[MLB-WIRELESS] Bridge vs router vs AP

[Ryan Abbenhuys]

You can have a Access Point, Wireless Bridge and Router all in one, working simultaneously
if you use the Linux HostAP driver.


>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.


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