Re: How to build a wireless network
tvn <tvn1981@flashmail.com> writes:
> One of my computer is running Debian as the main server, it has 2 nics
> and connected to a hub and cable modem. Its current job is acting as a
> router so other computers in my lan can connect to its hub and share the
> internet connection. Now I want to try wireless, thinking about adding
> an Access Point to that server, just a plain ap because I am quite
> sastified with the performance / settings I currently have. But I have
> no experience on how this is done, I read some quick setup guide and it
> shows that connect this AP to the router and can do all the setup by
> typing in some static ip of the AP.
For my setup at home, I'm running a DHCP server on the "inside" side
of my gateway machine. The 802.11 AP just plugs into my "inside" hub,
gets a DHCP address, and forwards packets between the wired and
wireless networks. I can use the ap-utils/ap-atmel package to talk to
it (in principle[1]).
> So that means I would need another nic to my server to add that AP ?
> Is there any other setup's , softwares I need on Debian for this to
> work ?
You shouldn't need to add another NIC; for me it really does Just Work.
> Also I can use a 802.11G AP , I know the 'G' is not well supported under
> linux yet but it doesn't matter because this is just the AP, not the pc
> card ?
I've had one experience with "802.11g" equipment, and that was having
an 802.11b card fail to talk to a "g" AP. I'd be a little wary of
anything advertised as "g", test it against your clients and make sure
you can return it. But if you're a normal person, this is probably
behind cable modem or DSL; even if you have a T1 to the world, 11
vs. 54 mbps on the inside isn't going to make a whole lot of
difference for getting out.
[1] Good news: I'm good at picking passwords. Bad news: I'm good at
forgetting them, too, and my AP doesn't seem to have a "reset" button.
--
David Maze dmaze@debian.org http://people.debian.org/~dmaze/
"Theoretical politics is interesting. Politicking should be illegal."
-- Abra Mitchell
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