Wireless access points: consumer, commercial, or DIY?

[Mark Bennett]

Sam,

> FreeBSD HEAD is the only open source system that does Dynamic WDS 
> (DWDS).  If you want to "bridge to another AP securely" it is the 
> really the only thing to use. 

I won't argue that your knowledge of the capabilities of FreeBSD 
wireless surpass mine, and probably that of anyone else.  But I will 
bring up a couple of points.

First, I have been watching this list and others related to FreeBSD for 
2-3 years, as well as working with the O/S when time allows, which is 
rare.  This is the first time in my recollection that I have seen the 
term "FreeBSD HEAD" used.  What is that?  It certainly isn't mentioned 
in the on-line documentation that I can find.  I get a lot of hits when 
I Google it, but no real definition.

Dynamic Wireless Distribution System I understand.  I also understand I 
could setup a desktop or laptop as an AP, which is documented very 
well.  Nothing in the docs on DWDS that I can find.  Maybe that 
capability is automagically accomplished when two APs are setup?  No, 
I'm a little too skeptical to believe that.

When I came across dd-wrt I was actually looking for a wireless FreeBSD 
system embedded on an appliance.  I never found one.  Do you know of 
one?  I would certainly be interested in that.

dd-wrt is Linux based and I distrust Linux for many reasons, but it's 
sure better than the firmware that ships with most wireless appliances.  
Most hardware APs say they will bridge or relay to another AP, but when 
you dig into it a little you will find that they only support WEP 
encryption, which I will not use.  That is a key requirement, at minimum 
the full support of WPA across the entire network.

Thanks,

Mark