Switches and hubs in wireless networking

If we want to have a LAN (for example a home network) connected to the Internet through a
wireless router, do we still need a hub/switch? Or the wireless router does this job
automatically, because it is wireless?

If the wireless router can do this job by its own, how can it manage to "talk" with 200
local PCs concurrently, for example?

If we still need a hub/switch, are there wireless hubs/switches?

Mike wrote:
> If we want to have a LAN (for example a home network) connected to the
> Internet through a
> wireless router, do we still need a hub/switch? Or the wireless router
> does this job
> automatically, because it is wireless?
>
> If the wireless router can do this job by its own, how can it manage to
> "talk" with 200
> local PCs concurrently, for example?
>
> If we still need a hub/switch, are there wireless hubs/switches?
>

If you get a wireless ROUTER, not just an access point, it will
ususually have a four port switch built-in. So you could connect four
computers via ethernet cable. Or you could use one of the ports to
connect another router or switch.

Good luck, jimbo

Your wireless router should handle any (reasonable) number of wireless
computers. The mechanisms for supporting wireless are the same as for
wired connections (ignoring bandwidth). Wires are just as anonymous as
radio signals. LAN protocols identify the individual computers.

Mike wrote:
> If we want to have a LAN (for example a home network) connected to the
> Internet through a
> wireless router, do we still need a hub/switch? Or the wireless router
> does this job
> automatically, because it is wireless?
>
> If the wireless router can do this job by its own, how can it manage to
> "talk" with 200
> local PCs concurrently, for example?
>
> If we still need a hub/switch, are there wireless hubs/switches?
>
a home network with 200 computers?

I know very little, but in the last few months DSL became available
here, and I needed a router for than connection. It happens to be
wireless, but I don't think that is relelvent. Presently I am using the
router AND a hub because I needed ONE MORE CONNECTION for my plotter.
Through the router, any computer can plot without any other computer
needing to be powered up.

Even if I had just one computer, when I went to an always on DSL I would
want the router for the firewall it is.


Wireless verses wire, comes down to throughput. Doesn't it? And
convenience.

"Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:dspea2$1r6$(E-Mail Removed)...
> If we want to have a LAN (for example a home network) connected to the
> Internet through a
> wireless router, do we still need a hub/switch? Or the wireless router
> does this job
> automatically, because it is wireless?
>
> If the wireless router can do this job by its own, how can it manage to
> "talk" with 200
> local PCs concurrently, for example?
>
> If we still need a hub/switch, are there wireless hubs/switches?
>

Usually, as Jimbo said, you got a built-in switch with the wireless router.
If 4 ports are
sufficient for your (wired) needs then go ahead. If you need more ports
(and I mean wired ports) then you need a switch to plug in one of the 4
ports. In addition you have 253 additional ports (wireless) that share the
throughput (usually 54 Mbit/s): in other words you must consider a wireless
router as a chain of a 2 ports router (a WAN port and a LAN port) + a four
ports switch + a 253 ports hub (wireless). In total you have 254 logical
ports available on the LAN side and all that ports are handled via DHCP and
NAT (Note: all the ports are on the same network and usually the IP #1, i.e.
192.168.0.1, is for management).
On the WAN side you have one port handled by your ISP (usually via DHCP as
well) !
Of course I'm speaking of wireless routers that will cost from 50 to 75
euros !

I do hope this could help

Regards

Luc