switch

Hello, I currently have a wired lan using a cable modem and nat router (US
Robotics 8003) to connect two desktops. I want to add wireless access for
laptop upstairs. Question; do I need to add a "switch" between the router
and the wireless ap or can I just plug the ap directly into the router. I
realize I also need wireless adapter for laptop upstairs. Thanks.

"jsimmons88" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:WoV2k.4754$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello, I currently have a wired lan using a cable modem and nat router (US
> Robotics 8003) to connect two desktops. I want to add wireless access for
> laptop upstairs. Question; do I need to add a "switch" between the router
> and the wireless ap or can I just plug the ap directly into the router. I
> realize I also need wireless adapter for laptop upstairs. Thanks.

You should be able to plug the AP directly into the router... Many (all?)
wireless routers can be configured as a NAT router (to replace an existing
wired-only router) or can be configured to be an access point so that it can
just daisy-chain into an existing router. Unless you are interested in
isolating your wireless traffic somewhat, you could likely replace the
existing USR with the wireless AP unless of course it is *just* an access
point itself.

HTH

Thanks, yes it is "just" a WAP that I am adding and I will connect it to a
LAN port on my router. Thought that would just be the simplest way to get a
signal upstairs.

"jsimmons88" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cBY3k.220$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks, yes it is "just" a WAP that I am adding and I will connect it to a
> LAN port on my router. Thought that would just be the simplest way to get
> a signal upstairs.
>

In fact that is what I first did when I got a wireless router - rather than
bite the bullet so to speak and replace the working router with the new one,
I ran the wireless one as an AP for quite a while. Only when I got irritated
by the number of devices and wires and power bricks did I bother to
"simplify" the setup to fewer devices...

Perhaps there may be some advantage to having the wired devices using their
own router and the wireless segregated off to the side (with a switch
allowing the two routers to run in parallel) but I dont think it is worth
the extra stuff around to collect dust etc.

cheers