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Adding new wireless access point - any gotchas?

I have a Netgear WGR614 providing wireless-G access in my house. I would like to add another access point at the other end of the house to improve coverage in some high-traffic areas with poor signal. I have a hardwired connection available to the new access point's location.

My plan is to use another WGR614 with: (1) DHCP turned off; (2) the WAN port empty; (3) a static IP in the original WGR614's subnet; (4) the same SSID and password info on both WGR614s; and (5) different channels for each WGR614

One complication: the new WGR614 would be connected to a 5-port switch. That switch (A Netgear FS605? Maybe a predecessor model?) is connected to the existing WGR614.

I would appreciate feedback on any problems I might expect before purchasing and starting the install.

Reply to
Meano.Culpa
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Hi,

I have quite a number of AP's all throughout and even outside my house.

802.11a for my WLAN blankets the entire house, 802.11g for media with strong "hot spots" in rooms with TV's and stereos, and 802.11b that is open outside through a captive portal. (My house is adjacent to a community park. I let folks use a controlled/filtered pipe for internet. My mindset is that if I want to use an open network while in public somewhere, I should share too.)

One of the AP's is actually a wireless router being run as just an AP exactly as you describe. Works great.

I see no reason why your setup won't work great. That is especially fantastic that you have a wired connection already where you want the second AP to go. Usually, thats not the case. :-) With one of my additional AP's, I'm using a ethernet-wireless bridge before it his the AP because of no wired connections. (And "repeating" is just nasty.)

The switch should be transparent and not present any problems either. Not the same setup as yours, but I have a number of PC's stashed in a closet (running as file and other home "server" type things). Only one has a wireless NIC. All the others get their feed from the PC with the wireless NIC through a switch. Works great...

Cheers, Eric

Reply to
Eric

Oh, yeah, [adding]

Each "additional" AP is also running exactly as you describe: Same bat SSID, same bat WPA, but different bat channel...

My laptops even seamlessly "switch" to the stronger AP as I walk into range. (I.e., DHCP doesn't "re pull" IP's when they switch over.)

Reply to
Eric

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