AP client router vs. AP router modes: request for clarification

Hello,

I am trying to configure a Linux based home router (TP-Link TL-
WR743ND). In the manual it says:
http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/d...del=TL-WR743ND

"The Router supports two operation modes for multi-user to access the
Internet: AP client router and
AP router. In AP Client router mode, it can access the Internet
wirelessly by your WISP’s support. In
AP router mode, it can access the Internet via ADSL/Cable Modem. You
can configure your
device quickly by the following steps in different modes."

The home router has a wired RJ45 connection to the antenna on the roof
(one of the LAN ports on the
router is used, not the WAN port on the router, not sure what the
exact difference is). The antenna
on the roof also uses ADSL (as advertised). There is no BNC or RJ11
jack on the home router.

So I am using a WISP but am not accessing it wirelessly. I guess this
means the home router is
configured in AP router mode and not in AP client router mode.

On the other hand I am not using the WAN port, which seems to imply I
am using the router in
AP client router mode and not in AP router mode.

Then on the web page above it says
"WISP Internet connection provides local network sharing wirelessly or
via cables"
but I thought the W in WISP stands for wireless (information service
point), does it
not (at least it does according to wikipedia)?

Here comes my question:

Why connecting to the ISP wirelessly called AP client router mode and
the wired connection
called AP router mode? How does the word "client" make the difference
between a wired and
wireless connection?

Can someone point me in the right direction? I am confused.

Thanks for the clarification,

John Goche

On Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:01:02 -0400, John Goche <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


> Why connecting to the ISP wirelessly called AP client router mode and
> the wired connection
> called AP router mode? How does the word "client" make the difference
> between a wired and
> wireless connection?

When using a wireless connection to the isp, the access point (radio) is
a client of the isp's wireless network.

Then using a wired connection to the isp, the access point is acting as
a router for wireless devices that connect to it.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

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On Sep 18, 12:39*am, "David W. Hodgins" <dwhodg...@nomail.afraid.org>
wrote:
>
> When using a wireless connection to the isp, the access point (radio) is
> a client of the isp's wireless network.
>
> Then using a wired connection to the isp, the access point is acting as
> a router for wireless devices that connect to it.
>
> Regards, Dave Hodgins

Thank you Dave for your clarification. I wonder whether you could also
kindly help me with the following WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) problems
I have been experiencing (tried posting but got no reply so I thought
I would post again):

Yesterday I had three laptops connected via WPS
(Wi-Fi Protected Setup) to a TP-LINK TL-WR743ND
wireless router. Things were working fine when today
as soon as I disconnected from any of the three laptops
I could not reconnect without first pressing the WPS
button on the router. The problem is that the router
is some distance from two of the laptops. Does anyone
know how it is possible that I had to press the WPS
button _again_ for my connection to be accepted even
though the router's password and other settings had
not changed. Now I can disconnect and reconnect without
having to press the WPS button, but since I don't
understand how come I had to reboot and press the
WPS again this morning to get things to work I am
afraid I might have to do this again in the future.

1. Can anyone shed some light on why I may have had
to press the WPS button again?

2. Now I am trying to connect to the router via WPS. At
the moment this requires pushing the pushbutton on the router
prior to connecting. I would like to be able to connect by entering
a PIN into the router or pressing a pushbutton on the laptop
that connects to the router. Alas, my laptop is brand new but
I see no hardware pushbutton (is there a software pushbutton
somewhere)? I cannot even find a PIN on my laptop (I can only
see the router's PIN via HTTP from another laptop).

I don't want to have to push the push button on the router every
time I disconnect from a laptop and reconnect.

Is there a software way to reveal the laptop's pin or push
the pushbutton under Linux?

How should I proceed?

Suggestions welcome,

Thanks,

John Goche

On Sun, 18 Sep 2011 04:44:51 -0400, John Goche <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Thank you Dave for your clarification. I wonder whether you could also
> kindly help me with the following WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) problems
> I have been experiencing (tried posting but got no reply so I thought
> I would post again):

While I've seen similar connection protection methods with things like
bluetooth, or optical mice/keyboards, I had never heard of it being
used for wi-fi devices till I saw your first article, and ran a search
on it.

I expect very few people here have any experience with WPS.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

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