netBook to Linux WLAN (without an access point)?

[lilspikey]

Hi,
I am about to visit a friend who has a couple of lucent wireless cards and an ADSL connection, all running thru a Linux (Smoothwall) box. Last time I viisted I tried to get wireless working, but I couldn't.
I'd like to know if this is even possible, as I most of the information I seem to see revolves around using access points. Has anyone else managed this? ie using a linux box as a wireless router, to connect the netBook to the rest of the network?

cheers,
John

[diem]

The smoothwall box by itself can't do the wireless, but you could plug a wired-to-wireless bridge type access point (e.g. D-Link DWL-900AP+) into its green net card and you'd be fine.

The thing that annoyed me was these bridges are just as expensive as a full router with in-built firewall! Economics I guess...

[lilspikey]

Is that because of the netBook not being able to do peer-to-peer mode? My friend can connect fine with his laptop (windows), to one linux box, that then also connects via ADSL. No access point involved.
It feels like it _should_ be possible to do this with the netBook, and I'd rather not shell out for an access point, when I have a perfectly good PC to use instead.

cheers,
John

[diem]

sorry, I misunderstood your original post. netBook can indeed do adhoc (peer-to-peer) mode, so that's not the problem.

The question is, what wireless card are you using in the netBook. If its Lucent-based, then you shouldn't have a problem. I have not tried using an Intersil-based card in peer-to-peer mode though; these cards won't do WEP with the netBook's driver, so maybe they won't do adhoc either?

All this said, adhoc is so limited compared to infrastructure mode - you can't connect two 'clients' to the Smoothwall 'server' at the same time. In fact , perhaps that is the problem? If he has just connected with his laptop, perhaps you'll need to reboot the Smoothy just to make it find a different client?

My bottom line recommendation is still get an AP.

[lilspikey]

He's got a pair of lucent silver cards. One in the Smoothwall box (via a PCI adapter) and one for his laptop, which I borrowed.
We also tried just doing peer-to-peer between the laptop and the netBook, by removing the other card from the Smoothwall box. That didn't work either, although the lights did come on and flash a lot on the netBook when I tried to initiate connections.
I was just wondering whther ad hoc mode in prinicipal works and whether anyone has done it, using a netBook. If I could get a connection working at my friends I'd be willing to shell out for more gear, but I just want to make sure it will work first!
I think part of the problem is configuration o fthe netBook correctly, it was all a bit of a stab in the dark, when I first tried it out. Hopefully I'll have a bit more of a clue this time around.

cheers,
John

[diem]

slap me if i'm teaching you to suck eggs, but as well as ticking the 'peer to peer mode' tickbox, you did insert manual TCP/IP configs on both machines (when doing laptop to netBook)?

I'll admit not having doen peer to peer myself, but I'm sure there are others who've posted success on these forums somewhere.

You are in the ideal position of course - the Lucent cards are the best supported by netBook. Also, lots of flashing does suggest that the radio is talking at least...

[lilspikey]

Yup, entered manual settings etc. At the time I didn't have FLinger, which meant I was trying to use Opera to check the connection.
I suspect if I have enough time I can figure it out, but I was also wondering if there is anything to watch out for on the server side too. I read someone mentioning that on APs you had to set "channel 1" or something?

[diem]

yeah, I found that when using an AP, it was best to use channel 1. Once the initial connection was made, it seemed happy to shift to a different channel though. P'raps set channel 1 on the PC (which may have more features to tweak than the netBook driver). Also note that 'WaveLAN network name' on the netBook is the SSID in proper WiFi parlance - these are supposed to match when in infrastructure mode or it won't let you on to the WLAN, so mebbe this is also true in adhoc?

(the joke is that in reality I've found it doesn't give two hoots about this setting when in infrastructure mode)

Once again, if you're getting continuous flashing lights, then it strongly suggests that the radios are talking (does rfNetStat show anything?) and that its just some minor config issue that's getting in the way.

Do us a favour, when you crack it, please post what your driver settings are, and what the breakthrough was?

Cheers.

[lilspikey]

cheers for the server info.

I can't remember what NetStat RF showed, I seem to remember it might have been registering a lot of noise, but not sure beyond that. I do remember that when we tried with the laptop and netBook, that some of the setup tools on the laptop did seem to hear from the netBooks card, if not from the netBook proper.

I'll definately post if I have any success. Although it looks like it might be a couple more weeks before I visit my mate, so I won't know till then.


John