Japlabot Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 I've done a bit of searching on google/neowin, but I can't work out something: What is the difference between a Wireless Router and Wireless Access Point? What I want to do is get a PCI wireless adapter, which connects to the Wireless Router / Wireless Access Point, which would connect to my hard wired Router using CAT5e that's connected to my Cable Modem. thanks, QR Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 (edited) wireless router is a router + ap can be used as a wireless router or just a ap:) i have wrt54g(wireless router) i love mine:) Edited November 17, 2003 by gerald410 Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376442 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted November 17, 2003 Author Share Posted November 17, 2003 gerald410 said: wireless router is a ap plus a switch if that helps:) thanks, I thaught so but wasn't sure Do you think an AP would be sufficiant for my needs(as described above) or should I go the whole router? :ninja: PS: Welcome to Neowin Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376452 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 a ap would do the trick if cost is similiar i would go with router http://www.dslreports.com/forum/wlan is a excellent site for wireless questions:) thx for welcome daily read for years lol never posted before:) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376460 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAcOdIn Veteran Posted November 17, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 17, 2003 Yeah an AP would work but I'd personally get a router to replace your current one. Less to troubleshoot, less cables, less power plugs taken, and just less space overall. Most wireless routers will have standard ethernet ports as well so you could still run cable to your non wifi stuff. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376468 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted November 17, 2003 Author Share Posted November 17, 2003 hmm in looking at the linksys and d-link product lines... what's this "dual-band"? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376469 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Here it goes.... AP is only an access point where you plug in your modem to your AP. It DOESNT HAVE any port except the modem port. A wireless router is combination between 4 port ethernet router + ethernet point. What you want to get is a Wireless Router. You can get a wireless router for $20 (Dlink DI-614+, it's a really great router :) ). Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376472 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 you want to handle this 1 mac:) dual band can be a/g or b/g like mine:) dlink is 20 bucks wow 802.11 b? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376474 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Quick Reply said: hmm in looking at the linksys and d-link product lines... what's this "dual-band"? There three types of standards. A, B and G standard. The B standard is the most used standard nowadays because it's cheap, it's broadly used. A B standard can goes up to 11mbps. The newest standard is the G standard that can go up to 54mbps. The only difference is just the max speed. Dual band can mean two things. 1. A G standard that can go up to 54mbps will be able to go backward compatible with the B standard (11mbps). So, if you have a B standard card, you can use it with a G standard wireless router or AP. 2. Or, if it's a B standard wireless router, it can go back to the A standard. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376479 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAcOdIn Veteran Posted November 17, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 17, 2003 Dual band depends on what model's you're looking at. Some claim there routers are dual band because 802.11G also can work with 802.11B so they call it dual band so they can add another sticker on the box and make thier product look better. But some Wireless routers can also do B+G OR A(which is incompatible with B or G) so that truly is dual band. Personally I think there's no need for A, almost nothing uses it, it has a shorter range than B and G, is incompatible with B and G(say if you got a 802.11A card for your laptop it would work on your router but probably no where else), and adds to the price. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376481 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted November 17, 2003 Author Share Posted November 17, 2003 mipra said: Here it goes....AP is only an access point where you plug in your modem to your AP. It DOESNT HAVE any port except the modem port. A wireless router is combination between 4 port ethernet router + ethernet point. What you want to get is a Wireless Router. You can get a wireless router for $20 (Dlink DI-614+, it's a really great router :) ). can i plug my existing router into an AP and the modem into the Router instead? I sense a motion towards Wireless Router, but out here in Oz, these kindof things arn't just $20, so I want to make sure that I can get something that has a reasonable price while doing the simple job of connecting my room computer to the rest of the home network without needing professional installation to hardwire a cable from one room to another, especially since I'm probably going to move the comp to different places in the house, and plan on buying a laptop in the next few years Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376488 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 the ap would hook into router using 1 port(lan) wan port would be unchanged:) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376498 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAcOdIn Veteran Posted November 17, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 17, 2003 If you want an access point it'd look like this. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Modem ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Router ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Comp1 ? ? ?Comp2 ? ? ? Wireless AP /|\ wireless stuff Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376503 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 what equipment are you using mac? i stand corrected:) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376506 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Quick Reply said: mipra said: Here it goes....AP is only an access point where you plug in your modem to your AP. It DOESNT HAVE any port except the modem port. A wireless router is combination between 4 port ethernet router + ethernet point. What you want to get is a Wireless Router. You can get a wireless router for $20 (Dlink DI-614+, it's a really great router :) ). can i plug my existing router into an AP and the modem into the Router instead? I sense a motion towards Wireless Router, but out here in Oz, these kindof things arn't just $20, so I want to make sure that I can get something that has a reasonable price while doing the simple job of connecting my room computer to the rest of the home network without needing professional installation to hardwire a cable from one room to another, especially since I'm probably going to move the comp to different places in the house, and plan on buying a laptop in the next few years You can...there are just some configurations you need to do :) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376507 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 mAcOdIn said: If you want an access point it'd look like this. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Modem ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Router ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Comp1 ? ? ?Comp2 ? ? ? Wireless AP ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/|\ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?wireless stuff There you go.....that's the diagram to hook on your ap to your wireless router. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376509 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted November 17, 2003 Author Share Posted November 17, 2003 mAcOdIn said: If you want an access point it'd look like this. well that's the plan except for more like Modem | Router / | \ / | \ Comp1 Comp2 Wireless AP \ \ Comp3 connected to it edit:// mipra beat me to that ;) Quote the ap would hook into router using 1 port(lan) wan port would be unchanged:) lol well now that you mention it, I currently have a 4 port router, and since I have a couple of laptops that belong to school(they ain't wireless :( ), I'm running out of ethernet ports on it rapidly. maybe i could do with a wireless router after all :p I think I have enough info to consider a few products, (802.11g w/o dual-band AP is in mind), should I consider any other brands other than d-link and linksys? (i want an estabilished brand because i've had problems with cheap brands before, and i want something that most computer shops would sell) thanks again, QR Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376523 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAcOdIn Veteran Posted November 17, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 17, 2003 gerald410 said: what equipment are you using mac? Well right now just one pc and a 56k modem :( But I have a linksys wrt54g wireless router two pc's one wired(room mates) the other with a linksys wmp 54g pci card, a ps2 and xbox, wired unfortunately, but eventually I'll get the on wireless they just rape you on the price for those adapters. I don't have it hooked up now because I just got out of the army and dont have broadband yet where I'm at now. But Quick Reply wireless is awesome so much more convenient. It was so nice to not have any cables stretching everywhere. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376525 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 where as im quite satisfied with my linksys equipment sr41 and wrt54g products you might want to visit http://www.dslreports.com/forums/18 (hardware forum)to get a heads up on what you might want:) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376536 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAcOdIn Veteran Posted November 17, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 17, 2003 Quick Reply if your running out of ports on your router you could buy an access point and a switch seperately if they're cheaper than buying a wireless router. A lot of times two routers do not play very well together when you try and put them on the same network. For instance I have a smc barricude router that can not work behind any router at all because it has no option to disable the router part. Now my Linksys wrt54g in theory should work because in the set up there's an option to set it to bridge mode which will basically make it a wireless switch and it should work if I plugged it into another router but I never tries that feature and it may not work. So you could try something like this: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? Modem ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?Router ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? / ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? | ? ? ? ? ? ? ?| ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ??Switch ? ? ? ? ? PC1 ? ? ? ? ? PC2 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Wireless AP ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/ ? ?| ? ? ? | ? ? \ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? /|\ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? PC3 PC4 ?PC5 ? PC6 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Wireless stuff ? ? ? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376548 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 i hear ya mac i love my wrt54g 2 computer network 1g(wmp54g) and 1b(wusb11):) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376550 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Quick Reply, if you want to find a place to start researching...www.dslreports.com are just a great place to start from Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376555 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 2 routers can work dhcp turned off on 1 and might have to change lan addy on 1 if they are the same:)only reason i havent is my sr41 wan is not 10/100 like wrt54g so its cuts down my speed(9mbs down) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376561 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald410 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 dont go router mode mac go lan to lan port to bypass nat:)ie keep dhcp on smc lan to lan wrt (turn of dchp)if routers share same addy change 1:) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376562 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipra Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 gerald410 said: 2 routers can work dhcp turned off on 1 and might have to change lan addy on 1 if they are the same:)only reason i havent is my sr41 wan is not 10/100 like wrt54g so its cuts down my speed(9mbs down) dude...i think u need to rephrase your words..i can hardly understand those.. :D Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/116523-wireless-router-vs-wireless-access-point/#findComment-1376567 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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