WiFi infrastructure/ad-hoc mode?

Hello:

I have an infrastructure WiFi network at home with a Belkin router. My
router is in the basement where there is also a desktop PC with a WiFi
adapter. When I'm upstairs with my laptop I can get online but I can't
connect to the desktop in the basement unless I'm in the basement with the
laptop. This led me to the following question:

In an infrastructure network, does client to client communication bypass the
AP? That's what it seems like is happening. I thought the AP was like a
switch and that all client communications had to go through it the same way
a wired Ethernet switch works. But now I'm wondering if after Client A makes
a connection with Client B via the AP, Client A from then on connects
directly to Client B. I don't have either client set up for ad hoc. Does
anyone know if this is the way 802.11b is supposed to work?

Thank you.
--
Sincerely,

Martin, MCSA: M

MartinX wrote:
> Hello:
>
> I have an infrastructure WiFi network at home with a Belkin router. My
> router is in the basement where there is also a desktop PC with a WiFi
> adapter. When I'm upstairs with my laptop I can get online but I can't
> connect to the desktop in the basement unless I'm in the basement with the
> laptop. This led me to the following question:
>
> In an infrastructure network, does client to client communication bypass the
> AP? That's what it seems like is happening. I thought the AP was like a
> switch and that all client communications had to go through it the same way
> a wired Ethernet switch works. But now I'm wondering if after Client A makes
> a connection with Client B via the AP, Client A from then on connects
> directly to Client B. I don't have either client set up for ad hoc. Does
> anyone know if this is the way 802.11b is supposed to work?
>
> Thank you.
Your initial assumption is the correct one: in an infrastructure
network, all communication goes through the router. It sounds as if you
are connecting to someone else's wireless network when you are upstairs.

Try this -- with laptop upstairs and connected to the Internet, go to
basement and using desktop, access your router's configuration utility.
Check the list of DHCP clients (assuming you have not set static IPs
for your computers) to see if, in fact, your laptop is listed as being
connected.