Accton Technology MR3202A, User Manual

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Chapter 3: Network Planning
The Mini AP Router is designed to be very flexible in its deployment options. It can
be used as an Internet gateway for a small network, or as an access point to extend
an existing wired network to support wireless users. It also supports use as a
wireless client to connect to another wireless network, or a wireless bridge to
connect two wired LANs.
This chapter explains some of the basic features of the Mini AP Router and shows
some network topology examples in which the device is implemented.
Internet Gateway Router
The Mini AP Router can connect directly to a cable or DSL modem to provide an
Internet connection for multiple users through a single service provider account.
Users connect to the Mini AP Router either through a wired connection to the LAN
port, or though the device’s own wireless network. The Mini AP Router functions as
an Internet gateway when set to Router Mode.
An Internet gateway employs serveral functions that essentially creates two
separate Internet Protocol (IP) subnetworks; a private internal network with wired
and wireless users and a public external network that connects to the Internet.
Network traffic is forwarded, or routed, between the two subnetworks.
The private local network, connected to the LAN port or wireless interface, provides
a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server for allocating IP addresses to
local PCs and wireless clients, and Network Address Translation (NAT) for mapping
the multiple "internal" IP addresses to one "external" IP address.
Mini AP Router
Server
(IP: 192.168.1.x)
Desktop PC
(IP: 192.168.1.x)
Cable/DSL
Modem
Internet
Service
Provider
Notebook PC
(IP: 192.168.1.x)
WAN
(IP assigned
from
ISP)
LAN
(IP:
192.168.1.x)
LAN Switch