Setting up multiple wireless access points

[ColdFusion]

Hey Guys,

My main problem here is that I don't know the proper term used to define what I would like to do so its hard to search.

We have 1 Linksys WRT300N router and a big house. Halfway across the house there is barely and signal and staying connected is tough. We want to setup 2 more wireless repeater/extenders around the house so that access is available everywhere. The house is wired with CAT5 so ideally I would like to plug a wireless extender/repeater into the wired network, configure it with the exact same wireless settings as the main router (i believe i would need to use a different channel). So basically you can walk through the house, remain connected to the same SSID, and ip/subnet.

Is this possible? I have configured a few routers to use DD-WRT and Tomato but I just don't know if this setup is possible or what it is called.

Thanks!

[YeOldeStonecat]

Same SSID, same security, just put your other wireless access points on a different IP address of course. And put them on opposite channels.

Say router is 192.168.1.1, have it broadcasting on channel 1
Put your 2nd access point at 192.168.1.2, have it broadcast on channel 6
put your 3rd access point (if needed) on 192.168.1.3, have it broadcast on channel 11

You won't get true roaming...as you take a laptop and walk across the house...it will hold onto its prior association as long as possible..and then suddenly flip over and latch onto the access point near the other end of the house you just walked to.

People don't usually walk around much though...basically you take your laptop, go sit somewhere..and fire it up..it'll latch onto whichever is strongest.

The other thing you're probably thinking of...."WDS"...that's where they basically act as repeaters. Since you're playing with DD or Tomato firmware, you can get that feature. You end up chopping your bandwidth down considerably though...dunno if that's an issue.

[ColdFusion]

The other thing you're probably thinking of...."WDS"...that's where they basically act as repeaters. Since you're playing with DD or Tomato firmware, you can get that feature. You end up chopping your bandwidth down considerably though...dunno if that's an issue.

Thanks YOSC!

That sounds just fine. With that setup how would I go about passing DHCP requests through to the primary router?

WDS is something completely separate from what you have suggested, right?

Thanks

[YeOldeStonecat]

In setting up the additional wireless access points...make sure they're access points, or if you're using wireless routers for your second and third units....convert them to run just as access points. Meaning on the 2nd and 3rd router, after changing their LAN IP address to something like the example above, disable DHCP on each of those..leaving DHCP only running from your primary router.

You'll be uplinking the second and third units using a LAN port, not the WAN/Internet port. When setup in this fashion, the wireless routers will be running purely as access points..since no traffic is flowing through their router part and out the WAN port. A wireless access point is basically just a bridge...briding two topologies...wireless..and ethernet. So they're treated as just a switch really. Uplink a switch to an existing network that has an existing DHCP service..and it all flows through just fine.

Yes WDS is a totally different setup than the above one.

[ColdFusion]

Thanks Yosc!

Set static ips for the APs, disabled dhcp, configured the router to match the primary routers wireless settings except for channel, and it works magically. When walking through the house, it appears to switch seamlessly between APs. It's a beautiful thing

[trigun]

Hi, I was looking into doing the same exact setup, and the way you have described, I also have a bunch of D-link/other routers, and one with tomato, and want to do the exact setup, I did what you have described, where in my situation I have two routers, one with DHCP turned off, and the other with Tomato on it and DHCP enabled, and I setup the tomato router as an Access Point, and simply turned off DHCP on the other router to have it act as an Access point. Then mirrored the rest of the settings. I hope that works correctly, and it appears to be so.
I plan to add two more wireless routers to this setup, is this the best way of doing it, or should I utilize some of the features available on the only one router that has tomato, and those options are:
WDS
Access Point+WDS
Wireless Client
Wireless Bridge

Ultimately the question is, if you had 3 routers from multiple manufacturers and one router with tomato on it, making a total of 4, and wanting to walk around an area with a cellphone say, and be able to automatically hop between those routers seamlessly....I hope I was clear.
Many Thanks!

[dmellos]

Hi guys, really need your expert help. I have 2 routers (Linksys WRT160N & Aztech HW550-3G). I use the Aztech as my primary router connected to the ISP and this works fine. I want to have a better coverage of my wireless signal upstairs and thus need to connect the WRT160N to act as an wireless AP with same SSID. This is what I have done but it does not work.

Aztech Base IP -> 192.168.2.1 for config mode GUI. Setup the wireless with SSID "TEST" for WEP2 on channel 5
Linksys Base IP -> 192.168.1.1 for config mode GUI. Setup router IP 192.168.2.2, disabled the DHCP, setup wireless SSID "TEST" for WEP2 on channel 11

connected via CAT5E cable from Aztech LAN port 1 to Linksys LAN port 1

Now the problems:

1) The Linksys modem never goes online, it seems that the router does not get the IP from the Aztech. Lan port does flash sometimes, but does not get steady light (signal).
2) Now after I have changed the Linksys IP to 192.168.2.2, I cannot get to the config GUI mode anymore.

Please help & suggest what I am doing wrong.

Thanks alot guys.

[Journeyman]

This is a tech article I have found VERY useful in similar situations. There are two scenarios to choose from and detailed information on configurations for both. I hope they are useful to you. http://www.computing.net/howtos/show/ad ... n/243.html

[mg123man]

In setting up the additional wireless access points...make sure they're access points, or if you're using wireless routers for your second and third units....convert them to run just as access points. Meaning on the 2nd and 3rd router, after changing their LAN IP address to something like the example above, disable DHCP on each of those..leaving DHCP only running from your primary router.

You'll be uplinking the second and third units using a LAN port, not the WAN/Internet port. When setup in this fashion, the wireless routers will be running purely as access points..since no traffic is flowing through their router part and out the WAN port. A wireless access point is basically just a bridge...briding two topologies...wireless..and ethernet. So they're treated as just a switch really. Uplink a switch to an existing network that has an existing DHCP service..and it all flows through just fine.

Yes WDS is a totally different setup than the above one.

Do I need to connect the 2nd and 3rd access points in parallel to the router via wired connection, meaning: Router >>>>>access point 1, Router >>>>>access point 2, or can I run it in series: Router >>>>>access point 1 >>>>access point 2.

With my configuration at home:
1) I have the router in the office and have one wired cat5 cable up to the attic.
2) All the rooms have cat5 cable that terminate up in the attic.
3) I have one access point 1 connected to the one wired cat5 cable from the office and the other LAN ports connected to other rooms in the house.

can I configure access point 2 to be located in other rooms via but connected to the access point 1 or do I need to have a separate cat5 cable run from the router to the access point 2?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Do I need to connect the 2nd and 3rd access points in parallel to the router via wired connection, meaning: Router >>>>>access point 1, Router >>>>>access point 2, or can I run it in series: Router >>>>>access point 1 >>>>access point 2.

With my configuration at home:
1) I have the router in the office and have one wired cat5 cable up to the attic.
2) All the rooms have cat5 cable that terminate up in the attic.
3) I have one access point 1 connected to the one wired cat5 cable from the office and the other LAN ports connected to other rooms in the house.

can I configure access point 2 to be located in other rooms via but connected to the access point 1 or do I need to have a separate cat5 cable run from the router to the access point 2?

A true access point will just have 1x ethernet port...so you won't have a choice but to run them in parallel. Router ===> AP 1, and Router ==> AP 2.
Or...you could go Router====> Switch...and from the switch run some lines to each AP individually.
Or....if you are reconfiguring some wireless routers to be used as just access points...(disabled DHCP, change LAN IP to a unique one for each AP, uplink via LAN port)...technically you could run them in serial....Router==>AP 1==> AP 2 because most home grade wireless routers have 4x LAN ports which are just a built in 4 port switch on the LAN side.

[mg123man]

Thanks, I have 2 Linksys WRT54G routers configured as APs, in serial. I'll need to check my AP 2 settings again and retry, but it has not worked yet. AP1 works fine. Will repost results shortly.

[mg123man]

A true access point will just have 1x ethernet port...so you won't have a choice but to run them in parallel. Router ===> AP 1, and Router ==> AP 2.
Or...you could go Router====> Switch...and from the switch run some lines to each AP individually.
Or....if you are reconfiguring some wireless routers to be used as just access points...(disabled DHCP, change LAN IP to a unique one for each AP, uplink via LAN port)...technically you could run them in serial....Router==>AP 1==> AP 2 because most home grade wireless routers have 4x LAN ports which are just a built in 4 port switch on the LAN side.

Thanks YeOldeStonecat, sounds like using a router (office) ====> switch (attic) =====> AP1 (one room) and switch =====> AP2 (another room) is the best solution. I'll test and then repost.