[MLB-WIRELESS] Wireless networking question

[Fenn Bailey]

This whole hub-switch thing was my first thought exactly. Joe, keep in
mind that some dodgy manufacturers advertise "switching hubs" which can
be basically hubs with groups of 4 ports switched (eg: really just a 2
port switch but with 8 or whatever connectors on each side).

Also, if you're just worried about your WLAN light flickering constantly
- I believe the 900ap does this when it's beaconing (always), so you
needn't worry too much (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Cheers,

	Fenn.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-melbwireless at wireless.org.au 
> [mailto:owner-melbwireless at wireless.org.au] On Behalf Of Jason Brice
> Sent: Wednesday, 12 March 2003 8:26 AM
> To: joe.hovel at med.monash.edu.au; melbwireless at wireless.org.au
> Subject: RE: [MLB-WIRELESS] Wireless networking question
> 
> 
> "With an access point connected to a home network switch, I 
> find that _all_ traffic for any of my PCs (even the little 
> printserver) is passed through the access point. "
> 
> Sounds to me link you have your AP connected to a Hub and not 
> a Switch.
> 
> A Switch will only forward frames out of ports associated 
> with the destination MAC address. A Hub floods frames out of 
> all ports all the time. So if you have a switch, you might 
> expect (as you suggest) to keep any frames not destined for 
> the wireless part of your network, off of your AP.
> 
> Of course it gets more complicated if you have a smart switch 
> (Cisco and a bunch of other high end switches)
> What kind of switch do you have?
> 
> ________________________
> jason brice
> senior network engineer
> kiandra system solutions
> level 9, 455 bourke st melbourne vic 3000
> (t) +61 3 9600 1639
> (f) +61 3 9600 1656
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joe Hovel [mailto:joe.hovel at med.monash.edu.au] 
> Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2003 10:52 PM
> To: melbwireless at wireless.org.au
> Subject: [MLB-WIRELESS] Wireless networking question
> 
> 
> I hope someone can answer a technical query for me:
> With an access point connected to a home network switch, I 
> find that _all_ traffic for any of my PCs (even the little 
> printserver) is passed through the access point. I noticed 
> this because the Dlink configuration/monitoring software 
> shows continuously increasing packet numbers, irrespective of 
> where traffic is intended. 
> I guess this stands to reason, because the Dlink AP900 has no 
> routing capacity and is happy to accept whatever traffic the 
> switch sends it. This is not much of an issue here, because 
> this family only ever uses two or three PCs at a time. 
> However, when I put up my antenna and hook the AP into the 
> local wireless group's network, then _all_ my traffic is 
> going to "use up" bandwidth of the community wireless 
> network, isn't it? And presumably so is everyone else's.... 
> Many of the members at Bendigo Wireless have home or SOHO 
> networks - so when they all connect, I'm not really expecting 
> to have much usable bandwidth left.... The only way I can 
> think of preventing this is with (expensive) routers at all 
> nodes, or wireless cards in PCs with routing OS. How is 
> Melbourne Wireless managing this? Surely not everyone has and 
> can afford a router???? Am I missing something here? Cheers, 
> Joe Hovel Bendigo
> 
> 
> To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo at wireless.org.au
> with "unsubscribe melbwireless" in the body of the message
> 
> 
> To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo at wireless.org.au
> with "unsubscribe melbwireless" in the body of the message
> 


To unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo at wireless.org.au
with "unsubscribe melbwireless" in the body of the message