Hardware Name the hardware

[VashTS]

I'm not sure if this is even made, but I need some network hardware that can take and ethernet in and wirelessly bridge the connection into my wireless network.

For example, I can take my wireless netbook and bridge the ethernet and wirless connection so when a device that has ethernet only (like original xbox or ps2) it can get on my home network. This works great on the netbook, but I don't want to have to hook it up everytime, I would prefer a router type device that does this full time.

Any answers are appreciated. I can only come up with wireless network bridge, but I got no results for it.

 

[Fishaman P]

I have no idea what you just said.

Even a hand-drawn diagram would help.

 

[foxgrey]

I believe your looking for what linksys calls a "gaming adapter" but if I recall they are kinda expensive...

http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Linksys-WGA54G-Wireless-G-Gaming-Adapter/dp/B00009X6DT

 

[reverson1]

What you want is a client bridge. Basically, you take most routers, upgrade the firmware with ddwrt, openwrt, or tomato. Once you do this you can unleash the hidden power of your router. Not every router can work, but most can.

My current setup:
main - buffalo WHR-HP-G300N - ddwrt 14998

client/bridge 1 - linksys wrt54g - ddwrt - (1 pc hardwired to router)
client/bridge 2 - asus rt-n16 tomato - (3 pcs hardwired to router)


DDWRT: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linking_Routers

Tomato: http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

Openwrt: https://openwrt.org/

 

[caster62003]

I'm thinking that what foxgrey and reverson1 are recomending will fit the bill perfectly. They both take in a wireless signal, then using some fancy circutry, they "convert" the wireless signal to a hard wire connection. The gaming adapter contains only one possible ethernet connect, unless if a switch or router is added.

What reverson1 is offering, will end any sort of warrenty contract you may have with the manufacture, and is a bit more involved in getting it functioning, but so long as you get a supported router, and one that many people use, you should have no problem getting it setup and running...eventualy. I personally am using DD-WRT on a Linksys WRT54G, and I have a 360 phat, PS3, Desktop and Notebook computer all connected to it, and it run beautifully, just make sure to set the setting right so that the devices connected to it can see/can be seen by, other devices on the network, if that is something you are interested in.

Otherwise, there are always Ethernet over power adapters, I'll let you do research on those, not everything can be wrapped in a pretty pink ribbon and handed to you.

 

[doyama]

Basically if you want something 'simple but expensive' go with a dedicated device like what foxgrey recommended. If you need more devices behind it, put a cheap switch there and you'll be set.

If you feel 'adventurous' feel fry to try to get a DDWRT/Tomato compatible router and fiddle with getting the bridging to work. This option is much more flexible. Drawbacks are the technical knowhow to get it running. Plus having it in bridged mode means your bandwidth is effectively halved (50% uplink/50%downlink) on that node.