making a hardware firewall/router. Can i give it wireless broadcasting?

[maddangerous]

hey all, I'm putting together a build for a.. well.. hardware firewall, vpn server, and a bunch of other undecided things with my cousin. we want it to function it as a router as well, but we just toyed with the idea with giving it wireless 802.11 AC capabilities, but want it to broadcast as a regular wireless router does.

Could we use something like this:Asus Wireless adapter?

Mods, feel free to move this if it is in the wrong place. I didnt place this in the build thread as we are still hashing out what hardware we want etc.

Thanks for the input guys, cant wait to see whats up here, im interested to say the least.

 

[PP Mguire]

Wireless adapter cards I meant for single user usage and IMO don't contain the hardware capabilities for other clients to connect to and through it (properly).

 

[carnageX]

Wireless adapter cards I meant for single user usage and IMO don't contain the hardware capabilities for other clients to connect to and through it (properly).

I've done with with Connectify on my Atheros card in my older laptop, as well as through my Intel card in my G73 that had My-Wifi built in. Both pieces of software create an AP you can connect other clients to (it's not the fastest, but it still works).

 

[PP Mguire]

I've done with with Connectify on my Atheros card in my older laptop, as well as through my Intel card in my G73 that had My-Wifi built in. Both pieces of software create an AP you can connect other clients to (it's not the fastest, but it still works).

This is exactly what I meant by "properly". I never said it couldn't be done, just that it shouldn't as they aren't designed to be access points.

 

[maddangerous]

ok thats what i thought honestly, thanks a bunch for the info guys. now i need to find an 802.11 AC ap that we can use that isnt going to run me $700..

 

[PP Mguire]

If you don't mind trying to reprogram a bit, or can find one that uses DDWRT, then just use a repeater. Hook it up via ethernet to your PC router thing and boom wifi.

 

[maddangerous]

True, that would work. Could a router running DDWRT work? i have one i have been meaning to getting around to modding it.. could give me a good reason to do it soon

 

[Reckless]

You don't need DDWRT, any router can be used as a WAP, no firmware changes needed.

 

[PP Mguire]

Except the machine being built does everything, meaning the router capabilities are moot. Anything NOT with DDWRT even if disabled leaves some things on. A good DDWRT firmware means you can get DHCP from the source, bridge the WAN/LAN with the wifi, and truly have a wireless "extension" from the machine he wants. That's why I said wireless extender because they are easier to just bypass everything without the need for DDWRT.

 

[Reckless]

Well you can relay it to the machine for DHCP source and WAN/LAN without the wifi and do it as an extension.