home router / wireless question

[freshbreath]

I have a traditional wired router which I plug my laptop into
my laptop has wireless capability though, is there something available that I buy and plug into one of the ports of the router so I can connect to it with my laptop without the network cable, without having to go out and buy a whole new (wireless) router?

 

[El_Cid]

Nope.
you need a wir
eless access point.. but you can connect IT into one of the ports in your already existing wired router. Set the wireless access point not to distribute any IP addresses (your already existing router can keep doing that) then you can have the best of both worlds, a wired access point for desktops and a wireless network for your laptops. Just make sure you set some kind of security on your wireless network. Look for devices that support WPA or WPA2 security as WEP is really lame and obsolete.

Also make sure your wireless device support B/G wireless traffic.

 

[SilentLeviathan]

I suppose you could by a wireless bridge, but for the cost of that or a WAP you might as well by a new wireless router.

 

[freshbreath]

thanks guys
I checked out some of the big name online shops and there don't seem to be many WAPs, but I see them in the no frills computer shop sites

 

[MarkII]

Go to Fuuture shop or Best buy and look for a wireless router.

You plug the wireless router into your modem from Bell or Rogers.

Then with the setup software...you configure your settings as per the instructions. It's not very difficult at all.

Then you're wireless to your laptop. The wireless router will still let you plug the computer directly into the modem if need be.

linksys, Belkin and others make excellent products.

Good luck

 

[micheljrc]

I bought a Linksys Wireless-G router with speed booster for approx. $109 with a $35 rebate about a month ago... works great.. can't complain but you don't really need the speedbooster and you can get the regular one for about $69 I think - but shop around.

 

[freshbreath]

can you use a wireless router as just a wireless access point and not a router?

like I said in my first post (which MarkII didn't seem to read at all?) I don't need another router, just a wireless bridge or access point to my existing router

 

[samcan]

Read the 2nd post again. To have a wireless access point you need a wireless router.

can you use a wireless router as just a wireless access point and not a router?



Yes you can but you will need to set the wired one as the router
to wireless one.
Why not just invest in wireless, picked one up at future shop for 59 with 30 dollar rebate, but I also bought a laptop.

 

[freshbreath]

as long as I can use a wireless router as JUST a wireless access point and not a router, I think I'll be fine then, if indeed that's possible
the problem is that actual wireless access points are extremely expensive, moreso than wireless routers

also I can't throw away my current wired router since it's pretty big and handles quite a few machines
I don't want to have to buy wireless adapters for all those machines if I just invest in a new router

and wireless bridges seem to be just to allow non-wired devices to see a wireless network, not the other way around

 

[MarkII]

FB...i did read your first post, replace the router with a wireless router.

Adding an access point is more for cafe's etc that need accounts to log in.

The wireless routers are cheap and they all offer very easy install and privacy options that are quite easy to setup. You don't need to be a IT person to do it!

Adding a bridge to an existing router is problematic as the router needs to come from your existing standalone PC to your laptop to function. The computer that accepts the internet connectio would need to be on 24/7 for you to have laptop access when you want it.

However, if you replace your router with a wirless wireless router to be the bridge between your modem and your computers you solve the problem easily and inexpensively. You would have wireless without the desktop PC being on and can link direct to the router from the desktop PC for fast 10/100 linkage.

Again..I advise you to buy a wireless router that is designed to connect to your Bell or Rogers Modem. They will explain it in store at any location you choose to buy from.

M2

 

[Cassini]

Usually, as MarkII said, you are best getting a wireless router to do all the wired and wireless routing and to replace your existing router.

If the issue is that you have an existing 8-port (or more) router, you problably want to replace it with a switch. Connect all the wired PCs on the network to the new switch. A good switch is faster at Ethernet traffic than the inexpensive switches inside the router. A switch can be connected to the new wireless router by connecting the uplink port on the switch to the LAN port on the Wireless router.

It is possible to use two wireless routers togethor in configurations like what you are discussing. The configuration and complexities are confusing. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a bored network professional who is looking to do something quick and dirty at home.

 

[Larry_Fyne]

I had a similar situation in that I already had a wired network in place and wanted to add wireless. So, I bought the Linksys WAP54G Wireless Access Point and connected it to one of my switch's ports.

 

[MarkII]

Larry,

Did that mean that you could run the internet connection from the modem to the bridge or did you have to leave the computer hooked to the modem on all the time?

 

[Cobster]

Get a wireless router kit, they're fairly cheap now.
D-link has a kit with router and wireless USB stick (recommend that) as you can move the stick around for better signal strength.
Get the kit, get rid of whatever router you have now, no big deal.
Someone will buy it for $20 easy.

 

[Larry_Fyne]

Larry,

Did that mean that you could run the internet connection from the modem to the bridge or did you have to leave the computer hooked to the modem on all the time?

My network looks like this:

HighSpeed dmarc <-----> DSL Modem <-------> Linksys BEFSR41 DSL Router (4 port) <------> 8 port switch <-------> Linksys WAP54G W.A.P.

So, the router handles DHCP, and the connection to the xDSL. One of the ports of the router is connected to the WAP and it is configured to pass DHCP requests to the router and it basically serves as the wireless access to the network. Notebooks, PDAs and wireless desktops can attach to the WAP (provided they have the WEP code and I have added their MAC to the list).

Imagine the WAP as just another device hanging off your router already.

While agree with the people here that have said to buy a wireless router, if you already have the wired infrastructure in place and have a wired router, just adding the WAP is a good solution. You can also add multiple WAPs to extend the network.