On Mon, 2006-01-30 at 04:29, Jeff Vian wrote:
> > >
> > An AP is not the same as a hub/switch. It is actually a router.
>
> That's kind of confusing. An AP is really more like a switch but
> connecting the LAN to wireless devices. However it is often
> integrated into a router which also provides WAN/LAN routing.
>
> > In order for the WAN port to be on the same network as the LAN side it
> > must be able to function in a bridge mode instead of routing.
>
> In the router models, the AP normally bridges with the LAN
> while the WAN is routed.
>
On all the different models I have used (D-link, LinkSys, Netgear, among
others), the LAN (wired and wireless) side is a switch, *not bridged*.
Lets be sure the proper terminology is used here.
Bridging gives two or more physical ports (usually limited to two) the
same IP address, and makes it transparent to other machines unless
something is sent explicitly to that address. The physical network
segment on both sides is 'bridged' and it becomes one contiguous
network. Anything addressed to another IP address than the local one is
simply passed through - totally transparent.
Routing keeps both sides distinct separate networks and only passes
packets through if they are destined for something on the other side of
the router.
A switch or hub is simply a connection point on a single network. No
bridging or routing is involved.
I don't think there is any real difference in a bridge and
any two ports of a switch. Both are transparent repeaters
and allowed to filter by MAC addresses. There might be a
special case in Linux software bridging where the interface
can have a working address associated but in hardware if
a bridge or switch has an address it is just for management.
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell(a)gmail.com