Wireless router

Hi all..
Am I right that if I'm setting up a home network with wireless router, I don't need the Access Point anymore? And that wireless router can also act as a normal router to route the connection with my normal wired desktops?

Now If I have 2 wireless laptops and 2 wired desktops, which one do you think is better (in term of quality and price):
Using normal router and an access point for the wireless laptops, or using wireless routers?
thanks in advance for the answer

Actually, your wireless router is both an AP (access point) and a router. You don't need a separate one.

The only problem you might run into is distances based on where you need to place the router. This may be determined by your physical setup. With a separate access point, you can have a router in one place and physically move the access point (or multiple access points) to different locations based on where your wireless computers are.

As far as which is better, as I mentioned above, it depends on your physical location and physical limitations (what type of walls are you going through, how far is your AP from the wireless computers, etc).

For example, I had to set up a wireless setup where the router was in an outside office that needed to get to a room that was diagonally above the office and 3 rooms away. The problem is that trying to use a wireless router and going through the outside wall, stairs, ceiling to get to the room was just too much and it wouldn't connect. What I was able to do was take an AP, run the wire from the router, up the wall and into the room just above and to the right of the office and set it on a desk there. Now it only had to go through 2 walls to get to the far room as was able to connect fine. Now, if that hadn't worked, I may have been able to continue the wire run to the next room and connect from there.

Sometimes, you have to experiment to find out. If you are only going through a wall or two and not much metal in the way, you probably this would probably work fine.

Tom, do you have any wireless access resources I could go through ? I've never even seen a wireless setup and its just starting to get big here.. so I should stay a step ahead.

tnx

There are a few books out there, is that what you are looking for?

I have a couple here that I have read and there are a couple more out there at the bookstore I've read over a Latte.

Linksys has a book out called:

Linksys Networks The Official Guide by Kathy Ivens and Larry Seltzer

This one spans the wired and wireless line that Linksys puts out and shows how to set them up, which is kind of nice. But they have a pretty good section on setting up wireless including security problems and solutions. Good Primer even if you don't want to use Linksys.

Another one:

Wi-Fi for the Enterprise by Nathan J. Muller

All kinds of information including security.

Go to Amazon and type in "wi fi", that will give you a bunch. I assume your bigger bookstore will have some in the Network section.

It is getting big here, also.
:lol:

I've managed to find Wi-fi for the enterprise. Pity I don't have any gear to work with some systems architects have all the fun ! :lol:

They're not that expensive these days.

Less than $100 here.