Wireless (802.11) website?

[Michael Hipp]

On Tuesday 09 July 2002 07:54 am, Net Llama! wrote:
> On Mon, 8 Jul 2002, David A. Bandel wrote:
> > On Mon, 08 Jul 2002 20:12:14 -0700
> >
> > begin  "Net Llama!" <netllama at linux-sxs.org> spewed forth:
> > > i guess i'm showing my ignorance.  so a base-station/access-point is
> > > basically an embedded device that doesn't need an OS based driver to
> > > work?
> > >
> > > i guess i need "wireless for dumbies", cause i don't fully understand
> > > how it all comes together.
> >
> > commercial "access points" cannot be used as anything but that, they
> > can't be used as Master or Repeater stations.  It has to do with
> > proprietary code in the cards, and the big boys don't want anyone to
> > muck with their gravy trains.
> >
> > In a linux box, however, a wireless card in ad-hoc mode is basically an
> > ethernet card.  You do need to understand radio signals and how they
> > work, fresnell zones, and more, but that's not hard either.
> >
> > Tell me what you need, I'll give you more than you've ever wanted to
> > know.
>
> OK, what i attempted to diagram in my previous email was, that i'm
> getting DSL activated this Friday at home.  My grand plan (excluding the
> WiFi
> stuff) is to run a Freesco box box that has 2 NICs, one plugged directly
> into the DSL router that the DSL provider gives me, and then the other
> plugged into a 10 port hub (yes, i know switches are better, but this is
> all i have on hand, and all i can afford right now).  I've got 2 linux
> boxes that my wife & I use, plus 2 laptops (also linux).  everything is a
> static (10.x.x.x) IP, and will have the Freesco box as its gateway to the
> internet.
>
> Now my vision for wireless is to get 1 or 2 wireless cards for the
> laptops, and a base-station/access-point.  Plug the access-point into the
> hub, point it to the Freesco box as the gateway (as i'm already doing),
> and then get the laptops online anywhere in my house.
>
> So, is this possible, or am i completely misunderstanding what wireless
> can do for me?

You got it right. Just find wireless NICs that you can get working under 
Linux. The base-station could care less that the router and wireless 
clients are running Linux or anything else.