Extend LAN using Wireless

[snootalope]

Hello

We're needing to extend our LAN in our live office to another building using a wireless connection. However, this other building is going to have a pc and a VoIP phone that needs to have it's DHCP requests answered by a server in the live office.

I was originally thinking just a wireless NIC in a server in the live office, and a wireless router in the other building would do the trick. But, the more I think about it, the more I think the server with the wirelss NIC wouldn't be able to act as a router and forward data like we need it to.

Would we need two wireless routers, one in each building? Can two wirelss routers connect to each other? Is there a certain term for that?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[snootalope]

Just thinking.. What if I had a wireless router in the live office and put a wireless repeater/wireless access point in the other office and connected that repeater to a switch. ??

 

[dput]

That's possible depending on the distance and interference. Otherwise, you would probably be better off using wireless bridging with directional attennas. Do you have line of site between buildings? Can you mount anything on the buildings?

Dan

 

[sostek]

You can probably get away with this, but I think you want to use a wireless router as opposed to a wireless access point since the router will do DHCP, the WAP won't.

If you already have a DHCP server in place, the WAP can do DHCP pass through.

 

[HungryHouse]

An Access point is just like a hub...it will pass along whatever you send to it, includind DHCP requests/any broadcasts. If DHCP requests are being handled by a server in your live office, there's no reason not to go with the suggestion of wireless APs acting in a bridging/siteto-site mode.

A wireless AP/router combo would only be needed if you wanted it to actually be your DHCP server.
I hope this helps.

-HH