WRT320n - Repeater mode doesn't work

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volvo64
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 25 Jan 2015
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 21:52    Post subject: WRT320n - Repeater mode doesn't work Reply with quote
I have a Linksys WRT320N that won't work in Wireless Repeater mode.

The neighbors and I share their internet connection, due to the local telco here messing up the building wiring (putting in a max of 4 lines into an 8 unit building). They have DSL service which we share over wifi to our apartment. We have a strong signal in our living room, but not to the rest of the apartment.

I have a WRT320N running DD-WRT 14929. I can set the wireless interface to Client or Client Bridge mode, and plug my laptop into the wire and get an IP address from the neighbors. Internet access works fine over the wire. However, if I set the wireless to Repeater or Repeater Bridge mode, the internet connection is lost. Clients on the wire lose their IP address, and wifi devices cannot associate at all to the vSSID. I have tried enabling the DHCP server on the 320N and adjusting the Routing mode appropriately (from Router to Gateway), but this has no effect.

I have tried a number of different firmwares on the router. I've tried builds 11296 mini, 14471 mini, 14896 big, 14929 mini, and 21061 mini. None of these builds work.

I've used Repeater mode for years on other routers, flawlessly. However, for this router I cannot get it to work correctly.

Any ideas or help would be appreciated.
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Murrkf
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Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Posts: 12675

PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 22:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doubt its a build issue. Do a hard reset and the configure exactly, according to the wiki instructions.
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backwoodsman
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Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 141

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 2:00    Post subject: Re: WRT320n - Repeater mode doesn't work Reply with quote
I've found that for some reason, some routers don't want to work right in Repeater mode unless you set it up via the Site Survey.

Reset to default settings, then set IP address if you need to, and create your Virtual AP.

Then go to Status / Wireless, bottom of page, Site Survey. Find the AP you want to connect to, click Join, it'll kick you to Wireless / Basic Settings, make sure Wireless Mode is set to Repeater (not Client), click Apply Settings, and you should be good to go.


Last edited by backwoodsman on Mon Feb 09, 2015 16:45; edited 1 time in total
Murrkf
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Joined: 22 Sep 2008
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 12:53    Post subject: Re: WRT320n - Repeater mode doesn't work Reply with quote
backwoodsman wrote:
I've found that for some reason, some routers don't want to work right in Repeater mode unless you set it up via the Site Survey.

Reset to default settings, then set IP address if you need to, and create your Virtual AP.

Then go to Status / Wireless, bottom of page, Site Survey. Find the AP you want to connect to, click Join, it'll kick you to Wireless / Basic Settings, click Apply Settings, and you should be good to go.


This is bad advice. All site survey does is fill in the name of the ssid correctly. You cannot set up a repeater just by hitting join. Several other fields MUST be filled in correctly. The wiki has the proper instructions.

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backwoodsman
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Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Posts: 141

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 16:57    Post subject: Re: WRT320n - Repeater mode doesn't work Reply with quote
Murrkf wrote:
This is bad advice.

You may be partly correct. It's been a while since I've set up a repeater with DD-WRT on Broadcom (most of my Broadcom stuff has been running Tomato for at least a couple years) and I don't remember if clicking Join sets Wireless Mode to Client or Repeater. I've edited my previous post accordingly.

Quote:
All site survey does is fill in the name of the ssid correctly.

Well, that and it sets Wireless Mode. I don't know if it does anything else, but whatever it does or doesn't do results in a working wireless repeater every time.

Quote:
The wiki has the proper instructions.

The wiki is often very outdated and doesn't work, which is why folks end up here asking advice. In such cases it doesn't help to tell them to go read the wiki.
volvo64
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 25 Jan 2015
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 17:03    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK, I followed these instructions:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

And... it works! As I said, I've done this for years on other routers with zero problems. I set up two repeaters for family over Christmas. The only thing I changed this time on my router was the vSSID.

No idea what happened or why it worked this time, but it's working now. Hopefully it stays up!
jheide44
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 03 Sep 2013
Posts: 739

PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 18:14    Post subject: Reply with quote
backwoodsman wrote:

Quote:
The wiki has the proper instructions.

The wiki is often very outdated and doesn't work, which is why folks end up here asking advice. In such cases it doesn't help to tell them to go read the wiki.


...

volvo64 wrote:
OK, I followed these instructions:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

And... it works! As I said, I've done this for years on other routers with zero problems. I set up two repeaters for family over Christmas. The only thing I changed this time on my router was the vSSID.

No idea what happened or why it worked this time, but it's working now. Hopefully it stays up!


backwoodsman,
I hear what you are saying, but it really depends on the wiki/situation.

for example the install wiki's often recommend older builds, on the E3000 that introduces the e2k-e3k to nv60 readiness flash "two step"

But those are tried and true initial flash instructions for the masses that have been proven by time & use. Folks are hesitant to change any of that. (especially if the people with access rights to update wiki don't have the exact devices to test personally).

However the tutorials wiki's, HERE, are often much more reliable/up to date/relevant than folks often give them credit for. (likely due to experience with the initial install wiki's)

Worst case scenario the tut wiki's are going to point folks in the right direction (with little to no risk of a brick)


Either way, we are glad volvo64 got it up and running !

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bachikho
DD-WRT User


Joined: 19 Sep 2015
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 2:54    Post subject: Reply with quote
volvo64 wrote:
OK, I followed these instructions:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

And... it works! As I said, I've done this for years on other routers with zero problems. I set up two repeaters for family over Christmas. The only thing I changed this time on my router was the vSSID.

No idea what happened or why it worked this time, but it's working now. Hopefully it stays up!

i followed these instructions step-by-step carefully but still cannot optain ip address (using latest 34777 build), what's wrong?
bachikho
DD-WRT User


Joined: 19 Sep 2015
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:39    Post subject: Reply with quote
help me plz Sad
bachikho
DD-WRT User


Joined: 19 Sep 2015
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:45    Post subject: Reply with quote
still "optaining ip address...", don't know what's wrong (easily successful with tplink 941) Sad
Murrkf
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Posts: 12675

PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 16:32    Post subject: Reply with quote
You might need a different build.
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LOM: "If you show that you have not bothered to read the forum announcements or to follow the advices in them then the level of help available for you will drop substantially, also known as Murrkf's law.."
bachikho
DD-WRT User


Joined: 19 Sep 2015
Posts: 59

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
Murrkf wrote:
You might need a different build.

done, change to build 14929 then everything's fine, many thanks Smile
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