Wireless connection, 2Wire Homeportal, 3 computers

Room "A" includes:
(1) 2Wire Homeportal (broadcasting on 802.11b) - hooked to outside world
via DSL connection
(1) Windows PC, currently connected to 2Wire device via Cat5 ethernet cable


Room "B" includes:

(1) Windows PC
(1) Windows Laptop
(1) Linksys *wired* router (BEFSR81) - both computers in this room are
hooked to this router simply for file sharing (yes, it's overkill - but
it was available)


Question:

If I put a wireless router (such as Linksys BEFW11S4) in Room "B" - and
plug the laptop and PC into this router via ethernet cables - will this
wireless router pick up the 802.11b signal from the 2Wire Homportal and
make the Internet available to Room "B" ---or--- does the WAN port on
the wireless router *have* to be used for incoming data?

TIA

"R.K. McSwain" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:lpGHc.945$(E-Mail Removed).. .
> Room "A" includes:
> (1) 2Wire Homeportal (broadcasting on 802.11b) - hooked to outside world
> via DSL connection
> (1) Windows PC, currently connected to 2Wire device via Cat5 ethernet
cable
>
>
> Room "B" includes:
>
> (1) Windows PC
> (1) Windows Laptop
> (1) Linksys *wired* router (BEFSR81) - both computers in this room are
> hooked to this router simply for file sharing (yes, it's overkill - but
> it was available)
>
>
> Question:
>
> If I put a wireless router (such as Linksys BEFW11S4) in Room "B" - and
> plug the laptop and PC into this router via ethernet cables - will this
> wireless router pick up the 802.11b signal from the 2Wire Homportal and
> make the Internet available to Room "B" ---or--- does the WAN port on
> the wireless router *have* to be used for incoming data?
>
> TIA

You don't have to use the WAN port: without the WAN port your device will
act like an Ethernet switch and an Access Point. The problem is that you're
trying to set up a wireless bridge, and the Linksys won't do that with the
2Wire.

Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.

"Ron Bandes" <RunderscoreBandes @yah00.com> wrote in
newszRHc.2446$(E-Mail Removed) t:

[snip]
>>
>> Question:
>>
>> If I put a wireless router (such as Linksys BEFW11S4) in Room "B" -
>> and plug the laptop and PC into this router via ethernet cables -
>> will this wireless router pick up the 802.11b signal from the 2Wire
>> Homportal and make the Internet available to Room "B" ---or--- does
>> the WAN port on the wireless router *have* to be used for incoming
>> data?
>>
>> TIA
>
> You don't have to use the WAN port: without the WAN port your device
> will act like an Ethernet switch and an Access Point. The problem is
> that you're trying to set up a wireless bridge, and the Linksys won't
> do that with the 2Wire.
>
> Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.
>

To follow Ron's post:

R.K., you can add a wireless bridge to your Linksys WIRED router. Since
you have a Linksys product, I went to their website and saw the specs on
the WAP11. Versions 2.6 and 2.8 have a mode called Access Point Client,
which allows you to bridge your wired network to a wireless access point.
It also has a Wireless Bridge mode, but the specs state that this can be
used only if the other access point is also in Wireless Bridge mode.
Your 2Wire Homeportal is acting as a normal wireless access point, not as
a bridge. Therefore, you'll be using Access Point Client for the WAP11
v2.6 or v2.8. Technically, any 802.11b vendor's bridge will work
(802.11g will work too since it's backward-compatible to 11b, but these
are typically more expensive), as long as that bridge is capable of
communicating with normal access points. HTH!

--
Jago