[oclug] O'Reilly Network Recipe for a Linux 802.11b Home Network [Mar. 06 , 2001]

[Charles Sutton]

I am presently installing and managing a wireless network for a local ISP.  We
presently have 20+ customers setup on a WAN type network.  The product of choice
for us was the Lucent/Orinoco line.

To answer one of the previous questions about whether a neighbors wireless lan
will cause an issue.  The quick answer is no.  With a disclaimer.  If you have a
system setup in  your basement with a wireless card and your other station is
upstairs or a roaming laptop, yes you will experience issues from time to time.
These products are designed for line of site.  When you add in walls and such
this effects the signal strength.  These products pick up on the strongest
signal they find.  I have seen where they bounce between two signal channels
depending on which direction the card is facing.  In the situation with the
neighbor chances are you will not experience any issues.  If you do experience
issues you can go as far as installing a little directional antennae.  I did
this for a company and it worked like a charm.

As for pricing on the adapter you will be looking at over $100.  Probably about
$110.  That is what I sell them for.

One thing to remember is that even though this technology has been around for
some time it is still very much in its infancy.  Just about every install for me
has been different in many ways.  Especially when you are dealing with
Wineblows.

Charles,

Brian Barber wrote:

> Do you remember how much one of these adapters costs?  I saw one once at
> MetLife when I worked there where the PCMCIA socket was in a 5.25" drive bay
> at the front of the PC.  I figured that there must be an ISA or PCI card in
> there somewhere, but I never opened the case.
>
> BB
>
> >From: Dan York <dyork at e-smith.com>
> >Reply-To: oclug at lists.oclug.on.ca
> >To: oclug at lists.oclug.on.ca
> >Subject: Re: [oclug] O'Reilly Network Recipe for a Linux 802.11b Home
> >Network [Mar. 06 , 2001]
> >Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 09:42:51 -0400
> >
> > > >
> > > http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2001/03/06/recipe.html
> > >
> > >
> > > Interesting step-by-step guide to setting up a wireless home
> > > LAN.
> > > Does anyone know of a source for a PCI/PCMIA adapter for the
> > > gateway?
> >
> >Be cautious with the Lucent PCI-PCMCIA adapter. I bought one last fall,
> >got it all installed and discovered that my system couldn't find it.
> >I tried all sorts of things... finally found someone else in GNHLUG
> >who was also setting up a wireless LAN who told me that apparently
> >the PCI adapter will only work with the *newest* of BIOSs. He thought
> >he had heard that Lucent was recalling some of the PCI adapters. But
> >he had no problem with the ISA adapter.  So I sent back my PCI adapter
> >and exchanged it for an ISA adapter and then... well... I kind of got
> >caught up in this whole "move to Ottawa" thing and just never got back
> >to setting it up.
> >
> >In fact, I just dropped the ISA adapter into my e-smith box at home
> >early this morning and intend to getting it working here at some point.
> >Friends tell me that the ISA adapter is really just a PCMCIA bridge
> >and does not need 'isapnp' or any special configuration. We'll see.
> >
> > > Would a neighbours LAN cause interference?
> >
> >It shouldn't... but how close is your neighbor?  If you are in an
> >apartment building and only separated by a wood wall, well, then
> >there might be an issue... but if there's any distance, no.
> >
> >Dan
> >
> >--
> >Dan York, Director of Training        dyork at e-smith.com
> >Ph: +1-613-751-4401  Mobile: +1-613-263-4312 Fax: +1-613-564-7739
> >e-smith, inc. 150 Metcalfe St., Suite 1500, Ottawa,ON K2P 1P1 Canada
> >http://www.e-smith.com/            open source, open mind
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