[MLB-WIRELESS] Bridge vs router vs AP

[Ryan Abbenhuys]

An AP has the ability to take care of the IEEE 802.11 management functions.
Things like beacon sending, frame a à  cknowledging, etc.


>Ok, correc if I'm wrong...
>
>So an AP is basically like a hub or a switch for wireless networks (which is

>it a switch or a hub?, I know the difference)
>
>and that's weird... my crappy Netcom 2 mbit access point I can use as a AP

>and I can connect it to my switch so it bridges to my wired LAN, so your
>saying some/most AP's can't do that?
>
>I think my main question is that one up there, Does an AP act like a switch

>or a hub, i.e. broadcast all packets to every link, or just to the IP its
>going to...
>
>...Ferni
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Will Lotto" <lotto at impulse.net.au>
>To: <melbwireless at wireless.org.au>
>Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 10:27 AM
>Subject: RE: [MLB-WIRELESS] Bridge vs router vs AP
>
>
>> 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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>>
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>>
>
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