John Cook72 said:An AP is a "passive" device; it just bridges WiFi devices to the router, while the router defines the shared subnet (LAN) via DHCP.
Every AP has its own IP so you can access it for configuration, but it stays on the same subnet as everything else (you can set a static IP for an AP, or let it pull one via DHCP from the router—though managing it is easier if you know exactly what the IP is).
I'm looking to get an AP that isn't just for WiFi, but also acts as a LAN switch, so I can plug my TV and PC into it via cable in the room where it's located.
wiredcanyon94 said:You configure all the devices to be on the same network. Meaning, they share the same subnet mask and address "network portion."
Honestly, it might be best to have someone set this up for you. Or at least have them do the initial config so you can see how it works before trying to DIY it later.
It’s going to be a headache if you don't know the basics. And looking at your list, you're planning a total jungle of different devices. For a network, you want it "unified"—keep the hardware as consistent as possible. You don't want one device being this, another being that, and a third being some random router acting as an access point. That's just a mess of everything and anything.
And don't go daisy-chaining access points together. Avoid those "WiFi extenders." All your access points should connect back to a single Ethernet switch via wire. Connect one port on that switch to your ISP's router. One device—either that router or something else on the network—acts as the DHCP server to hand out IPs to everything else. That way, every device is on the same subnet because one central device handles the IPs, masks, and gateways for everyone.
Either study up on this or just pay someone to get it right the first time.
I get what you're saying, and that's basically the plan.
WiFi range extenders and that kind of junk are out of the question. Every AP will be wired to a switch. I'm specifically hunting for an AP with a built-in LAN switch rather than just a router in AP mode, mainly because finding those isn't easy. I've used a Netgear LAN + WiFi AP before and it worked fine.
I haven't decided yet if I need a dedicated switch or if the 4-5 ports on the router will cut it (looks like only 3 rooms + a hallway need Ethernet—one cable each).
I won't be setting this up myself anyway. I don't live at the location, so I'm just picking the gear and having someone else install it (which shouldn't be too complicated).
The current plan is:
- those Netgear Access Points (2x) - connected via Ethernet to the AT&T router
- a wall-mounted Netgear AP and a PoE+ injector, also connecting back to the router
It looks like I don't actually need a PoE switch if all I'm doing is setting up these three APs—especially since only one of them needs PoE, and most rooms only have a single Ethernet jack anyway.
Any devices that need a hardwired connection (like a PC or a smart TV) can just plug directly into the AP's built-in switch.
The big question is: will everything be able to see each other across this setup, or will every device be trapped on its own isolated AP network?
What's the verdict?
