Routers with Client Mode/Wireless Access Points

[aodtech]

Access points are becoming more popular. Sometimes they are cheaper than having new wiring done to accomidate a location of a copier. I keep one in my car if I ever need one, but sometimes I use it and need one right after that call. If you go to Best Buy or Staples, you're not going to find a Wireless Access Point for under $70. And WAPs are always more expensive than a standard Wireless Router. However, I have found some Routers that have the Client Mode capability and are much much cheaper than an actual Wireless Access Point. I'm trying to compile a list for everybody so you're not overspending.

Out of the box, these can receive a wireless signal and distribute it through the LAN port:

iMicro NT-IM2402 - Standard size, with 4 LAN ports - $12.99
Micro Center - iMicro NT-IM2402 150Mbps Wireless N Broadband Router NT-IM2402

Tenda W150M - Small, portable with 1 LAN port, can be powered by USB - $24.99
Micro Center - Tenda W150M Wireless N Portable Wireless Router W150M

Also there is DD-WRT firmware which works on a number of routers, the cheapest being the D-Link DIR-601/615 both refurb $19.99 at Micro Center
Supported Devices - DD-WRT Wiki
Micro Center - D-Link DIR-601 Wireless N150 Router - Refurbished DIR-601/RE
Micro Center - D-Link DIR-615 Wireless N Router - Refurbished DIR-615/RE

Obviously, all of these are from Micro Center. If you have one in your area, go there. That place is awesome, especially for a technie nerd like myself.

I have successfully tested all of the above routers and they work great as a Wireless Client. If anybody have any other routers that operate in this manner, please share and I will add to the list. Thanks.

[TheOwl]

Netgear WNCE2001

You can power these from a USB port on your copier and are simple to setup. If you don't have a USB port available on your machine, then they also come with a power supply.

[JR2ALTA]

Isn't it true that you can't scan via the access point, only print?

[blackcat4866]

I've always used Cisco WET610 and could scan and print, no problems.
http://homestore.cisco.eu/store/cisc...oryID.57097900
=^..^=

[TheOwl]

Isn't it true that you can't scan via the access point, only print?

Think of wireless as a media convertor. It changes wired to wireless and vice versa.

You should be able to do anything that you can normally do on a wired network on a wireless network as well. I have had any issues with wireless networks.

[Hansoon]

Mike, a colleague of us in another board and an outstanding tech, once answered my related question as follows:

QUESTION: Any good reason not to use a WLAN router to connect, hardwired to that router, a MFP to a wireless LAN?
What is otherwise the advantage of a Wireless Bridge?

ANSWER: A wireless router and a wireless bridge perform two distinctly different functions.

Wireless Router:
A Wireless Router is actually two devices combined in one: A Router, and a Wireless Access Point. You can achieve the same function as a Wireless Router, by connecting a Wireless Access Point to a standard (wired) Router. The reason Wireless Routers have become so commonplace and popular (and cheap!) is that for most small networks, it's got everything you need in one box. A router, to share your WAN access, and a wireless access point to enable wireless connectivity.

Wireless Bridge:
In networking terms, a Bridge is simply a device for connecting multiple network segments at the data link layer. The traffic is managed, rather than just rebroadcast to adjacent network segments. A switch is basically a multi-port bridge. More commonly, a Bridge is, in plain English, "a device used to connect one type of network to another." Token Ring to Ethernet, 10BASE2 coaxial to 10BASET, twisted pair to fiber optic, and so on... including wireless 802.11a/b/g/n to your standard (802.3) 10/100/1000 Ethernet.

As to why it is undesirable to use a wireless router in your situation (connecting a wired device to a wireless network) instead of a wireless bridge, most consumer-level wireless routers don't have provisions to operate as an bridge. Trying to use two wireless routers to talk directly to each other is like two people going "Tennis, anyone?" over and over, and neither accepting the other's offer. It's not a perfect analogy, but think of wireless routers (and wireless access points) as transmitters, and wireless cards (in PCs and other devices) as receivers. It takes one of each to have a conversation. Two wireless routers (or access points) can't have a conversation, and two wireless computers or printers can't have a conversation, at least not while still remaining part of the larger network. (Yes, I'm aware of ad-hoc mode, but that is an entirely separate topic not relevant to the point at hand.)

Your Wireless Bridge kind of acts as a go-between, acting as a sort of interpreter, with a wireless card ("receiver") on one end, and a regular wired connection on the other. A sort of wired to wireless adapter, if you will.

So, while with perhaps certain models of wireless routers, specialized firmware and configuration and a lot of elbow grease, you could theoretically use a wireless router (or access point) in place of a bridge, it's unlikely that it would work totally as desired; this is exactly the job that a wireless bridge is designed to do. Also, perhaps the more important reason for using a wireless bridge here is that you're using the right tool for the job. A year or more from now when you need to troubleshoot a network issue, or even more important, when someone else follows after you, it will be easier to figure out what's going on if you have the proper device installed, not something MacGyvered together to work in a pinch.

(Now, having said all that, it is quite possible to use a wireless router as a sort of ghetto wireless access point, in order to provide wireless capability to an otherwise wired-only LAN, but that is another conversation.)

Thanks again Mike.

Hans

[JR2ALTA]

Sorry. Is this true with Wireless Print Servers as well? That is what I thought couldn't scan..but I am happy to be wrong.

[blackcat4866]

Sorry. Is this true with Wireless Print Servers as well? That is what I thought couldn't scan..but I am happy to be wrong.

You are correct. The wireless print server can only print. =^..^=

[nmfaxman]

I prefer wireless gaming adapters. They are easy to set up, they don't broadcast as an AP, they are cheaper, smaller, and are designed for 1 static IP to talk to the router.