[wplug] wireless routers

[Michael Skowvron]

You cannot connect two inexpensive/home wireless routers together. These 
devices only support funtioning as an Access Point and cannot perform 
the Client association at the same time. A few expensive commercial 
products can do this and they are sold as wireless repeaters.

To make the link between the two apartments you can use the new Linksys 
product WET-11. This device is an "Ethernet Bridge" and performs as a 
"Client by associating to an access point and providing a standard 
ethernet which will support up to 50 devices. So, one apartement would 
would have both the WET-11 and their own AP/Router.

You will have to co-ordinate your IP numbering and DHCP services. If you 
bridge two networks together and they both have routers, it is possible 
that each router will respond to DHCP requests causing chaos. If the 
bridge will always be '"up" then you can turn off DHCP in one apartment 
and statically configure those machines to point to their local router.

Another option would be to add yet another router. The Linksys routers 
can also function as "normal" routers and not do NAT. You could connect 
one of these routers to the WET11 and route across to the other network.

   Internet<-wireless router->LAN1<-gateway router->WET11 ... <remote AP>
                           192.168.0.x                        192.168.1.x

Static route on LAN1 machines for 192.168.1.x network via gateway router.

The WET11 costs about $130.

Sounds like a fun project. The signal might not penetrate the walls, 
though, so you might have to place the AP and WET11 in windows and try 
to get the singal their "outside"

Michael





John 'el asesino del pollo' Harrold wrote:

> hey.
> 
> i am looking for information about connecting two routers between
> apartments. i know linksys has wireless routers, and i'm kinda under the
> impression that they will only let you connect wireless nic's to them.
> 
> i was wondering if it is possible to connect two wireless routers together
> (via their wireless link), or if there is a type of specialized hardware
> that would be required. also what would be required to connect two normal
> routers together? 
> 
> we would have to go through 4 rather thin walls and about 20 feet.
> 
>