Wireless networking question

[Claude Jones]

On Fri May 25 2007, Kevin J. Cummings wrote:
> Claude, I think what you are looking for is an "access point".  While
> they are designed as a way to merge wired and wireless networks together
> without being a broadband router, they can usually be configured as a
> router over the wireless, or as a bridge over the wireless to connect
> two remote wired networks together.

Actually, after spending some considerable time last night trying to get an 
Access Point to work, and poring through the manual, I found it wouldn't do 
the job. That's what led me on my quest. I did find a few DLink Access Points 
that would come close to what I wanted but they would only work in 
conjunction with other DLink products. The Linksys bridge suggested by 
another poster does exactly what I want. What I found is that most Access 
Points are directional - they want a router connected to their ethernet port, 
not another network. At least from my reading of several manuals last night, 
most Access Points are not easily configurable as bridges. 

Another poster suggested tying the two machines together using a crossover 
cable on a private network; that would probably work. In my original post, I 
neglected to mention that I was also looking to replace one of my current 
wireless adapters - one of them, connected to the PC, keeps losing and 
reconnecting its connection - we've tried many different things to try to 
repair that problem, but I've concluded that the device itself is flaky. It's 
a Microsoft USB wireless nic, and it's always been cranky, so I want to get 
rid of it. 

-- 
Claude Jones
Brunswick, MD, USA