Bridging two Workgroups using Wireless Access Points

I currently have two separate workgroup networks in 2 rooms.

Each room has 3 pcs connected to an ethernet switch and they are peer
to peer.

Very simple setup.

The rooms are about 80 feet apart.

Id like to merge them into one network using Wireless Access Points.

My belief is that I simply buy 2 APs from the same manufacturer and
give them the same SSID.

I plonk one in each room and get the clients in each room to associate
with the AP in that room.

The APs are then switched onto bridged mode and they automatically
forward traffic from one room/network to the other (all different IPs
of course).

Is this correct
?

"sconcer" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> I currently have two separate workgroup networks in 2 rooms.
>
> Each room has 3 pcs connected to an ethernet switch and they are peer
> to peer.
>
> Very simple setup.
>
> The rooms are about 80 feet apart.
>
> Id like to merge them into one network using Wireless Access Points.
>
> My belief is that I simply buy 2 APs from the same manufacturer and
> give them the same SSID.
>
> I plonk one in each room and get the clients in each room to associate
> with the AP in that room.
>
> The APs are then switched onto bridged mode and they automatically
> forward traffic from one room/network to the other (all different IPs
> of course).
>
> Is this correct

This should work _if_ the AP's support bridging.

I've done the equivalent with two Linksys WAP11 v. 2.2's,
which specifically support bridging mode.

The setup was in principle as your describe, and was in practice
slightly trickier, because of things like (for example) flakey firmware.

The only specific thing I'd add is that someplace you probably have a
router which assigns DHCP addresses. I would give the APs fixed IP
addresses (on the same subnet, but outside of the range of addresses
assigned by your router). This makes it easier to troubleshoot than
if you have no idea what IP adddresses the APs have picked up.

Doug

thanks doug

i wasnt sure if it was possible because id read that most AP/bridges
can only act as client APs or brdiges but not both simultanesouly.

i also read there were some very expensive enterprise AP/bridges which
could do both simultanesouly.

i will check out this model ASAP.

i just looked at the linksys page and it shows 2 of these bridged
together,

one end of the bridge is acting as a wireless access point and the
other is not.

are you sure that both ends of the bridge can acts as wireless access
points ?

"sconcer" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> thanks doug
>
> i wasnt sure if it was possible because id read that most AP/bridges
> can only act as client APs or brdiges but not both simultanesouly.
>
> i also read there were some very expensive enterprise AP/bridges which
> could do both simultanesouly.
>
> i will check out this model ASAP.

I'm sorry - I misread your post. What I thought you _wanted_ to do
(and what does work) is put an AP in each room, and connect the PC's
in that room to the AP by _wires_, not wirelessly.

(Since the APs usually just have one ethernet port, you'd also need a
hub: the three PCs connect by wires to a hub, and the hub connects to
the AP).

You're right. Most consumer level APs will not function as both a
bridge and an access point at the same time.

My experience with my linksys WAP11s is that in _theory_ I can put one
in AP mode, and the other in AP client mode. The one in AP mode will
receive connections from anyone who is authorized. The one in AP
client mode will wirelessly associate only to the AP it is supposed to
be the client of. So that still doesn't do what you want. (and the
reason I wrote in _theory_ is that in my experience this mode is very
flakey.)


But I'm confused about what you want. If the two APs in your
different rooms can detect each other, then why have two APs? Just
have _one_ AP, and have all 6 of your PCs connect to that wirelessly.

"But I'm confused about what you want. If the two APs in your
different rooms can detect each other, then why have two APs? Just
have _one_ AP, and have all 6 of your PCs connect to that wirelessly. "

Its to do with the physical structure and layout of the building and
large antennas/amps which i wont bore you with. The 6 clients cannot
all access a single AP in either room but 2 APs can bridge the link and
communicate with the use of amps/antennas.

So what i want is two APs forming a wireless bridge and at the same
time serving as regular APs to clients on either side of the bridge.

ALL without the use of ANY WIRES.

"sconcer" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> "But I'm confused about what you want. If the two APs in your
> different rooms can detect each other, then why have two APs? Just
> have _one_ AP, and have all 6 of your PCs connect to that wirelessly. "
>
> Its to do with the physical structure and layout of the building and
> large antennas/amps which i wont bore you with. The 6 clients cannot
> all access a single AP in either room but 2 APs can bridge the link and
> communicate with the use of amps/antennas.
>
> So what i want is two APs forming a wireless bridge and at the same
> time serving as regular APs to clients on either side of the bridge.
>
> ALL without the use of ANY WIRES.

OK, the solution you want (probably) is a _repeater_.

I.e., in one room you have an AP, and in the other room you have a
"repeater." I think the D-Link 900AP+ or some model like that is a
consumer AP with a repeater mode. I don't have any idea how well it works.

thanks

Just to re-iterate: I want no wired ethernet whatsoever,

Room A has 3 wireless PCs and a WAP. so has room B.

I want the WAP in room A to bridge to the WAP in room B.

I want both WAPS to act as APs and Bridges at the same time.

Sorry if this wasnt made clear,

Been there. The 900AP+ and similar use one radio for access and
repeating, meaning the speed is non-existant. Theoretically, 1/2 speed,
in practice less than that. Believe your wireless solution would be two
APs in bridge mode, connected to two wireless routers, for full speed
access.

Doug Anderson wrote:
> "sconcer" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
>
>
>>"But I'm confused about what you want. If the two APs in your
>>different rooms can detect each other, then why have two APs? Just
>>have _one_ AP, and have all 6 of your PCs connect to that wirelessly. "
>>
>>Its to do with the physical structure and layout of the building and
>>large antennas/amps which i wont bore you with. The 6 clients cannot
>>all access a single AP in either room but 2 APs can bridge the link and
>>communicate with the use of amps/antennas.
>>
>>So what i want is two APs forming a wireless bridge and at the same
>>time serving as regular APs to clients on either side of the bridge.
>>
>>ALL without the use of ANY WIRES.
>
>
> OK, the solution you want (probably) is a _repeater_.
>
> I.e., in one room you have an AP, and in the other room you have a
> "repeater." I think the D-Link 900AP+ or some model like that is a
> consumer AP with a repeater mode. I don't have any idea how well it works.
>
>