SMF and Wordpress

[apexadllc]

I have been doing a lot of reading on the forum and can't find an answer to this question I had... It's probably right under my nose!  I have a Wordpress site built out right now and want to install an SMF forum.  If I create a new MySQL database on my hosting plan and install the SMF forum, designate a page such as "blank.com/forum" do I have to merge the SMF forum with Wordpress?  Or can I just install the SMF forum and link it to my navigation bar and have the users separate from my Wordpress site and keep them from logging in to that as well?  Basically have a separate database for Wordpress and the SMF forum. 

Thank you for the responses in advance!

[Kindred]

if the two softwares are installed into different databases (or even the same database with different prefixes) then there is no problem....   they can remain separate.

(do not, they **MUST** be in separate directories, since filenames would conflict)

[apexadllc]

Great - thank you for the reply!  Think I'll go that route then and keep them completely separate.  I don't want them connecting.