Step-by-step guide to installing DIR-6** as Repeater Bridge

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blitter
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Joined: 08 May 2010
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PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:31    Post subject: Step-by-step guide to installing DIR-6** as Repeater Bridge Reply with quote
Step-by-step guide to installing DIR-6** as Repeater Bridge
=======================================

After a couple of people have asked me similar questions...
I wrote this guide for a dir-615 d2, but as I've previously used dir-600 dd-wrt on this router I figured the guide should apply to the 600 too...It's only really a repeat <cough> of the wiki but with more detail...and written from memory (!).

router A = router connected to internet, with wireless capability (a normal AP).
router B = dd-wrt installed router...tested with build 14311

note: "Firefox" could be any web browser.

1) Check the IP of router A by connecting to it by a cable (not wifi)...
for me this would be 192.168.0.1, a friend has it set at 192.168.1.254...
whatever it is, connect to it with Firefox...we will presume it's 192.168.1.254 here.
2) Check the range of DHCP, I will presume it's 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.199 (max 100 clients)...the reason we check this is so that we can avoid this range when setting a static IP to our laptop/computer later.
3) Disable wireless security on router A (this will be re-enabled later). Note: This may not always be required, but apparently it is...and you're reading this guide so perhaps you should!)
4) Ensure SSID is NOT hidden (again this can be changed later).
5) Give yourself (laptop/computer) a static IP of (for example) 192.168.1.99, with Gateway and DNS set to 192.168.1.254...

6) Now connect laptop/computer to router B instead.
7) Ensure everything is reset to default. For the dir-615 I suggest once it's turned on and booted up, hold down the reset button for 5-7 seconds. This will also default the router to 192.168.1.1 with the dd-wrt firmware installed.
Note: the wiki suggests a 30/30/30 reset, well that was less efficient for me, and of course just took me to the emergency room on stage 3...perhaps something "deep" was reset in the first 2 stages?
8) Change router B to an IP of 192.168.1.253, Gateway and Local DNS to 192.168.1.254...click APPLY.
(note: these numbers are a bit backwards IMO, I prefer: A at .0.1, B at .0.2, and me at .0.3 but hey!)
9) Login to router B again at the new IP from (8).

10) Before we start setting up the repeater bridge, you might want to check that router B can see router A...
you can do this in any mode except for Repeater Bridge (lol), so just go to Status/Wireless, down the bottom of the screen you will see a button labled "Site Survey"...click it, wait, you should see the SSID and channel number for router A...along with a bunch of random neighbours.

11) Start setting up your (soon to be) repeater bridge by going in the Basic tab:
WAN, Connection type: Disable
Router name: whatever
Local IP: 192.168.1.253 Subnet: 255.255.255.0 Gateway 192.168.1.254 Local DNS: 192.168.1.254
WAN Port: Assign WAN Port to Switch: tick this
Time Settings: whatever
12) Click SAVE only - note, we apply the settings later so only click save for now...
notice how DHCP dissapears from the menu, this is because we can get DHCP from router A if we so please.

13) Go to the Wireless/Basic Settings tab (note how we skipped the rest of "Setup" tabs for now):
Wireless Mode: Repeater Bridge
Wireless Network Mode: I use mixed because I know both routers can handle b,g,n (802.11)
SSID: must be the SAME as router A
Channel: must be the SAME as router A
Channel Width: 20 MHz
SSID Broadcast: Enabled (disable later if you want)
Network Configuration: Bridged
Click Save

14) Go next to Wireless/Wireless Security
Security Mode: Disabled (we will enable it on both routers later)
Click Save

15) Go to Services/Services
Disable DNSMasq
Click Save

16) Go to Security/Firewall
First UNcheck everything except Filter Multicast
Now on SPI Firewall, set it to Disable
Click Save

17) Go to Administration/Management
At the bottom of the page click Apply Settings

That's it, you should now be able to connect to router A and the Internet, from router B, without a cable.
If you want to connect to router B over wifi, you will have to add a Virtual Interface...easy enough in the Wireless tab.

You can now re-apply security to router A, then router B. You might need to power down router B once or twice for it to sync up correctly...though I didn't have to, just heard it's possible.

Remember: Most people leave their router's IP at default...so router A would be 192.168.1.1, router B would be 192.168.1.2, and the PCs would either use DHCP or start at for example 192.168.1.3

Hope this helps someone...it can seem like it "just doesn't work", and I had that too for a couple of days...just hang in there and go for it.


Edit: almost forgot, once all done we can continue with (11)...
Go to Setup/Advanced Routing
Operating Mode: Router
Interface: LAN & WLAN

You can also hide both SSIDs now btw.

=)
Sponsor
blitter
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 08 May 2010
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
One more thing, I'm just another happy dd-wrt user like the rest of us...but people, once things are all working, I'm really sure the developers would appreciate it if you click on their donate button (bottom of your router's login page). They won't ask you to and it's not expected...I just know the feeling. The dev has saved you from buying new kit, so a few pennies is fair enough isn't it? :-)

Note: I am not associated with the developers at all.
alboking_uk
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 14 May 2010
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 20:23    Post subject: Reply with quote
thanks a lot for this mate will try it out 2nite and let you know the results
cheers mate
alboking_uk
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Joined: 14 May 2010
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 21:38    Post subject: Reply with quote
oh man i followed all the info still not workin Sad Sad Sad
northvilledave
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 May 2010
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 3:51    Post subject: Reply with quote
Can someone help out a newbie, please!

If both A & B wireless routers have the same SSID how can a user select which one he connects to?
DoesItMatter
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 1380
Location: Pacific North West, USA

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
No need.

The whole thing about a Repeater Bridge is that the wireless will hop to the strongest signal.

The whole point of keeping the same SSID is that the wireless signal will just latch
on to the higher power signal so you get the best possible speeds.

Different SSID's = Not Repeater Bridge setup

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blitter
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Joined: 08 May 2010
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
alboking_uk: when you say "not working", can you provide more detail please! for example, can you access router A's web interface when connected to router B via cable? Did you see router A listed in router B's site survey? Details!!

northvilledave and DoesItMatter: I'm not so sure that the DIR-615 (at least) with current dd-wrt build will roam at all! In my tests I use cables, but when I tried to roam on this setup I'm posting from, it also failed...hence, Virtual Interface with additional and different SSID worked fine. I suspect a future build will roam just fine...or a Linksys WRT54GL.
DoesItMatter
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 1380
Location: Pacific North West, USA

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:36    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow - that kind of sucks...

I have an AP/RB setup on my 2 - WHR-G300N's

I can roam just fine.

I used to also do AP/RB setup on my 2 - WNDR3300's
But when I upgraded to Win 7 and upgraded the firmware on the routers,
for some reason - AP/RB stopped working, but WDS worked fine for me.

I don't care whether it was AP/RB or WDS, as long as I can repeat the signal.

Same SSID's throughout - with both setups, no issues.

_________________
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Netgear Nighthawk R7000 - DD-WRT Build R46220
Linksys EA8500 - OpenWRT IPQ806x Trunk R16375 5.4 Kernel

TP-Link Archer C7 V3 - OpenWRT Build R16290 5.4 Kernel
Linksys E3000 - FreshTomato Build MIPSR2 2021.2
blitter
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 08 May 2010
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:37    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm the same that any working mode is ideal. But if I was being fussy then I would prefer to just be a client with a virtual interface when required (we don't need to roam here). However, client mode doesn't work on this router atm, and if it did then virtual interface would no longer be available. What I've ended up with works fine, but can at times appear to be 3 SSIDs when only 1 (max 2 with wireless clients this end) is required. Again, I have no issues too. The current build is functioning one way or the other!

update Repeater mode now working form me with wireless clients, and without virtual interface. Not sure why it didn't work before!
alboking_uk
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 14 May 2010
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 22:52    Post subject: Reply with quote
arent we supposed to click survey then join the ssid we connectin to?
blitter
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 08 May 2010
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 23:48    Post subject: Reply with quote
that would be to join in client mode. ideal if it currently worked on the dir-615, and the user didn't require dd-wrt's repeater function.
aikideshi
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 20 Jun 2010
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 0:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
I followed all the instructions but still can't seem to get the DIR-600 working as a repeater bridge. Both the repeater SSID (the one which is the main as the main router's) as well as the one for the virtual interface are broadcasting and can be connected to. The problem is the repeater SSID is competing with the main SSID rather than repeating. When I do a scan, I see 2 versions of the repeater SSID.

I cloned the wireless MAC, also tried not cloning it, used several channels including channel 11, but I just can't seem to get it working.

I am using the latest version 14311.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
blitter
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 08 May 2010
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 16:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sounds normal. A client should roam between the two, connecting to the strongest signal (as mentioned by DoesItMatter above). You don't need a virtual interface unless you want to give it different security for example.
Rhythmic
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 19 Jul 2010
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 16:47    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many thanks, this seems to work!

Couldn't find my router listed in a site survey once I'd done all this but presume that's cos they're on the same SSID. Just going to try and re-enable security on both.

Am also able to access both web interfaces. Left the DIR-615 as 192.168.1.1 without issue, the other router is 192.168.1.254, dishing out IPs via DHCP in the range of 64-253
alboking_uk
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 14 May 2010
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:01    Post subject: Reply with quote
has anyone ever used AutoAP if so how did they get it to work please cos i tried this command encrypted wifi

nvram set autoap_prefssid="my_net*key*abcdef1234"
nvram commit

but it never worked either

any help much appreciated

thanks
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