Need Wireless Networking Solutions

[gtgren]

Hello Everyone,
I am setting up a small office with five users with Windows 2000 server. We have a cable connection in the office, with one static IP address. I have a few questions, about setting up a wireless solution:

What is the difference between a Router and a Switch? Is it nothing more that a Router is more intelligent. Therefore then does that mean that I should buy a Wireless Router. Then if I buy the wireless Router then should I buy the 802.11b or "G"? What is the difference?

Since I am going to put a wireless pc card in the 4 user's pc then a 4 port router should be efficient, right?

It is best to stick with the same company when you buy the router or switch to match the wireless pc card. What else should I be careful of?

Thanks for your help Gurus!

 

[bcastner]

Stick with the same company for all products, it will make your life easier. Most wireless routers offer 4 wired ports, so you can have at most 4 wired workstations, and as many wireless clients as you want as long as the number does not exceed 254 in total -- theoretical limit.

The primary difference between a switch and a router is that the router understands completely the difference between LAN traffic, and non-LAN traffic. For your LAN traffic it builds a very specific table to allow it to efficiently send packages from point A to point B on your LAN. For traffic destined outside of the LAN it efficiently dumps it back out to the internet. For internet traffic coming into your system it quickly distributes those packages to the intended recipient.

And it does one other very important thing: it gives you a private IP address that cannot be seen directly from the internet. This feature, called NAT for Network Address Translation, offers a fairly effective firewall to your LAN workstations.

A switch can do very few of the things in the list above.

 

[byteofram]

Also, go with G, that is the latest technology and will provide the most security. Everything that bcastner said is right on the money...especially staying with the same products. Eliminates a lot of headaches unless you are really good with wireless. Make sure you set up 128 bit encryption, and use rolling keys that change every 20 minutes or so. This makes hacking onto your wireless network almost impossible.