Resolved Using A Router in a WiFi System

I live in a large, gated community of some 1400 apartments. At the present time, the high speed internet comes into our apartments via the same cable feed that our TV signal is on. I have a wireless router attached to the modem that operates my wireless devices as well as a couple of hard wired ethernet devices.

In the near future, the high speed internet will be provided as a centrally managed wireless signal that is delivered to a device outside our doorways that sends the WiFi signal we will use in our apartments. Our management assures us that it is a secure system that we will access through our individual user names and passwords. I am a bit skeptical and would like the assurance of having my own equipment between the management provided bandwith and my own appliances.

Is it possible to use a personal device (wireless router or some other device) as a filter for the provided WiFi signal. Or am I being too cautious?

 

Is what you have now yours or the Apartment Complexes? The cable TV and stuff is what I am referring to.

 

We're a captive audience. The TV and high speed internet are controlled by the complex management - what we have now and what will be available in the future. We don't have an option as to the provider. However, under the present set up, we do have some control within out apartments via our personal routers because the high speed internet comes in via cable through a modem and then the router.

As the upcoming system will be WiFi through access points in the hallway ceilings, I feel a bit uncomfortable regarding how I can secure the network within my apartment.

 

Somebody else will have to weigh in on this. There might be a way to do this, but I am not sure. If you were real uncomfortable with the set up the way that they are going to do, if you have a phone line you could get DSL. It comes in on the same wires that your phone comes in on and you would not have to share it with anybody else. I know how some of these places are about running wire that wasn't there during the initial build of the complex. Been there done that in my 38 years with the phone company.

 

Who is your phone provider in your town? I have Century Link here which was Sprint, then Embarq, which was 2 or 3 different thing before them. I subscribe to 8.0 and am usually rocking right along at 7.9 all the time. Same as when I had 1.5 and 3.0.

 

Another option is Tethering, (also known as Mobile or Personal Hotspot).

Many 3G/4G mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, (and standalone devices), can act as a portable access point and router for devices connected to it. Connection to other devices can be done over wireless LAN (WiFi), Bluetooth or physical connection using a cable, such as through USB.

 

Mr. Bill

DSL isn't an option due to equipment/line incompatibility. We've pursued that through our management firm and Verizon. Wouldn't be a long term solution in any event as the new WiFi is part of a total Internet/Telephone/TV service that will be controlled by our in house management.

Tony T

This is correct.

Is this similar to what you were talking about? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833162029 I didn't see any reference to Client Mode or Client Bridge Mode but it does sound like it does what I need. Added Note - This particular unit is N technology. I didn't pursue ac technology as what our management is installing for the near term is only N.

Tenda Wireless N

I'll will probably take you up on that offer.

Spyware Dr.

I assume that tethering involves use of smart phones and 3G/4G contracts which I don't have now. I may be drug into this century some day.

 

The Tenda unit I am using is a very basic (cheap) one and I can't find what is referred to a "Radio Settings" or an option to select "Client" mode when I get into the settings. From the link you provided, it appears that the "Client" mode has a scan feature that scans for an existing signal and when it latches on to the correct signal, the unit then operates the same as a router that has a wire feeding it. Am I on track here?


I have been planning to get myself a new Buffalo router. If I decide to go ahead and get a unit, could I experiment using the signal from my present Tenda router?

 

TonyT,

I just received my new router (Buffalo450) yesterday and will start reading all the material on it. I hope to start doing some tinkering with it today but the internet is down in our building - I am at a public WiFi spot right now. I will mark this thread as "Resolved" for now. If I run into any snags I will be back. Thanks for all the inputs