WDS Linked router network

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==Two or more WRT54G / WRT54GS boxes== ==Two or more WRT54G / WRT54GS boxes==
-# Give both the routers a different IP address.+# Give both the routers a different IP address.(on the same subnet?)
# Turn off security on both routers. Security can be re-enabled after all other steps are complete, but in order to minimize troubleshooting, it's best to get things setup with no security active. '''Wireless -> Wireless Security -> Security Mode -> Disabled''' # Turn off security on both routers. Security can be re-enabled after all other steps are complete, but in order to minimize troubleshooting, it's best to get things setup with no security active. '''Wireless -> Wireless Security -> Security Mode -> Disabled'''
# Set the routers to AP mode and put them on the same channel. '''Wireless -> Basic Settings''' # Set the routers to AP mode and put them on the same channel. '''Wireless -> Basic Settings'''

Revision as of 21:28, 17 June 2006

Contents


Introduction

WDS creates a wireless backbone link between multiple access points that are part of the same wireless network. This allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired network connection to link them. The WDS-enabled access points can accept wireless clients (e.g. wireless laptop users) just as the main wired access point (or wireless router) does. There is no free lunch, however: WDS consumes wireless bandwidth normally available to wireless clients.

Additional background information is available at Wikipedia's WDS entry.

Current Status for DD-WRT

DD-WRT v22: R2 seems to be working well.

DD-WRT v23: Works with WEP and WPA. WPA2 is not supported, see bug #000198. WDS+WPA/WPA2 is known to fail after a firmware upgrade if a hard reset is not performed after the upgrade (a recommended procedure anyway).

Confirmed Working Products

  • Apple Airport Express
  • Belkin F5D7130 Wireless Range Extender/Access Point
  • Belkin F5D7230-4 802.11g Wireless DSL/Cable Gateway Router
  • Belkin F5D7231-4
  • Buffalo WBR2-G54
  • CompUSA SKU#333628 54Mbps Wireless Broadband Router (aka Edimax br-6204WG)

To upgrade this to the newest edimax BR-6204Wg firmware go to http://www.edimax.com.tw/html/english/frames/b-download.htm

  • CompuShack SWA-103 (Waveline Micro AccessPoint) Repeater Mode
  • Comtrend 536+
  • D-link 2000AP+
  • Fujitsu Siemens AP-600RP
  • Linksys WRE54G Wireless Range Expander
  • Netgear WG602 v3 Repeater Mode
  • Siemens Gigaset Repeater
  • Sinus 154 Basic SE
  • Sinus 1054 DSL
  • USRobotics 5450 (AP Client mode)
  • Billion BiPAC 7402VGO
  • Billion BiPAC 7402VGP

Installation

Standard terminology for a two router setup:

  • The client router is the router which does not have an internet connection.
  • The host router is the router which does have the internet connection and is going to share it with other routers.

Two or more WRT54G / WRT54GS boxes

  1. Give both the routers a different IP address.(on the same subnet?)
  2. Turn off security on both routers. Security can be re-enabled after all other steps are complete, but in order to minimize troubleshooting, it's best to get things setup with no security active. Wireless -> Wireless Security -> Security Mode -> Disabled
  3. Set the routers to AP mode and put them on the same channel. Wireless -> Basic Settings
  4. Under Wireless -> Basic Settings, set the SSID to your liking. For WPA WDS, the SSIDs for the routers need to be the same. For WEP, different SSIDs can make troubleshooting easier.
  5. Select G-only for WPA links.
  6. Open WDS configuration on both routers. Wireless -> WDS
  7. On each router, you will see at the top of the page its wireless MAC address. Put each router's MAC into the table of the other router, and select LAN for the type. Wireless -> WDS
  8. There is no need to enable Lazy WDS or WDS subnet on either router.
  9. Turn off the firewall on the client router. Security -> Firewall -> Firewall Protection -> Disable
  10. Turn off anonymous internet request blocking on the client router. Security -> Firewall -> Block WAN Requests -> Block Anonymous Internet Requests -> Uncheck
  11. Change the Internet Connection Type to Disable on the client router. Setup -> Basic Setup -> Internet Setup -> Internet Connection Type -> Disable
  12. Set the Gateway IP address of the client router to the LAN IP address of the host router. Setup -> Basic Setup -> Network Setup -> Router IP -> Gateway
  13. Turn off the AP Watchdog on both routers. The watchdog causes problems with WDS (see bug 410). Administration -> Keep Alive -> AP Watchdog -> Enable Watchdog -> Disable
  14. (Bug 410). States that WDS/Connection Watchdog cause problem but this is incorrect it was only AP watchdog and it has been remove from the new release. The AP/Connection watchdog is ping the predetermined IP in the IPs box and if not able to ping it it reboot the router. This actually helps maintain the WDS connections as some times when the WDS link is lost the only thing to get it back is by rebooting the router.

That should complete the setup. The source material for this list comes primarily from a DD-WRT forum post, Guide to Setting up WDS. The source material for that post came from a post at linksysinfo.org.

Setting up WDS between a DD-WRT router and an Apple Airport Express

Verified with DD-WRT v2.3 (12/25/05) and Airport Express v6.20 [1-21-2006]

  1. Set the channel on the DD-WRT to 1. Wireless -> Basic Settings
    1. Select "LAN" option and enter the Airport Express's AIRPORT id. Wireless -> WDS
    2. Set Lazy WDS and WDS subnet to disable
  2. Set Loopback to disable. Administration -> Management
  3. Turn off "Block Anonymous Internet Requests." Security -> Firewall
  4. Open Airport admin utility and find the new express, then double click it
  5. In the airport tab:
    1. Select "Create Wireless Network"
    2. Set Network name to your wireless SSID
    3. Set the wireless channel to 1
  6. WDS tab:
    1. Enable this base station
    2. Set base station as "remote base station"
    3. In the Main Aiport ID section enter your DD-WRT wireless MAC (can get this in Status -> Wireless)
  7. Click "update"

If it works then there will be a solid green light (may take a couple of minutes) . If it does not work, you should connect Airport Express and WRT54G/GS using a CAT-5 cable and set up it. It might work

This information is from AirTunes, AirPort Express, and the WRT54G at ryanschwartz.net.

Also note that the above configuration with the Airport Express works with either no encryption or WEP encryption. When using WEP encryption, make sure you enter your WEP key into the Airport Express exactly how it is entered into the WRT54G, but add a $ to the beginning of the key. $ key is meant for hex (WEP). If you're not using hex, then you can leave it blank as normal.

WPA/WPA2 encryption does not appear to work over WDS (but will work when the Airport Express is configured in client mode - but in client mode, the RJ45 connection is not usable). The error that the WRT54G reports back when the Airport Express is trying to associate via WPA over WDS is: eapol_sup_dispatch wds0.49153: unknown EPOL type 3 . EPOL has to do with WPA, so perhaps if this issue can be resolved, then the two devices could associate.

Troubleshooting: Make sure that you disable the "AP Watchdog" daemon. If you have a wireless endpoint (like a laptop) which connects to the Airport station (because you use WDS) then the Linksys does not see any clients connected and restarts the wireless network over and over. You also could change other channel apart from 1, if you're having problems and you don't have to disable loopback.