Multiple 802.11 Router access points?

[Mike Adams]

I have a cable modem connected through an SMC 7008ABR Barricade wired (i.e.,
NOT wireless) router/firewall. One of the CAT-5 connections from that router
runs up to my second floor. I would like to install an 802.11b (or possibly g)
access point on the second floor. Can I just connect an 802.11 AP/Router to
one of my CAT-5 connection points there? Specifically, is there any problem
having two routers on the same network in my home? Since each of them will
have DHCP servers in them, will there be any problem there?

I have a rather large home (9000+ sq-ft), is there any problem installing
multiple 802.11 AP/routers at various locations in my home to provide
continuous coverage, or will their signals interfere with each other?

[John C]

Mike,

I use a NetGear wired router on my 1st floor, and than connected a wireless
router to one of the free points with no problems at all. MY wife and I use
2 Desktops (Wired) 2 Laptops (Wired/Wireless), and my Jornada PDA is
wireless. No problems at all with connections or download transfer speeds.
Just make sure that your computers are configured properly.

--
John Chino
Washington D.C. Support Specialist
Sirius Radio
www.sirius.com

"Mike Adams" <madams14...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:G4GdnRSP9d7...@giganews.com...

[Alan Beagley]

I was reading some online documents about the Linksys Wireless-G
products just a couple of days ago. If I understood it correctly, one
would use a WAP (not router) to connect to the existing system that
already includes a router: the WAP bridges between the wired and
wireless networks. One can also use multiple WAPs, but each must be on a
different channel (IIRC, 10 channels are available).

-=-
Alan

[Alan Beagley]

Having reread the docs., I see that (a) 11 channels are available , and
(b) the WAPs can be on the same channel as long as they are far enough
apart.

-=-
Alan

[nunyo]

As a matter of course, you should only ever have one router per subnet. You
will lose a little performance doing what you're suggesting, but at the
speed of a DSL or Cable modem, it won't matter.

It shouldn't be a problem accessing the internet with both routers/NAT
firewalls engaged, but accessing the other computers on your network would
be a problem. The wired computers won't see the wireless at all, if that
matters.

I don't see why you want to retain the hard wired router, unless perhaps
your WAP/router doesn't have enough wired ports. Unless your second floor
has some physical signal barrier like tile floors or rebar, etc. I'd just
replace the wired with the wireless. My laptop works fine upstairs. If you
really need both, I'd just deactivate both the NAT firewall and DHCP in the
WAP and use it as a wireless hub.

As far as multiple WAPs, you're better off with piggy back signal boosters
(amplifiers) or wireless repeaters. Repeaters take a signal in on one
channel and send it back out on another. Some wireless devices don't
support channel searching with WEP encryption engaged, so make sure before
you buy.

And by all means, change the default password on the WAP, turn on WEP, and
come up with a WEP encryption key that isn't easy to guess. It's really
best if you change keys every 4 hours, but who does that? I wrote a VB
script that does it with a random text string pulled off the system clock
(but it's considered proprietary by my company so I can't give it out).
(After 5 hours of heavy traffic, WEP can be broken by any 12 year old who's
recording your packets.)

Nunyo.

"Mike Adams" <madams14...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:G4GdnRSP9d7...@giganews.com...

[Barry Watzman]

What you want to install is not a wireless router but a Wireless access
point, and you would just connect it to one of the ports on the wired
router.

It is possible to use multiple access points, but I've never done it.
This is exactly how large office buildings, airports, etc. are set up.

[Barry Watzman]

Re: "One can also use multiple WAPs, but each must be on a different

channel (IIRC, 10 channels are available)."

That's not entirely true. It's like a cell-phone network. Adjacent
WAPs must be on different channels, but WAPs that are in the same
network but far enough apart not to interfere with each other can
"reuse" the same channel. That's how very large buildings and places
like airports are set up, and it works very much like the cell-phone
network. Once the WAPs are 1000 to 2000 feet apart (or more), you can
reuse a channel. WAPs closer than about 600 feet to each other should
not use the same channel.

[Mike Adams]

On 3-Mar-2003, Barry Watzman <Wat...@neo.rr.com> wrote:

> What you want to install is not a wireless router but a Wireless access
> point, and you would just connect it to one of the ports on the wired
> router.

Thank you for your reply. That's what I suspected. I assume a Wireless access
point is simpler and doesn't have NAT and DHCP built into it. correct?

> It is possible to use multiple access points, but I've never done it.
> This is exactly how large office buildings, airports, etc. are set up.

OK, good. I understand that you can/should select different channels for each
of the wireless access points -- correct?

[bumtracks]

typical access point will have dhcp with enable/disable options
up to three of em work pretty simple together --- heres a dlink manual
clip....
~~~
Load Balancing: Allow several DWL-1000AP+'s with the same group name to
share
the wireless network traffic. We recommend an optimal number of three
DWL-1000AP+'s
in close proximity because there are 3 non-overlapping channels (as
specified by the
802.11b standard.) After selecting this option, you will be prompted to
enter a Group
Name. All the APs that share Load Balancing must have the same Group Name
and
the same SSID. Assign each Access Point a different non-overlapping channel
(e.g.,
1, 6, 11).
~~~