WiFi without router or DHCP?

I have a system that consists of two mpeg encoders and an embedded PC,
all connected to a switch. Each of the three devices has a fixed IP
address. A fourth port on the switch goes to a connector for external
connections to this system. The fixed IP addresses are as follows:

PC = 192.168.100.52
MPEG1 = 192.168.100.50
MPEG2 = 192.168.100.51
Subnet (all) = 255.255.255.0

I connect a notebook computer, also with a fixed IP address
(192.168.100.55), to the external system connector with a CAT5 cable
and use it to simultaneously display the two video streams (3Mb/s each)
and to control the system.

There is no router nor gateway as the notebook applications each
communicate directly to the system components at their fixed IP
addresses. This is all functioning properly.

My desire is to set up a wireless connection such that I can use the
internal wireless-g adapter on the notebook computer to connect to the
system in place of the cable.

I purchased a D-Link DWL-2100AP access point and configured it as an
access point with an IP address of 192.168.100.53 and no security. I
then connected it to the system switch. The notebook wireless IP
address is 192.168.100.54. The notebook computer was able to detect
and connect to the wireless access point. However, I could not ping
the system components from the notebook nor ping the notebook from the
embedded PC within the system.

Any advice regarding this wireless application would be appreciated.

-- David
Orlando, FL

"knavekid" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
>I have a system that consists of two mpeg encoders and an embedded PC,
> all connected to a switch. Each of the three devices has a fixed IP
> address. A fourth port on the switch goes to a connector for external
> connections to this system. The fixed IP addresses are as follows:
>
> PC = 192.168.100.52
> MPEG1 = 192.168.100.50
> MPEG2 = 192.168.100.51
> Subnet (all) = 255.255.255.0
>

[snipped out brief description of his LAN, which has no WAN connections, and
on which he wants limited wireless access]

It sounds like you are taking the proper approach, by connecting a "Wireless
Access Point" to the fourth connector in your Ethernet switch. When
configured and operating without encryption as you describe, a Wireless
Access Point works almost like an Ethernet Hub. It should work. The fact
that your notebook machine is successfully detecting and connecting with the
Wireless Access Point is encouraging, and indicates that a lot of things are
OK. Are you sure that the IP address 192.168.100.54 is associated with the
WIRELESS interface of the notebook (not the wired ethernet adapter)? It is
possible for a wireless network card to negotiate a connection (ISO Layer 2)
without successfully negotiating an IP address (ISO Layer 3).

One other possibility: perhaps your Ethernet Switch is confused for some
reason. Perhaps if you reset it or just give it a few minutes to learn the
new MAC address of your Wireless Access Point it will just start working.


I hope this helps...


Bob Bosen
www.AskMisterWizard.com
(Instructional videos for people with work to do)

Bob Bosen wrote:
> "knavekid" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> >I have a system that consists of two mpeg encoders and an embedded PC,
> > all connected to a switch. Each of the three devices has a fixed IP
> > address. A fourth port on the switch goes to a connector for external
> > connections to this system. The fixed IP addresses are as follows:
> >
> > PC = 192.168.100.52
> > MPEG1 = 192.168.100.50
> > MPEG2 = 192.168.100.51
> > Subnet (all) = 255.255.255.0
> >
>
> [snipped out brief description of his LAN, which has no WAN connections, and
> on which he wants limited wireless access]
>
> It sounds like you are taking the proper approach, by connecting a "Wireless
> Access Point" to the fourth connector in your Ethernet switch. When
> configured and operating without encryption as you describe, a Wireless
> Access Point works almost like an Ethernet Hub. It should work. The fact
> that your notebook machine is successfully detecting and connecting with the
> Wireless Access Point is encouraging, and indicates that a lot of things are
> OK. Are you sure that the IP address 192.168.100.54 is associated with the
> WIRELESS interface of the notebook (not the wired ethernet adapter)? It is
> possible for a wireless network card to negotiate a connection (ISO Layer 2)
> without successfully negotiating an IP address (ISO Layer 3).
>
> One other possibility: perhaps your Ethernet Switch is confused for some
> reason. Perhaps if you reset it or just give it a few minutes to learn the
> new MAC address of your Wireless Access Point it will just start working.
>
>
> I hope this helps...
>
>
> Bob Bosen
> www.AskMisterWizard.com
> (Instructional videos for people with work to do)

Thanks for your quick reply. The wireless IP address was verified.
One thing I didn't try is resetting the switch. The system was powered
up the whole time. I have never had to reset a switch when connecting
computers to the network.

Upon further investigation I found some things that don't make sense to
me. The access point is configured as an 802.11g only access point as
opposed to a bridge, ad hoc, etc. The notebook computer connection to
the access point reports an 11 Mbps ad hoc network connection. I have
some more tinkering to do.

Thanks for indicating that I am on the right track. The encouragement
is appreciated.

-- David

On 28 Feb 2006 19:25:37 -0800, "knavekid" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>One thing I didn't try is resetting the switch. The system was powered
>up the whole time. I have never had to reset a switch when connecting
>computers to the network.
Neither have I - 4 port switch connected to Belkin wireless AP for laptop.
The AP has been powered off and on many times while I have been looking at other
channels in the locality.

>Upon further investigation I found some things that don't make sense to
>me. The access point is configured as an 802.11g only access point as
>opposed to a bridge, ad hoc, etc. The notebook computer connection to
>the access point reports an 11 Mbps ad hoc network connection. I have
>some more tinkering to do.
With my laptop, I can browse to the AP setup web page (192.168.0.254 on my
system).
Is there any chance your laptop (esp. if XP) is connecting to something else?

Geo