Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (
More info?)
Paul,
As far as the Sweex goes yes you do need to know the remote AP MAC address
(and the local one for that matter).
Think about the security implications - imagine two wireless routers/APs
setup to allow WDS.
If you didn't have to specify which MACs can connect than theoretically any
wireless client ( of whatever type - Router/PC etc.. ) could connect ( Joe
Bloggs from down the street for instance driving past in his van with his
laptop on the dashboard for example )..
Whilst that's a WDS feature I'd actually like to see (allow the user to
choose it if they want) the LC000070 doesn't support it (yet).
I suspect if you worked this one back up to the IETF level (standards body)
that's a deliberate/conscious
decision with security issues in mind. If anyone else reading this uses WDS
in a fashion where they don't have to specify MAC addresses, I'd like to
know.
I'd also like to know what routers support this.
As for your scenario, I'm still not sure you'll actually be able to use WDS
bearing in mind the routers are probably from different manufacturers
(something I've never tried). You'll be taking a chance. How can you be sure
one Vendor's implementation of WDS will be compatible enough with another
Vendor's without testing it ?
It's not your machines that's the point here ( or how they're connected to
your local router - wireless/ethernet that doesn't matter ), it's how WDS
functions - a very specific standard with very specific features
As far as your server query goes - that's just a straight-forward connecting
a box to a router issue - if the server wireless NIC can "see" the router
and the router is setup to allow access you should have no problems - you
could then use NAT/ICS on the server for example (both Windows-(through
ICS/NAT/RRAS)/UNIX variants (Linux blah..blah..) support this) to allow your
local clients to connect through the server box. You've got quite a bit of
choice.
Additionally if you try to go down the WDS route, you'll have additional
issues to worry about
like finding out the SSID/Channel ID of the remote AP, making sure your
local SSID is unique and your Channel ID matches the Channel ID
being used by the remote AP, whether you're going to use encryption etc....
If you'd like my opinion, for your scenario, I'd ditch the WDS approach and
go with the server/wireless NIC approach instead.
Reason ? WDS primarily works best where you are in control of both ends of
the connection - local & remote. If you don't have access to either
end it can be more trouble than it's worth.
HTH
S
"Paul" <paul_joosten.no@spam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dabd6$4321afb6$513b43d8$19790@news.versatel.nl...
> Steve,
>
> Thanks a LOT for your help; I have enough information for now I suppose,
> I'll just try and see how I go. Is it really nescessary to know the remote
> AP info and change settings in it? This might be a problem as it is in
> someone's house who hasn't a clue about it, it is managed remotely by the
> local wireless club and they are very understaffed and not too keen to
> spend time sorting out 'problems' from non-standard users...
>
> I'd think my set would just connect to the remote like any wireless card
> in a laptop, then internally change it for distribution to the connected
> PC. Remember I don not need to connect those wirelessly. One of our
> members also said something about having a 'server' for our event; could
> we just connect that wirelessly to the remote AP and somehow hitch the
> other machines to that server? Would that alleviate the problem?
>
> Paul
> "Steve Berry" <reachnet@hotmail.com> schreef in bericht
> news:bdgUe.2471$Q%2.617@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
>> Hi Paul,
>>
>> Came across your post whilst Googling "Sweex" for something else -
>> thought I'd try and do my Good Samaritan deed for the day.
>> I can't speak for your SMC2804WBRP-G but with the Sweex LC000070 ( with
>> the default firmware R1.97d7a ) you can definetly do it.
>> I've got that setup at home - two Sweex LC000070's one acting as a WDS
>> (Wireless Distribution Service) bridge to the external router attached to
>> the Cable Modem. I had to buy two because the transmission strength of
>> the Sweex is abysmal - paradoxically at home that's actually good - stops
>> the neigbours accessing it.
>> Anyhowz, I digress. I'll get to your issue but FYI the Sweex LC000070
>> interface is almost identical to a USR 8003 and Sweex (previously inexq)
>> won't release
>> their source code to the routers (running Linux - embedded probably) even
>> though they are under the GPL. Draw your own conclusions from that.
>> Somewhat fishy...
>> Anywayz, to your problem - basically ere's how the scenario applied to
>> me - take the bits applicable to you.
>> Scenario:
>>
>> Client PCs ( x however many you have ) <----> Internal Router (Bridge)
>> <----> External Router <----> Cable Modem
>>
>> Long onto the Internal Router - by default
http://192.168.123.254
>> 1-Click the Basic\Wireless link.
>> 2-Click the "WDS Setting" button.
>> 3-Select "Enable" for "Wireless Bridging"
>> 4-Enter the MAC address of the router you want to bridge to ( be aware on
>> some LC000070s the wrong mac address is stamped on the bottom of them
>> this is true for both of mine ) You can verify what mac addresses you
>> should be entering by downloading NetStunbler and running that on the
>> clients.
>> The MAC addresses it reports are the ones you need. Click Save/reboot the
>> router.
>> 5-From the Basic\Wireless screen click the "MAC Address Control" button.
>> 6-Disable Connection/Association/MAC Address control ( initially anyway -
>> you can re-enable them later after hopefully getting the basic connection
>> to work ).
>> Save/reboot.
>> 8-From the "Basic\DHCP Server" menu make sure you disable DHCP - that's
>> important - won't work otherwise.
>> 7-Set up the remote AP in a simlar fashion ( obviously you'll need to
>> consult it's docs ) but make sure DHCP is enabled on this one
>>
>> You obviously may have further issues to deal with ( for me having two
>> identical routers made it a little easier ).
>> You may also find Googling "Wireless Distribution Service" helps - most
>> of the big name routers already have this functionalitry and life being
>> life the little
>> guys (Sweex in this case) have nicked the functionality.
>>
>> HTH
>>
>> Rgds, S
>>
>> "Paul" <paul_joosten.no@spam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:6ff4d$4320473d$513b43d8$10020@news.versatel.nl...
>>> We need to connect a group of PC's to a free-to-use local WiFi Hotspot.
>>> This
>>> is the setup:
>>>
>>> WWW-[Hotspot]ant...radio path...ant.[my w'less router]- wired to local
>>> PC's
>>>
>>> The radio link is not the problem, the signal is quite strong. I just
>>> don't
>>> know how to make the my router connect to the public hotspot and
>>> distribute
>>> internet access to the local computers. I already have 2 wireless
>>> broadband
>>> routers, a SMC2804WBRP-G and a Sweex LC000070. From an earlier post I
>>> understand I need a Bridge and in the manuals of neither of the two can
>>> I
>>> find any reference they can be used as such. Is there some way I could
>>> still
>>> use this equipment, load different firmware perhaps?
>>>
>>> If not, what is the best way to go, what else would I need? Any cheap
>>> solutions?
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
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