Can you add a wireless router to a wireless network ?

[MacDonaldsd]

I currently have a Netgear Wireless modem DG834G 54Mbps
I use my powerbook via the wifi aswell as my desktop PC.

But I was wondering could I add another wireless router upstairs, connect to my current network and attatch my xbox and pc to that via ethernet ?

edit: Seems ive added this into the wrong forum, sorry

 

[Gee]

I currently have a Netgear Wireless modem DG834G 54Mbps
I use my powerbook via the wifi aswell as my desktop PC.

But I was wondering could I add another wireless router upstairs, connect to my current network and attatch my xbox and pc to that via ethernet ?

edit: Seems ive added this into the wrong forum, sorry

In theory, yes. Depends which make of router you have I think - I have no experience with netgear stuff, but I have essentially the same set up with an airport express and airport extreme.

 

[Darwin]

As Gee said it all depends on the make of the router and whether that router has the feature

With Apple you are able to use multiple Extreme and Express boxes to extend your network's range, the same for other manufacturers.

The problem is however that a industry standard for this fuction does not exist and so everyone who has implemented this feature would have done so in their own way meaning that if you where to buy two boxes from two different makers theres no guaranty that they will work together.

If the router you have is able to use this feature then you can usually buy one of the less featured boxes from the same company to use in extending your network.

 

[Sesshi]

Some Netgear Access Points (as well as of course AP's from many other manufacturers) support bridging. In which case yes you can use the second access point as a bridge to a wired LAN.

I've successfully attached Netgear, Linksys, Cisco, etc extenders and bridges to Cisco, Netgear, Linksys and Draytek gear among many others. There is quite a degree of interoperativity for something as simple as bridging, but as ever there may be incompatibilities so sticking with the same manufacturer seems to be the best thing to do.

With Macs you have an additional degree of uncertainty. I was for example thinking my MBP and MBs had compatibility problems with various access points but actually this turned out to be just that the Airport card in the MBP has a poor range and the MB wasn't that hot either.

 

[mad jew]

The key is using the same brand as the original router. I found a wireless ethernet bridge (WGE101) on Netgear's Australian site but can't for the life of me find it on the UK site. This would be ideal. However, after looking through their sites a bit, it seems like Sesshi is spot on and their access points have bridging capabilities.

 

[MacDonaldsd]

on a review for Netgear WG602 54G Access Point on amazon.co.uk one of the reviewers say :


"Unfortunately, while the original DG834G has integrated wireless, you CANNOT use this as a bridge or repeater with one WG602 Access Point, you need to buy two WG602's to make it work.
So how's it done? Well, Netgear provide this explanation: http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101409.asp
Essentially you have this set up:
PhoneLine>Modem/Router>WG602AccessPoint1>---Wireless--->WG602AccessPoint2 "

 

[Darwin]

That's rather annoying isn't it