On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 17:27:02 GMT, Chuck <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 23:44:54 GMT, Jeff Liebermann
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 15:38:41 GMT, Chuck <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>>Hello. My wired network consists of a Speedstream 5660 dsl modem in
>>>bridged mode attached to a 4 port switch. Three computers are
>>>connected to the switch. If only one computer is connected to the
>>>internet, ppoe is used. Multiple computer internet access is through
>>>ICS. Is it possible to connect a wap to the remaining switch port and
>>>access the internet through a laptop?
>>
>>Yes. A wireless access point is a bridge that encapsulates ethernet
>>802.3 packets. Anything you can do by plugging in an ethernet cable
>>directly into your switch, can be done with wireless. The catch is
>>that almost all client radios will only bridge one MAC address. No
>>problem for your laptop, or multiple laptops, each with their own
>>client radios. However, don't try to plug a switch into the client
>>radio, and expect it to bridge more than one MAC address. That
>>doesn't work with an ordinary access point and generic client radios.
>>
>>>I am trying to avoid using a
>>>router because of past negative experiences. The last wired router I
>>>hooked up worked fine unless one was accessing a secure site. Then
>>>the connection timed out or was 10 times slower than normal.
>>
>>Well, you either got a lemon or you did something wrong. Most of the
>>users in this newsgroup have hardware routers, and use them without
>>incident or difficulties. It's the prefered solution as ICS and some
>>proxy server software solutions are, well...ugly. May I humbly
>>suggest you try again with a hardware router.
>Thanks Jeff. Your advice was spot on. Everything works perfectly.
>The information I got from my local computer emporium was the opposite
>of what you said ; it's a shame they don't hire people with your kind
>of expertise. Chuck
Thanks. Time for rant. One of the problems with the current state of
license free wireless is that few of the manufacturers seem to find
any value in explaining how things actually work. The color glossy
advertising literature has less and less information. The web sites
are seriously devoid of technical detail. Access to internal wireless
settings and tweaks is decreasing. Hardware is becoming "self
configuring". Life is allegedly simpler.
This is not necessarily a bad thing as most of the buying public will
successfully plug and play without difficulties or incident. As long
as the boxes are cheap enough, the success rate is high, and the
products keep selling, there will be little incentive to supply
technical details and controls.
What gets lost in the shuffle is how the various protocols work. The
docs are there for your reading. A few hundred applicable RFC's for
the wired part of the LAN and IP services. 600 pages of 802.11
documentation from the IEEE.
http://www.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp...sl=generic.xsl
Some of it is hard to get and expensive such as ISO docs some IEEE
docs. My guess is that it would take someone about 5 years of
constant experience to be able to understand wireless and the
underlying protocols. Add another few years for understanding RF
(microwave, propogation, radiation, antennas, etc). Your average
salesman isn't going to come close.
There's another reason that pre-sales and support are so dismally
informed. They tend to have little hands on experience, or as like to
call it "getting dirty" with the hardware. There's really no way to
for someone that sits in a phone support dungeon to obtain the
necessary experience. For example, how will such a person be able to
give advice on how well 2.4GHz propogates through walls, forests, and
urban canyons? They cannot without having hands on experience.
I have more experience than typical, but still am unable to answer all
the weird things that can happen with wireless and RF. Some of it
borders on magic. I'm always amazed at what people do with 802.11 as
conventional theory suggests that it should not work. Even the
experts are baffled, sometimes.
Anyway, do some online reading and tinker with the hardware. But
don't be suprised if you soon know more about the products than
support or sales.
--
Jeff Liebermann
(E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558
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