[MLB-WIRELESS] Bridge vs router vs AP

[Will Lotto]

An AP: Is a wireless device capable of talking to other wireless
devices.. Setup in "server" mode, so clients connect to it.

A Bridge can be one of two things:
Wired Network: A repeater. .. A switch is simply a multi-point bridge.
Wireless Network: A repeater. .. An AP setup to blindly forward traffic
between two other wireless node.

A router: Okay, now, technically a bridge should do *some* filtering,
being technical, a bridge keeps tables of MAC addresses on both sides of
it, and only forwards the traffic if it's not destined for a MAC address
on the same side of the bridge that the traffic is coming from. (A MAC
address is a (hopefully) unique serial number printed on every network
card and AP)... But the filtering a bridge does is *very* basic.

A router is much smarter. It works on IP addresses, can have redundant
links, weightings on links, priority on traffic etc. etc. etc. ..
Routers are what make the internet work.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-melbwireless at wireless.org.au
[mailto:owner-melbwireless at wireless.org.au] On Behalf Of Clae
Sent: Wednesday, 29 May 2002 6:02 PM
To: melbwireless at wireless.org.au
Subject: [MLB-WIRELESS] Bridge vs router vs AP


OK once more for the tech dummies (me):

what exactly is the difference between a bridge, a router and an AP?

-- 
David Clae Gason
Secretary, Melbourne Digital and Wireless
mailto:secretary at wireless.org.au http://wireless.org.au

i hate anarchists. i think there should be a law against them  -tahl

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