Planning for a
Wireless Network
 877-422-1907
By Eric
Meyer
While planning for your wireless network you might be
asking what is the difference between a router and an
access point. You need to think of a router as more of a
server because it performs many functions like a server.
An access point only provides a portal for wireless
client to connect to your existing LAN.
Routers can perform many
functions. Routers can connect many different WLANs
together acting like a traffic cop. Routers also act as
a DHCP server. A DHCP server assigns dynamic IP address
to your computer every time your computer starts up. If
you don’t have a DHCP server then you will have to
assign each computer on your network a permanent IP
address.
As I have said before your
router can also act like a traffic cop. You can use a
router to perform port forwarding to certain computers
on your LAN. For example you can direct all internet
traffic looking for your game server’s port number to a
specific computer on your LAN.
The ability to connect multiple
computers to the internet is one of the main features of
a router. The router is assigned one WAN IP address from
your ISP. This IP address is called a public IP address
that everyone on the internet can see. Because you have
multiple computers connected to your router the router
uses a protocol called NAT {Network address translation}
NAT will assign the computers that are behind your
routers IP address, private IP addresses. NAT acts as a
firewall because computers on the internet cannot in
theory even see your computers. They will only see the
IP address of your router. NAT does block traffic from
reaching your computers but it will not block Trojans
from going out to the internet. That is why I do
recommend installing a firewall on your LAN computers.
The role of an access point on a
LAN is to give the wireless user a door way to enter.
The more people that enter the door at the same time the
slower they will go. 802.11b access points say they will
give you a through put rate of 11mps but the actual rate
is around 5MPS. 802.11g has a rating of 54mbps with an
actual through put of 20mbps. The access points do have
most of the same security features as a router such as
WEP, WPA, 8021x and TKPI but they will not have the
traffic cop functions like a router. Also the access
points will not have NAT which would add an unnecessary
layer to your network. To keep it simple access points
just simulate plugging in your laptop to a port in the
wall and that’s it.A router is used on the border of you
network to act as a traffic cop deciding who can come in
and blocking those you want to keep out.
Eric "The Wireless Ninja" Meyer
is an expert in Wirless Networking and a fan of Cheesy
Kung Fu Movies. You can view other Wireless Networking
articles at
http://www.wirelessninja.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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