Wireless access point for home network

[jbhtexas]

I don't have a wireless router or access point on my home network, but occasionally it would be handy to have a wireless access point. I have an underutilized Windows PC on my network. Can I put a wireless PCI network adapter card into that PC and turn it into an access point? I know you can do ad-hoc networks between two wireless computers, but I'd rather have a general access point.

I've looked around, and I've only found one PCI wireless adapter from ASUS that claims to have this capability. I kind of thought it would be more common than that. Or can this be done with any wireless adapter, and it's just a matter of getting some software to make the wireless access point?

Thanks for any tips!

[ISUFan22]

Why not just get a wireless router and connect the PC to that with a eithernet cable?

[jbhtexas]

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Why not just get a wireless router and connect the PC to that with a eithernet cable?

Because I don't need the router function, my home network isn't set up that way, and I really don't want another piece of computer hardware cluttering up my house.

[CyinCo]

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Why not just get a wireless router and connect the PC to that with a eithernet cable?

Yeah, this would be the way to go. You can connect by cable or be wireless. You would still need the wireless card on your PC if it isn't built in. I have one I don't use. If you were local, you could just come and get the card for free.

I suppose this is a bit of thread jack but:

I have a new Linksys wireless router and it is maybe 30 ft from my PC. There are several walls between the router and PC. The best signal reception I get is "low". Which is really diappointing. I it a "G" protocol and 2.4 Ghz frequency. I didn't spring for the "N" for longer distances because I was only going about 30 ft. Why is my signal so weak?

[aweb84]

There are several things that could affect the signal. The walls could be part of it. Everytime you put something inbetween the host and the client it decreases the signal. Some other things that could cause the low signal are cordless phones. If you can you should make sure that your cordless phone and wireless router are not on the same channel. If they are they could be interferring with each other.

2.4 Ghz is a popular frequency for all kinds of wireless electronics so multiple things could be interferring with your router.

[ISUFan22]

Originally Posted by jbhtexas

Because I don't need the router function, my home network isn't set up that way, and I really don't want another piece of computer hardware cluttering up my house.

Hmmm, I just think you're going the complicated route. I've never heard of someone using their PC's wireless network card as an access point. I'm not sure it's possible. Have you tried the Linksys forums?

Originally Posted by CyinCo

I have a new Linksys wireless router and it is maybe 30 ft from my PC. There are several walls between the router and PC. The best signal reception I get is "low". Which is really diappointing. I it a "G" protocol and 2.4 Ghz frequency. I didn't spring for the "N" for longer distances because I was only going about 30 ft. Why is my signal so weak?

It's gotta be the walls.

Originally Posted by aweb84

2.4 Ghz is a popular frequency for all kinds of wireless electronics so multiple things could be interferring with your router.

This is also true.

[CyinCo]

Originally Posted by aweb84

There are several things that could affect the signal. The walls could be part of it. Everytime you put something inbetween the host and the client it decreases the signal. Some other things that could cause the low signal are cordless phones. If you can you should make sure that your cordless phone and wireless router are not on the same channel. If they are they could be interferring with each other.

2.4 Ghz is a popular frequency for all kinds of wireless electronics so multiple things could be interferring with your router.

My only cordless in the house is 5.8 Ghz. We do have a baby monitor but it is off during the day.

I'll just try to move the router and everything closer. I have it where it is so it is more hidden. I guess I'll just have to deal with seeing it for signal strength.

Now we can get back to the original topic. Sorry, JBH.

[jbhtexas]

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Hmmm, I just think you're going the complicated route. I've never heard of someone using their PC's wireless network card as an access point. I'm not sure it's possible. Have you tried the Linksys forums?

It is possible...

Asus Wireless LAN PCI Adapter WL-138G 4-in-1 802.11g WIFI-g Wireless Access Point Wireless Bridge-Best Computer Online Store Houston Buy Discount Prices Texas-Directron.com

And apparently pretty cheap, when you can get adapter...

[ISUFan22]

Excellent, internet searches produce wonderful results.

[jbhtexas]

Originally Posted by ISUFan22

Excellent, internet searches produce wonderful results.

As I mentioned in the first post, that's the only adapter I've found that advertises this function, but it does little good when out of stock. Also, three antennas seems to be the current practice, and that ASUS adapter only has one.

I also found a number of articles about making an access point with a Linux PC, but I'm not using Linux, so that doesn't help much, although the Linux articles implied that you can do this with most any wireless adapter, which seems to indicate that this might be a software function more than a hardware function.

[twittkop]

Originally Posted by CyinCo

I have a new Linksys wireless router and it is maybe 30 ft from my PC. There are several walls between the router and PC. The best signal reception I get is "low". Which is really diappointing. I it a "G" protocol and 2.4 Ghz frequency. I didn't spring for the "N" for longer distances because I was only going about 30 ft. Why is my signal so weak?

You could try doing something like this:
[youtubevid]sUTT8wdN_VA[/youtubevid]

I'm not sure if it would actually help, but it is a very cheap solution to potentially increase your wireless signal.

[CyinCo]

Originally Posted by twittkop

You could try doing something like this:
[youtubevid]sUTT8wdN_VA[/youtubevid]

I'm not sure if it would actually help, but it is a very cheap solution to potentially increase your wireless signal.

LOL...Funny but it might actually work. My router is hidden so I don't care if it looks funny. Maybe I'll try it out.

[HandSanitizer]

Originally Posted by CyinCo

Yeah, this would be the way to go. You can connect by cable or be wireless. You would still need the wireless card on your PC if it isn't built in. I have one I don't use. If you were local, you could just come and get the card for free.

I suppose this is a bit of thread jack but:

I have a new Linksys wireless router and it is maybe 30 ft from my PC. There are several walls between the router and PC. The best signal reception I get is "low". Which is really diappointing. I it a "G" protocol and 2.4 Ghz frequency. I didn't spring for the "N" for longer distances because I was only going about 30 ft. Why is my signal so weak?

I see this all the time when I go into Homes to setup stuff. The last Doctors house I was in was a 10,000 SF 2 level home with some concrete floors and the walls had plaster in them. "N" home wireless equipment would go very far.
Thank goodness he had Cat5 wired to a few places in the house so I could put a bunch of Wireless in. I ended up putting in 4 Cisco 1131AG Aironets in his house that we use at work. The blow through walls better. The problem is they are around $500 each.
YOu will just need to probably move it around or try an "N".

Regarding the PC being an access point...If you don't want something else clutering up the house, just get a netgear that is about the size of pack of hotdogs. They don't even have an ugly antenna.
Problem solved

[Chad]

Powerline Wireless Access Points - Powerline Wireless Access Points

[bostinelosd]

Patrick Norton was awesome. I used to love Techtv. Now its crap.