On Thursday 13 October 2011 22:14:14 Rod Butcher wrote: > My budget for this is tiny, $100 max for the whole setup, as it's only > for training, and I don't want to acquire hardware I will have no use > for afterward... > So I'm trying to get specific info on whether it is possible to > configure a Linux PC with a cheap 80211g/n PCI card to provide a > reasonably full-featured WAP - user/computer credential validation, data > encryption, network and Internet access. > It's fairly simple to configure multiple Ethernet network cards on a > Linux box to provide routing and Internet access (iptables & NAT)... I > had assumed a similar software solution should be possible for > wifi-based LAN. ??
It is possible, depending on the card. The card has to be able to go into AP mode, and the drivers have to be able to support that. It is usually the drivers that let you down, since stand-alone APs are cheap so there isn't a high level of demand for device drivers to do AP mode. The real question though is, assuming you find the right equipment and drivers, how much is this going to help you to learn configuration on stand-alone APs, and especially the ones running (for whatever reason) the more expensive router operating systems. The Linux based configuration might teach you the basic principles, but it won't teach you how to configure the more overpriced router operating systems. If you are looking at basic principles, you should look at some of the cheaper stand-alone wireless APs, which will come well within the $100 budget. Either leave the original OS intact, or get hardware that can run DD-WRT (preferably the Mega version, subject to finding hardware within your budget) and install that. Or learn on the factory firmware and move to DD-WRT later to get a feel for the differences, although that will be of limited use with the more expensive stuff. Regards, Troy Rollo Solicitor Parry Carroll Commercial Lawyers Direct: (02) 8257 3177 Fax: (02) 9221 1375 Switch: (02) 9221 3899 E-mail: t...@parrycarroll.com.au Web: www.parrycarroll.com.au Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation This message and any attachments are confidential to Parry Carroll. If you have received it my mistake, please let us know by reply and then delete it from your system. You must not copy the message, alter it or disclose its contents to anyone. Thank you. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
