Help designing wireless network

I have a network at home that works fine,
but I want to change it. I have a WIRELESS
router that does NOT have a built-in
print server, and I was thinking about
replacing it with a WIRED router that
DOES have a built-in print server. The
wired router has other advantages as well.
I seldom use wireless, however sometimes
it's nice to have.

The question is, what should I do when
I want wireless? Can I attach the
wireless router I already have to the
wired router? Can I attach the wired
router to my existing wireless router?
Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
(Is there such a thing?) Or should I
forget my existing equipment and get
a wireless router that has a print
server?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Best regards,

Tom

Thomas Hedden wrote:
> I have a network at home that works fine,
> but I want to change it. I have a WIRELESS
> router that does NOT have a built-in
> print server, and I was thinking about
> replacing it with a WIRED router that
> DOES have a built-in print server. The
> wired router has other advantages as well.
> I seldom use wireless, however sometimes
> it's nice to have.
>
> The question is, what should I do when
> I want wireless? Can I attach the
> wireless router I already have to the
> wired router? Can I attach the wired
> router to my existing wireless router?
> Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
> (Is there such a thing?) Or should I
> forget my existing equipment and get
> a wireless router that has a print
> server?
>
> Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
> Best regards,

If both devices are routers/switches, or routers/hubs, they could be attached in either manner. If
only one contains a switch, connect it to your broadband modem and connect the WAN port of the other
to a port on the switch. The only thing to watch is the IP assignments. Assuming that you are using
a 192.168.x.y-type of network, it might be easiest to make x different for the wireless clients than
for the wired-only router. The other choice is to make x be the same, but be careful not to overlap
the y values, either for static or DHCP IP numbers.

Larry

Thomas Hedden <thomas@MAPS_ON_hedden_NO_SPAM.org> writes:

>I have a network at home that works fine,
>but I want to change it. I have a WIRELESS
>router that does NOT have a built-in
>print server, and I was thinking about
>replacing it with a WIRED router that
>DOES have a built-in print server. The

The advantage being?

>wired router has other advantages as well.
>I seldom use wireless, however sometimes
>it's nice to have.

>The question is, what should I do when
>I want wireless? Can I attach the
>wireless router I already have to the
>wired router? Can I attach the wired
Sure.

>router to my existing wireless router?
Sure.

>Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
What is that?

>(Is there such a thing?) Or should I
>forget my existing equipment and get
>a wireless router that has a print
>server?

If you want to do that you may.

Almost all wireless routers are also wired routers-- ie they have ethernet
ports for wired plugins.
Thus \ /
-*- Internet(Lan)
/|\ |
| |
---------- -------------
Lan | | | |
X-----| Wan | |Wan ports |
---------- -------------
| | | \_____________/ | | |
| | --------------->Printer
| |_________________> Computer
|____________________>Computer


Ie, the wireless Lan port is unused. The wireless Wan ports are connected
to other computers and one is connected to one of the Wan ports on the
router. (All wan ports should have different addresses on the same internal
subnet.)


>Any suggestions would be welcome.

>Best regards,

>Tom

>> ... I have a WIRELESS
>> router that does NOT have a built-in
>> print server, and I was thinking about
>> replacing it with a WIRED router that
>> DOES have a built-in print server...
> The advantage being?
The advantage is that the wired router
has a built-in print server, and I want
this capability. The wired router has
other advantages as well, such as fall-back
dial-up capability, in the event that the
broadband connection is dropped. My
existing wireless router does not have
these capabilities

>> Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
> What is that?
The idea is a device whose intended
purpose is to add a wireless segment
to an existing wired network. As I
indicated, I'm not even sure there is
such a thing, although I don't see
why there shouldn't be, unless it
would cost just as much as a device
such as a router that has greater
capabilities.

> Almost all wireless routers are also wired
> routers-- ie they have Ethernet ports for
> wired plugins.
That is what I am doing now, except when I
need wireless for some reason.

> If you want to do that you may.
Thank you. I am aware of that. The implied
question is what is the most sensible
thing to do.

Best regards,

Tom
--
Unruh wrote:
[snip]

Hello community !

Thomas Hedden wrote:

> >> ... I have a WIRELESS
> >> router that does NOT have a built-in
> >> print server, and I was thinking about
> >> replacing it with a WIRED router that
> >> DOES have a built-in print server...

[...]

> >> Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
> > What is that?
> The idea is a device whose intended
> purpose is to add a wireless segment
> to an existing wired network. As I
> indicated, I'm not even sure there is
> such a thing, although I don't see
> why there shouldn't be, unless it
> would cost just as much as a device
> such as a router that has greater
> capabilities.

What you are looking for is a simple WLAN access point (AP). This device
is connected to your LAN-router.

AFAIK all bandwidth of an AP is shared between the WLAN devices
associated to that AP. Thus it is similar to a hub. Never heared of
WLAN-switches ...
--
Never give up !

Best regards,
Reinhard.

Thomas Hedden <thomas@MAPS_ON_hedden_NO_SPAM.org> wrote:

>I have a network at home that works fine,
>but I want to change it. I have a WIRELESS
>router that does NOT have a built-in
>print server, and I was thinking about
>replacing it with a WIRED router that
>DOES have a built-in print server. The
>wired router has other advantages as well.
>I seldom use wireless, however sometimes
>it's nice to have.
>
>The question is, what should I do when
>I want wireless? Can I attach the
>wireless router I already have to the
>wired router? Can I attach the wired
>router to my existing wireless router?
>Should I get a wireless switch or hub?
>(Is there such a thing?) Or should I
>forget my existing equipment and get
>a wireless router that has a print
>server?
>
>Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Tom

On top of what everyone else has posted ...

I have a WIRED LAN in my house that I wanted to add wireless to for a
Palm device that I purchased and a couple of laptops that visit
regularly. AP devices were not typically carried in my local stores
but wireless-routers were. All I did was connect the wireless router
into my WIRED LAN, deactivated the wireless-router WAN and DHCP
functions and voila it just acts like an AP.

I'm not sure if this is overkill BUT the wireless router(s) were on
sale when I got them. I actually have 2 ... and old discount Linksys
802.11B and a newer Linksys 802.11G. The model numbers are BEFW11S4
(for the B) and WRT54G (for the G).

I'm getting long winded here ...

The BEFW is used as a "hub" in my rec room for the kids wired
computers plus providing wireless, then there is a CAT5 to my
"computer room" where the WRT54G is used as a "hub" plus wireless in
that location. All my computers use DHCP in the LAN to connect to the
internet, share devices and files. The DHCP is echoed through the
wireless routers/APs very well. It all works quite well. I'm
considered "frugal" so I make due with whatever I can lay my hands on
for the smallest $$$'s. :-)

Good luck!
--
------------------------------------------------
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dmitton
SPAM Reduction: Remove "x." from my domain.
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Thank you Doug and Larry!

Your replies have been very helpful, and actually
bring up another question that was lurking in the
back of my mind but which I hadn't clearly
formulated, namely ...

> All I did was connect the wireless router into my
> WIRED LAN, deactivated the wireless-router WAN and
> DHCP functions and voila it just acts like an AP.
.... if I do connect one router to another, should I
deactivate certain functions, such as DHCP, in the
downstream one? If there are two networking devices
trying to do the same job, couldn't this give rise
to certain conflicts, etc.?

Best regards,

Tom
--
Doug Mitton wrote:
[snip]
> Thomas Hedden <thomas@MAPS_ON_hedden_NO_SPAM.org> wrote:
[snip]

Thomas Hedden <thomas@_MAPS_ON_hedden_NO_SPAM_.org> wrote:

>Thank you Doug and Larry!
>
>Your replies have been very helpful, and actually
>bring up another question that was lurking in the
>back of my mind but which I hadn't clearly
>formulated, namely ...
>
> > All I did was connect the wireless router into my
> > WIRED LAN, deactivated the wireless-router WAN and
> > DHCP functions and voila it just acts like an AP.
>... if I do connect one router to another, should I
>deactivate certain functions, such as DHCP, in the
>downstream one? If there are two networking devices
>trying to do the same job, couldn't this give rise
>to certain conflicts, etc.?
>
>Best regards,
>
>Tom

I have never tried this BUT (unless you have extraodinary
requirements) you would NOT want 2 dhcp servers in your in-house LAN.
You would/could either end up with 2 subnets or conflicting IP
assignments or some other unintentional night mare!

Also, check the manual BUT if you connect to routers together you may
need a "cross-over" ethernet cable if there is not a switch or an
auto-detect (and switch) function in the router(s).

This whole idea may be more complicated than what you are looking for
BUT to save $$$ and provide a challenge (learning opportunity) I
posted the option.
--
------------------------------------------------
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dmitton
SPAM Reduction: Remove "x." from my domain.
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