Multiple Access Points

P

p0lish

Gawd
Joined
Sep 11, 2002
Messages
642
I'm going to be installing a wireless network for a rather large home. There will be a main router in the basement, and ideally 2 other routers(used as APs) at different ends of the house. I was thinking that some Linksys Routers with DD-WRT could do this. Am I correct? The is Cat 5 Ethernet to both locations where i want to install the additional routers. Sound feasible?

Thanks,

p0lish
 
Sounds doable

Would highly recommend DD-WRT if you are wanting to do this. Someone chime in, but I thought you could get all of the dd-wrt boxes to talk to each other for the access points.

I'll see if I can dig.
 
calvinj said:
Check this out:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point#Roaming_access
Click to expand...

The three bolded sections from that are essentially all you need to know, if you're already familiar with configuring a router as an AP.
  • use the same SSID and Security settings
  • Use a different channel on each AP
  • LAN to LAN uplink

You don't even need DD-WRT for this. As long as you can configure the router as an AP, which usually means disabling DHCP, you should be able to do this on any router. Depending on the particular model router you're using, a lot of people find Tomato to be leaner than DD-WRT, and you really shouldn't need any of the extras that DD-WRT might offer over Tomato for a simple setup like this.

Using WDS to have the additional routers act as wireless repeaters will instantly cut their bandwidth in half, but simply using them as wired APs would result in the wireless acting just like it would on a regular WiFi router.
 
Why even complicate this with flashing routers. The standard firmware is fine for the use. Odds are if a person is asking a question like this they don't even need any of the few additional features that other firmware would offer.
 
InvisiBill said:
The three bolded sections from that are essentially all you need to know, if you're already familiar with configuring a router as an AP.
  • use the same SSID and Security settings
  • Use a different channel on each AP
  • LAN to LAN uplink

You don't even need DD-WRT for this. As long as you can configure the router as an AP, which usually means disabling DHCP, you should be able to do this on any router. Depending on the particular model router you're using, a lot of people find Tomato to be leaner than DD-WRT, and you really shouldn't need any of the extras that DD-WRT might offer over Tomato for a simple setup like this.

Using WDS to have the additional routers act as wireless repeaters will instantly cut their bandwidth in half, but simply using them as wired APs would result in the wireless acting just like it would on a regular WiFi router.
Click to expand...

+1 for making sure you run different channels. This ensures that if the signals overlap you will not have any interference (pure channels are 1, 6, 11)
 
Be aware that during the reassociation to the new AP, you'll see a short (very) connection drop. Applications that are sensitive to this (like VOIP) won't behave well - not that you'll have a choice on a home budget.

I'm sure for home use it shouldn't be a concern.
 
I've actually implemented something like this for a local small business using 3x Linksys WRT54GLs & Tomato & WDS, ensuring that to the customers it would seem as if there is only one network.

What you need to do is very simple:

1) Install all 3 routers & flash them with the Tomato Firmware
2) Set them up to Access Point + WDS (google for more info, there's a few guides on the internet, if you need any specific help feel free to ask me)
4) Enable "Spanning-Tree Protocol" (this ensures stuff doesn't get routed in circles, and there's no "bandwidth cut in half" problem as long as they're linked up via wires)
 
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WDS_Linked_router_network#Broadcom
WDS (Wireless Distribution Service) creates a wireless backbone link between multiple access points that are part of the same wireless network. This allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them, as is traditionally required. The WDS-enabled access points can accept wireless clients (e.g. wireless laptop users) just as traditional APs would.

Also take note of the fact that all repeaters, including this WDS Repeater mode, will sacrifice half of the bandwidth available from the primary router for clients wirelessly connected to the repeater. This is a result of the repeater taking turns talking to not just one partner, but to two, and having to relay the traffic between them. As long as your bandwidth requirements are within this halved bandwidth amount there will be little or no reduction in "speed".
Click to expand...

WDS is for creating a wireless backbone between the APs. If they're wired together, then you don't need WDS, which does indeed halve the bandwidth due to the AP having two separate WiFi connections (client<->AP and AP<->router).
 
I figured since there was ethernet to each AP location, WDS wouldn't be necessary.
 
screw this wireless bullshit

just use ethernet over powerline or netgear's Moca kit

that is much much better than putting wireless throughout your house
 
123Lanoix said:
that is much much better than putting wireless throughout your house
Click to expand...

Uhm yeah, until you want to use devices, you know, without wires. Like laptops. And smartphones.

It sounds like he's already got Ethernet to the points he wants to put APs at, which is the only problem that MoCA and powerline ethernet solves anyway.

As InvisiBill points out, this kind of roaming setup is pretty easy to do, especially if you only want 3 total APs. Wire them all to the same LAN, make sure they have the same SSID and put them on different channels and you're golden. Any 802.11g wireless client should roam between APs on its own, though some do this better than others.
 
keenan said:
As InvisiBill points out, this kind of roaming setup is pretty easy to do, especially if you only want 3 total APs. Wire them all to the same LAN, make sure they have the same SSID and put them on different channels and you're golden. Any 802.11g wireless client should roam between APs on its own, though some do this better than others.
Click to expand...

Some of the AP's and Client cards have a Mobile Threshold value to allow you to set the dBm you wish for you client to start trying to find another AP.

For example, on a Cisco AP
mobile station period <in seconds> threshold <dBm expressed as a positive #>
 
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