Wireless extender, wireless access point, or a bridge Needed?

I have 3 wired devices that are connected to a network switch. I'm looking to connect each device (or the switch) to a wireless device that can connect to my existing wireless network (A netgear WPA2-AES encrypted wireless router).

I'm not sure if I need a wireless extender, or a wireless access point, or a bridge, but I'm looking for *SOMETHING* that connect the wired devices (or the switch) via RJ45 port(s) to connect to the wireless network?

Reply to
benn
Loading thread data ...

If you're looking to connect all three wired devices at once then consider using a router with a 3rd party firmware like DD-WRT on it. That will let the router run as a wireless client. The router makes the wifi connection to your existing network and provides a wired connection on it's four switch ports. Works great. In your case you'd trade out the existing switch for this router. That's about the simplest option. They do make wired to wifi adapters (often called 'gaming adapters') but they're usually only intended to allow one device at a time on the wired port. You'd have to use three of them, one for each of your devices.

-Bill Kearney

Reply to
Bill Kearney

What Bill said, with one comment. You can buy client adapters and they are not all limited to one client such that you would need three. They are also called wireless ethernet adapters, or ethernet bridges. Check on Newegg for reviews. Typically they are sold as AP/ Client adapters and will do both.

Going back to Bill's recommendation- really that is the simplest approach. Get a Linksys WRT54GL (there are others, check the DD-WRT supported routers list), which will flash to linux most easily and put DD-WRT (linux) on it. Select client mode in the interface. Follow a few more instructions at the DD_WRT wiki and you can then plug all three pcs into it. If you need more, plug your switch into one of it's ports and then into the switch.

Reply to
seaweedsl

I wouldn't mind flashing DDR-WRT (I've also heard Tomato (

formatting link
is pretty good), but the Linksys WRT54GL is more expensive than I was hoping to spend...

For example, a Belkin Wireless G Universal Range Extender (F5D7132) costs less than $40 on ebay, but the WRT54GL is about double!

If a "Range Extender" is what I need, does anyone know if the Belkin Range Extender's 1 RJ45 port can be connected to a swich?

formatting link

Reply to
benn

They can be had rather cheaply off eBay. I've laid in a couple of spares in the event mine die. I can't recall which revs are the best for dd-wrt, I managed to get several rev 1 and 2 units. I think it was rev 5 and up that were problematic. No idea if the latest ones shipping retail are any 'less worse' or not.

Personally, I find the Belkin stuff to be utter garbage. Nothing I've ever had from them was anywhere near as reliable as their competition. Hubs, network devices, cards, feh even their CABLES suck.

-Bill Kearney

Reply to
Bill Kearney

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.