Linksys Travel Router WTR54GS
by Volker Weber
The Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster lets you carry a wireless network wherever you go. There's a built-in access point, which lets you connect SpeedBooster-enhanced and regular Wireless-G and Wireless-B devices to the network. There's also an Ethernet port to connect your wired PC. The Router function ties it together and lets your PCs share a wired or wireless Internet connection.
The Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster lets you carry a wireless network wherever you go. There's a built-in access point, which lets you connect SpeedBooster-enhanced and regular Wireless-G and Wireless-B devices to the network. There's also an Ethernet port to connect your wired PC. The Router function ties it together and lets your PCs share a wired or wireless Internet connection.Sounds familiar, doesn't it? But there is an interesting twist. This router also lets you route from WLAN to WLAN:
You can also create a shared-access bubble attached to a wireless Internet connection to use multiple devices on a single hotspot account in a coffee shop or airport lounge.
If your hotel overcharges you on their wireless access, here is your chance to share one account amongst several guests. One person foots the bill and passes around the tip jar.
Comments
...which sounds like a great idea, but is probably in most cases 'illegal':
Most Internet services and hotspot providers make you 'agree' to their terms and conditions before you can access their service, and these terms and conditions usually prevent you from sharing/re-selling/distributing.
Now, on the other hand, there is this german proverb: "Wo kein Kläger, da kein Richter..."
The idea is not realy new: I use mit Apple AirTunes AP to do this since i have it! It works fine from a Mac (Powerbook G4) and my Windows XP based Company Notebook (HP)...
BTW: I agree with Thomas! Most of the WLAN Providers do not allow the connection sharing :(
I assume you mean Airport Express when you say "Apple AirTunes AP".
I have one of those. However, I do not think that you can connect to a wireless network and provide wireless network access for others. You can only connect to a wired network and provide wireless network access. Or in more technical terms: One side of the router has to be a wired network.
This Linksys device however can route between your private wireless network and the wireless network in attaches to. Think "One T-Mobile account, multiple users". As for the mobile robbers providers, they can stick their T&C where the sun does not shine. :-)
I agree! The Airport can not share the WLAN Connection with 1 (one) Aiport!
If you want to do that, you need in minimal to of that... or you have share it via Software (eg. Windows/Mac connection sharing).
However, the Kinksys Router sounds interesting... But lets wait what the WLAN providers try to implement to prevent features like that...
Interesting point of view... I sounds not easy to prevent that.
maybe I do not get the point, but Volker, it is not true, that one side of the network has to be wired. AEX supports WDS. I am using two of these. One connects to a friends WLAN via WDS. This first box is configured as a relay station and provides two laptops and the second AEX with internet. The second AEX serves as itunes exit and printserver.
So no network cables attached on my side.
In a hotel environment this setup will most probably fail, as WDS is not very standardized and the cooperation of hardware from different vendors is not guaranteed.
No, you do get the point. WDS is a repeater system. We are talking about NAT routing into a wireless cloud.
