Can 1x wireless card be used twice ... ?

[Dolby]

I'm betting the answer to my question is 'no', but it's worth a shot.

I purchased a Linksys WMP54g wireless PCI card last week as well as a Pinnacle Systems media streamer. The two are connected adhoc/peer-to-peer so I can stream from my PC to my TV/hi-fi.

My question is can I use the same card, for example, in a wireless LAN? Or will I need an access point to link to more than 1 device?

 

[JayT]

You can. Microsoft released some software to allow you to do this. When I get home I'll check what its called

 

[JayT]

Found it.

Engineers at Microsoft Research have released a new software tool that enables a computer to connect to multiple Wi-Fi networks simultaneously. With VirtualWiFi, a single wireless card can appear multiple virtual WLAN cards. A user can then configure each to link to a different access point, computer or other device.

The application, which is a prototype project, could also be useful for network diagnostics and expanding the capacity of ad-hoc wireless networks. The 1.0 release of the software does not yet support WEP and has been designed to work with Windows XP. Download VirtualWiFi 1.0 from FileForum.

http://research.microsoft.com/netres/projects/virtualwifi/default.htm

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Microsoft_VirtualWiFi/1129646505/1

 

[Dolby]

Thanks JayT,

I'd assume bandwidth would be halved though ... ?

 

[werner]

dolby, multiple wlan cards can all join an adhoc network...it isnt just for two machines.

if you already have adhoc between pc and streamer, and wish to add another pc, then just configure it in adhoc also with the same wep key and ssid you used and it will work. now, your wireless lan will consist of 2 pc's and one streamer, easy as pie.

 

[Dolby]

But surely bandwidth would halve .... ? Can it deliver 54mpbs to the streamer AND a PC ... ?

 

[werner]

no, of course not