Wireless Access Point Setup help needed

[sidneysides]

I am trying to get GBPVR to run from my PC wirelessly through a wireless router and a wireless access point. I am a novice when it comes to networking, so bear with me.

I am running Vista RTM on my PC, which is connected with a cable to my wireless router

The IP address of my router is 192.168.1.1 and the IP address of the network card is 192.168.1.3
The router is a Netgear ****v6 (can't remember the model)

Downstairs I have my MVP connected to a Netgear Wireless Access Point.
The default IP address of the Access Point is 192.168.0.227

Now, this is where I am a novice. I tried changing the IP address of the AP to something like 192.168.1.5, but no luck.
If I leave it as DHCP enabled, it still doesn't work. If I look at the attached devices on the router upstairs, the access point is not seen.

I then tried reserving an IP address for the AP, inputting its MAC address etc - still no connection.

I then tried something in the AP settings called point to point bridging. Still no joy.

Am I using the right equipment? Can an access point talk to a router? If not, I have a wireless USB Belikin stick that I could put on my PC - would the access point see that?

[HTPCGB]

From what I understand, you want to turn a wired MVP into a "wireless" device by connecting it to an access point. You had the right idea in setting up bridge mode on the access point. However, for point-to-point bridge mode, this setting should probably be also enabled on your wireless router. Are there any other types of bridge modes available on the AP?

[groover km]

Hmmm... not sure, but if the guy's wireless router isn't talking to his wireless ap in the first place, I don't see what introducing a switch to the topography is gonna do...?

[wtg]

By default the AP is going to try to take network connections wirelessly and send them down the line to the router via the network port, obviously not what you want. You want the access point to act as a bridge, connecting your PC to the network port on the AP and bridging to your router wirelessly - thus you need bridge mode as you suspected.

Judging by the difference in default subnets, it sounds like you're using an AP and router of different brands which can definitely cause problems, especially if one or the other is in any mode other than a standard B or G mode. Turn off any Super G or Turbo modes on both.

For starters, turn off encryption until you gets things working also. You can turn it on later once things are working.

Next, you didn't mention the SSID and channel. In Bridge mode you need the AP to be updated with the SSID and channel of your router. It should have a Survey mode or something similar to "see" all the APs and routers in your immediate area. Make sure your router is broadcasting it's SSID and determine if the bridge can see your router. If so selecting it should set the SSID and channel automatically on the bridge. If your bridge can't see the router in survey mode you'll get no farther.

Once the bridge connects to the router, you'll need to make sure both the bridge and the router are using the same subnet, so assign it a static IP address such as 192.168.1.2. Later you can try assigning a static DHCP address in the router's config, but until you get things working, keep it simple.

One source of trouble with all this. If your bridge is defaulting to 192.168.0 subnet, you'll need your PC assigned a static address in the .0 range to be able to work with the bridge. Once you switch the bridge over to 192.168.1.X though, your PC won't be able to connect to it - it'll appear to have died. You'll have to configure the PC back the .1 subnet to connect to it again. At that point you should be able to put your PC back into DHCP mode, but you might want to again do a static assignment, something like 192.168.1.100, just to make sure the PC can connect to the bridge.

Working with network equipment who's default subnets are different is a real pain. If you have to reset the AP at some point, just remember it'll probably go back to it's default configuration again, requiring you to change your PC's subnet just to get back in to configure it.

Good luck. If you share your AP model and router brand and model, we might be able to give you some more specific info if you're still having trouble.

[sidneysides]

They are both Netgear. My wireless router is connected to the Internet and works fine. I just can't get it to talk to my AP.

[sidneysides]

Thanks for the replies guys - will try it when I get home from work.

[sidneysides]

From what I understand, you want to turn a wired MVP into a "wireless" device by connecting it to an access point. You had the right idea in setting up bridge mode on the access point. However, for point-to-point bridge mode, this setting should probably be also enabled on your wireless router. Are there any other types of bridge modes available on the AP?

I also use my Wireless Router to connect my Laptop to the Internet. If I set this in Bridge mode, won't it stop this working?

[pBS]

basically you have to figure out which router can do bridge mode or which can do 'client' mode and which cannot..i use mine in 'client mode' cuz it won't forward broadcast packets recieved in on the wireless half...[which MVP needs]

so i setup a wired router on inet access side, connected that wire to this 'client' mode AP, and use this ap in client mode to access a regular AP that the MVP is connected to..[i only have one AP that can do bridging]
you still have wireless acccess to inet thru the non-client mode AP..

or you could just use that usb wireless stick in server and leave things as is
[tho usually speeds are a touch lower that way]

[wfooshee]

You're trying to use the wireless access point as a wireless adapter, which won't work. A wireless access point is not a client on a wireless network, and won't do what you're looking for. The access point does not connect wirelessly to the router (unless it can bridge.) It will connect other wireless devices to its network, but it doesn't have a network, with just the MVP hooked up.

A wireless router is nothing but a router and an access point on one chassis.

If the devices will bridge to each other, great, but you will lose the wireless network for your laptop.

It may be that you need another access point to serve as the bridge to the first one, leaving your router alone to serve your laptop's needs. The access points and the router will all need to be on the same subnet, i.e. 192.168.1.something. Also, if there's nothing with the MVP but its WAP, you'll probably need a crossover network cable.

By the time you spend the money for a second access point, you probably could have bought a game console wireless adapter, which connects the way you're trying to connect your access point, just plug it into your wired device to convert it to wireless. They're about a hundred bucks (US) I think, maybe 120.

[melearp]

If your stuff is Netgear then try reading this on the Netgear web site. It says what will and what will not work. It depends on the models you have and whether the AP can be told to be a bridge. The netgear site has lots of articles to help.

http://kbserver.netgear.com/inquira/defa..._highlight

The key sentence is near the bottom of the page ---- "As mentioned above, this configuration, where a wireless router is connected to a wireless access point, will not work."