[PLUG] Wireless Routers/Access Points

[Russell Senior]

>>>>> "wes" == wes  <plug at the-wes.com> writes:

wes> there is no configuration involved - just don't use the WAN
wes> port. POOF your router has become an access point. when I do
wes> this, I also disable the internal DHCP server, to avoid conflicts
wes> with my previously existing DHCP server. but your situation is a
wes> little different.

There is one disadvantage to this, particularly when (like me), you
sometimes deposit routers in third-party locations.  Clever users,
when encountering unrelated non-workingness (like upstream ISP
problems, etc), will notice that the ethernet is in "the wrong port"
(TM) and helpfully "fix it" (TM) for you, necessitating a house call
to recover properly.

The strategy I adopt for those cases is either: a) put a piece of tape
over the WAN port (or hotglue or similar); or b) with my own OpenWrt
firmware image on the device, bridge the WAN and LAN ports together so
it doesn't matter which port the cable goes in (sometimes, depending
on the hardware, this is just a matter of altering the switch
configuration).  Stock firmware generally isn't going to let you do
(b).


-- 
Russell Senior, President
russell at personaltelco.net