Wireless Access Point or Wireless Router

Hi i'm new at this wireless stuff and need some assitance on what
hardware i need. Currently i have 5 machines connected at home that
are sharing the internet. I have a asante 4 port cable/dsl router.
One port of the router goes to a bedroom into a 4 port hub that in
turn goes into 4 machines, then another port of the router goes into
another hub that goes into 2 machines. Reason i did that was because
the cable modem and router are in the family room and the machines are
in 2 different rooms. Neways, i want to get rid of all of this wiring
and go all wireless. I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop in
teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router to
share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless access
point to share all the computers. TIA!

Albert

(E-Mail Removed) (Albert) wrote in news:4b982adb.0307211618.52cc5f89
@posting.google.com:

> Hi i'm new at this wireless stuff and need some assitance on what
> hardware i need. Currently i have 5 machines connected at home that
> are sharing the internet. I have a asante 4 port cable/dsl router.
> One port of the router goes to a bedroom into a 4 port hub that in
> turn goes into 4 machines, then another port of the router goes into
> another hub that goes into 2 machines. Reason i did that was because
> the cable modem and router are in the family room and the machines are
> in 2 different rooms. Neways, i want to get rid of all of this wiring
> and go all wireless. I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
> and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop in
> teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router to
> share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless access
> point to share all the computers. TIA!
>
> Albert
>

I do not think there is a router that is all wireless. I could be wrong.
The one I use is a wire/wireless combination. I don't know how many
wireless machines it can accommodate, but I know it's a few, more than
the amount you're talking about. Wireless is slower than wired so you may
want to consider at least one machine being wired for down loads, xfers.,
etc. I guess you know most routers can control the network traffic for
255 machines.


Duane

--
The protection of the machine is a process and not a given!

"Albert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om
> I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
> and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop in
> teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router to
> share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless access
> point to share all the computers. TIA!

I would suggest a wireless router with a built-in switch (like the Linksys
BEFW11S4 - example only, not necessarily an endorsement). This unit could
replace your current DSL router.

As others have suggested, keeping one PC wired to the router will help with
configuration and troubleshooting.

Depending on your home's construction and the location of your PCs, you may
want to look into getting a signal booster, too.

On the other hand, simply adding a wireless access point (WAP) inside your
current router may be a lower cost alternative that suits your needs. Doing
this would allow you to keep your currently configured and operable (I
assume) router while simply giving you the option of wireless freedom on
your LAN. Going this route adds one more component to your network while
eliminating the wires and at least one hub.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
__________

"John T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed) ews.com>...
> "Albert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) om
> > I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
> > and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop in
> > teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router to
> > share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless access
> > point to share all the computers. TIA!
>
> I would suggest a wireless router with a built-in switch (like the Linksys
> BEFW11S4 - example only, not necessarily an endorsement). This unit could
> replace your current DSL router.

What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
wireless router?


>
> As others have suggested, keeping one PC wired to the router will help with
> configuration and troubleshooting.
>
> Depending on your home's construction and the location of your PCs, you may
> want to look into getting a signal booster, too.
>
> On the other hand, simply adding a wireless access point (WAP) inside your
> current router may be a lower cost alternative that suits your needs. Doing
> this would allow you to keep your currently configured and operable (I
> assume) router while simply giving you the option of wireless freedom on
> your LAN. Going this route adds one more component to your network while
> eliminating the wires and at least one hub.

What is the difference between a WAP and wireless router? Is it that
the WAP does not provide DHCP and the other filtering that a router
would provide?


Thanks

(E-Mail Removed) (Christopher) wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed) m:

> "John T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:<(E-Mail Removed) ews.com>...
>> "Albert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed) om
>> > I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
>> > and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop
>> > in teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router
>> > to share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless
>> > access point to share all the computers. TIA!
>>
>> I would suggest a wireless router with a built-in switch (like the
>> Linksys BEFW11S4 - example only, not necessarily an endorsement).
>> This unit could replace your current DSL router.
>
> What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> wireless router?
>
>
>>
>> As others have suggested, keeping one PC wired to the router will
>> help with configuration and troubleshooting.
>>
>> Depending on your home's construction and the location of your PCs,
>> you may want to look into getting a signal booster, too.
>>
>> On the other hand, simply adding a wireless access point (WAP) inside
>> your current router may be a lower cost alternative that suits your
>> needs. Doing this would allow you to keep your currently configured
>> and operable (I assume) router while simply giving you the option of
>> wireless freedom on your LAN. Going this route adds one more
>> component to your network while eliminating the wires and at least
>> one hub.
>
> What is the difference between a WAP and wireless router? Is it that
> the WAP does not provide DHCP and the other filtering that a router
> would provide?
>
>
> Thanks
>

> What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> wireless router?
>

> What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> wireless router?
>

A smart switch applies information in the network traffic so that it knows
which port and the computer the traffic belongs too, and it doesn't have to
send inbound traffic down all the ports to all the computers, until it
finds the right computer. In other words, the inbound traffic is sent
directly to the computer it belongs too, instead of the traffic being
broadcasted to all the ports and computers. Network traffic collision
occurs when inbound traffic is being sent to a machine that was sending
outbound traffic, because the computer was not expecting any inbound
traffic to it at the time. The collision of traffic in that manner slows
the network down. The smart switch eliminates the issue. A dumb hub has
this issue of network traffic collision.

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/expla...d-switches.asp

> What is the difference between a WAP and wireless router? Is it that
> the WAP does not provide DHCP and the other filtering that a router
> would provide?
>

Most wireless routers are a combination of wire/wireless connections ---
the wire/wireless router with 4 ports (wired) and switch.

I'll just say the WAP is not in the league with wireless router as far as
protection of the network and how many machines can be connected to it 255
for most routers. And the router can have additional stand alone switches
or hubs chained together with computers connected to them connected to the
router. The router is the traffic controller and the gateway device for all
machines connected to it to the Internet or the Local Area Network. The LAN
part means that the machines connected to the router can share files and
resources like the printer with all machines connected to the router.

The use of the NAT router in the home environment.

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp

HTH

Duane
--
The protection of the machine is a process and not a given!

You can add an Access Point to any of the currently wired hubs or to your
router if you completely want to get rid of all wires. However for whole
house wireless coverage, locating the AP centrally will help and that might
mean keeping one wired link.

"Albert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> Hi i'm new at this wireless stuff and need some assitance on what
> hardware i need. Currently i have 5 machines connected at home that
> are sharing the internet. I have a asante 4 port cable/dsl router.
> One port of the router goes to a bedroom into a 4 port hub that in
> turn goes into 4 machines, then another port of the router goes into
> another hub that goes into 2 machines. Reason i did that was because
> the cable modem and router are in the family room and the machines are
> in 2 different rooms. Neways, i want to get rid of all of this wiring
> and go all wireless. I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
> and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop in
> teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router to
> share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless access
> point to share all the computers. TIA!
>
> Albert

You need at least one router sitting between the DSL or cable modem and the
network. This allows NAT to grant access to multiple machines with only one
IP address from your ISP, plus protects the network.

I am looking at the same issue, since I have a SonicWall router/firewall
running and want to add wireless. BUT you normally cannot have 2 routers on
the same network (network defined as all communicating with all, no routing
between different subnets, which reduces traffic in each subnet).

If you want to keep your existing router, then you add a wireless access
point, and keep it internal to your network. Or you can replace the
existing router.

Since it looks like the prices for routers and WAPs are about the same, it
seems to me that a wireless router is the way to go.

Costco currently has the D-Link 614+ plus a 650+ PC card for $109, and there
is a $20 mail in rebate. Not bad, plus it will do 22Mbps, or maybe 44
with a firmware upgrade, as long as you stick with D-Link.

Along with other comments in other messages, this is a lot slower than a
wired 100Mbit network, but mostly it will be used for internal gaming or
accessing the internet. In the former case, the slower speed should still
be plenty, and in the latter case, the slow link is the connection to the
internet. Printing is also rate limited by the printer, not the network.

Peter

"Duane Arnold" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns93C0B9A6141C8notmenotmecom@216.148.227.77. ..
> (E-Mail Removed) (Christopher) wrote in
> news:(E-Mail Removed) m:
>
> > "John T" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:<(E-Mail Removed) ews.com>...
> >> "Albert" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:(E-Mail Removed) om
> >> > I plan to run all machines on wireless nic's,
> >> > and possibly buy some wireless pc card adaptors when i get a laptop
> >> > in teh future. My question is do I need to get a wireless router
> >> > to share all my computers wire free, or can I just get a wireless
> >> > access point to share all the computers. TIA!
> >>
> >> I would suggest a wireless router with a built-in switch (like the
> >> Linksys BEFW11S4 - example only, not necessarily an endorsement).
> >> This unit could replace your current DSL router.
> >
> > What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> > wireless router?
> >
> >
> >>
> >> As others have suggested, keeping one PC wired to the router will
> >> help with configuration and troubleshooting.
> >>
> >> Depending on your home's construction and the location of your PCs,
> >> you may want to look into getting a signal booster, too.
> >>
> >> On the other hand, simply adding a wireless access point (WAP) inside
> >> your current router may be a lower cost alternative that suits your
> >> needs. Doing this would allow you to keep your currently configured
> >> and operable (I assume) router while simply giving you the option of
> >> wireless freedom on your LAN. Going this route adds one more
> >> component to your network while eliminating the wires and at least
> >> one hub.
> >
> > What is the difference between a WAP and wireless router? Is it that
> > the WAP does not provide DHCP and the other filtering that a router
> > would provide?
> >
> >
> > Thanks
> >
>
> > What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> > wireless router?
> >
>
> > What is the advantage of having a switch in the router vs just a
> > wireless router?
> >
>
> A smart switch applies information in the network traffic so that it knows
> which port and the computer the traffic belongs too, and it doesn't have
to
> send inbound traffic down all the ports to all the computers, until it
> finds the right computer. In other words, the inbound traffic is sent
> directly to the computer it belongs too, instead of the traffic being
> broadcasted to all the ports and computers. Network traffic collision
> occurs when inbound traffic is being sent to a machine that was sending
> outbound traffic, because the computer was not expecting any inbound
> traffic to it at the time. The collision of traffic in that manner slows
> the network down. The smart switch eliminates the issue. A dumb hub has
> this issue of network traffic collision.
>
> http://www.homenethelp.com/web/expla...d-switches.asp
>
> > What is the difference between a WAP and wireless router? Is it that
> > the WAP does not provide DHCP and the other filtering that a router
> > would provide?
> >
>
> Most wireless routers are a combination of wire/wireless connections ---
> the wire/wireless router with 4 ports (wired) and switch.
>
> I'll just say the WAP is not in the league with wireless router as far as
> protection of the network and how many machines can be connected to it 255
> for most routers. And the router can have additional stand alone switches
> or hubs chained together with computers connected to them connected to the
> router. The router is the traffic controller and the gateway device for
all
> machines connected to it to the Internet or the Local Area Network. The
LAN
> part means that the machines connected to the router can share files and
> resources like the printer with all machines connected to the router.
>
> The use of the NAT router in the home environment.
>
> http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp
>
> HTH
>
> Duane
> --
> The protection of the machine is a process and not a given!