6. Case 6

Case 6) Wireless Repeater

If you want to connect two wired LANs via a wireless link and support wireless clients on both ends, things can get complicated. But first we'll show you how to extend the range of your wireless LAN through wireless repeating.

Figure 6 - WLAN extension via wireless repeating

Using Access Points that include wireless repeating capability (such as the Intel PRO/Wireless 2011) is the simplest way to extend a WLAN without having to connect the remote APs via Ethernet. The main problem is that products that include wireless repeating capability are too expensive ($500 and up) for most consumers, especially when you have to buy two! Note that this setup doesn't also provide bridging capability to a wired LAN. For that, you need to get a little more creative. Fortunately, you can take advantage of the bridging features in consumer priced ($120-$130) Access Points to get what you need. Case 7 has the details.

Updated July 2003
Note: Some of the newer 802.11g access points and wireless routers support Wireless Distribution System (WDS) bridging at prices that are much more consumer-friendly. Examples include BuffaloTechnology's WBRG54 router and Belkin's F5D7130 Access Point.