Access Point as an Adapter

BlazingGeek · 05-19-2008, 04:09 PM

I have an old crappy computer running Linux that I would like to connect to the internet. It is nowhere near my router and cant really be moved near to it. I could do a crap load of research and find out what wireless adapters would work with it but then I thought: I have an old wireless access point and several old Ethernet routers just gathering dust. Surely there is some way to rig them up to give my Linux machine internet access through its Ethernet card? Any thoughts??

johnhook · 05-20-2008, 02:01 AM

BlazingGeek,

A Wireless Access Point is a wireless device that connects to a physical Ethernet connection on a broadband router or modem which extends the broadband access to WiFi devices. You can't just physically connect a PC to a WAP and turn it into a WiFi NIC.

If you have wired broadband and Ethernet on your PC - connect your PC to the wired broadband router/modem via CAT5/6 cable. If you have a WiFi router/modem, you'll need to buy a WiFi adapter for your PC.

AVOID any NIC that uses USB on your PC - as USB network adapters are nothing but trouble.

Sorry - but you can't make a WAP into a WiFi adapter.

- John

**stressfreesoul** · 05-20-2008, 06:12 AM

Which Distro of Linux is it? I may be able to help in finding drivers for any existing wireless adaptors you may have.

BlazingGeek · 05-20-2008, 11:11 AM

The wireless adapter is a Linksys wusb11v4 which is supposed to be hard to use with Linux. As for the distro I currently have Xubuntu installed but I don't keep anything important on there anyway so I have no problem with switching to whatever distro the drivers might be available for.

johnhook · 05-20-2008, 01:00 PM

BlazingGeek,

I would avoid USB network (wireless or otherwise) adapters completely - Windows, Linux or whatever. You can setup USB WiFi adapters on Linux, but in involves installing another driver layer called an NDIS WRAPPER.

You can get a decent PCI Wireless adapter in the $30 - $80 range.

- John

05-19-2008, 04:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
BlazingGeek Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 78 OS: Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Access Point as an Adapter I have an old crappy computer running Linux that I would like to connect to the internet. It is nowhere near my router and cant really be moved near to it. I could do a crap load of research and find out what wireless adapters would work with it but then I thought: I have an old wireless access point and several old Ethernet routers just gathering dust. Surely there is some way to rig them up to give my Linux machine internet access through its Ethernet card? Any thoughts?? __________________ "Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed." Richard Rahl, Master of D'Hara Last edited by BlazingGeek; 05-19-2008 at 04:11 PM.

05-20-2008, 02:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnhook Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 810 OS: MS SBS 2003 SP2	Re: Access Point as an Adapter BlazingGeek, A Wireless Access Point is a wireless device that connects to a physical Ethernet connection on a broadband router or modem which extends the broadband access to WiFi devices. You can't just physically connect a PC to a WAP and turn it into a WiFi NIC. If you have wired broadband and Ethernet on your PC - connect your PC to the wired broadband router/modem via CAT5/6 cable. If you have a WiFi router/modem, you'll need to buy a WiFi adapter for your PC. AVOID any NIC that uses USB on your PC - as USB network adapters are nothing but trouble. Sorry - but you can't make a WAP into a WiFi adapter. - John

05-20-2008, 06:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
stressfreesoul Semi-Absent (life, eh?) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: County Durham UK Posts: 1,852 OS: XP, Win7 RC x64, Ubuntu x64 multiboot My System Blog Entries: 7	Re: Access Point as an Adapter Which Distro of Linux is it? I may be able to help in finding drivers for any existing wireless adaptors you may have. __________________ TSF Folding@Home, find out how to do your bit in the fight against Cancer "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut" xbox Live tag: storiedmedal Warning!! GTA IV addict! Join my game at your peril!

05-20-2008, 11:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
BlazingGeek Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 78 OS: Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: Access Point as an Adapter The wireless adapter is a Linksys wusb11v4 which is supposed to be hard to use with Linux. As for the distro I currently have Xubuntu installed but I don't keep anything important on there anyway so I have no problem with switching to whatever distro the drivers might be available for. __________________ "Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed." Richard Rahl, Master of D'Hara

05-20-2008, 01:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
johnhook Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 810 OS: MS SBS 2003 SP2	Re: Access Point as an Adapter BlazingGeek, I would avoid USB network (wireless or otherwise) adapters completely - Windows, Linux or whatever. You can setup USB WiFi adapters on Linux, but in involves installing another driver layer called an NDIS WRAPPER. You can get a decent PCI Wireless adapter in the $30 - $80 range. - John