HOWTO: Turn your Wireless Router into a WAP

[Kaido]

I've been playing around with ClarkConnect and pfsense recently (unix router operating systems for PC). There were some enhanced features I wanted like FTP that aftermarket router firmwares like DD-WRT didn't offer. However, I still wanted to keep the wireless functionality of my wireless router (Linksys WRT54GS). Here are the settings I used to turn it into a Wireless Access Point:

1. Set Wireless Router's LAN IP to 192.168.1.2. This depends on your network. My primary router's IP is 192.168.1.1. You want to keep it in the same subnet as your primary router. I had problems when using a different IP address (I couldn't connect when I set the Wireless Router's IP to 192.168.1.30), but 192.168.1.2 worked great for me. Also, there is a difference between the WAN IP on the router and the router's IP as a device. You won't be using the WAN port on your router, so make sure you change the Router's LAN IP (the one at which you can access the router's config page).

2. Disable the Wireless Router's DHCP Server. You do not want your Wireless Router performing any routing functions, including DHCP. Your primary router will take care of that.

3. Turn on Wireless Security. I am using WPA Personal (WPA-PSK TKIP).

4. Only use the LAN ports. Do not plug ANYTHING into the WAN port. You are basically turning your Wireless Router into a dumb Wireless/Wired Switch.

Here is basically what is happening:

1. The Wireless Router becomes a Wireless/Wired switch.
2. Wireless Security is enabled for wireless clients.
3. Any traffic that goes through the router is passed to your primary router rather than being processed by the Wireless Router. This essentially makes the Wireless Router invisible.
4. The Wireless Router's configuration page can still be accessed at 192.168.1.2

This is a great way to upgrade your router but still still retain wireless functionality by recycling your old wireless router!

 

[bluestrobe]

Is it just me or is this common knowledge?

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
Is it just me or is this common knowledge?

Ha! New to the AT Networking forum, are we? Check the number of requests for this per week, it's amazing! I've no idea why some of these vendors don't offer the option themselves as a one-click measure. Then all they'd have to do is sort out the confusing part of teaching someone not to use the WAN port.. or even better yet, bridge it and leave it be. Sounds like a good suggestion for the DD-WRT/et al crews.

 

[spidey07]

Your router is already a wireless access point. All you're doing is turning off DHCP.

 

[antyler]

wait thats kinda confusing? whats happening to the router? nothing is plugged into it correct? what is the purpose of this?

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
Is it just me or is this common knowledge?

Oh it's not you.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: p0lar
Ha! New to the AT Networking forum, are we? Check the number of requests for this per week, it's amazing!

One of the reasons I quit checking in here every day. It's the same "What's the best wireless router?" or "Computer A can't see Computer B on my LAN, What's wrong?" People are too lazy to look up reviews or look at other posts before making their own voice heard.

Originally posted by: spidey07
Your router is already a wireless access point. All you're doing is turning off DHCP.

Yup, and changing the IP so it doesn't conflict with the DHCP server/gateway

Originally posted by: antyler
wait thats kinda confusing? whats happening to the router? nothing is plugged into it correct? what is the purpose of this?

You leave the wan port alone, otherwise it acts like a normal switch for wired/wireless.

 

[Oakenfold]

Maybe we should try to compile a thread on common network how to do a,b,c etc. and get a sticky?

 

[antyler]

oh so basically you are just turning a wireless router into a regular router, or a switch or whatever you would like to call it. Well that makes sense then, it does seem like common knowledge that if there is no WAN hooked up, it will lack that function and only function as a switch.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: antyler
oh so basically you are just turning a wireless router into a regular router, or a switch or whatever you would like to call it. Well that makes sense then, it does seem like common knowledge that if there is no WAN hooked up, it will lack that function and only function as a switch.

You're catching on quick.

An access point (AP) is nothing more than a bridge. It works at layer2 to "bridge" different layer2 technologies. You can think of it literally as a network switch...same freaking thing.

 

[marulee]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: antyler
oh so basically you are just turning a wireless router into a regular router, or a switch or whatever you would like to call it. Well that makes sense then, it does seem like common knowledge that if there is no WAN hooked up, it will lack that function and only function as a switch.

You're catching on quick.

An access point (AP) is nothing more than a bridge. It works at layer2 to "bridge" different layer2 technologies. You can think of it literally as a network switch...same freaking thing.

When there is not WDS, QoS, vlan & etc.

 

[Goosemaster]

interweb<--------->{router<--------->switch<--------->AP<--------->}Laptop

that linksys "router" is actually a device that represent multiple network devices, and is represented by all the parts in the brackets. In connecting with an external network, or frankly any network outside of your own (that port that says 'WAN' for example ), the communication occurs in that order, from right to left and from left to right.

When you disable DHCP it sill remains a router, a "gateway" to another network if you will, but the path from the lappy to the 'interweb' must now be dictated manually, and is no longer dished out by the router portion of the system.

funtionality:

router: gateway that connects different networks together.
switch: smart hub (pun intended) for all the connections that allows the addition or unification of various network segments into a larger segment. That said, it is NOT a router as it does not bridge DIFFERENT networks.*

*The professional stuff has layer 3 capabilities for routing between different networks.

AP (access point): a dumb hub, or just a plain hub that repeats information that it receives...in one ear otu the other, so to speak. It is like a dumb switch but uses radio waves for wireless transmission rather than electrical pulses via a wire. When you take the variance in medium out of the equation, they are essentially very similar, except that a switch is a "smart" hub that only retransmits inputs to the intended recipient of the data, and not the whole freaking world.*

*The professional stuff has more capabilities.


DHCP hold gateway, DNS, and IP information, and provides this data to clients on a network that request it via the protocol. By disablign this device, which exists as part of the router-portion of this device, you are in essence telling the router to shutup. While it governs, and will continue to govern, inter-network communication, clients on this particular network will be on their own for gateway and inter-communication data.

So....I forgot where my point was ....




. *


*o there it is..

 

[eshtog]

so I plug in one of the ethernet cables coming out of the wired router into one of the 4 ethernet connections instead of the WAN port?

 

[JackMDS]

Yap that what you do.

However atleast one of the ports has to be MDX capable.

If both are Not you have to use Crossover cable.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
Yup, and changing the IP so it doesn't conflict with the DHCP server/gateway

Then how does it communicate with that network to go to the internet?

 

[eshtog]

I am using the wrt54g is one of the ports MDX capable?

 

[eshtog]

Well I think what I am trying to achieve is not possible I dont know what to do now. This is what I have:

8 port d-link wired switch > from port one on the wired switch I have an ethernet cable connected to the WAN connection on the wireless wrt54g. I have disabled DHCP on the wrt54g and assigned it an ip address of 192.168.1.2 I still cannot access the internet.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[kevnich2]

Originally posted by: eshtog
Well I think what I am trying to achieve is not possible I dont know what to do now. This is what I have:

8 port d-link wired switch > from port one on the wired switch I have an ethernet cable connected to the WAN connection on the wireless wrt54g. I have disabled DHCP on the wrt54g and assigned it an ip address of 192.168.1.2 I still cannot access the internet.

What am I doing wrong?

Which port do you have your cable/DSL modem connected to? And WHY would you connect your switch to the WAN port of your router????

 

[eshtog]

My cable modem is connected to the WAN port on the 8 port dlink wired router. Now I need my wireless router to have a internet connection so I am trying to run it from the wired router to the wireless router. Do you get what I mean?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: eshtog
My cable modem is connected to the WAN port on the 8 port dlink wired router. Now I need my wireless router to have a internet connection so I am trying to run it from the wired router to the wireless router. Do you get what I mean?

So follow the directions listed and attach a LAN port of the wireless router/AP to your wired router. easy peasy.

 

[eshtog]

Ok makes sense, so just connect port 1 one from the wired router to port 1 on the wireless router? This should work right? After I do this my wireless router will have internet access and I will be able to connect my laptop to it correct?

Sorry if I am repeating myself I tried this yesterday and it wouldnt work for some reason, I will try again later tonight.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: eshtog
Ok makes sense, so just connect port 1 one from the wired router to port 1 on the wireless router? This should work right? After I do this my wireless router will have internet access and I will be able to connect my laptop to it correct?

Sorry if I am repeating myself I tried this yesterday and it wouldnt work for some reason, I will try again later tonight.

Your situation would be like this:

1. Connect Cable Modem to the WAN port on your 8-port Router using an Ethernet cable
2. Make sure your 8-port Router has DHCP turned on and make the IP 192.168.1.1
3. Configure your Wireless Router's IP as 192.168.1.2, disable DHCP, and turn on WPA security (or whatever you want to use)
4. Connect a LAN jack on your 8-port Router to a LAN jack on your Wireless Router
5. Connect to the Wireless Router wirelessly and see if you can access the Internet

It would look something like this:

Cable Modem <==> Wired Router (192.168.1.1 + DHCP) <==> Wireless Router (192.168.1.2 + No DHCP)

If you have problems:

1. Like JackMDS said, make sure at least one of your LAN jacks is MDX capable, if not use a crossover cable
2. Try turning off any Security/Firewall stuff your Wireless Router may have
3. Make sure you are not using the WAN port on your Wireless Router

 

[RexWhitten]

i have a similar question relating to this. What if i have the following topology:

Cable Modem <==ethernet==>WRT54G #1 <-- "and i want wireless to"--> WRT54G #2<--ethernet--> cisco Switch <network>

Basically i want #2 to be a wireless client of #1. wireless. How would this work?

Thanks for your time

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: RexWhitten
i have a similar question relating to this. What if i have the following topology:

Cable Modem <==ethernet==>WRT54G #1 <-- "and i want wireless to"--> WRT54G #2<--ethernet--> cisco Switch <network>

Basically i want #2 to be a wireless client of #1. wireless. How would this work?

There are a few different ways to do this:

1. Use a dedicated wireless client bridge device instead of a router for the second router's role.

E.g. the Buffalo "Wireless Ethernet Converter" or the SMCWEB-N.

2. Use third-party firmware for client bridging.

This is essentially the same as (1), but done using third-party firmware on a supported router.

E.g. via DD-WRT. There are several different firmwares which can do this, but not all support all revisions of the WRT54G. DD-WRT probably has the broadest support at this time, esp. with v24.

Here's a long-running thread on this topic. Skip towards the end for info on DD-WRT. http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=36&threadid=1513386

The main advantage of client mode bridging is that it doesn't require special support on the main router. In other words, you could just flash the client router and leave the primary alone. The main disadvantage is that the second router doesn't broadcast a wireless signal for additional wireless clients / range extension.

3. Use proprietary WDS support from your device vendor. This typically works within a brand/model subset and not necessarily outside it, and also typically has security limitations -- it won't support WPA, which is highly recommended as a minimum.

4. Use third-party firmware for WDS bridging

E.g. again using DD-WRT. For this you need to flash both ends, and will get WPA encryption and repeating / range extension support as a result.

5. Use third-party firmware for client mode bridging with repeating support.

E.g. again using DD-WRT v24. This is a new mode which combines the advantages of client mode bridging with repeater support. Client mode bridging doesn't require special support on the main router because it connects as a standard client.

The repeater bridge allows range extension / setting up multiple wireless networks (e..g running the second network with different SSID & encryption).

Most users are probably best off sticking with options (1) or (2) if possible as they're the simplest, least intrusive, and the fastest with decent security. Repeating always has a performance impact because the wireless spectrum is a limited shard resource -- hence bandwidth doesn't come for free and must be divided between the original network and the repeated network.

 

[RexWhitten]

thanks for the reply.

Ive been having trouble upgrading to DD-WRT. So, ill keep plugging away with that,

thanks!