can an access point connect through an access point?

[Jeff Vian]

On Sun, 2006-01-29 at 10:46 -0500, Claude Jones wrote:
> On Sun January 29 2006 10:25 am, Chasecreek Systemhouse earlier:
> > The AP at the Microsoft PC needs to be on 2 networks: the pc wired
> > side is say 192.168.2 and the WAN AP is 192.168.1 as well as the
> > default route for the pc.
> and then, a bit later
> > bridging is a consequence of going from wan to lan.   there is an
> > implied  hop and a ip address difference.
> >
> Still trying to figure out your first reply. How can the remote PC be on two 
> networks? It's not physically connected. It's only connection is through the 
> cat5 cable connecting it to my secondary access point. Ah, but you say that 
> the AP has to be on two networks; but, how is that possible? It has one 
> configuration screen where you can configure an IP address; the button for 
> that screen is labeled  "LAN". If there's a second IP address for the 
> wireless side of the device, it's not configurable... 
> 
LAN is the wireless side of an AP.  It is on one network.  The WAN side
is the second network.
There should also be a configuration screen for the WAN side.  If it
were not configurable then it would not be usable in many (most)
networks.

> There's a conceptual gap in my understanding still (I'm plowing through many 
> google hits to try to lessen the gap). I'd thought of AP's as slight 
> variations of wired hubs. Plug them in, give them an IP address that 
> corresponds to the network topology, configure security, and then, the device 
> was merely acting as a two-way pipe between computers - there's obviously 
> more to it...
> 
An AP is not the same as a hub/switch.  It is actually a router.
In order for the WAN port to be on the same network as the LAN side it
must be able to function in a bridge mode instead of routing.  

You did not say which type of AP you have. Some have both wired and
wireless LAN ports. Others are wireless only.  Both types route between
the WAN and the LAN sides.

Functionality and configuration methods may differ depending upon which
brand / model / type you have. 
> -- 
> Claude Jones
> Bluemont, VA, USA
>