Topic: connecting to SME server from wireless Network

[funfrock]

i just change my network to wireless and now i cant conect to my sme server from the workstations using wireless please help!!

[brianr]

You really will need to give us more information - what is your network topology, which mode is the server (server or server and gateway?), etc.  

Actually it is very unlikely that your inablilty to connect is in any way related to the smeserver.

[stiperstones]

This is how i have set up my local wireless connection may give you some ideas   

Code: [Select]

     
               |
ADSL modem (in bridge mode
|
SME Server in Server gateway
mode 2 network cards
|
internal lan hub (8 port)
--------|  |-------------
|                           |
wired network DLINK DWL-2000AP+        
(192.168.1.x Wireless access Point
       DHCP address from
       from sme 192.168.1.5
       this will serve DHCP
       addresses from sme in
       network range 192.168.1.x
       to stop anyone just connecting
       through your network you need
       in put the mac address from your
       wireless card in the wireless
       access point and use wep encription
       of your choice.


[brianr]

looks as though you are running DHCP in the Wireless Access point.  It should just pass DHCP requests back to the SMEserver.  just disable the DHCP in the WAP.

[stiperstones]

looks as though you are running DHCP in the Wireless Access point.  It should just pass DHCP requests back to the SMEserver.  just disable the DHCP in the WAP.

yes brian thats exactly what happens but the wired side of the wireless access point is given the same ip address via DHCP from the server to enable you to access the config pages of the w.a.point so you can quickly add mac addresses to the allowed machines.

it' a quick way to set up wireless in bed & breakfast and public houses that want give access to customers at a fixed price for daily use and people staying longer.

[brianr]

It might appear to be a "quick" way, but generally the DHCP in a WAP will not allow you to configure it so that it gives out the DNS, WINS and Gateway (all of which must be the SMEServer NOT the WAP).

I am not sure why you need to plug in the MAC address, you can use the WEP key to control who can use the system, I have recently done a hotel just this way.

[idp_qbn]

You ***really*** should turn off DHCP on the WAP. Let the smeserver handle it. No buts, just do it.

Give your WAP a static IP in the range of your GREEN network.

Use WEP if you must, but WPA-PSK is better for security. (similar to WEP but you can use a pass-phrase using more than just hexadecimal)

If you are truly paranoid, add MAC Address control as well.

You can then control access by either changing the key (WEP) or passphrase (WPA) or by removing the MAC address.

Cheers
Ian

[stiperstones]

In reply to brianr
if you read the manual to the dlink2000AP+ under the home lan config page
you can have the lan collect its own ip through dhcp so the sme server gives it a usable name and address ie wireless.x.x from the sme server using the add hostname.

Then on the wireless side of the on wap the dlink2000AP+ disable the wireless side from supplying DHCP to the wireless network to give access you need to use the mac address and wep key to join the network side.
Then the connecting machine receive a network address directly from the
sme server in the dhcp range that is set up on the sme server.

On the mac address side i use the mac address of the joining machine so the wep key does  not have to be changed on a daily basis so to stop access just remove the mac address to the user having access. if you use just key encription it means that every one that is
staying will have to request the new key.

In reply to idp_qbn
the reason i use wep incription is because i have not quite perfected getting a linux machines to be able to use the both keys yet on fedora mandriva gentoo and suse i did manage to get ubunta to do it once but very difficult.
The way i have it configured currently the linux macine i are using is connecting to the wireless conection.side of my network on a HP Pavilion dv2058 running fedora core 5 and writing to this forum

Side note
actually there are 2 dlink2000AP+ wap adapters in my network the other one connects to
another dlink2000AP+ via 2 high gain sat dishes to my parents home to give them broadband
access.

[idp_qbn]

Have you seen what can be done to extend the range of WAPs? See the "Pringle Tin Antenna" http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

Cheers
idp_qbn

[cactus]

Have you seen what can be done to extend the range of WAPs? See the "Pringle Tin Antenna" http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

Cheers
idp_qbn

And there are a lot more, as this one is from the O'Reilly's Wireless Hacks.