[TriLUG] Wireless Access Points/Routers

[Bill Vinson]

On Friday, January 11, 2002, at 07:27  AM, Kevin - The Alchemist - 
Sonney wrote:

> On Fri, 2002-01-11 at 04:10, Bill Vinson wrote:
>> dependable and able to handle a workload.  Some reviews I have read
>> refer to problems with large files and since I tend to work with ISOs
>> then that could be a problem.  I have a feeling my uses will mirror the
>> general TriLUG users :)
>
> Well, except you use that IBook thing. *grin*

It's running Mac OS X so UNIX rules apply :)  If it helps all my other 
machines except my wife's run Linux or OpenBSD :)

>> 1.	Linux/Mac compatible (Usually if Linux compatible then it will work
>> with Macs too)
>> 2.	Reliable.  No regular power cycling required
>> 3.	Don't care about WEP, just MAC filtering as I will use ssh and ssl
>> probably
>> 4.	Available under $200 (WAP should be much less, wireless router
>> could go up to $200)
>
> OK, From what I've seen, the LinkSys will do all of this. And it comes
> highly recommended from everyone I know who has used it.

How is it recommended as far as a secure firewall when compared to Linux 
or OpenBSD?

> I absolutely adore the Apple Airport Hub, and as soon as we're in a
> slightly better place with our personal $$, I plan on replacing the one
> I have to give back to webZ with a used one from eBay.

They are just over priced, but this is Apple we're talking about.

> Option 2, and one I'm going to experiment with, is to add a pcmcia->pci
> card to one of your PCs, and put an 802.11b card into that, and use a
> desktop machine as the WAP. Costs less than an AP, although hardware
> support can be tricky. Requires knowledge of IPTables (or IPChains). If
> this works, I can use the desktop as a WAP until I can afford a new
> Airport Hub, and when I get the hub, I can turn around and move the card
> to another desktop machine in the house.
>
> Anyway, HTH, YMMV, etc, etc *grin*

Thinking about trying this with my old P120 laptop with one Linksys 
Ethernet PCMCIA and maybe a Linksys WPC11 PCMCIA Wireless card.  Or 
maybe some other card.  I don't worry about the necessary knowledge or 
IPChains.  What kind of range do you think could be achieved without an 
external antenna?

Thanks,
Bill

-------------------------------
Bill Vinson
<billvinson at nc.rr.com>