Multiple Access Points for Home?

Hi,

I know that adding WDS access points (e.g. WRT54G) will cut down the
speed due to one trans/recv. I am wondering if there is any reasonably
priced home access points that 2 trans/recv in it so that 54mbps is not
cut down.

Thanks,
Dan

Dan <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

>I know that adding WDS access points (e.g. WRT54G) will cut down the
>speed due to one trans/recv.

Correct. That will cut down on your MAXIMUM thruput. For example, if
you have a good solid 54Mbit/sec connection, you should get about
20-25Mbits/sec thruput between access points. If you also have a
good solid connection between the wireless client (laptop?) and the
WDS repeater, you'll get about 10-12Mbits/sec thruput from the first
router. However, unless you have a 10Mbit/sec cable modem internet
connection, the speed reduction doesn't have a huge effect on internet
thruput. It will take quite a speed reduction to be noticeable on the
typical 1.5Mbit/sec DSL connection.

However, if your moving files or playing games on the LAN, where the
internet connection is not involved, then the speed reduction is very
noticeable.

>I am wondering if there is any reasonably
>priced home access points that 2 trans/recv in it so that 54mbps is not
>cut down.

How many dollars do you consider reasonable?

3com, Cisco, Proxim, Belaire, and most of the mesh wireless vendors
have dual radio access points or repeaters. I'm not going to itemize
the choice because they're all quite expensive and overkill for the
home.

You can also build your own from SBC (single board computah) cards
from Soekris and PcEngines.
http://www.soekris.com/products.htm
http://www.pcengines.ch/wrap.htm
running Linux, Open BSD, StarOs, or whatever.

If you can tolerate the fan noise, you can also shove two wireless PCI
cards into a generic PC, and run some Linux router software such as
Freesco, m0n0wall, or whatever:
http://www.freesco.com
http://m0n0.ch/wall/

You can also take an ethernet bridge wireless adapter, that will talk
to a wireless access point, and do the same thing. The ethernet
bridge runs on one channel, the access point on the other. Instant
repeater with no delays. I did that with WAP11 radio perhaps 6 years
ago. These days, a WAP54G for the client part and any old wireless
router setup as an access point will do.

--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558