Enterprise AP or PCI Wireless Card? Need Help, PLease…

waiwai

Our Pfsense box is V1.2.2 Version with CPU 2.2G and DDR 512MB, Our Boss plans to setup wireless for
our clients which around 20-40 users at the same time.

If we install any authorized PCI Wireless Card in the Box, and setup a new subnet for the Wireless.
Do the PCI Wireless Card do the same job as Enterprise AP do?

Any recommended PCI Wireless adaptor?

thanks

jahonix

Define "the same job as Enterprise AP"

waiwai

Some Enterprise AP like 3com AirConnect 9550 supporting up to 64 simultaneous users, Install a PCI Wireless adaptor in the box can support large amount of simultaneous users?

thanks

jahonix

Isn't the number of users defined by state table size only?
Throughput is the limiting factor and that's given by the technology used a/b/g/n

I would consider "Enterprise features" way differently, like handover between cells, centralised management of APs and their users, etc.

Cry Havok

You'll want multiple radio devices (whether wireless NICs or APs). From a G network you'll get about 22 Mb/s through it. If you've got 40 clients then each will get an average of 0.5 Mb/s (at best). If you have 3 different radio devices on different channels you'll be able to up that to 1.5 Mb/s. If you add some A devices then clients can use those, further spreading the load.

If you're not covering a single small room then multiple units with physical diversity, sharing the same channel, will work. There's a lot of planning involved in that though.

Watch too that (as has been said many times) not all network cards are equal. Better quality (more expensive) cards will generally put a lower load on the system and allow you to push more traffic.

Finally, as jahonix implied, there's a reason you pay more for an Enterprise AP, in terms of features.

waiwai

Hi, again:

We are using only ONE Linksys AP for 12 clients for testing using WPA-AES, Everybody can catch the signal, and acquire their own IP from Pfsense. But very few of them can surf the internet.

Multiple Radio APs share the same SSID would really share the load? or just using AP build-in function WDS (Wireless Distribution System)?

PLease Help..^__^

Cry Havok

Multiple APs is possibly what you need, but in all honesty you really need somebody who knows what they're doing to have a look - probably more cost effective than spending money on hardware you may not need.

waiwai

Back to the origin, if i installed single Wireless adapter (atheros chip) in the box as an Access Point, do the Wireless adapter handle 40 wireless clients at the same time? (I mean they can surf the internet, regardless slow connection speed.)

I wonder that those security encyptions ( like WEP, WPA, WPA2) will be processed by CPU and DDR ram in the box NOT wireless adapter mount in PCI slot. Am I Right?

Our Environment : No VLANs, NO RADIUS, Internet ONLY.

jahonix

@waiwai:

Multiple Radio APs share the same SSID would really share the load?

It depends.

@waiwai:

or just using AP build-in function WDS (Wireless Distribution System)?

Nope, WDS is a totally different journey and not what you need!

I get the impression you know alot about engines or gear-boxes but your car is still missing tires and such.
Get some professional service frm your area to solve your needs, really!