Can I use a WAP-200 (Linksys, Wireless-G) to do Network Address Translation?

February 23, 2009 2:12 PM

Can I use a WAP200 (Linksys, Wireless-G) to do Network Address Translation?

I have a limited range of IP addresses and only a few wireless devices that I'll be using. I'd like to put the wireless devices on a private network space and have them share a single public IP address, which I thought was network address translation.

I'm not particularly strong on networking; aside from some proxy servers and firewalls, it's not technology I've had to get my hands in very often. I was told by someone I thought was knowledgeable that NAT is just one of these features that comes with practically everything. I am probably guilty of not doing enough research on this, but I could have sworn I saw NAT on the old Linksys WAP200 page, which I can no longer find. I also got a nice Wireless card in the G-band with which I can retrofit another PC.

So, I buy a Linksys WAP200, but I cannot, for the life of me, find any NAT setup in the various administration screens. The glossary for the device even mentions NAT. It is possible that they have a standard glossary they just toss in. It sure is shiny and pretty, but I have the sinking feeling that it won't do anything I particularly need.

Does the product not do this? Do I try to con this old Cisco Pix a friend has kicking around into doing my NAT? Do I find another wireless device, and, if so, what is it called? I was attracted to the WAP200 because WPA2 for the encryption, its range, the selection of features like MAC-filtering and whatnot, but I'm not married to LinkSys/Cisco.

Bonus round: So, any way I can make use of the WAP200 and feel less like I just blew money on something useless (to me)? It won't stop me from feeling like an idiot, but perhaps I'll feel less like a spendthrift.

posted by adipocere to computers & internet (4 comments total)

WAP200 is an access point, not a router that does NAT. I dont believe any third-party firmware works for this model.

Do I try to con this old Cisco Pix a friend has kicking around into doing my NAT?

If you like. You can use the cisco for its router funtions and attach the WAP just for wireless.

Do I find another wireless device, and, if so, what is it called?

You want a router that is also a wireless access point like this, not just an access point. Im sure you can return it.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:31 PM on February 23

I don't own one, so my opinion may not be worth very much, but I don't think the outlook is good. The WAP200 is a downmarket item without a lot of the hardware and features you find in other cheap networking gear. Usually you would attach a device of this kind to a switch or router that can provide NAT. Sadly, also, I find that this device isn't supported by OpenWRT, which otherwise would save the day.
posted by doteatop at 2:34 PM on February 23

The product doesn't do it. The WAP200 just acts as a wireless access point, providing wireless connectivity to a wired LAN -- it doesn't do routing. The datasheet is here.

You want a wireless router, not just a wireless access point -- anything labelled wireless router is likely to have NAT, whereas something labeled as an access point with no mention of routing is likely to be missing NAT. The WRT54GL is Linksys' old standby wireless router, hackable with open source firmwares to do almost anything, but is missing out of the box certain wireless features the WAP200 and or advanced wireless routers have. That said, it will likely do what you described above, and it usually costs $50 or less.

Alternately, pairing the WAP200 with a router, like the old PIX, should work fine too.
posted by eschatfische at 3:38 PM on February 23

Yeah, get a WRT54GL and install DD-WRT on it. It will then do everything the WAP200 will do (WPA2, WDS, MAC filtering) plus routing and many other features.
posted by DecemberBoy at 4:31 PM on February 23