Topic: 802.11 LAN in ad-hoc mode?

[rickjones]

Some advice from WiFi experts would be appreciated.

I'm soon going to have to convert my LAN to all-wireless (moving to rented house, can't install permanent cables).

Will this work simply by using ad-hoc mode, without an access point? SME is obviously the gateway, so can I just replace the eth. NIC with a WiFi one, and same on all PCs, and have it all "just work"?

The kosher way is clearly to connect an access point to the SME box, but as there's nothing else on the wired LAN is there any benefit?

I haven't set up a full WiFi LAN before, so I don't want to trip over any "gotchas". Come to that, does SME support any 802.11 PCI NICs, and if so, which ones?

TIA

[smeghead]

Hi Rick

Best option is to connect an access point to the NIC in the SME & then use that to provide access to the w/s's.  Enable WEP etc for security.  I use Netgear stuff due to ease of implementation between their AP's & NIC's

BTW - the USB nics are very good if you want to leave all your systems basically untouched

[rickjones]

Thanks smeghead (he says, trying to avoid Lister impersonation   )

After a bit more digging I decided that would be the best way to go. Wireless NIC support in Linux, SME especially, seems limited, so rather than spend my life trying to get one to work I thought an AP might be simpler.

I've now sourced some 11g+ (108mbps) kit at good prices, the AP is actually a router, but cheaper than buying a simple AP! I'll just use it's AP and hub functionality and ignore the router part.

Cheers

[mocco]

Hi Rick

Best option is to connect an access point to the NIC in the SME & then use that to provide access to the w/s's.  Enable WEP etc for security.  I use Netgear stuff due to ease of implementation between their AP's & NIC's

BTW - the USB nics are very good if you want to leave all your systems basically untouched

Hi smeghead
I just purchased a used Netgear ME102 AP and hooked it into the hub in my wired network.I am using SME as my router.I have it working with my wireless laptop without encryption at the moment because I can't see through how to get the WEP side of it working. Could you explain how you got your Netgear working with WEP enabled?
TIA

[smeghead]

This model is very basic and has few niceties for management; its only 802.11b, only does 64bit WEP, and the performance (range & speed) drops 40-60% with WEP enabled.

Get one of the newer units like a WG602 if poss, particularly if your gonna use it with a more recent Netgear NIC like a WAG511.

If not see:  http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/ME102.asp

there are some useful articles that talk about setting up WEP.

HTH

[mocco]

This model is very basic and has few niceties for management; its only 802.11b, only does 64bit WEP, and the performance (range & speed) drops 40-60% with WEP enabled.

Get one of the newer units like a WG602 if poss, particularly if your gonna use it with a more recent Netgear NIC like a WAG511.

If not see:  http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/ME102.asp

there are some useful articles that talk about setting up WEP.

HTH

Yes I saw those articles already and I understand that WEP is easily broken and affects performance.
I will have to decide when to purchase a unit that supports WPA.
Thanks for your reply

mocco

[ryan]

Belkin and Linksys sell AC to ethernet Bridges.  This allows the AC wires to become your LAN.  Operates with or without encryption.  One bridge (around $60 each) needed for every network PC or device.

It may be worth your time to research it.

ryan