Trivial Q about wireless bridging

[cliveb]

Can anyone confirm for me something that I'm fairly certain I already know the answer to....

A Squeezebox or Transporter can be used to provide a bridge into a wireless network for non-wireless devices. But can it be used the other way around, ie. act as a wireless access point? I'm assuming that it can't, but just wanted to make absolutely sure.

[ceejay]

You're right, it won't work as an access point.

[Ramage]

Have a look at this thread http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31850

which has a lot of info on the capabilities of SB as a wireless bridge.

[peter]

cliveb wrote:
> Can anyone confirm for me something that I'm fairly certain I already
> know the answer to....
>
> A Squeezebox or Transporter can be used to provide a bridge into a
> wireless network for non-wireless devices. But can it be used the other
> way around, ie. act as a wireless access point? I'm assuming that it
> can't, but just wanted to make absolutely sure.
>

It can, but only in ad-hoc mode, which means you can use it with one
wireless client.

Regards,
Peter

[cliveb]

cliveb wrote:
> Can anyone confirm for me something that I'm fairly certain I already
> know the answer to....
>
> A Squeezebox or Transporter can be used to provide a bridge into a
> wireless network for non-wireless devices. But can it be used the other
> way around, ie. act as a wireless access point? I'm assuming that it
> can't, but just wanted to make absolutely sure.
>

It can, but only in ad-hoc mode, which means you can use it with one wireless client.

Now this is very interesting. I have just one wireless device (a laptop). At the moment, I've got an old 11b WAP that only supports WEP encryption. So maybe I could press the Transporter into service as a WPA-capable 11g "access point" instead.

The problem is that as far as I can tell, you can only switch on wireless bridging when the Transporter is connected to a wireless network. How does one switch on bridging when it's connected via ethernet?

[seanadams]

Now this is very interesting. I have just one wireless device (a laptop). At the moment, I've got an old 11b WAP that only supports WEP encryption. So maybe I could press the Transporter into service as a WPA-capable 11g "access point" instead.

Yes you can. Note that this is a different mode of operation for 802.11 called "ad-hoc" (peer to peer) and explicity does NOT involve an access point.

The problem is that as far as I can tell, you can only switch on wireless bridging when the Transporter is connected to a wireless network. How does one switch on bridging when it's connected via ethernet?

By definition, if you are bridging it means you are connected to _both_ interfaces. This was one of the key points made in that other thread - that the firmware doesn't have any notion of which interface is the "primary" one, and will automatically figure out whatever topology you have.

Our setup menu will ask you if you want to turn on bridging when you choose to connect wirelessly, and the Squeezebox detects that you also have the ethernet port connected.

The Squeezebox will not ask you if you want ad-hoc or normal mode. It will automatically try both. However, on the PC side you probably have to explicitly tell it to use ad-hoc. You will need to manually enter the same SSID on both sides.

[cliveb]

By definition, if you are bridging it means you are connected to _both_ interfaces. This was one of the key points made in that other thread - that the firmware doesn't have any notion of which interface is the "primary" one, and will automatically figure out whatever topology you have.

Our setup menu will ask you if you want to turn on bridging when you choose to connect wirelessly, and the Squeezebox detects that you also have the ethernet port connected.

The Squeezebox will not ask you if you want ad-hoc or normal mode. It will automatically try both. However, on the PC side you probably have to explicitly tell it to use ad-hoc. You will need to manually enter the same SSID on both sides.

Just to make sure I've got this right: Even though I plan to connect the Transporter to SlimServer via the wired ethernet connection, during networking setup I have to select "connect to a wireless network" rather than "connect to an ethernet network". Is that right? But I don't have a wireless network to connect to: the idea is to use the Transporter to establish an ad-hoc wireless link to the laptop.

I've played about a fair bit, and as far as I can make out, the option to switch on wireless bridging is only offered when you go through "connect to a wireless network" during network setup. But without a wireless network in place, you can't ever complete the network setup.

I must be being dense here. What am I missing? Is it that the laptop needs to be switched on with its wireless connection active, in ad-hoc mode, BEFORE the Transporter wireless network setup can proceed?

[Mitch Harding]

>From what I read of this thread, I think you hit the nail on the head in the
last paragraph. When you are doing setup on the Transporter you need to
make sure the laptop is ready to go for adhoc, so that the Transporter is
able to connect to it.

On 2/2/07, cliveb <cliveb.2le92n1170447001 (AT) no-mx (DOT) forums.slimdevices.com>
wrote:
>
>
> seanadams;176890 Wrote:
> > By definition, if you are bridging it means you are connected to _both_
> > interfaces. This was one of the key points made in that other thread -
> > that the firmware doesn't have any notion of which interface is the
> > "primary" one, and will automatically figure out whatever topology you
> > have.
> >
> > Our setup menu will ask you if you want to turn on bridging when you
> > choose to connect wirelessly, and the Squeezebox detects that you also
> > have the ethernet port connected.
> >
> > The Squeezebox will not ask you if you want ad-hoc or normal mode. It
> > will automatically try both. However, on the PC side you probably have
> > to explicitly tell it to use ad-hoc. You will need to manually enter
> > the same SSID on both sides.
>
> Just to make sure I've got this right: Even though I plan to connect
> the Transporter to SlimServer via the wired ethernet connection, during
> networking setup I have to select "connect to a wireless network" rather
> than "connect to an ethernet network". Is that right? But I don't have a
> wireless network to connect to: the idea is to use the Transporter to
> establish an ad-hoc wireless link to the laptop.
>
> I've played about a fair bit, and as far as I can make out, the option
> to switch on wireless bridging is only offered when you go through
> "connect to a wireless network" during network setup. But without a
> wireless network in place, you can't ever complete the network setup.
>
> I must be being dense here. What am I missing? Is it that the laptop
> needs to be switched on with its wireless connection active, in ad-hoc
> mode, BEFORE the Transporter wireless network setup can proceed?
>
>
> --
> cliveb
>
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> mastering -> you think a few extra ps of jitter matters?
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>

[seanadams]

Hmmm - I tested this just now, and ad-hoc is not working for me either...