Wireless networking, without a wireless router..

[sad69]

I guess I'm a little bit bored, and I also don't have anyone to talk to with any kind of technical expertise; however, I just had a thought: (this may already be done or have been thought of and rejected, but...)

What if there was a device that could accept an ethernet input, and broadcast that signal wirelessly. Then there would be a corresponding receiver as a network card of some kind, that would receive the signal.

In this way, you don't need a wireless router, but you have a regular router that can control that single IP associated with that ethernet cable.

What advantages/disadvantages are there of this? Does this create more security risks or would it reduce the wireless risks companies are facing today?

I don't know why I thought of it, but I thought someone would care to bash my idea regardless..

Have a nice weekend all,
Sadiq.

[Unit]

Your ethernet to wireless device just sounds like a wireless router :).. Isn't that what wireless routers do?

Seriously though, what kind of conversion are you talking about... some kind of modulation that would convert ethernet signals on cable to wireless signals? How are you going to uniquely identify the receiver and sender if there are more than two of these? would you device a new addressing system for those? a new protocol? Well, in that case, its all done for you including encryption in the wireless router. There is a great chance that any custom implementations suffer from serious security risks considering that they are not standardized and not been looked at by a wider audience.

[oracleguy]

They already have that, you can take two wireless cards and create an ad-hoc network that works just like using a crossover cable between two machines, it does not require an access point.

[Spookster]

They already have that, you can take two wireless cards and create an ad-hoc network that works just like using a crossover cable between two machines, it does not require an access point.

Now that would be way cool. Where is there more information on that?

[oracleguy]

Well, I've never tried it, I only have one wireless network card on my centrino notebook but if you go in Windows XP under the available wireless connections on your wireless connection and hit advanced and then I think add it lets you specify an ad-hoc network. And from what I've heard, you can set up network with say 3 machines together using one, it isn't limited to just two machines. But as you can imagine the range is supposidly limited.

Here is an article on it: http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/1451421

[Spookster]

Well, I've never tried it, I only have one wireless network card on my centrino notebook but if you go in Windows XP under the available wireless connections on your wireless connection and hit advanced and then I think add it lets you specify an ad-hoc network. And from what I've heard, you can set up network with say 3 machines together using one, it isn't limited to just two machines. But as you can imagine the range is supposidly limited.

Here is an article on it: http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/1451421

Thanks :thumbsup:

[scroots]

i can see the device being pictured like a usb to wireless adapter, but plugs into a cat5 socket. I could so one of these being built actually, i might build a prototype of come up with a design as i had a similair idea, but i would need to get a bit of info on wireless standards and stuff, but it could be done.

I will look into it and give it some thought, if i can get some money together i will try and get a prototype made.


scroots

[kwhubby]

Um there already are these devices LOL :p http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=36&prid=602
They are kind of expensive compared to the cards and such (about 80$ at radio shack) but ive personally used them and they work great, they are able to function just as a normal card and can do adhoc style or access point. Great for bridging networks between houses.