Mixed-vendor 802.11b

All,

I'm considering converting the network connection that my Turtle Beach
Audiotron uses from Cat-5 UTP to 802.11b wireless. I already have
an 802.11b LAN segment that works great for my laptops; it uses a
Belkin AP with a Belkin 802.11b client card in one laptop, and a
D-Link client card in my daughter's laptop; and my work laptop
(IBM T30 with built-in 802.11b) also connects just fine - I VPN
wirelessly into work that way. So I've looked at several 802.11b
wireless bridges (e.g. Linksys WET11) and the so-called "wireless
gaming adapters," which appear to be about the same thing, as
possible means to do the wireless connection to the Audiotron. I
am put off by the disclaimers I see in some of the bridge user guides,
though..."this product is guaranteed to work only with an access point
from the same manufacturer," to paraphrase. I thought all this 802.11
stuff was standards-based - and that therefore I should be able to mix
AP's and clients, bridges, etc.freely, from different vendors. Are these
disclaimers just a means of trying to sell customers more (unnecessary)
gear? My experience above suggests that I can ignore those disclaimers
and use, say, a WET11 or a Netgear ME101 or a D-Link DWl-810
with my Belkin WAP with no problem. Should this, in fact, work?

Thanks.

Tom

I've not had any problems with 802.11b compatibility for many many years.

Make sure you can return it if it does not work properly.

Frank

-----------------------------
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"Frank Peabody" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

> am put off by the disclaimers I see in some of the bridge user guides,
> though..."this product is guaranteed to work only with an access point
> from the same manufacturer," to paraphrase. I thought all this 802.11
> stuff was standards-based - and that therefore I should be able to mix



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I have been using a D-Link DWL-810+ and Linksys WET11 to wirelessly
bridge together 2 small LANs via a SMC 2404WBR wireless router. While
this configuration has been working well, the 2 bridges do not like to
talk directly with each other at all. Go figure.

"Frank Peabody" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:104ilp9n59p1s05
@corp.supernews.com:

> All,
>
> I'm considering converting the network connection that my Turtle Beach
> Audiotron uses from Cat-5 UTP to 802.11b wireless. I already have
> an 802.11b LAN segment that works great for my laptops; it uses a
> Belkin AP with a Belkin 802.11b client card in one laptop, and a
> D-Link client card in my daughter's laptop; and my work laptop
> (IBM T30 with built-in 802.11b) also connects just fine - I VPN
> wirelessly into work that way. So I've looked at several 802.11b
> wireless bridges (e.g. Linksys WET11) and the so-called "wireless
> gaming adapters," which appear to be about the same thing, as
> possible means to do the wireless connection to the Audiotron. I
> am put off by the disclaimers I see in some of the bridge user guides,
> though..."this product is guaranteed to work only with an access point
> from the same manufacturer," to paraphrase. I thought all this 802.11
> stuff was standards-based - and that therefore I should be able to mix
> AP's and clients, bridges, etc.freely, from different vendors. Are
these
> disclaimers just a means of trying to sell customers more (unnecessary)
> gear? My experience above suggests that I can ignore those disclaimers
> and use, say, a WET11 or a Netgear ME101 or a D-Link DWl-810
> with my Belkin WAP with no problem. Should this, in fact, work?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Tom
>
>