Two SSID's (Home/Guest Network) broadcasted over main router and access point

[gregmiles08]

I am trying to connect my old Linksys WRH54G with DD-WRT firmware (main router) to my new Linksys E1200 with Cisco firmware (as access point). However, I want two SSID's available on my WLAN. One is for my Home network, and another is for my Guest network. The Guest network should not be able to communicate with my home network as to provide security for my home devices. I have already created for my Guest network a separate bridge with a different subnet and a different DHCP range from the ones on my Home network. I have configured these in my main router. It works perfectly on my main router. However, I don't know how to configure my access point to duplicate both SSID's. I understand that using the bridge mode and then putting a same SSID and password on my access point will provide a smooth handover for my mobile devices (though I haven't really tried it yet). However, since I have two SSID's, my question is how do I broadcast on my access point the SSID's of both networks if only one can be registered? Is this setup even possible? If not, do you have a different workaround? Thanks. I'd appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[JackMDS]

Maybe this can Help.

http://www.ezlan.net/shield.html

make the first Wireless Router that connects to the Modem the Guest Network.

Your Network will be secured behind the second Router.

 

[JohnG86]

It looks like you have this setup Modem - WRH54G (Routing Mode broadcasting Private(VLAN#?) and Guest(VLAN#?) SSID) - LAN Port #4 - E1200 (AP Mode). You already have the guest network working on the main router but if you want the exact same protection from guest on the E1200. To make it work, a trunk port (untagged) from the WRH54G and a port on the E1200 also a trunk port then with the wireless networks tagged to the proper VLAN. I do not have a DD-WRT device available to help with the steps but hopefully this gets you pointed in the right direction. If you are ok with only having your private SSID on the E1200, create the SSID with the exact same settings as the WRH54G but change the channel to be different from the WRH54G, choose 1,6 or 11.

 

[gregmiles08]

Thank you both for your response. As for JohnG86, I just did the instructions for multiple WLANs in this link (step-by-step pictures included): http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Multiple_WLANs.

What I did was I put up a new virtual interface "wl0.1" for the guest network while "wl0" is for the home network. Then, I put basic security for that SSID (like passwords, etc.). Then I created a bridge with an IP address coming from a different subnet (192.168.2.1). Then I assigned the bridge to the interface wl0.1, and then applied its own dhcp server with a IP addressing range coming from the subnet of "wl0.1" (192.168.2.2-.50) so that it cannot connect to my home network subnet (192.168.1.0). So, to be clear, I need to create an untagged trunk port in both the WRH54G and E1200? Then, I need to tag the guest wireless network in a proper VLAN? and whats the definition of a proper VLAN? Also, should I undo my bridging config that was just mentioned?

Note: The two routers services two different areas. The main router and access point (secondary router) should both broadcast two SSIDs each: Home network and Guest network.

 

[JohnG86]

Your trunk port on both routers will be untagged as you will apply a VLAN tag to each wireless SSID and each non-trunk LAN port. You can plug additional unmanaged switches into the tagged VLAN ports of your WRH54G or the E1200 if you need more network ports and the switch with all devices behind it will get assigned the VLAN tag you assigned. If you have a guest device that needs to be wired in but on the guest VLAN, just change the tag on the specific port.