three-way WDS?

[VirtualLarry]

Just wondering if anyone here has set up a wireless WDS network using THREE routers.

Two routers is pretty simple, enter in the MAC address of the corresponding paired router into the other router's WDS settings. (DD-WRT here)

With three routers, do you enter in the MAC addresses of both other routers, into each of the three routers, or do you have one router with the address of a second router, and then that second router has the address of the first router, and the address of the third router, and then the third router has the address of the second router?

Anyone know which is the "correct" way? Which is the way that utilizes bandwidth most effectively? Lowest latency?

Also, should STP (spanning tree protocol) be enabled on these routers, and does that function over the wireless link too? (And how would that affect the WDS setup mentioned above?)

 

[zerogear]

Have both the WDS router link up to the main router, and not to each other, otherwise depending on the link, one of the router will have half of half bandwidth of the original 54 (theoretical) Mbps.


WDS (1/2 BW) ---> Main router/WAN <--- WDS (1/2 BW)

Otherwise WDS (1/4 BW) ---> WDS (1/2 BW) --> Main/WAN

I tried STP before, but it seems to increase latency in my WDS network. The only real thing thing I did besides original setting is to enable WDS Watchdog, so if any of my two WDS links doesn't see the main WAN router, it'll automatically reboot.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is WDS Watchdog a feature of DD-WRT micro? I didn't see that in the options in my router.

 

[zerogear]

i'm not sure, in mine, its under Administration tab, and somewhere in the Connections tab, I believe.

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Is WDS Watchdog a feature of DD-WRT micro? I didn't see that in the options in my router.

I see it under Administration in the Keep Alive tab. I think I'm using v24 mini.

 

[zerogear]

Yes, thats it 🙂 couldn't remember what it was under when I was at work.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Is WDS Watchdog a feature of DD-WRT micro? I didn't see that in the options in my router.

I see it under Administration in the Keep Alive tab. I think I'm using v24 mini.

Ok, I see it. It requires two values, timeout, and "IP addresses".

I'm not sure what to fill in for IP addresses, I thought WDS worked via MAC addresses at L2.

Btw, do you enable WDS watchdog ONLY for the two edge routers, and not for the main router? What happens if you enable it for all three? Will a corner case lead to all routers constantly rebooting, failing to make connection to each other, and rebooting again?