networking - Incorrect configuration of Linksys WRT54GL as wired router with Linsys WRT54GS as wireless access point
2013-08
Brandon Condrey
Everything connected to WRT54GL wired network is accessing the net correctly. I have disabled the wireless on this router since it's in a deep corner of the house. I placed a centrally located WRT54GS router to act as a wireless access point, but it will not connect to the net (or give an IP address for that matter). The two routers are connected by their respective ethernet ports (not WAN/"Internet") with a powerline ethernet adapter.
On the access point (WRT54GS), I have tried several things, and combinations of them all: - Changing the IP address to not be identical as the router - Disabling DHCP - Enabling DHCP with a range outside that of the router
I'm sorry if this had been answered previously, but I did search exhaustively for most of the day. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Brandon
UPDATE: DD-WRT has been installed (which I don't mind, I've always wanted to try it). But, after Journeyman Geek's suggestion, it appears it is in fact the powerline adapter. The WAP works as expected when plugged directly into the router, but does not when through the powerline (Netgear XAV101v2). Any ideas?
ADDENDUM: For anyone with this problem in the future, I downloaded a configuration utility from Netgear's support page. I used it to factory reset the PLA, and upgrade the firmware. The WAP is now working great, through the PLA in it's new location. I now have wifi in every corner of the house. Thanks again everyone for your help.
sawdust
Clients
^
|
|
|
+
+--------+ +---------+
Modem+-----> |Router 1| |Router 2 |
|DHCP on +--------> |No DHCP |
+--------+ |Static IP|
+ +---------+
|
|
|
v
clients
Works
Clients
^
|
|
|
+
+--------+ +---------+
Modem+-----> |Router 1| |Router 2 |
|DHCP on +--+ +-> |No DHCP |
+--------+ | | |Static IP|
+ | | +---------+
| | |
| | |
| | |
v | |
| |
| |
clients +---+
PLA PLA
Does not
Since substituting router 2 with a computer doesn't work, the issue is probably with the power line adapters.
I'd try it with the two adaptors in adjacent sockets (to rule out them being on separate circuits) , and if that fails, probably look up the documentation to see if they need any configuration to work.
Jens Erat
Best would be to
- Disable DHCP server in access point (so he doesn't distribute IPs)
- Can you setup your access point to a mode like "bridge" or "access point", so it loses its routing functions? You don't need them.
- Setup some static IP outside the DHCP-range of your router on your access point
Now connect to your access point. Does it offer some possibility to ping your router? Can you ping your router directly? If you plugin your computer into the powerline adaptor (instead of your access point), are you able to ping your router?
If your access point is of hardware revision 4 or less, think about flashing DD-WRT - it offers much more possibilites to reconfigure your router to an access point, and there's some tutorial for doing this. Maybe even think about switching your router and access point as the WRT54GL can be flashed to DD-WRT for sure.
Brian
I have a space where there are three wireless access points installed, all running 802.11n. They all broadcast the same ssid. I think the intention is that the inhabitants and visitors should be able to walk between buildings while their netbooks and ipods happily choose their closest access point.
The problem I have is that people are complaining that they cannot keep a viable signal. It seems likely to be interference to me, but I don't know much about 11n. With a 802.11b network, I'd adjust all the channels to be different and see if that helped, but it doesn't seem to apply to the 11n routers I'm looking at.
The same problem where the signal get lost (network monitor reads disconnected) and then reconnects a few seconds later and cannot communicate with the router (no DHCP) happens with a Windows netbook, a Windows 7 PC, and a MacBook Pro, so it isn't just my machine.
It could be that just one of the access points is flaky. I'm trying to test that now but there's no documentation about exactly where in the building they're hidden.
I'd appreciate hearing about the best practices in managing a network like this, though. I'm not finding much information in the manuals and on the net about how this works with 11n.
William Hilsum
It really depends on manufacturer and model.
For example, I had some very smart Linksys access points at one time that would simply relay all the processing back to one box. I had many overlapping points on the same channel and there wasn't a problem.
However, Linksys were the only ones I have seen that support this and typically, what you want to do is make sure the channels do NOT overlap. This means that any device will stay on the correct signal and if/when it looses it, it will typically reconnect to the strongest signal in range.
So, you can have same name and ID, as long as on different channel.
But - it is different on different manufacturers and models, but I hope this helps.
chenosaurus
What you want to do is set up WDS. This is supported natively by Apple's Airport Extreme, or on other routers with custom firmware such as DD-WRT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless%5FDistribution%5FSystem