ZyXEL WAP3205 Wireless N Access Point w/ Multiple SSID, $34.24 (after $10 MIR) at Buy.com w/FS

Here is the link, check it out!!

Latest Wireless N Technology Enhances Performance and Coverage
The ZyXEL WAP3205 brings you a faster wireless connection than the existing 11g networks. With a data transfer rate of up to 300Mbps*, which is 6 times faster than 11g, you can enjoy high-speed network connection and high-definition video streaming no matter where you are at home, and better yet, it also works with your existing 802.11b and 802.11g network.

Easy to Expand Your Network Wirelessly
Some wired devices such as modems, set-top boxes, digital media adapters and storage devices might not be natively wireless capable. In order to connect these without additional wiring, driver installation or configuration, just plug the Ethernet cable into the WAP3205 and connect to another wired device to get connected wirelessly.

Extend Wireless Network Coverage with Any Existing AP
With the built-in Universal Repeater mode, the WAP3205 can work as a wireless client to connect any existing access points, and simultaneously performs as an access point to provide wireless connectivity to all other wireless devices such as notebooks. In other words, WAP3205 can extend the wireless coverage to the entire home premise and enable all wireless devices to link to the existing network – this is especially helpful for larger home environments.

Multiple SSID for different access privileges
The ZyXEL WAP3205 can allow different groups of users to access different networks through the multiple SSID support. Instead of supporting only one type of application, users can assign different policies and functions to each SSID, and thus increase the flexibility and efficiency of the network infrastructure. For example, users can assign two sets of policies to two SSIDs: one for private access and the other for guest or public access; when the guests connect to the wireless network, they can't connect to network storage devices or other private wireless devices under a pre-defined SSID security policy. The WAP3205 makes it easy to deploy one wireless network while fulfilling various requirements of security and privacy.

One-touch WPS button for easy wireless security setup
Equipped with a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) push button, the WAP3205 makes establishing a secure wireless network easy. The WPS takes only a few seconds to set up a secure wireless network without any complicated procedures. Instead of entering a pass phrase, users can authenticate a new device on the network by pressing a single button or by entering an automatically generated PIN code. With the button option, users could even setup the wireless configuration and encryption with just a simple click.

would be great if it could run DD-WRT. it's not listed on the DD-WRT web site

bmobrien said: can someone explain to me the difference between an AP and a router.

An access point just takes wireless traffic and puts it on the network. (Like a hub).

A router does more sophisticated things like assign IP addresses.

Most "wireless routers" are a router + wired switch + wireless access point all rolled into one piece of hardware.

Although I'm sure someone will start saying "blah blah blah routers don't have to assign IPs, etc" this at the most basic understanding is what it is.

You can often turn off the routing capabilities of wireless routers and use it as an access point.

Maybe this graphic will help.

http://www.home-network-help.com/images/wireless-router-as-acces...

In this setup, the user is using a router to handle network traffic to and from the WAN (Wide Area Network -- eg. "outside world").

Then they are using the "wireless router" as an access point. They might have routing capabilities enabled or not.

If routing is enabled on the wireless router, then the wireless laptops will probably have a different set of ips (let's say 192.168.2.xxx) whereas the wired network computers will have 192.168.1.xxx ip addresses. If routing is disabled on the wireless router, the router will just translate wireless signals onto the wired network, act like a hub and let the main router handle all address translations.

So if routing is disabled on the wireless router, it is acting as an AP, and the router is assigning IPs through the AP?

If i were to get a wireless N AP, would i benefit from the additional speed if i only had a wireless G router, but was using the AP to provide the wireless traffic, and the wireless router was simply assigning IPs?

Thanks for the info.

bmobrien said: So if routing is disabled on the wireless router, it is acting as an AP, and the router is assigning IPs through the AP?

Not sure what you mean

bmobrien said: If i were to get a wireless N AP, would i benefit from the additional speed if i only had a wireless G router, but was using the AP to provide the wireless traffic, and the wireless router was simply assigning IPs?

No, this would not be a benefit. It would still connect to the router a G speeds.

dr4stic said: the question is how does this thing compare to a full-fledged router, say one of the rosewills on Newegg. I've been looking for something with gig-E on the back and good ratings that didn't cost $100 or more... The routers on Newegg are otherwise about the same price as this, can be turned into AP's one way or the other, and have user ratings so I can tell what problems people are running into...

Has anyone used this thing before?

This thing won't do gigabit ethernet. This peticular model has some unique features not on some other units, such as multiple SSID's and the ability to act as a client and a repeater at the same time. I haven't used this model before, but have used quite a few Zyxels and have founf them to be very good. Typically, Zyxel stuff is "small business" quality and a "home consumer" quality like many netgear/linksys etc type routers.

This must be connected to a router (via the included Ethernet cable). It provides multiple SSID's so, to wireless devices, it looks like multiple access points (but sharing your one internet connection). You would want this, for example, if you have your home/business network that includes wireless, and have another access point that is separate from your network. This would be good for guests, for example, to get on the internet without having access to your network.

Can this be used for traffic shaping? I want to give unlimited BW to the users connected to the encrypted SSID and limit the BW (say max 20kbps) for the guest traffic on a unencrypted SSID. Thanks!

Would this device let me "borrow" someone elses open wireless internet access and rebroadcast it for my house?

avhokie said: bmobrien said: can someone explain to me the difference between an AP and a router.

You know how your wireless router has a bunch of wired ports on it? So that you use some things wirelessly (like your laptop) and some things wired (like your desktop)? Think of an access point (AP) as a way to add more wired ports to your router, but to do it in a different location without the need for a wire between router and AP.

You will still need at least one router in your environment if you want more than one device connected to the internet. An AP cannot do that by itself.

Isn't that a Wireless Bridge, not an AP? I have an AP connected to my wireless router with a 100' long Ethernet cable and the AP provides an alternate SSID so wireless devices on the far side of my home can log into the AP instead of trying to access the distant w/l router. I also have a Wireless Bridge in my garage with a remote music client plugged into it via Ethernet cable to access my network.

By the way both of these devices are Zyxel P-330W's. It looks like the WAP3205 in the OP's note provides similar functionality to a Wireless Bridge, but they now call it "Wireless Client Mode."

cheers.

AP mode: turn off upnp,dhcp,give it a static ip out of the dhcp range (other router) either don't use WAN (or move it to lan VLAN) plug in cable to other router lan to lan port. done.
client ap: if supported, you just direct it to join a network (neighbors with permission), and the LAN ports should function
WDS bridging: works but wastes a ton of bandwidth with a single channel modem.
mesh: google open mesh you can setup a huge neighborhood on the cheaps.

DD-WRT can do most all of that

sree1014 said: Thanks for all the info, please help me confirm if this work for the specific need I have

I have a Wireless Router Connected in Room 1.
I want to connect a non wireless desktop in Room 2, without extending any wire from room 1 to room 2.

Will this product help?

As long as both the router and the AP support the same bridging protocol, then yes.

This image answers my questions.. Thanks for the response and link

GnatGoSplat said: sree1014 said: avhokie said: As long as both the router and the AP support the same bridging protocol, then yes.

Router is the standard ATT DSL 2wire modem+router.. How do I find the bridging protocol for it?

You would use it as an AP Client (sometimes called Client Bridge). The bridging protocol is irrelevant in that mode because in AP Client mode, the AP will connect to another AP (or router) as a client device the same way a PCI, USB, or built-in wireless device would.

Bridging protocols and compatibility are a concern with WDS Bridging which is not what you would want to do for your application.

I wonder if the range on this thing will be as good as my X-550 XtremeMIMO?

But in that case, he'd have to have 2 APs, not 1 AP and a router. Of course it's a given that 2 of these APs could connect without worry of bridging protocol

avhokie said: GnatGoSplat said: sree1014 said: avhokie said: As long as both the router and the AP support the same bridging protocol, then yes.

Router is the standard ATT DSL 2wire modem+router.. How do I find the bridging protocol for it?

You would use it as an AP Client (sometimes called Client Bridge). The bridging protocol is irrelevant in that mode because in AP Client mode, the AP will connect to another AP (or router) as a client device the same way a PCI, USB, or built-in wireless device would.

Bridging protocols and compatibility are a concern with WDS Bridging which is not what you would want to do for your application.

I wonder if the range on this thing will be as good as my X-550 XtremeMIMO?

But in that case, he'd have to have 2 APs, not 1 AP and a router. Of course it's a given that 2 of these APs could connect without worry of bridging protocol

No, not exactly. It would be 1 AP/router and 1 client. AP Client isn't acting as an AP, it's acting as a "client to another AP". Some people call this mode a "wireless bridge" or "client bridge", but it is NOT the same thing as WDS Bridge which is where protocols and compatibility are a concern. The AP Client mode I'm describing on this particular AP is simply called "Client Mode". It should be compatible with pretty much every existing Wifi network as a client.

meh.. 2.4ghz only..

SpatulaCity said: Would this device let me "borrow" someone elses open wireless internet access and rebroadcast it for my house?

Yeah. Probably. Not that I'm saying that this would be ethical or anything, but, yeah, it would probably work.

sree1014 said: Thanks for all the info, please help me confirm if this work for the specific need I have

I have a Wireless Router Connected in Room 1.
I want to connect a non wireless desktop in Room 2, without extending any wire from room 1 to room 2.

Will this product help?

Yes, it should. I can be used like one of those gizmos you can use to hook an Xbox to a wireless network through the ethernet port.

However, wouldn't it just be alot easier to get a cheap (and smaller) USB wireless dongle for the PC?

I have used in the past two Buffalo Routers with DD-WRT and they worked then suddenly they stopped working, I sold both of them and went to wired Ethernet over power line and the speed is miserable. I have Netgear WNR3500 as router and after reading this thread thought I should buy WAP3205 but I do have Asus WL-520G also, can Asus WL-520g can work like AP Client my WL-520g has DD-WRT on it. I know the deal died but I can buy this again when it comes back.

bmobrien said: If i were to get a wireless N AP, would i benefit from the additional speed if i only had a wireless G router, but was using the AP to provide the wireless traffic, and the wireless router was simply assigning IPs?

No, this would not be a benefit. It would still connect to the router a G speeds.

This is incorrect. Assuming the wireless G router has a 10/100 switch, as is standard on almost all such devices, the wireless N AP would be "fed" from one of the 10/100 switch ports. This means the G wireless and its associated "slow" data rates would be completely bypassed: 10/100 switch in the G router would feed the 150 meg N AP via Ethernet cable.
Draft-N offers real-world data rates of 100-150 megs per second according to many research papers published in the past year. That beats real-world wired rates of about 40 megs and certainly blows G out of the water.

I have the following setup and want to confiure with Zyxel 3205 to expand the wireless singal,

ADSL Modem<---wired--->Buffalo Wireless Router with WDS(Master)<--wireless-->Buffalo WLess Router with WDS (Slave)<--Wireless-->Laptops Works fine.

Now i want to extend the wireless singal one more level after the Slave router, i.e Get the wireless singal from either Master or Slave onto Zyxel 3205 as a Client and repeate the Wireless Singal to other laptops

ADSL Modem<---wired--->Buffalo Wireless Router with WDS(Master)<--wireless-->Buffalo WLess Router with WDS (Slave)<--Wireless-->Zyxel 3205 as a Client and AP to other wireless devices around it<---wireless-->Netbooks

Will my Netbook get the IP address from Master Router (Only DHCP in the network) and access internet via the ADSL? Someone, Please confirm.