Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 20:49 Post subject: How to Create a Mesh Network
To Mods, I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to post this question. If it isn't can you please let me know where I should move this post. Thanks.
I'm trying to use an old router setup with DD-WRT as a secondary router to extend my wifi range. I have Ethernet run throughout my house. As a result, I want to connect my secondary router to my primary router using the Ethernet in my house that way I get better speeds rather than trying to connect the two routers using wifi.
After getting the two routers connected, I want the secondary router to broadcast the same network,including same wireless network SSID. What I'm trying to do is create a mesh network where I can move from one room in my house to another and have my mobile device automatically switch to the router that is broadcasting a stronger signal. However, I want this to be one continuous network very similar to how google wifi works as an example.
I'm sure there are tons of videos or information on this on the internet, but I've been unable to find exactly what I'm looking for thus far. Thanks.
One is on WDS and the other on OLSR. Frankly, I have not used either of them so I may not be able to give you further advise on them. If you want to raise further questions on OLSR, please post them on the Advanced Networking forum and as for WDS, please post them on the forum that is corresponding to the platform that your router uses.
Thank you for your help js1662. Having doing some more digging into how mesh networks work, I believe setting up the router as an (AP) Access Point is what I'm looking for. However, in order for the wireless to work how I want relates to the roaming functionality which I'm still researching. Roaming is what makes a device decide to switch from an AP with a weaker signal to one with a stronger signal as you move throughout your house. There are of course routers that come with this built in, but since dd-wrt is so customizable I want to do some more digging to see if dd-wrt can be configured to be better at roaming.
Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that roaming is not determined by the router side at least not for residential type router. How the remote client switch over to the other router/AP depends very much on the remote client side. It depends on how often the remote client re-scan for a better signal. Some cellphone allow the user to setup in a more aggressive way or you can install an app to handle the switch over more aggressively. In the worst case, the remote client only switch over to the stronger signal when the original signal is too week leading to drop off and then re-scanning.
Do you have any progress and experience to setup 2nd router on wired network with seamless transition between wifi access points. Is it possible to use the Lan instead of wifi with seamless transition and without reducing effective wifi bandwidth by half?
The wireless AP solution is not providing seamless transition for my two Netgear R7800 routers and sometimes I still connected to weaker AP even if stronger wifi AP is available.
Do you have any progress and experience to setup 2nd router on wired network with seamless transition between wifi access points. Is it possible to use the Lan instead of wifi with seamless transition and without reducing effective wifi bandwidth by half?
The wireless AP solution is not providing seamless transition for my two Netgear R7800 routers and sometimes I still connected to weaker AP even if stronger wifi AP is available.
That should be device problem not network problem. "Mesh network" is just a current trendy fashioned name for what it always existed. _________________ R6400v2 (boardID:30) - Kong 36480 running since 03/09/18 - (AP - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R7800 - BS 31924 running since 05/26/17 - (AP - OpenVPN Client - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R7000 - BS 30771 running since 12/16/16 - (AP - NAS - FTP - SMB - OpenVPN Server - Transmission - DDNS - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R6250 - BS 29193 running since 03/20/16 - (AP - NAS - FTP - SMB - DNSMasq - AdBlocking)
Its not a device problem and i cant fix my devices. I did try Linksys Velop and it work awful as all Linksys products for last 10 years. Let me know you have a positive experience
Dear d0ug,
This is exactly how it works at my location for years ( http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point) and i am not happy to be connected to the father away AP and i would like wifi system to seamlessly switch the clients to the strongest signal without reducing wifi bandwidth.
Its very old article and technology is far away. It says that mesh networks reduce the amount of bandwidth supported with each hop. Its not true according to modern wifi mesh system. I am wondering if I can build it using ddwrt and if you have really good experience.
@d0ug, you must one of the very few people that actually know how is tx power meant to be used. _________________ R6400v2 (boardID:30) - Kong 36480 running since 03/09/18 - (AP - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R7800 - BS 31924 running since 05/26/17 - (AP - OpenVPN Client - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R7000 - BS 30771 running since 12/16/16 - (AP - NAS - FTP - SMB - OpenVPN Server - Transmission - DDNS - DNSMasq - AdBlocking - QoS) R6250 - BS 29193 running since 03/20/16 - (AP - NAS - FTP - SMB - DNSMasq - AdBlocking)
Dear d0ug,
I did play with power settings for long time. My phone will stay on -70dbm from far away AP even closest signal is 40dbm. The real speed on -70 will be very slow and ultimately there is a big point to be switched by AP.
I did try Linksys Velop with no success and may be will try other mesh system than like Google, Orbi and so no.
