Extend your wireless network

Want to extend your network and make it more reliable and robust?

Note:  IP addresses and MAC addresses in this demo are in a controlled lab environment

Here’s what you will need –

• Two routers with the same firmware
  • Preferably Tomato or DD-WRT

Login to the first router.

In this example, the static number 192.168.1.1 is the Main router.

• Enable the WAN to match your ISP
• Enable DHCP
• Enable Access Point + WDS  (Picture two below)
  • You must have the same wireless configuration on both routers
    • Enter the MAC address of router two under WDS Link with.

Login to the second router

• Disable the WAN
• Disable DHCP
• Assign the router a static IP address (Below we have given the router .250)
• Enter Router One’s IP Address for the Gateway
• Enter a DNS of your choice
• Make the wireless configuration the same as the first router.  Under WDS, change the drop down to automatic.

With the same settings, you can now extend your network several hundred feet under the right conditions.  Because the SSIDs are the same, once you join one of the routers with a smartphone or laptop, it will seamlessly change to the stronger signal.

Note: You may have to set Roaming on your NIC card to truly obtaining roaming –

With Tomato, you can chain together approximately 12 devices.

Links-

Tomato RAF

Shibby’s Tomato

DD-WRT

Note; The IP addresses and MAC addresses are in a lab environment.

How does it look on a network map?  The two routers are actually connected together.  The switch is the four ports on the back of the router closest to the internet.

One last thing.  Enable STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) to ensure loop free topology.

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Screenshots

Main Router

Second Router