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Wireless Access Point

tcat007

tcat007

Android Expert
I want to set up a WAP at my office. It's a wired DHCP ethernetwork, off a DSL modem (Netopia 3000). What's the cheapest/easiest way to add an access point for a cell phone or tablet? I'm looking at TP-Link WAP's at Amazon for about $40.00. Can I just plug one of those into a free ethernet port, and access it from any PC on the network to set up its security?
 
Typically ya you just plug it in, then configure it for security. You can also pick up a wireless router to do the same thing, its just a wireless router is a router, a ap, and a switch. The router could be more secure if you set it up as a router just do to the firewall on it but it would pretty much just be blocking from your network to whatever is connected to the switch and ap.

The biggest thing is what size area you are trying to connect to, but for a $40 devise they are all pretty close in specs, while you could jump into a much higher end devise with higher powered radio and much better antennas for a good grand!

Nonetheless, technically if you are connecting to an open port on your switch you should be using a crossover for your ap, but now days that doesnt matter much. If you go the router route and plug it in from your switch to the router you will have to configure the router to not handle certain functions that your existing system handles or you will have constant issues.

Good luck
 
Thanks! My office is on DSL 192.168.100.x. I believe I need to change the WAP to the same 192.168.100.x series (from the .1.x it probably is defaulted as). I'm only looking for maybe 25' range, I can plug the WAP into a Ethernet port within my office, and only want it to connect my cell or tablet within my office. I just ordered a "[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1]TP-Link WL TL-WA901ND 300Mbps AP" for $30... and will hope for the best. I just don't want to have to mess with the company Netopia 3000 DSL router (since I think AT&T controls the log-in to it).[/SIZE][/FONT]
 
default ip's vary from devices if it does have a static ip on it, im sure the instruction manual will cover what the default is on it or it vary well may just use the dhcp from your router. in either case its not terribly difficult but i will say one thing being this is in an office, I hope you passed this through your it or management unless of course this is your place. Ive worked in very secure facilities where even having any wireless is a no no including ir. I generally wont argue with the man that has the fully automatic pointed in my general direction!
 
Actually, the best thing to do (if possible) is to turn off the DHCP in the WAP and just let the phone use the WAP to get the connection directly from the original router - then it will automatically be on the same subnet. A much easier solution.

If the WAP cannot do that, consider a full wireless router - because they can
 
^ what I was thinking.

I know in my classes we are always talking about rouge APs. And secretaries that buy hubs because they are cheaper... Hubs. humbug. /endholidaycheer
 
Good point - if it is a corporate office, not a home office....

And yah, lmfao @ hubs. And lmfao even more at the office depot personnel that tell their customers that hubs are the same as switches....
 
Thanks guys. Yes "corporate", but "mine". I plan on turning off DHCP if it's on, and setting its security through my PC, before plugging it into the network.

I just am not sure if my DHCP computer will see the WAP unless I make my PC IP static (temporarily)... I'm no techie... but am the "IT" person of the place.
 
^damn really ur the IT person? lol. anywho ur gonna have to plug it in then configure it before turning dhcp off. so this will be ur last step. because once u turn it off u wont be able to reconfigure the router because it wont have an IP associated with it i believe and will have to reset to factory default if u wanna make a change afterwards.

on a side note i can really tell u have almost no clue wat ur doing by the way u describe IT scenerios lol
 
I'm back... :confused:

OK, my office computers are set to "obtain IP automatically".
1. I disconnected my PC and changed it to IP series of WAP (192.168.1.xx), plugged WAP in directly.
2. I was able to log in, change PW, change IP to 192.168.100.xx, change SSID, set wireless security...
3. I was able to re-log in with new 192.168.100.xx address.
4. Then plugged WAP into an available network jack, changed my PC back to what it was "obtain IP automatically".

My phone "appears" to log-in with SSID and PW, but just sits trying to obtain IP address... My PC doesn't see the WAP. The main company router is AT&T DSL, gateway 192.168.100.1. What am I doing wrong? Should I change WAP to DHCP? I almost have no clue what I'm doing, but I think I'm "close".... and suggestions appreciated.
 
Ap mode should be pretty dumb. You can try dhcp but more than likely that isnt a dhcp server but will change the devise from static to dynamic address of just the ap. If it is a server then it generally conflicts with the routers settings. You can always try it, the worst that would happen is reset to factory.

Chances are you didnt set the lan properly such as sub domain, dhcp address and so forth. Aka right now the ap cant find the router.
 
Yeah, I have no clue... I'll play with it again tomorrow, just hoping for a network guru here. It's a wired Netopia 3000 DSL modem/router that feeds our small business, set up by AT&T. All computers access the net obtaining IP address automatically (router gateway 192.168.100.1). None of the PC's have static IP addresses. I'm just trying to add a Wireless Access Point (for tablet use) in my office. All computers are on ethernet with no plans on going wireless.
 
Ok first question. Wireless can you access the ap...whatever ip you set it to. If no then you didnt set up the encryption correctly on the nodes connecting to it. If yes then the issue is the config between it and the router. The config will be at the ap that is misconfigured though. Im assuming you know all the router info such as subdomain and ip address right. Being this is an att modem/router its probably not setup to block mac addresses and from what you said its not.

As of now ill insert my paypal account to bill you, jk but narrow it down to what side the ap is having issues with
 
Time to ask for "Networking for Dummies" for Christmas... I'm guessing both ends are wrong, can't do much until tomorrow.

I plugged this: TL-WA901ND - Welcome to TP-LINK into an Ethernet jack. I set the gateway as 192.168.100.1 in the AP (after changing its IP to 192.168.100.254); I should probably try changing to DHCP enabled. Phone seemed to get through encryption, but kept searching for IP. I set security to WPA-PSK which may be wrong.

All I know about the AT&T router is it's 192.168.100.1, can't log into it since I don't have PW (not sure if AT&T will give it to me). The wired network is working fine and I don't want to mess with it.
 
tcat007 said:
I'm back... :confused:

OK, my office computers are set to "obtain IP automatically".
1. I disconnected my PC and changed it to IP series of WAP (192.168.1.xx), plugged WAP in directly.
2. I was able to log in, change PW, change IP to 192.168.100.xx, change SSID, set wireless security...
3. I was able to re-log in with new 192.168.100.xx address.
4. Then plugged WAP into an available network jack, changed my PC back to what it was "obtain IP automatically".

My phone "appears" to log-in with SSID and PW, but just sits trying to obtain IP address... My PC doesn't see the WAP. The main company router is AT&T DSL, gateway 192.168.100.1. What am I doing wrong? Should I change WAP to DHCP? I almost have no clue what I'm doing, but I think I'm "close".... and suggestions appreciated.
Click to expand...

I think that changing your WAP to use the same IP subnet that your actual router is using is what is causing the issue here.

tcat007 said:
Time to ask for "Networking for Dummies" for Christmas... I'm guessing both ends are wrong, can't do much until tomorrow.

I plugged this: TL-WA901ND - Welcome to TP-LINK into an Ethernet jack. I set the gateway as 192.168.100.1 in the AP (after changing its IP to 192.168.100.254); I should probably try changing to DHCP enabled. Phone seemed to get through encryption, but kept searching for IP. I set security to WPA-PSK which may be wrong.

All I know about the AT&T router is it's 192.168.100.1, can't log into it since I don't have PW (not sure if AT&T will give it to me). The wired network is working fine and I don't want to mess with it.
Click to expand...

You could always try just logging in as admin with no PW, or else admin / admin as the combination and see.

Also, you might want to call AT&T about this to figure out if you can do this with the router - it may not be passing the DHCP b/c you're manually setting the WAPs IP address. It should be getting it's IP from the router already, and if you disable DHCP then it should just be passing the connection on to your devices. But that AT&T router may be custom set to not do that for some reason, although I find that odd.
 
I "shouldn't" need to mess with the AT&T router. I "thought" the IP subnet had to be the same (as long as the last digit was different), I guess that's just for configuring the AP, so probably could have left it as 192.168.1.1.

What I find "odd" is all the wired PC's on the network don't seem to have a static IP assigned. But when I mouse over the Network Map, they seem to have static IPs (like 192.168.100.20), mouse over Gateway is 192.168.100.1. I assume that gateway address needs to be configured in the AP. Will mess with it later today after I get some "real" work done.

edit: Connected! Didn't know my phone had the option to connect via static IP. I plugged that and DNS into phone, and connected right away. Not sure why it wouldn't connect automatically... but I'm happy, WAP seems to work.

edit#2: A small odity, if I "broadcast SSID" it connects fine and I can use internet. If I disable that, and I log into non-broadcast SSID (8 digit number), and I connect, but no internet. Switch it back to broadcast and all is well.
 
on most phones the stock wireless cant store a manual ssid...so no broadcast ssid no worky. Its really not much of a security issue having it not broadcasting though.

As for static, you got it working so cool, but in general you may have been having a conflict putting it in dynamic range of addresses with a static address...but thats generally not an issue on most cheap routers. As long as all is good in your life congrats.
 
richphitzwell said:
on most phones the stock wireless cant store a manual ssid...so no broadcast ssid no worky. Its really not much of a security issue having it not broadcasting though.
Click to expand...
This. If someone wants in, they are probably using a program that'll find the ssid regardless of broadcast being on or off.
 
tcat007 said:
I "shouldn't" need to mess with the AT&T router. I "thought" the IP subnet had to be the same (as long as the last digit was different), I guess that's just for configuring the AP, so probably could have left it as 192.168.1.1.

What I find "odd" is all the wired PC's on the network don't seem to have a static IP assigned. But when I mouse over the Network Map, they seem to have static IPs (like 192.168.100.20), mouse over Gateway is 192.168.100.1. I assume that gateway address needs to be configured in the AP. Will mess with it later today after I get some "real" work done.

edit: Connected! Didn't know my phone had the option to connect via static IP. I plugged that and DNS into phone, and connected right away. Not sure why it wouldn't connect automatically... but I'm happy, WAP seems to work.

edit#2: A small odity, if I "broadcast SSID" it connects fine and I can use internet. If I disable that, and I log into non-broadcast SSID (8 digit number), and I connect, but no internet. Switch it back to broadcast and all is well.
Click to expand...

richphitzwell said:
on most phones the stock wireless cant store a manual ssid...so no broadcast ssid no worky. Its really not much of a security issue having it not broadcasting though.

As for static, you got it working so cool, but in general you may have been having a conflict putting it in dynamic range of addresses with a static address...but thats generally not an issue on most cheap routers. As long as all is good in your life congrats.
Click to expand...

Want to not broadcast your SSID? Try this. WiFi Advanced Configuration Editor. YMMV

9to5cynic said:
This. If someone wants in, they are probably using a program that'll find the ssid regardless of broadcast being on or off.
Click to expand...

Good point - but every little bit helps.
 
9to5cynic said:
This. If someone wants in, they are probably using a program that'll find the ssid regardless of broadcast being on or off.
Click to expand...

i inverted this statement. it not much of a security help having it not broadcast or however one eould like to state it. meh happens
 
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