On 10/2/2011 2:30 PM,
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> Until recently we used a 3G router to connect to the internet from our
> small boat. This provided a 4 port switch which allowed two laptops,
> a printer and a VOIP base station to talk to each other as well as to
> access the internet via the 3G.
>
> Now we have moved to a marina which provides us with a WiFi connection
> so I want, if possible, to do basically the same as the 3G router did
> but using the WiFi to connect to the internet. (We'll probably keep
> the 3G router set up to provide internet when we're on the move away
> from the marina)
>
> This doesn't seem to be a common requirement, while lots of routers do
> provide 'bridging' and such it's not well documented and in the main
> seems to sort of peer the WiFi which isn't quite what I want. I want
> something which will run as a client to the marina's WiFi and provide
> only hard-wired ethernet LAN connections, I don't need 'local' WiFi.
>
> I can find a number of devices which seem to provide a single ethernet
> connection to a WiFi but not a switch which does this. I already have
> some WiFi capable routers which *might* do what I want but the
> documentation is so strongly oriented towards the router being a WiFi
> server that I'm unsure whether they can do what I want.
>
> What I have are:-
> Speedtouch 716WL router (old, but it might do it)
> Tenda Wireless-N W311-R (this sounds like it can do it, but I need help)
> Solwise 434T 3G router (has WiFi as well)
>
> All of these have 4 port switches on the LAN side and can thus provide
> all I need on that front.
>
> Can anyone tell me whether what I have can do what I want, or what I
> need to do what I want? (I could also dedicate an old eeePc 700
> series to the task but everything would have to be done from the
> command line)
>
>
What you need to check is the wireless configuration options on the
various devices you have to see if they offer something that sounds like
Client mode or Access Point Client rather than the usual default of
Access Point, if it even offers a choice.
With out this option your router's wireless section can not be made to
act as a slave device to the marina's transmitter.
Once you have a box configured in the client mode rather than access
point mode you the rest of the configuration consists mostly of setting
it the WAN port to be either DHCP or fixed IP depending on what the
marina is using. The the rest of the configuration should consist of
matching the security method and password to match what the marina is using.
Many newer boxes have the client option but quite a few older devices
made for consumer use were programed to only act as a wireless server,
like the marina's unit is configured.
If you do wind up having to look for some different hardware, used or
new, I would check the model/revision against the DD-WRT Supported
Devices list fount at:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices
If the box already has the client mode as an option the DD-WRT firmware
is not needed but it makes sense to get a box that has the choice in
case you later want to sell the box (good selling point) or use some of
of the features that firmware offers now or later.
If the wireless box is on the approved list loading the DD-WRT firmware
in it will give you the Client mode you need to hook up to the marina's
signal even if it is not included in the original factory menu of options.
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