Question : Configuring Wireless Access Points

Hi guys.

Im totally stuck on setting up a wireless network. Can you help?!

What im trying to do is link an unwired network from one end of a big building to the other, using access points.

There is currently a three client workgroup set up in one office at the far end of the building (i'll call this Office 1) which is working fine, able to share files & printers with each other and browsing the net through an adsl netgear router (All Clients are running XP Home SP1) using 802.11b wireless adapters (although the router is 802.11g)

Ive set up three access points (Netgear WG602 v2) throughout the building trying to expand the reach of the network & internet to the other end of the building, and from what i can see (im walking around using a laptop with an 802.11g pen attached to it) each access point is in range with the one next to it (as i can see two or three available access points/router at any time in which to connect to using the supplied netgear software).  Please note that i want the next office (office 2) at the other end of the building to be on the same workgroup, able to access the same internet connection, and share files and printers with the other office.

However, as soon as i move out of range of the router in office 1, ive lost access to the workgroup and internet.  This is where im stuck.

The Netgear Access points im using (WG602 v2) have three options to choose from :-
1. Access Point.
2. Point to Point Bridging
3. Multi-point bridging
4. Repeater

Now all Access points are set to the same Channel, same SSID (all have no encryption set yet, as im leaving that until last). I just dont know where to go from here. Ive tried setting different options, like repeater, bridging etc, but i still lose the network as soon as im out of range of the router. Im either doing something wrong, or missing something.

Can anyone give me some instructions to follow, or some tips to try? im desperate!  I guess this is the same as roaming. if i can walk around throughout the building with the laptop, while still able to access the internet, share files and printers with the network in office 1, then essentially, i should be able to set up a network in office 2 no problem?  

Your help is very urgent and important, thus the 500 points offered.

Answer : Configuring Wireless Access Points

Many wireless routers don't support any other mode than a standard AP, IF this is the case then the WG602 will not be able to repeat the router.

Therefore you need to use the first WG602 as the connection by hardwiring to one of the router LAN ports.

The routers AP will be servicing the local users as before, the first WG602 will service any local users and the repeaters. When running APs on the same SSID they would normally be on different channels to prevent interference between the two, hence the router and first WG602 would need to be on different channels, any roaming device would automatically switch to the stronger signal.

The other WG602 are on the same channel as they need to connect to the first WG602 using the same channel.

The next WG602 will work as per the instructions and allow roaming, however the instructions don't mention if it is possible to use a third device so maybe this last WG602 won't work.

It may even be that you need a fourth WG602 so that you have two WG602s hard wired back to back in the central area, but you need to talk to netgear and get some advice.

I am not that familiar with these APs so can only give general advice, I assume from the guide that users will be able to roam between all APs

ps if you could hardwire between all APs and run them in AP mode then this would be the most reliable and straight forward way to do it.