How Can I Talk Talk To A Wireless Network....

[elkangorito]

Situation:

I live very close to an 'open' & 'unsecure' network. It is, in fact, the wireless network of my place of work. The network uses Surecom EP-9600-gp Access Point (AP) units throughout the installation, which are then connected to a router. Each computer then connects to the router. An example of this is in the staffroom of my department, which has one (1) Surecom AP, through which computers are connected via a router. In the past, I have carried my desktop computer to my staffroom & simply connected it to the network through my ethernet card. The network also provides internet access. Also, I have checked the signal strength that I get at my room, from the wireless network. It is about 80%.

Recently, I purchased a D-Link 'DWL-2100AP' with the hope of gaining access to the nearby wireless network & have set it up as an AP Client. I then use a CAT-6 cable, which connects my AP to my ethernet card. Using the AP setup interface, the AP acknowledges the presence of this wireless network, giving the SSID & signal strength (80%). I then select this network.

After doing this, I then go into my LAN properties & then ask it to get the IP address etc automatically. I then reboot the machine.

If I do an 'IPconfig/all', it shows the SSID of the wireless network & all the other relevant info, which tells me that I am acknowledged by the network. The only difference is that the gateway IP that shows when I do an IPCONFIG/all, is not the same as that of the wireless network. The wireless network gateway is 10.0.1.1 & the gateway on my computer is listed as 10.0.3.1.

I cannot get access to the network. Eg, if I open my browser & ask to go to Google, it times out on every occassion. I think this may have something to do with the gateway IP's being different. Am I on the right track?

I have tried to tell my AP of the correct gateway IP & even though I do this, IPconfig/all still says that the gateway IP is 10.0.3.1.

I am not using a router.

My AP only has an RJ45 port, a power socket & an antenna.

Anbody got any ideas? Do I need to use a router?

[Crossy]

For some reason you're picking up the wrong gateway from the DHCP system. The quick fix would be simply to allocate youself a fixed IP address using the info that ipconfig reveals and use the 'proper' gateway setting

You should really allocate yourself an address outside the DHCP range to avoid clashes, try one ending in .99 for starters. Do not worry what IP the AP has received, you only need that if you want to configure the beast

Edited September 5, 2007 by Crossy

[technocracy]

Well first off you should be warned that AP Client mode isn't standard across manufacturers and different manufacturers equipment might be in compatible.

Much as Crossy say the first thing you should do is disable the DHCP server on your AP - it doesn't need an IP address and it shouldn't be assigning them, this would then allow allow the DHCP (I am presuming there is one) on the DHCP network to assign your PC an address. As your PC will be getting it from the closest source.

[nikster]

I have a few DWL 2100APs that do what you want to do. They have 5 different modes, I use "AP + WDS" - WDS stands for wireless distribution system.

In your case, that would be considered "bridge" mode as you want the AP to connect to the wireless network and then act as a bridge for your ethernet connection.

All these extra modes are guaranteed to work only with APs from the same manufacturer. So your safest bet - if you had asked me before - would be to get an AP that can do bridge / WDS+AP / Repeater modes from the same company that makes the APs you want to connect to.

Being as it is that you already have the DLink model, give it a shot with bridge mode. And definitely turn off any DHCP server function. If that doesn't work, I'd try the other modes.

AP - access point mode - means that the DLink gets its internet connection from the ethernet, and makes it available via wireless, which is kind of the opposite of what you want to do.

An alternative to all that would be to get a USB wireless card with an external antenna connector, and a small directional antenna. You could get that in specialized wireless shops in pantip and other places. I have an Edimax model, works OK. With that, you could connect your PC directly to the company wireless and avoid all the potential issues with bridge mode.

You can add any size antenna at the end but a small 6 dbi directional would probably be good enough. eg if the DLink can see that network you have a pretty decent signal already. You might not even need the external antenna.

[stickyb]

Looking at the manual here http://files.dlink.com.au/products/DWL-210...00AP_Manual.pdf page 16 contains the rather telling statement that AP Client mode will only work when connected to another DWL-2100AP in AP mode.

USB option looks the best

[tjo o tjim]

Nikster is right-- WDS is what you are looking for. Unfortunately, it is very buggy when using different equipment on the ends, and you should set up WDS on both APs.

I'm sure you realize the dangers of using unsecured wireless access points, but anybody else in reach can read information you send out over non secured protocols. While your bank login is fine, downloading e-mail generally isn't, nor are FTP logins and other such information. WEP and WPA at least provide a minimum barrier for people to "sniff" your information.

[elkangorito]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll give the AP+WDS mode a go before I give up & go for a USB wireless setup.

With the help of stickyb & the ideas of the posters, I tried almost all known configurations but nothing seemed to work. I'm inclined to agree with the suggestion that it is a compatability issue.

Thanks again guys.

[nikster]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll give the AP+WDS mode a go before I give up & go for a USB wireless setup.

With the help of stickyb & the ideas of the posters, I tried almost all known configurations but nothing seemed to work. I'm inclined to agree with the suggestion that it is a compatability issue.

Thanks again guys.

Try "Repeater" mode. This mode isn't ideal but it has the best chance of working. You just set repeater mode, then do a "scan" from the web interface, get the MAC address of the WiFi AP you want to connect to, and enter that as the repeater target.

WDS+AP with the DLink requires that the AP on each end is in WDS mode and you need to enter the MAC of the connected AP. What I am trying to say is that

1 - It's unlikely WDS mode will work at all connecting DLink to non-DLink equipment

2 - Even if it could potentially work, you'd need to change the settings on the non-DLink equipment as well.

3 - Setting up WDS correctly is not trivial for the un-initiated even with all DLink equipment

WDS+AP is the preferred and more stable solution, but repeater is what you can do from your end and it might just work.

Edited September 7, 2007 by nikster

[Crushdepth]

Suggest you do your workplace a favour and get them to secure the access point - you should still be able to access it yourself if you have the key etc. Bear in mind that anyone connecting to your wireless is coming into your network *behind* the firewall. Not good.

[elkangorito]

Try "Repeater" mode. This mode isn't ideal but it has the best chance of working. You just set repeater mode, then do a "scan" from the web interface, get the MAC address of the WiFi AP you want to connect to, and enter that as the repeater target.

WDS+AP with the DLink requires that the AP on each end is in WDS mode and you need to enter the MAC of the connected AP. What I am trying to say is that

1 - It's unlikely WDS mode will work at all connecting DLink to non-DLink equipment

2 - Even if it could potentially work, you'd need to change the settings on the non-DLink equipment as well.

3 - Setting up WDS correctly is not trivial for the un-initiated even with all DLink equipment

WDS+AP is the preferred and more stable solution, but repeater is what you can do from your end and it might just work.

Thanks Nik. I've already tried setting it in repeater mode but I'm not sure what I did about the Mac address. I'll give it a go.

Suggest you do your workplace a favour and get them to secure the access point - you should still be able to access it yourself if you have the key etc. Bear in mind that anyone connecting to your wireless is coming into your network *behind* the firewall. Not good.

I've tried telling them about this before but due to TIT, it just goes in one ear & out the other.

Thanks for the security warning but I am reasonably ofay with the security riskd of a wireless network.

[elkangorito]

Something strange has just happened.

I tried Niks' ideas but they didn't work. I then tried again as an AP client, did a scan & noticed that some other parts of my works' wireless network was available but at lower signal strengths (20%). I selected one of these & did all the other necessary things & I can access the network.

It appears that I can't access the main AP for some reason. Can somebody tell me why this is so? Again, the network is 'open' & 'unsecured'.

BTW, when I do an Ipconfig/all, it shows the correct gateway IP as opposed to if I try to gain access to the main AP, which insists upon giving me a different gateway IP.