That is exactly what I needed to know thank you!
On Wed, Sep 7, 2011 at 8:41 AM, Tod Hansmann <[email protected]>wrote: > On 9/7/2011 8:27 AM, Jeff Patterson wrote: > > Hey everybody, > > > > I work in a very small company that builds custom automated manufacturing > > machinery in the valley. We would like to be able to access the company > > network and the internet while debugging the machines away from the wired > > network connection at our desk. My boss would like to install a couple of > > AP's so that we can connect to the network while at the machines. > > > > Personally, I don't see any different security concerns using our > existing > > wireless router (that currently has the wireless turned off) but he seems > to > > think that an AP is a safer solution. Are there any opinions about the > > mater? > > > > I have looked at the specs of the AP he is interested in and it looks to > me > > to be a router. Am I missing something or is there a reason an AP is a > > better solution? > Actually, no, having a wireless AP is literally the same as just hanging > a loose ethernet wire out there that you will always get a DHCP address > from (don't talk to me about MAC filtering, or I'll talk to you about > MAC spoofing). > > That said, if you need to cover that area, multiple nodes will likely be > needed, and APs are easier to work with. If you have a router > currently, you can put both APs into their own LAN separate from the > regular LAN on your current router (it would just be a different > interface on the router, though I don't know if your router has multiple > interfaces or not). Then you can just firewall the two from each other > and allow only the access to specific places on specific ports on the > LAN from the WLAN. > > As to the AP he's looking at, if it has multiple interfaces and NAT > settings, it's a router. Get APs. The actual AP is less of a concern > compared to mounting, antennae, and standard (b/g or n?) that you will > be using. Get some good antennae for coverage. If this is going to be > an important service, invest in some APs that handle multiple clients > better. > > Good luck! > > -Tod Hansmann > > /* > PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net > Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug > Don't fear the penguin. > */ > /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
