Wifi as WAN

[Perryg114]

Is is possible to take a conventional router and make it function in WiFi as WAN mode? Can this be done with Tomato or something similar? I am thinking of application like RV parks with free WiFi and being able to use the signal inside the trailer. Ideally you would have an antenna outside the trailer since it is a Faraday Gage, especially Airstreams.

Perry

 

[Bird222]

Yes. Look into DD-WRT 'repeater' mode.

 

[pitz]

This is generally known as 'client bridge' mode. And it is used extensively.

There are various outdoor WAPs out there. Ubuquiti Networks is a big vendor. In rural areas or in cottage/lake communities, "WISPS", or wireless ISPs, are relatively common.

Typically they will use high-gain antennas (a "sattelite dish" is an example of a high gain antenna) to deliver a better signal with a line-of-sight or near-line-of-sight transmitter.

There are numerous examples of people taking dirt cheap hardware (like the wrt54 WAPs), using very high gain antennas, pointing them at each other across valleys or even on high towers for many miles, and obtaining functioning connections.

For instance:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-range_Wi-Fi#Notable_links

Wi-Fi over 280km's using off-the-shelf Linksys wrt54g's with a custom-built antenna.

 

[JackMDS]

WAN Mode?

There is No such Mode.

If you need Routing passed the Wireless that connects to the outside (like feeding few devices inside), you need to feed the signal from the first Wireless device to a WAN port of a second internal Router that will act as a Routing device.

 

[kornphlake]

OP needs to figure out terminology, it sounds like he's asking for a wireless bridge, and yes certain routers can be configured to act as a wireless bridge, most often routers running dd-wrt firmware although I believe tomato can do it as well. My folks have used their laptop inside a trailer at parks, no problems as far as I know, have you actually experienced connectivity issues that were resolved by moving outside the trailer? A USB wireless card with external antenna will probably be easier to configure and more reliable than a wireless bridge.

 

[Perryg114]

Well these guys are using the wrong terminology then. I am just trying to help a guy out on the airstream forum. He posted this.

http://3gstore.com/product/2736_cradlepoint_ctr35.html

I think they mean LAN. So what is the proper terminology? I have never messed with bridges or repeaters etc., so the subject is not familiar to me. He is wanting something that will take a wireless signal external to his Airstream Trailer (Faraday cage) and rebroadcast that signal to his laptop or whatever. My personal experience is that if you are right in front of a window facing the transmitter you get good Wifi. If you are not line of sight through a window you don't get anything. With the bridge/reapeater setup you should be able to get good WiFi everywhere in your trailer instead of just in front of a window. Here is a link to the post.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f451/cradlepoint-ctr35-wifi-as-wan-85810.html

Perry

 

[bobdole369]

The correct terminology for "connect to any available free wifi and rebroadcast in inside your treller" is: "Wireless repeater". Alternatively with a tiny bit of coaching you can teach him to insert the WPA/WPA2/WEP keys and connect to secured wifi AP's to which he knows the code (or has purchased access, etc).

If you intend to connect "wired" devices to that wireless repeater, the term becomes "wireless bridge".

 

[Perryg114]

Well a repeater transmits on the same frequency as the Wifi source does it not? I had the impression that the Wifi as LAN or WAN or whatever you call it actually created a separate network locally that was on a separate channel. Sorta like a router hooked to an ethernet connection. I was thinking that your local network inside the trailer was separate from the external network although you would use the outside wifi network for internet access. The same setup as if you were getting internet through cable or DSL but now you are getting it via wifi.

Perry

 

[Perryg114]

I don't know where the term WAN came from it does not apply to small local networks. They should be using the term LAN. I thing wifi as WAN language is something the phone companies are coming up with. 3Gstore.com seems to be the main culprits.

Perry

 

[JackMDS]

Well a repeater transmits on the same frequency as the Wifi source does it not? I had the impression that the Wifi as LAN or WAN or whatever you call it actually created a separate network locally that was on a separate channel. Sorta like a router hooked to an ethernet connection. I was thinking that your local network inside the trailer was separate from the external network although you would use the outside wifi network for internet access. The same setup as if you were getting internet through cable or DSL but now you are getting it via wifi.

Perry

If you want to separate the Internal Network from the Source you need a second Wireless Router as I mentioned above.

The first Wireless Router (or what ever device the ISP gives you) should be configured as a Wireless Client feeding its output via short cable from one of its LAN port to the WAN port of the second Router.

What you call separate channel is actually separate subnet.

I.e., the device that connects to the ISP is on the ISP subnet while the second Router is configured to your own private subnet (that waht Routers do).

 

[Perryg114]

So Jack are there devices that have the two routers built in already? Are these what they are calling the Wifi as WAN devices, however inaccurate their naming conventions maybe?

Perry

 

[AD5MB]

PerryG114:

http://www.wirelessforums.org/how-tos/wireless-101-day-one-65311.html

http://www.wirelessforums.org/how-tos/configuring-network-wireless-bridge-53364.html

if necessary;

http://www.wirelessforums.org/how-tos/basic-network-knowledge-troubleshooting-96070.html

 

[JackMDS]

I am Not aware of any such device that does 802.11a/b/g/n on the End Users consumer market.

If the outside Wireless source is a regular 802.11a/b/g/n Hotspot two inexpensive Wireless Router that can be flashed with DD-WRT will do the job.

The Cradle point looks like a device made for sources like 3G WinMax and other none 802.11 a/b/g/n Wireless sources.

The confusion comes from the Unfair marketing practices to call everything concerning Wireless communication WIFI.

The term Wi-Fi is a specific term that belongs to the trade association that promotes Wireless LAN technology and certifies products if they conform to certain standards of interoperability.