Multiple APs / Hubs...

Hi all...

Dunno if this is the place to ask this, but I need to set up a network in an
office across 2 floors; servers + internet connection + a few PCs on the
lower floor, with another 5 or 6 PCs on the upper floor.

So far, it's fairly straightforward; I'll just stick an AP near the servers
and bob's your uncle. All the PCs can see the internet.

However, the boss also wants the colour LaserJet upstairs, and it's got a
wired JetDirect card. Seeing as how I can get an access point for about
1/8th of the price of a wireless JetDirect card, the question is this:

If I've got an AP plugged into a hub downstairs, can I have a second AP
plugged into a second hub upstairs to act as a bridge? Then the printer can
live on the upstairs hub but be reached from any PC in a wireless style.

Also, what is the limit on Wireless connects per AP? Would having 2 APs
reachable by each PC improve this, or would the PCs just talk to both APs?

I hope I've explained that well enough... probably not, knowing me.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Dan.

The answer is that it depends upon the brand of the APs. Some APs can
bridge and serve clients simultaneously; some can't.

Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.

"Dan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cbp7sk$lgi$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all...
>
> Dunno if this is the place to ask this, but I need to set up a network in
an
> office across 2 floors; servers + internet connection + a few PCs on the
> lower floor, with another 5 or 6 PCs on the upper floor.
>
> So far, it's fairly straightforward; I'll just stick an AP near the
servers
> and bob's your uncle. All the PCs can see the internet.
>
> However, the boss also wants the colour LaserJet upstairs, and it's got a
> wired JetDirect card. Seeing as how I can get an access point for about
> 1/8th of the price of a wireless JetDirect card, the question is this:
>
> If I've got an AP plugged into a hub downstairs, can I have a second AP
> plugged into a second hub upstairs to act as a bridge? Then the printer
can
> live on the upstairs hub but be reached from any PC in a wireless style.
>
> Also, what is the limit on Wireless connects per AP? Would having 2 APs
> reachable by each PC improve this, or would the PCs just talk to both APs?
>
> I hope I've explained that well enough... probably not, knowing me.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan.
>
>
>

"Dan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:cbp7sk$lgi$(E-Mail Removed):

> If I've got an AP plugged into a hub downstairs, can I have a second
> AP plugged into a second hub upstairs to act as a bridge? Then the
> printer can live on the upstairs hub but be reached from any PC in a
> wireless style.

Yes.

> Also, what is the limit on Wireless connects per AP? Would having 2
> APs reachable by each PC improve this, or would the PCs just talk to
> both APs?

About 5 - 10 users under a heavy load. More APs will help - but only if
they reside on a different channel (Use only channels 1,6,11)

--
Lucas Tam ((E-Mail Removed))
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

That's great, thanks - but won't having the APs on different channels defeat
the purpose of the exercise?

"Lucas Tam" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns95167CF48C1B3nntprogerscom@140.99.99.130.. .
> "Dan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:cbp7sk$lgi$(E-Mail Removed):
>
> > If I've got an AP plugged into a hub downstairs, can I have a second
> > AP plugged into a second hub upstairs to act as a bridge? Then the
> > printer can live on the upstairs hub but be reached from any PC in a
> > wireless style.
>
> Yes.
>
> > Also, what is the limit on Wireless connects per AP? Would having 2
> > APs reachable by each PC improve this, or would the PCs just talk to
> > both APs?
>
> About 5 - 10 users under a heavy load. More APs will help - but only if
> they reside on a different channel (Use only channels 1,6,11)
>
> --
> Lucas Tam ((E-Mail Removed))
> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

"Dan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cbp7sk$lgi$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all...
>
> Dunno if this is the place to ask this, but I need to set up a network in
an
> office across 2 floors; servers + internet connection + a few PCs on the
> lower floor, with another 5 or 6 PCs on the upper floor.
>
> So far, it's fairly straightforward; I'll just stick an AP near the
servers
> and bob's your uncle. All the PCs can see the internet.
>
> However, the boss also wants the colour LaserJet upstairs, and it's got a
> wired JetDirect card. Seeing as how I can get an access point for about
> 1/8th of the price of a wireless JetDirect card, the question is this:
>
> If I've got an AP plugged into a hub downstairs, can I have a second AP
> plugged into a second hub upstairs to act as a bridge? Then the printer
can
> live on the upstairs hub but be reached from any PC in a wireless style.
>
> Also, what is the limit on Wireless connects per AP? Would having 2 APs
> reachable by each PC improve this, or would the PCs just talk to both APs?
>
> I hope I've explained that well enough... probably not, knowing me.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan.
>
>
>

I think you should look at getting a bridge (eg linksys WET54G ) to link to
the JetDirect card, if still cheaper. This will make the printer look like
a client node in your wireless network, just like your pcs do. You can also
use two of these devices together like a wireless cable.

however, I think you where describing using access points in bridging mode
,this is really to link two LAN segments and would cost more as you would
need at lest two preferably identical devices for a bridge:-

You can use most access points in point to point bridging mode one master
and one slave to link two LAN segments, they can not talk to normal clients
in this mode so you will still need access point(s) for your client pc's.

there are also other modes available eg Point to Multi-Point and Master
plus (talks to slave devices and normal clients, only know of one product)

regards

Andrew

http://www.securelymobile.co.uk/
Suppliers of Security, Wireless and Mobile Computer and Communication
Solutions.

> I think you should look at getting a bridge (eg linksys WET54G ) to link
to
> the JetDirect card, if still cheaper. This will make the printer look
like
> a client node in your wireless network, just like your pcs do. You can
also
> use two of these devices together like a wireless cable.
>
> however, I think you where describing using access points in bridging mode
> ,this is really to link two LAN segments and would cost more as you would
> need at lest two preferably identical devices for a bridge:-
>
> You can use most access points in point to point bridging mode one master
> and one slave to link two LAN segments, they can not talk to normal
clients
> in this mode so you will still need access point(s) for your client pc's.
>
> there are also other modes available eg Point to Multi-Point and Master
> plus (talks to slave devices and normal clients, only know of one product)
>
> regards
>
> Andrew
>
> http://www.securelymobile.co.uk/
> Suppliers of Security, Wireless and Mobile Computer and Communication
> Solutions.
>
>

I forgot to say that Access points under point to point and point to
multi-point are under a mode called WDS (Wireless Distribution System)
a quick definition:-

"
WDS (Wireless Distribution System) is a Wireless Access Point mode that
enables wireless bridging in which WDS APs communicate only with each other
only (without allowing for wireless clients or stations to access them),
and/or wireless repeating in which APs communicate both with each other and
with wireless stations (at the expense of half the throughput).
"


regards

Andrew

Hmmm... sounds like a lack of fun.

I might just stick a 54g card into an old PC and use the parallel interface
to connect to the LaserJet. There's another printer I need to hook up that
only runs off parallel or USB anyway, so maybe I'll just make a little print
server and stuff both printers onto it.

Thanks for the help anyway, everyone.

"Andrew Crook" <andrew@NOSPAM_andicrook.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cbpkkr$dua$1$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I think you should look at getting a bridge (eg linksys WET54G ) to
link
> to
> > the JetDirect card, if still cheaper. This will make the printer look
> like
> > a client node in your wireless network, just like your pcs do. You can
> also
> > use two of these devices together like a wireless cable.
> >
> > however, I think you where describing using access points in bridging
mode
> > ,this is really to link two LAN segments and would cost more as you
would
> > need at lest two preferably identical devices for a bridge:-
> >
> > You can use most access points in point to point bridging mode one
master
> > and one slave to link two LAN segments, they can not talk to normal
> clients
> > in this mode so you will still need access point(s) for your client
pc's.
> >
> > there are also other modes available eg Point to Multi-Point and
Master
> > plus (talks to slave devices and normal clients, only know of one
product)
> >
> > regards
> >
> > Andrew
> >
> > http://www.securelymobile.co.uk/
> > Suppliers of Security, Wireless and Mobile Computer and Communication
> > Solutions.
> >
> >
>
> I forgot to say that Access points under point to point and point to
> multi-point are under a mode called WDS (Wireless Distribution System)
> a quick definition:-
>
> "
> WDS (Wireless Distribution System) is a Wireless Access Point mode that
> enables wireless bridging in which WDS APs communicate only with each
other
> only (without allowing for wireless clients or stations to access them),
> and/or wireless repeating in which APs communicate both with each other
and
> with wireless stations (at the expense of half the throughput).
> "
>
>
> regards
>
> Andrew
>
>

"Dan" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:cbpj3p$8f7$(E-Mail Removed):

> That's great, thanks - but won't having the APs on different channels
> defeat the purpose of the exercise?

Nope, wireless clients can roam between APs as long as the SSID and WEP
keys are the same.

--
Lucas Tam ((E-Mail Removed))
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/