Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 19:36 Post subject: WRT54GS and MiFi
I have a Novatel MiFi2200 (via Verizon) for Internet access. I also have six or seven network-capable computers/devices, which is a few more than the MiFi will allow me to connect to it. I finally have a spare WRT54GSv7 Linksys router.
I want to connect my stuff through the router to the MiFi. I have two reasons:
a) The MiFi's range isn't so great, and I'd like to use the router to extend it.
b) The MiFi will only let me connect five devices to it. I'd like to somehow get the router to handle the devices, and present itself to the MiFi as one device so that I can get a much larger number of clients connected to the MiFi.
I have installed dd-wrt (v24 preSP2 [Beta] Build 13064 (recommended)) on the router. I currently have it set up as a repeater bridge per the instructions at http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Image:Repeater_Bridge.jpg . This fixes problem #1 (I think). How do I fix problem #2? Am I barking up the wrong tree with the repeater bridge? Do I just need to change something?
Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 13049 Location: Behind The Reset Button
Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 20:55 Post subject:
repeater.. not repeater bridge. That puts everything connected to the repeater on it's own subnet. The mifi sees only the repeater.
I would consider connecting the gs via wire to the mifi if you don't need more radio coverage distance.
Connect the gs wan port to the mifi lan port putting the gs on a diff subnet of course. The gs's wan connection type can be dhcp. It will get its wan ip from the mifi (it will be a private ip, not a true wan ip). Put the gs's wan ip into the mifi dmz and use the port forwarding (if needed) and firewall of the gs.
The gs is now your router, dhcp server, and wireless ap. The mifi will look like an isp to the gs. _________________ [Moderator Deleted]
repeater.. not repeater bridge. That puts everything connected to the repeater on it's own subnet. The mifi sees only the repeater.
I would consider connecting the gs via wire to the mifi if you don't need more radio coverage distance.
Connect the gs wan port to the mifi lan port putting the gs on a diff subnet of course. The gs's wan connection type can be dhcp. It will get its wan ip from the mifi (it will be a private ip, not a true wan ip). Put the gs's wan ip into the mifi dmz and use the port forwarding (if needed) and firewall of the gs.
The gs is now your router, dhcp server, and wireless ap. The mifi will look like an isp to the gs.
Oops. I forgot to post /the most basic/ part of all - the MiFi has no ports (well it has a USB port for charging/connecting but the GS doesn't have a USB port so that's not worth mentioning). How can I do this wirelessly?
Also, forgive me if I ask you to elaborate; I'm kinda new to networking and don't know so much, though I'm willing to try just about anything you say.
@barryware, I can't thank you enough! I found and followed the howto at http://dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater and it worked! Everything now works the way I would like. Thank you so much.
wiki => linking routers => repeater (not repeater bridge)
Why not a repeater bridge for the MiFi and a DD-WRT router? Maybe I'm not clear of the difference, but...I've been running a repeater bridge with my MiFi for a year now with success (see my forum posts here). But, you have me questioning whether I am in repeater mode or repeater bridge setup!?
Also, one of the last posts in the thread I refer to mentions that the MiFi sees every packet twice in repeater bridge mode. True? Is it different with Repeater mode?
If you use repeater bridge, the MiFi sees all your clients as independent connections, thus its limit of 5 is still in force.
3G is slow enough that you probably don't have to worry about radio bandwidth even with wifi G in repeater mode. USB would be best but that requires a new router. It is potentially better to make wired connections to the router.
Or you could use two routers. One would be in client bridge strictly to link to the Mifi on one radio channel. That then goes out over a wired link to the other router. Basically the client bridge gives the Mifi a virtual ethernet port. The other router would be on a different channel to serve users without interfering with traffic to the Mifi. Almost any router with standard router software could be used there.
3G is slow enough that you probably don't have to worry about radio bandwidth even with wifi G in repeater mode. USB would be best but that requires a new router. It is potentially better to make wired connections to the router.
Thanks for the explanation, that clears things up. I guess my repeater bridge is working fine because I have exactly 5 connections to it in total. But I may now try a repeater setup with a new router I just purchased and am going to be setting up shortly (a TP-Link gigabit / wireless N router).
You mention "USB would be best". Could you elaborate? My new router has a USB port...but as far as I know it's only for data storage. Are you implying the mifi could somehow be connected to this?!
Stock firmware just uses USB for storage and printers, but with dd-wrt, you can use the USB port for many types of cellular modems. I use a Novatel U727 on mine but I think the MiFi's USB interface is the same as their CDMA USB sticks.
With the modem connected by USB you're not using wifi to it at all. So the wifi side of your dd-wrt box stays as standard AP configuration.
Go to the USB tab under services and turn on at least the first 3 items. Select "3G / UMTS" for the WAN mode. On CDMA networks, #777 is the number to dial. I don't think Verizon actually checks your user name and password but it may not work to leave them blank. Officially your username is <MDN>@vzw3g.com (replace <MDN> with your modem's 10 digit "phone number", no punctuation or spaces) and password is vzw. Leave APN and PIN blank, not used for CDMA.