Connecting two networks by wifi

[snuglz]

Dear Everyone,

I have the following problem (see pictures below).
I have a gateway that connects me to the internet (by fast Wi-Fi and Ethernet) but is not configurable at all. See picture 1.

Furthermore it seems to isolate all clients. As this gateway is entirely non-configurable, essentially I am dealing with two seperate networks (network created by router A with subnet 192.168.1.x and the second network created by router B with subnet 192.168.2.x).
See picture 2.

Right now I have an old Router A (Asus WL500W running DD-WRT), hooked up by ethernet Lan to Wan that distributes internet access to my VoIP phone, media player, TV etcetera in the living room. This is all on subnet 192.168.1.x. Router A is WiFi capable, but this is slow WiFi. (Single Band, 54 Mbps).

I get internet access on my PC in a different room (too far away to easily run an ethernet cable to the gateway or router A), through fast WiFi access (Dual Band, 300 + 450 Mbps). Router B acts as a WiFi client to the inaccessible gateway and provides internet access to the PC. Router B is also running DD-WRT.

QUESTION:
What I would like to be able to do, is to be able to communicate from my PC (on router B) with the devices connected to router A (and the other way round).

I would like to do this without routing my traffic over the internet when it is originating from router A and destined to go to router B (and the other way round).
Ideally I want traffic to and from the internet to continue to be routed as they currently are, as this is the fastest and stable setup.

How can I achieve this?
I thought I can perhaps have Router B somehow act as a Wi-Fi AP to Router A (or the other way round), and use Static Routing to connect the two subnets.
Should I use a private VPN? DD-WRT supports OpenVPN.

Anyone have an idea to effectively do this in DD-WRT?

Thanks a lot!

 

[azazel1024]

Do you own/control both networks? Many ways to accomplish this.

You could do static IPs, a mix of static and dynamic. You can do static routing.

Looking at your diagram, you are not going to be able to connect to the internet through Wifi on the one network AND bridge to the other network on Wifi, unless you are utilizing a pair of wireless routers/bridges on that one network.

Do you really need it as seperate networks? Or do you just want them to physically access each other AND have a seperate connection to the internet?

I'd personally setup the left side (especially if it is just one desktop) such that you have a static IP on the desktop, enter the gateway IP manually and turn DHCP off (LAN side) of the E4200 and wirelessly bridge ot the other network, leaving DHCP ON on that other network with the same subnet range as the desktop PC with the static IP (make sure the static IP is set to a range outside of the DHCP range of the router).

You'll also need to set the E4200 LAN IP to something outside the DHCP range of the WL-500w, like x.x.x.254 or something.

If that E4200 NEEDS wifi to connect to the internet, then you'll need to add a second wifi device, either a dedicated bridge, or a router in bridge mode to connect that network to the other one.

 

[snuglz]

Dear Azazal1024,

Thanks for your quick response with insights and suggestions.
Yes I do own / control both networks.
I thought Router B could perhaps act as a Wifi AP to Router A. Router B is a Dual Band router in which I could perhaps set one band to connect to the gateway and get internet access and set the other band to act as an access point to Router A.

I do not really need it as seperate networks. You are right, I just want them to physically access each other AND have a seperate connection to the internet from each router to the gateway. This is because I don't want to rely on Router A to obtain nor provide internet access through its WiFi as it only is capable of max 54 Mbps throughput.

Your suggestion (router B gets it's internet from router A over the wireless bridge) is therefore not preferable to me as router B currently communicates with the gateway at much higher speeds and provides internet access to the desktop (where I want to get the best speed available). Bridging router B to A to provide internet access the desktop, would create a bottle neck because of the slow WiFi capability of router A.

Both routers run DD-WRT, allowing a lot of "funky" tricks.
I thought I needed to figure out how to configure DD-WRT in Router A to get it's WAN IP from it's ethernet connection to the Gateway, while getting it's WLAN-IP as a client from Router B, while remaining to hand out (or should i just setup static ip's?) IP's on it's LAN to TV / Phone / Media player.

If I then could setup up one of the Dual Band radio's in Router B to function as a WiFi AP and configure static routes between the two, then the problem would be solved. The other radio could remain a WLAN client of the Gateway and the LAN port provides internet access to the desktop PC.

Perhaps I'm making things much more difficult than necessary.

I wonder what you would suggest, given the additional info.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[JackMDS]

It is hard to give you any solid answer without knowing what the Gateway is, and why it is Not accessible.

A Modem? Modem/Router? Wireless Modem/Router? Magic beamed from StarTrek???

How can it (as shown) provide two different subnet?

it looks like you have three active Routers on you Network.

To achiever one cohesive Network you have to use only one Routing Mechanism, and all devices have to be on the same subnet,

 

[Emulex]

are the two ISP's that far apart? If not shove a DUAL-WAN router (dd-wrt supports this!) in front of the AP's and let it handle the load balancing and uptime.

PFSENSE/SOPHOS UTM all out of the box support multi-wan with QOS to shape traffic according to bandwidth and automatic failover

 

[azazel1024]

are the two ISP's that far apart? If not shove a DUAL-WAN router (dd-wrt supports this!) in front of the AP's and let it handle the load balancing and uptime.

PFSENSE/SOPHOS UTM all out of the box support multi-wan with QOS to shape traffic according to bandwidth and automatic failover

Agreed.

Or if not easy, just replace the 802.11g router with a newer one.

Shock of shocks, an okay but a fast N600 router these days is only about $50, generally less than half the cost of a month of internet access in the US (so, you know, not paying for two internet connections). TP-Link WDR3600 works quite well and supports OpenWRT.

 

[Ketchup]

...To achiever one cohesive Network you have to use only one Routing Mechanism, and all devices have to be on the same subnet

This is what I am thinking as well after reading the OP's description.

 

[snuglz]

It is hard to give you any solid answer without knowing what the Gateway is, and why it is Not accessible.

A Modem? Modem/Router? Wireless Modem/Router? Magic beamed from StarTrek???

How can it (as shown) provide two different subnet?

it looks like you have three active Routers on you Network.

To achiever one cohesive Network you have to use only one Routing Mechanism, and all devices have to be on the same subnet,

Dear JackMDS,

Sorry about that. The "Gateway" is just a Wireless Cable Modem/Router (CBN CH6643E) provisioned by my internet provider, in which I have very limited options to modify settings and through the providers website only. This Cable Modem/Router hands out IP addresses to both Router A and Router B, both in the same subnet (192.168.0.x). The problem is I cannot ping Router A from Router B nor the other way round. I of course can ping the gateway from both routers succesfully. I keep Router A as an active router because it is all configured in DDWRT to reliably work with my VoIP system. The necessary settings I would have to transfer to the configuration of the Gateway are not all available to me in the providers website.
I am therefore stuck, in a way, to always having router A (or similar) being an active router behind the Gateway.

Router B currently could be dumbed down to act as a wireless bridge between my desktop and the Gateway. That still would not solve the problem of not being able to ping Router A or even anything behind it, from the desktop. The gateway annoyingly just isolates at least wireless clients from its ethernet ports, and there is little I can do about that.

Sorry about the long answer. I'm almost afraid to say it, running the risk of being banned to moron country, but yes, I do have currently 3 active routers on my network. Almost as many as I have end devices.

 

[Emulex]

Again, setup a single dual-wan router or configure DD-WRT/OPENWRT to use dual-wan feature assuming it is as good as a $100 dual-wan router it should do fine.

 

[Ketchup]

You only want one active router. Turn your routers to switch duty only, and you should be able to interconnect across your lan.

 

[Emulex]

What would he do with the 2nd internet connection?

 

[Ketchup]

I am posting a link to the manual for this device for reference:
http://www.ono.es/resources/files/a...entacion/compal/Compal_CH6643E_User_Guide.pdf

There are two ports exclusively for your VOIP system on this router/modem. You do not need any additional router function for this. You can use your router acting as a switch if you need additional ports here. Just make sure to use the QoS function to prioritize the VOIP traffic.

The other router can also be used as a switch. This would allow you to share information across your entire network.

 

[snuglz]

I am posting a link to the manual for this device for reference:
http://www.ono.es/resources/files/a...entacion/compal/Compal_CH6643E_User_Guide.pdf

There are two ports exclusively for your VOIP system on this router/modem. You do not need any additional router function for this. You can use your router acting as a switch if you need additional ports here. Just make sure to use the QoS function to prioritize the VOIP traffic.

The other router can also be used as a switch. This would allow you to share information across your entire network.

Dear Ketchup79,
Thanks for the manual. I suspected the cable router/modem is actually quite nice, and the manual proves it indeed is. The problem is that it is locked down by the internet service provider. I can ping the cable/router modem on both internal and external IP but I cannot access the web interface, let alone obtain obtain admin or root access. As I mentioned, the internet provider only allows certain settings to be changed through a website that they run and that remotely configures the cable modem/router. I think this is done to keep things simple for their help desk / customer service, too bad for the slightly more demanding and advanced user/customer. My hands itch to try to hack the cable modem/router sometime when I have more time but for now I would just like to solve my issue. I am sure it is due to their settings that all clients of the cable modem/router are isolated and cannot ping eachother.

 

[Ketchup]

You don't need to do anything to configure your modem/router combo. All suggestions I have given need only be done on your equipment.

 

[snuglz]

Again, setup a single dual-wan router or configure DD-WRT/OPENWRT to use dual-wan feature assuming it is as good as a $100 dual-wan router it should do fine.

Dear Emulex,

I think I'll follow your suggestion. I thought I could perhaps configure Router B in DD-WRT to use the dual-wan feature to connect wirelessly to both the Gateway (as it is now) and to Router A. The Cisco E4200 should be able to handle this.

I found the DD-WRT Wiki page
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.ph..._multiple_active_WAN_links_and_source_routing

I will have to delve into this one, as I don't have much experience in Linux. I'll see if I can handle this.

I'll let you know whether things worked out.

 

[Ketchup]

snuglz, maybe you can explain why you are saying that you have more than one WAN. The first post shows me that you have one internet (wan) connection coming in to one CH6643E device.

 

[JackMDS]

snuglz, maybe you can explain why you are saying that you have more than one WAN. The first post shows me that you have one internet (wan) connection coming in to one CH6643E device.

Judging from the posts that are starting with Dear xxx I would guess that Snuglz is Not posting from the USA, and thus we have misunderstanding concerning the WAN story.

Snuglz, unless we can understand clearly what the specific technical nature of your Internet/VOIP connection is, we can provide you with definitive answer
.

I can Not understand the specific need of the hardware that is attached to the WL500. Does it all working as regular Ethernet, or it needs its own VOIP branch?

Let assume for the moment that all the devices are capable to work as regular Ethernet client Devices.

As is now, configure the WL500 to work like this - Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Then, make sure that the core IP of the WL550 and the E4200 are on the same subnet as the Router/Modem, leaving the WAN port of the two empty using regular ports for interconnection.

 

[snuglz]

Judging from the posts that are starting with Dear xxx I would guess that Snuglz is Not posting from the USA, and thus we have misunderstanding concerning the WAN story.

Snuglz, unless we can understand clearly what the specific technical nature of your Internet/VOIP connection is, we can provide you with definitive answer
.

I can Not understand the specific need of the hardware that is attached to the WL500. Does it all working as regular Ethernet, or it needs its own VOIP branch?

Let assume for the moment that all the devices are capable to work as regular Ethernet client Devices.

As is now, configure the WL500 to work like this - Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Then, make sure that the core IP of the WL550 and the E4200 are on the same subnet as the Router/Modem, leaving the WAN port of the two empty using regular ports for interconnection.

Dear JackMDS,
Thank you for your understanding and patience, I appreciate it. And yes, I'm from Europe.

The reason for having my router A set-up the way it is, is that I have moved frequently in the past couple of years due to the nature of my job. It is has evolved this way as it is easier to just unplug and pick up the router and plug it in at my new address and have the same network again, with the same IP-addresses of devices, VPN, VoIP, TV etc. If there is no ethernet available (yet), I have it set up to obtain access easily from a mobile hotspot (my phone). It saves me time fiddling with settings everytime (except for a few port forwards maybe if I cannot "go modem-only") in a new modem/router that often is owned, provisioned and partially locked down by the internet provider (as it is now as well).

Usually I could connect my desktop to Router A by ethernet (and router B is unused). But this time (at the address i live now), the modem/router is so inconveniently located and my desktop located inconveniently wiring-wise from my router A, that I ended up connecting my desktop to the modem/router by WiFi (through router B). Luckily I could connect router A to the modem/router by ethernet (which has my preference).
Router A and B cannot easily be connected by ethernet cable.

If I could have linked the routers by ethernet cable (which is too inconvenient), then the problem would have been a lot easier as at that link speed I wouldn't mind one of the routers getting internet access through the other. (I would actually do without router B altogether as I'd just plug the desktop PC straight into router A like I used to).

So I know that the network topology is far from the smartest and evidently unsightly to networking professionals and buffs, but in short, physical requirements and real life needs (portability) make it the way it is.
I should never have shown the first diagram, as it diverts attention and just raises questions, while I would like to pick your brains on how to link the two routers by WiFi, without either one needing that link for its internet access.

 

[JackMDS]

If the signal of the WL500 is strong enough to get to the computer.

Install a Wireless card on the computer that is connected to the e4200.

Configure it to connect to the WL 500 and bridge the Wire and Wireless cards.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-network-bridge#1TC=windows-7

http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/bridge-network-connections-in-windows-7/