[MLB-WIRELESS] Dedicated AP hardware vs PC + card

Jay Fajardo jfajardo at digitelone.com
Fri Oct 26 13:01:44 EST 2001


First time to actively post here...

My opinion is that both approaches have advantages and disadvantages.

A PC + card approach, depending on the card, would be more flexible to
antenna modifications. It would also give you more flexibility on the OS
and the software which may be important if network
authentication/security is an issue. And if you put it on a self-built
desktop, it would be definitely cheaper loaded with IP routing software.

An AP though most definitely reduces the "mucking about" factor. But
from my experience with a DWL1000AP, antenna mods are difficult since
it's got an internal diversity antenna which is fixed. You'd have to
fool around with the main board and the solders are unmanageably tiny.
The external flexible antenna though can be yanked out revealing a TNC
socket. An external antenna is definitely a must as the signal is very
weak.

But tha package is small and light and I believe can run 24x7. I'm wary
though about the power adaptro which really heats up. A PC would have
some kind of fan but consume more power.

I'm tempted to get a Linksys Wap11 which boasts of a stronger antenna
pair and perhaps a higher power output.

It is next to impossible though to get equipment here in Manila quickly
as the local dists make the AP's very expensive.

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Joe.Parry at nt.gov.au [mailto:Joe.Parry at nt.gov.au] 
|Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 9:23 AM
|To: melbwireless at melbwireless.dyndns.org
|Subject: [MLB-WIRELESS] Dedicated AP hardware vs PC + card
|
|
|
|
|Opinions time:
|
|What is better, getting a dedicated piece of hardware for an 
|Access point (Apple
|Airport?) or setting up a PC (In this case, an old digital 
|laptop picked up from auction (260$, wot a bargain!) with a 
|wireless card + normal network card in the PCMCIA slots).
|
|Price is not really an issue, but as my node will be the 
|centre of a star topography type wireless LAN, the thing will 
|have to be running 24/7 and be reliable so Im thinking that a  
|wireless router would be better than a PC (Less muckin around 
|with installing and maintain linux/windoze software, less 
|sadness when lighting strikes cooks what's on the end of the 
|wire). I must admit Im tempted to buy a wireless router for 
|the 'toy' value alone.
|
|So, whose had experience with wireless routers? What have you 
|got and how hard was it to plonk an antenna on it? Was it 
|worth the extra  bucks? Am I correct in calling these things 
|wireless routers? :)
|
|Cheers
|
|Joe Parry
|
|PS: Saw this on Toms Hardware
|(http://www4.tomshardware.com/technews/technews-20011024.html#0
|621)  Does anyone know if these products are available in Aus? 
|The Wireless Cable/DSL Router looks most tasty.
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|   Belkin Puts Out Five New Wireless Networking Gadgets        
|                                   
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|                                   
|        Wireless  home  networking, despite its price tag, 
|lets you hook up all of your computing 
|        devices  without  the negative effect that punching 
|holes in walls and running cables can 
|        produce  in  your  landlord.  Belkin's efforts to keep 
|you from getting evicted include a 
|        slew  of new 802.11b-compliant wireless devices that 
|will begin shipping in North America 
|        next  month. Belkin says its line of products offers 
|11Mbps data transfer rates, data and 
|        network  security with 64/128-bit WEP data encryption, 
|and its own Belkin SOHO Networking 
|        Software. The Belkin 11Mbps Wireless Access Point, 
|priced at $179.99, gives you a command 
|        point for hooking up your devices. The Belkin 11Mbps 
|Wireless Cable/DSL Router, priced at 
|        $229.99,  has  an  integrated  3-port  10/100 Base-T 
|Ethernet switch and an NAT firewall. 
|        Features  include  IP-Sec pass-thru, to let you use 
|Virtual Private Networking (VPN), and 
|        DMZ hosting, which lets you place computers outside of 
|the firewall for online gaming and 
|        the  like.  The  Belkin  11Mbps  Wireless Universal 
|Serial Bus (USB) Adapter, which costs 
|        $99.99,  lets  you  hook  computers  up  to the 
|network without cracking open the case or 
|        wasting  a  PCI slot. Last but not least, Belkin is 
|pitching two add-in cards: the Belkin 
|        11Mbps  Wireless  Notebook  Card  ($99.99)  for 
|notebook computers, and the Belkin 11Mbps 
|        Wireless  Desktop  PCI  Network Adapter Card ($39.99). 
|While I'm generally against cutesy 
|        names for computer products, such utilitarian product 
|names seem a tad uncreative.        
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