A question about adding wireless to my existing wired network - router or access point?

I have a cable modem hooked up to an SMC Barricade router, with 3 of the 4 wired
ports being used.

I want to add wireless to my network to accomodate my wife's new Thinkpad (I
think it has Cisco 802.11b. But I will eventually be adding a laptop of my own
(prob. a Dell with the b/g adaptor they sell).

All I want to do is connect the wireless router/access point to the SMC
Barricade router. I do not want to use the wireless router's functionality as a
router at all...but from what I can tell routers are cheaper than dedicated AP's
for some reason. It is my understanding that AP's are basically just wireless
switches, which is what I need, but for the price difference I might as well buy
a router. But I am wondering how to make the router act purely as an access
point.

Right now, I am using DHCP in the Barricade to dynamically assign IPs to
everything. This has worked well, and I don't want to mess with this.

1) To add wireless, should I get a router or AP, or does it matter?

2) Can I do what I need to do with any of the popular routers out there?
(Linksys wrt54g, Netgear wgr614, or dlink di624). Can I get some pointers on
how I would set this up in the wireless router (WR)...I am thinking that I would
connect a cable from the SMC Barricade to the uplink port of the WR, and disable
the WR's DHCP function. Will this then allow the SMC Barricade to 'see' the
wireless devices and assign them IP addresses? Or do I have this all wrong?

3) I would like logging to see network activity, esp. to see if someone tries to
access the network from outside. Can the three devices I listed do this?

4) For security I would like to filter which devices can access the network. Is
this what MAC filtering is? ie I can set up the WR to allow only my wife's
laptop (and my own)? Would I really need WPA or WEP if I use MAC filtering?

5) I hear some routers have trouble with other brands...can I get
recommendations for the best option for what I need? I am leaning toward the
Linksys WRT54G.

Billyba <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> I have a cable modem hooked up to an SMC Barricade router, with 3 of
> the 4 wired ports being used.
>
> I want to add wireless to my network to accomodate my wife's new
> Thinkpad (I think it has Cisco 802.11b. But I will eventually be
> adding a laptop of my own (prob. a Dell with the b/g adaptor they
> sell).
>
> All I want to do is connect the wireless router/access point to the
> SMC Barricade router. I do not want to use the wireless router's
> functionality as a router at all...but from what I can tell routers
> are cheaper than dedicated AP's for some reason. It is my
> understanding that AP's are basically just wireless switches, which is
> what I need, but for the price difference I might as well buy a
> router. But I am wondering how to make the router act purely as an
> access point.
>
> Right now, I am using DHCP in the Barricade to dynamically assign IPs
> to everything. This has worked well, and I don't want to mess with
> this.
>
> 1) To add wireless, should I get a router or AP, or does it matter?
>
> 2) Can I do what I need to do with any of the popular routers out
> there? (Linksys wrt54g, Netgear wgr614, or dlink di624). Can I get
> some pointers on how I would set this up in the wireless router
> (WR)...I am thinking that I would connect a cable from the SMC
> Barricade to the uplink port of the WR, and disable the WR's DHCP
> function. Will this then allow the SMC Barricade to 'see' the
> wireless devices and assign them IP addresses? Or do I have this all
> wrong?
>
> 3) I would like logging to see network activity, esp. to see if
> someone tries to access the network from outside. Can the three
> devices I listed do this?
>
> 4) For security I would like to filter which devices can access the
> network. Is this what MAC filtering is? ie I can set up the WR to
> allow only my wife's laptop (and my own)? Would I really need WPA or
> WEP if I use MAC filtering?
>
> 5) I hear some routers have trouble with other brands...can I get
> recommendations for the best option for what I need? I am leaning
> toward the Linksys WRT54G.
>
>

http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/N101236.asp

Although the setup is talking about Netgear, I think it applies to any
wireless and wire routers being used in the situation and the howto.

Duane

I was recently faced with the exact situation you describe.

I can't speak for other routers, but the D-Link DI-624 wireless router has a
documented "AP Only" feature. I didn't need a router either, but I bought
one for the reasons you describe. It also adds additional ports so I can use
it as a hub to continue adding to the wired portion of my LAN; I don't know
if AP's add additional Ethernet (you may need them since the AP will occupy
the last port on your router).

The DI-624 will allow you to enable MAC filtering even while it is used as
an AP.

The D-Link works fine with other brands, as far as I know. But if you want
to use their "Super G" you have to use it with other compatible D-Link
devices.

The one area D-Link really hurts is in there documentation. It is really the
pits. You will suffer in setting this up unless you really understand
networks. They have 24 tech support but the quality is unpredictable. But
once you finally get things working you won't have to worry about it again.


"Billyba" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a cable modem hooked up to an SMC Barricade router, with 3 of the 4
wired
> ports being used.
>
> I want to add wireless to my network to accomodate my wife's new Thinkpad
(I
> think it has Cisco 802.11b. But I will eventually be adding a laptop of
my own
> (prob. a Dell with the b/g adaptor they sell).
>
> All I want to do is connect the wireless router/access point to the SMC
> Barricade router. I do not want to use the wireless router's
functionality as a
> router at all...but from what I can tell routers are cheaper than
dedicated AP's
> for some reason. It is my understanding that AP's are basically just
wireless
> switches, which is what I need, but for the price difference I might as
well buy
> a router. But I am wondering how to make the router act purely as an
access
> point.
>
> Right now, I am using DHCP in the Barricade to dynamically assign IPs to
> everything. This has worked well, and I don't want to mess with this.
>
> 1) To add wireless, should I get a router or AP, or does it matter?
>
> 2) Can I do what I need to do with any of the popular routers out there?
> (Linksys wrt54g, Netgear wgr614, or dlink di624). Can I get some pointers
on
> how I would set this up in the wireless router (WR)...I am thinking that I
would
> connect a cable from the SMC Barricade to the uplink port of the WR, and
disable
> the WR's DHCP function. Will this then allow the SMC Barricade to 'see'
the
> wireless devices and assign them IP addresses? Or do I have this all
wrong?
>
> 3) I would like logging to see network activity, esp. to see if someone
tries to
> access the network from outside. Can the three devices I listed do this?
>
> 4) For security I would like to filter which devices can access the
network. Is
> this what MAC filtering is? ie I can set up the WR to allow only my
wife's
> laptop (and my own)? Would I really need WPA or WEP if I use MAC
filtering?
>
> 5) I hear some routers have trouble with other brands...can I get
> recommendations for the best option for what I need? I am leaning toward
the
> Linksys WRT54G.
>

I've had a DI-624 going on a year now and never used it as a router
but just as a wireless access point to my already existing LAN.

Its very simple. The DI-624 has 5 ethernet ports. One which is meant
for the WAN (DSL or cable modem) and the other 4 for your LAN. Don't
plug anything into the WAN port. Connect the DI-624 to your already
existing LAN by running just a regular ethernet cable between ANY of
the 4 LAN ports on the DI-624 and the "uplink" port on your already
existing router. If your already existing router doesn't have an
"uplink" port, no biggie. You just need to buy an ethernet crossover
cable and connect between any port on the LAN side of your already
existing router and any of the 4 LAN ports on the DI-624. Turn off
dhcp serving on the DI-624 since you're probably already doing it with
your existing router and your good to go. Oh and also, you can use
the other 3 LAN ports on the DI-624 for further expansion if you want.

As I say, I've been doing this for nearly a year with two wireless
clients - a notebook computer, and a PC in the living room with a
wireless card connected to the stereo. Works great.

"TR Schaefer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I've had a DI-624 going on a year now and never used it as a router
> but just as a wireless access point to my already existing LAN.
>
> Its very simple. The DI-624 has 5 ethernet ports. One which is meant
> for the WAN (DSL or cable modem) and the other 4 for your LAN. Don't
> plug anything into the WAN port. Connect the DI-624 to your already
> existing LAN by running just a regular ethernet cable between ANY of
> the 4 LAN ports on the DI-624 and the "uplink" port on your already
> existing router. If your already existing router doesn't have an
> "uplink" port, no biggie. You just need to buy an ethernet crossover
> cable and connect between any port on the LAN side of your already
> existing router and any of the 4 LAN ports on the DI-624. Turn off
> dhcp serving on the DI-624 since you're probably already doing it with
> your existing router and your good to go. Oh and also, you can use
> the other 3 LAN ports on the DI-624 for further expansion if you want.
>
> As I say, I've been doing this for nearly a year with two wireless
> clients - a notebook computer, and a PC in the living room with a
> wireless card connected to the stereo. Works great.

I have the same situation, but I have a question nobody has answered for me,
sounds like you may know.

Like you, I already have a router/firewall which protects my network from
intruders entering from the Internet. However, my 624 is behind the firewall
so it (pre-existing firewall) does nothing to protect me from wireless
intruders. Do you know if using the firewall on my 624 in addition to the
existing one will cause any problems?

If it makes any difference, like you, my WAN port is not being used, the 624
attaches to my wired network via a regular LAN port.

Using the firewall on the 624 won't cause you any problems but it
won't do you any good either. More accurately, you can't use the
firewall on the DI-624 if you aren't using the WAN port. Sure you can
go into the DI-624 web interface configuration screens and probably
set a zillion firewall options but you really aren't accomplishing
anything what-so-ever. You see the firewall in the DI-624 is a
firewall that sits between the WAN port and the LAN ports. Since you
aren't using the WAN side the firewall isn't really doing anything no
matter how you've got it configured. Thats not to say your not
protected though. The DI-624 and everything you connect to it either
wired or wirelessly is still going to be protected from the internet
by the firewall of your existing router.

As far as security goes what I would suggest you configure on the
DI-624 if you haven't already is the security stuff for your wireless
clients. Set a key on the DI-624 that your wireless clients need to
know in order to get onto your wireless network. Otherwise neighbors
or whomever could get onto your LAN.

Tom Schaefer

"Roy N." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<EAvUb.180427$Rc4.1337373@attbi_s54>...

>
> I have the same situation, but I have a question nobody has answered for me,
> sounds like you may know.
>
> Like you, I already have a router/firewall which protects my network from
> intruders entering from the Internet. However, my 624 is behind the firewall
> so it (pre-existing firewall) does nothing to protect me from wireless
> intruders. Do you know if using the firewall on my 624 in addition to the
> existing one will cause any problems?
>
> If it makes any difference, like you, my WAN port is not being used, the 624
> attaches to my wired network via a regular LAN port.

(E-Mail Removed) (TR Schaefer) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed). com>...
> Using the firewall on the 624 won't cause you any problems but it
> won't do you any good either. More accurately, you can't use the
> firewall on the DI-624 if you aren't using the WAN port. Sure you can
> go into the DI-624 web interface configuration screens and probably
> set a zillion firewall options but you really aren't accomplishing
> anything what-so-ever. You see the firewall in the DI-624 is a
> firewall that sits between the WAN port and the LAN ports. Since you
> aren't using the WAN side the firewall isn't really doing anything no
> matter how you've got it configured. Thats not to say your not
> protected though. The DI-624 and everything you connect to it either
> wired or wirelessly is still going to be protected from the internet
> by the firewall of your existing router.
>
> As far as security goes what I would suggest you configure on the
> DI-624 if you haven't already is the security stuff for your wireless
> clients. Set a key on the DI-624 that your wireless clients need to
> know in order to get onto your wireless network. Otherwise neighbors
> or whomever could get onto your LAN.
>
> Tom Schaefer
>

Just wondering if this is true.... When setting the firewall rules
there are the source and destination options. If this is made LAN to
LAN (as far as i can tell a valid option), then one could deduce it
should do that filtering. ie filter packets originating on the LAN
with the destination to the LAN. Not that ive tried it though - Deny
LAN * LAN * and see if everything stops (careful - you may have to use
the reset switch or worse to reinstate it). OR have i got it wrong?

Still the MAC filters should be used for your wireless clients.

You can buy USR8054. It works like Router and like AP as well (you can
switch it). It's 802.11g (actually up to 100MBit) and it works nice. I
have similar situation. Regular router with print server and wireless
network segment for now.

Nikolai



Billyba <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>. ..
> I have a cable modem hooked up to an SMC Barricade router, with 3 of the 4 wired
> ports being used.
>
> I want to add wireless to my network to accomodate my wife's new Thinkpad (I
> think it has Cisco 802.11b. But I will eventually be adding a laptop of my own
> (prob. a Dell with the b/g adaptor they sell).
>
> All I want to do is connect the wireless router/access point to the SMC
> Barricade router. I do not want to use the wireless router's functionality as a
> router at all...but from what I can tell routers are cheaper than dedicated AP's
> for some reason. It is my understanding that AP's are basically just wireless
> switches, which is what I need, but for the price difference I might as well buy
> a router. But I am wondering how to make the router act purely as an access
> point.
>
> Right now, I am using DHCP in the Barricade to dynamically assign IPs to
> everything. This has worked well, and I don't want to mess with this.
>
> 1) To add wireless, should I get a router or AP, or does it matter?
>
> 2) Can I do what I need to do with any of the popular routers out there?
> (Linksys wrt54g, Netgear wgr614, or dlink di624). Can I get some pointers on
> how I would set this up in the wireless router (WR)...I am thinking that I would
> connect a cable from the SMC Barricade to the uplink port of the WR, and disable
> the WR's DHCP function. Will this then allow the SMC Barricade to 'see' the
> wireless devices and assign them IP addresses? Or do I have this all wrong?
>
> 3) I would like logging to see network activity, esp. to see if someone tries to
> access the network from outside. Can the three devices I listed do this?
>
> 4) For security I would like to filter which devices can access the network. Is
> this what MAC filtering is? ie I can set up the WR to allow only my wife's
> laptop (and my own)? Would I really need WPA or WEP if I use MAC filtering?
>
> 5) I hear some routers have trouble with other brands...can I get
> recommendations for the best option for what I need? I am leaning toward the
> Linksys WRT54G.