[Ti] Wireless Network

[Chris Olson]

On Jan 28, 2005, at 12:43 PM, Sambouka wrote:

> Anyway, I recommended using a similar setup as mine DSL Line > Modem > 
> Airport Express. I use the dial up program that is in my modem to 
> connect to the internet. That way I don't need a base station to 
> connect to the internet. Does anyone know of a Cable modem that has a 
> dial up program to connect?

A DSL modem will use (normally) PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) for user 
authentication and gaining an IP address.  Your modem (or dialing 
software) also uses PPP and initiates and authenticates a connection 
thru a "handshake" process with the server.  Cable uses a modem on a 
LAN (WAN in the case of your home network) with a MAC address.  The 
cable modem acts as a medium to get you from ethernet to RF on the 
cable company's network.  The internet part of the cable system simply 
runs on a different frequency or channel than the rest of the stuff you 
get on your TV.

Your friend will not need to "dial up".  Any Mac, AirPort or AirPort 
Express will get an IP address via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration 
Protocol) and be on the wide area network just like you are on your 
LAN, only using a different subnet.  DHCP imposes much less overhead on 
system components such as routers and gateways than PPPoE, allowing 
much higher data transfer speeds than DSL.  Probably the ultimate 
limiting factor being the amount of bandwidth available on your 
provider's Fibre Optic OC3 trunks.

> Another question i have is why is the airport express cheaper than the 
> normal airport? Considering the fact that Airport Express does offer 
> more functionality than the regular airport.

Actually AirPort Express is considerably more limited in capabilities.  
AirPort Extreme has both a LAN port and WAN port allowing you to run a 
combination of wireless and copper-wired clients.  In addition it has 
an external antenna connector and a built-in modem, allowing you to 
bridge copper and wireless with both each other and a dialup 
connection.  AirPort Express can only handle 10 computers, AirPort 
Extreme can handle 50.  AirPort Express can only bridge wireless <-> 
wireless, AirPort Extreme can bridge both wireless <-> wireless and 
wireless <-> copper.

The inclusion of a built-in modem (if you need it) is alone worth the 
price of admission to AirPort Extreme.
--
Chris