pop in tomorrow and take a look. If it's any more expensive than say £20 it'd be just as easy to wait for Sky and to buy 2 wireless network cards. __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.