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ooglek
join:2004-11-17
Falls Church, VA
1 edit | [Tomato] Building a Wireless Mesh Network, Routers wired
I've got two routers, a Linksys WRT54GSv4 and a Buffalo WHR-G54S, both running Tomato Firmware 1.25. My goal is to have both routers available on the same SSID for seamless movement between them, based on signal quality, but to have them backhaul data via the WIRED network, NOT wireless.
I've found docs on how to build your wireless network to be a nice wireless mesh where the routers can have clients connect and backhaul the data via wireless to the Internet connected router (»www.fatwallet.com/forums/compute···start=40 about half way down the page) and how to set up "Access Point + WDS" (»www.polarcloud.com/tomatofaq#how···_use_wds) all of which were helpful.
However, I have a different problem. My house is made of lead. Well, it was built in 1945, and they used chicken wire and plaster on top. The house is SOLID -- great for the house, bad for 2.4Ghz. When we put on an addition to our house, I took the time to install gigabit ethernet to all the rooms in the house. I have my main wireless router in the basement where connectivity enters (Linksys WRT54GSv4) and another wireless router in my office on the opposite side of the house (Buffalo WHR-G54S), both of which are running Tomato Firmware 1.25 (which has been a bit unstable on the WRT, but that's another post).
I read this article (»www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/ar···/3810281) and currently have my network configured that way: Linksys #1 router is "Access Point" and Buffalo #2 router is "Wireless Ethernet Bridge." But if I plug my ethernet into the wall which is behind the wired portion of Linksys #1, I have all sorts of problems. When I plug in the ethernet, the activity lights go haywire, and then the Buffalo reboots. I'm guessing there is an issue of a routing loop, or something, where plugging into the Ethernet causes something crazy like both the Ethernet AND LAN are trying to be 192.168.0.5, which is just bad. I got a bunch of warnings on DHCP on my laptop before it died, and couldn't get an IP and stay online with my laptop. If I leave the ethernet unplugged, I have no problems, and see, in the device list for Buffalo #2, my wifi connecto to my Mac. Though strangely it shows up as connected to br0 with no wireless information about the connection.
How do I cover the whole house with a single wireless network so that computers will automagically and dynamically use either router, but not piggyback via wireless? This smells like a bridge rather than an AP, but I want the wireless router to use the WIRED network, and NOT the WIRELESS network, for any clients connected to router #2 (Buffalo). Router #1 does this by default.
All the possibilities: Access Point + WDS, WDS, Wireless Client, Wireless Ethernet Bridge -- all seem like they require and use a wireless connection to backhaul data based on all the documentation and articles I can find, and not using the wired connection to the LAN.
Network Layout: main router is in the basement and is a Linksys (#1) wireless router, and it has the main connection to my ISP (Verizon FIOS). The #2 router (buffalo) is in my office on the 2nd floor, on the opposite side of the house, and is currently connected to #1 via "Wireless Ethernet Bridge" setting. Both are secured with Personal WPA + AES and use the same password.
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FIOS Installed November 2, 2004: 30Mbps down, 5Mbps up
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ooglek
join:2004-11-17
Falls Church, VA
| After searching even more, I found this article:
»forums.anandtech.com/messageview···=2164169
Describing how to set up Tomato as a transparent access point.
It works! My Buffalo is now connected via the LAN to my Linksys, and my Laptop shows up in the device list as a wireless client in the Buffalo. Woot!
Here's a short step-by-step stolen from the above site for those of you interested in using your secondary Wifi routers as wired bridges with meshing wifi.
How to set up your secondary WiFi routers as wired WiFi Mesh bridges
These settings allow you to plug your WiFi routers into your LAN and use the WIRED network to backhaul data, rather than the WiFi network that WDS and Wireless Ethernet Bridge wireless settings do. They are extremely useful for extending your network wirelessly, but you lose precious bandwidth by forcing your wireless client data to be retransmitted wirelessly to the next AP. In THIS configuration, the data is sent via the WIRED network, while still extending your wireless network coverage in a seamless way. You don't need "Wireless Ethernet Bridge" or WDS or any other wacky WiFI settings! Read on.
1. In the Tomato control panel click Basic > Network
2. On the Basic Configuration page under WAN / Internet set the following:WAN / Internet
Type: Disabled
Use WAN port for LAN: [x]
This disables DHCP by default on this router (at least in Tomato Firmware 1.25), thus eliminating step 4 from the original page above. DHCP will now be handled by your primary gateway router (assuming you have DHCP enabled on your network somewhere).
3. Under LAN set the following
LAN
Router IP Address: 192.168.1.2 This is the IP address for this router. It usually defaults to 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. You will want to change it to 192.168.1.2 or another unused static IP within your LAN netblock. Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1 This is the IP address of your gateway device that connects directly to the Internet. 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 are likely candidates for this value. Static DNS: 192.168.1.1 DNS server to use. Use your Gateway IP if your Gateway router runs a DNS caching service (which it is if it is running Tomato Firmware). If not, use your ISP's DNS servers, or use OpenDNS. »www.OpenDNS.com/ 4. Under Wireless set the following:
Wireless
Enable Wireless: [x]
Wireless Mode: Access Point
B/G Mode: Mixed *
SSID : YourSSID
Broadcast: [x] *
Channel: 9 *
Security: WPA Personal *
Encryption: TKIP/AES *
Shared Key: SuperSecret *
Group Key Renewal: 3600
* NOTE: If you want wireless clients to seamlessly switch between your main and secondary routers, select the same values as your primary main router wireless settings for: B/G Mode, Broadcast, Channel, Security, Encryption, Shared Key. When they are the same, the wireless client will switch seamlessly between the strongest one at the time. The values above are an example configuration only, you may change them as you see fit.
5. Click Save at the bottom of the screen
You can choose a different SSID for this secondary router if you like, but then you lose the value of the "mesh" that this configuration offers. Matching the same AP settings as your main router allows clients to easily switch between APs without changing configuration.
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FIOS Installed November 2, 2004: 30Mbps down, 5Mbps up
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