[sclug] confused - wireless access

[John Stumbles]

Darren Davison wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have a small home network wired with a standard ethernet 8-port hub.  My
> ADSL router plugs into the same hub and this also acts as DHCP server.  Now
> I'd like to add wireless capability for my work lappie by plugging a wireless
> access point (I assume?) into the hub.
> 
> My confusion is that most or all of the wireless access point products I look
> at either say they have ADSL/Ethernet capability on board - which I don't
> need, or that they plug directly into the ADSL router - which I don't *think*
> I want.  I want to plug it into the hub.
 >
> A secondary concern is that some of the products say they have installation
> "software" - my guess is it will be 'Doze only, unless it's accessed with a
> browser.
> 
> So, can anyone set me straight on whether any wireless access products [1] can
> be plugged into the hub (not the ADSL router) with cat5 and secondly whether
> there are recommendations that mean I'm not going to need some dopey 'doze box
> to configure it?

[1] You may need an Ethernet crossover cable if the hub doesn't have a 
port which can work either way round (or if that's already in use for 
your ADSL router) but at the Ethernet up to IP levels it should Just 
Work(tm).

[2] dunno

However, do all your home machines directly access the internet (i.e. 
you have multiple 'real' IP addresses) or, if not, how do you do your 
NAT? For a basic home network with one real IP address I'd consider 
getting a one-box ADSL modem/Wireless AP/4-port Ethernet switch combo 
since they do NAT and DHCP in one cheap little box so you're not 
dependent on any particular PC for the connectivity of your other machines.

-- 
John Stumbles