HOWTO: Use Linksys WRT54G as a wireless ethernet bridge

[mikelish]

I am now using this setup and it's working great. I live on a college campus and so lots of people around my have wireless and I would like to block them out of my main router's but still keep my network up and allow all computers I want to be connected to work.

My main router is a Dlink 614+. Can I set passwords?

 

[DidlySquat]

MeatPoPsiclez: the setup described in the initial guide does use separate DHCP servers - one in the main router and one in the client - with different address ranges.

mikelish: You can easily set up WEP - just use the same settings on the main and client. I use 64-bit WEP key in open system authentication mode, but others have used 128-bit and shared key mode.

 

[MeatPoPsiclez]

Originally posted by: DidlySquat
MeatPoPsiclez: the setup described in the initial guide does use separate DHCP servers - one in the main router and one in the client - with different address ranges.

Yes, but that has two subnets, and along with that comes traversal problems. Even with proxy_arp I don't believe Xbox system link data can migrate over the networks. More thorough testing is needed on my part, but my initial assesment says no.

 

[Silex]

I have almost the same routers as you so when I do try it out, I'm sure it will work without a hitch. The only thing I was wondering, and something I couldn't find addressed, was if the client WRT54G can still be used to "extend" the wireless network by also being wireless (does that make sense?). I couldn't find that addressed in the main post so I wasn't sure. If the answer is no, can I hook up another AP, I have an Orinoco RG-1100 as well, and use that somehow to extend the network?

It would sure be a conversation piece (the client setup will be in the living room) when one sees a wireless router with a wireless gateway attached to it. I'll do what I have to though to ensure that this setup will work. Thanks for any help.

 

[DidlySquat]

Originally posted by: Silex
I have almost the same routers as you so when I do try it out, I'm sure it will work without a hitch. The only thing I was wondering, and something I couldn't find addressed, was if the client WRT54G can still be used to "extend" the wireless network by also being wireless (does that make sense?). I couldn't find that addressed in the main post so I wasn't sure. If the answer is no, can I hook up another AP, I have an Orinoco RG-1100 as well, and use that somehow to extend the network?

It would sure be a conversation piece (the client setup will be in the living room) when one sees a wireless router with a wireless gateway attached to it. I'll do what I have to though to ensure that this setup will work. Thanks for any help.

No, the client WRT54G cannot have wireless devices connect to it. But I believe you could connect another wireless AP to it which clients can connect to. But there will not be seemless roaming between this AP and your main wireless router. That is, a wireless client will have to select which AP to connect to.

If you want seemless roaming you need to set up WDS mode connection between two identical wireless routers which support WDS, such as two WRT54G.

 

[GrassR00t]

N/M I figured it out.

Great post OP

 

[gedikart01]

ello! Help me Please!

I've got two WRT54G ap-router. I want to use Client mode, but it doesn't work.

Main router (Linksys 3.03.9 firmware)
******************************
Local IP = 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0
DHCP server: Disable

Advenced routing:
Operated mode = Geteway
Destination LAN IP = 0.0.0.0, Subnet mask = 0.0.0.0, Default gw: 0.0.0.0, Interface = Lan & Wireless
Wireless security: Disable

Client router (Sveasoft Alchemy 1.0)
******************************
Internet Connection Type = Static IP
Internet IP Address = 192.168.1.2
Geteway = 192.168.1.1
Static DNS1 = 192.168.1.1

Local IP = 192.168.2.2
Subnet mask = 255.255.255.0
Geteway = 192.168.2.2
Local DNS = 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server = Enable

Wireless mode = Client.
SSID, Channel = (same as the main router)
Firewall: Disable
Wireless security: Disable

In administration: All settings are default. (I don't know what have to set).

I tired these settings, but I couldn't ping the main router from the client router. (My client router's WAN port isn't good: it was killed by the lightning). BUT if I use a Freeman-talisman 1.0.2 fw on it, and it's in Client-Bridged mode, I can ping the main router. But with this freeman-talisman I can connect only one PC to the client router (If I connect 2 PC the Internet stop.)

So, What I set in alchemy, it doesn't work, and the freeman is only works with one PC.


Please help me! (I try to client mode since 2 weeks)

 

[DidlySquat]

Did you follow the instructions in the first post ? obviously not, because your IP addresses are NOT what is explained in the guide. For starters, you have to set the client router to 192.168.1.129 , not 192.168.2.2. If you want to make client mode in with the alchemy firmware, just follow the instructions.

 

[padmewan]

Hi all, thanks for this excellent guide and discussion.

After reading (but not necessarily understanding) most of this thread, I still have some questions I'm hoping someone will be able to answer:

Situation: My landlord, one floor above, has a Netgear 802.11g router, and we were interested in connecting to that router (with his permission) and saving ourselves $70/month in phone+DSL charges.

1. Will the WRT54G work in "Client Mode" not just with WEP but with WPA-PSK?

2. I plan on wiring at least two PCs to the WRT54G. Will peer-to-peer data sharing (via my Windows workgroup) between my two PCs go directly through the WRT54G, or will it have to go all the way back to my landlord's Netgear router?

3. Will a computer connected to my landlord's Netgear router be able to see/access computers connected to my WRT54G router? Since we are 2 separate households I would prefer to have two, distinct networks in terms of my Windows workgroup, and the less access others have to my workgroup, the better.

4. Assuming the answer to 3 is "no" (that is, my landlord cannot access my Windows workgroup), can a laptop in my apartment connect to the Windows workgroup via the WRT54G operating in client mode, or does it have to connect to the landlord's Netgear router? Put another way, can I connect to a WRT54G running in client mode?

5. Finally, any thoughts on Sveasoft in terms of support, etc.? Do I want "Alchemy" or this newfangled "Talisman" product? Is there a definitive list of which firmware versions work with which hardware versions?

I have not yet bought the WRT54G in anticipation of getting these answers before making the plunge. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[DidlySquat]

1. No, only WEP encription seems to work in client mode
2. Not completely sure, but I don't think packets exchanged between two wired clients are transmitted.
3. Yes, the landlord's netgear router and other devices attached to it can see you WRT54G and its subnet, but only if you set up the proxy_arp in step 10. If you skip that, they will not be able to access your sub-network. But even otherwise, you can easily block them from accessing your workgroup and PCs.
4. No, WRT54G in client mode can't operate as a wireless access point. Your wireless device(s) need to connect directly to the landlord's router. Another option is to connect another wireless AP to the WRT54G, so your wireless devices can connect to it.
5. Don't know, once you set it up it should just work.

 

[padmewan]

Thanks, Didly - I'm afraid your answer to #1 scuttles the project I'm not going to ask my landlord to compromise network security so we can use his network. So, I guess I will get individual PCI cards for our desktops.

 

[atrophic]

I still need to play around a bit more I think, but I got stuck last night trying to follow this guide and thought somebody might help me head in the right direction when I try again tonight. Here's the current set up:

Internet<--->Cable Modem<--->US Robitics Router (USR8054)<--->PC1
Two other PCs connected to this router via Wireless cards
WRT54G<--->two PCs

The two computers connected to the wrt54g are in the basement and can't get the signal from the USR router, though a laptop can. The WRT54G also can. I've followed the steps in the guide and the wrt receives an IP from the USR, and also assigns IPs to the two computers connected to it. However, neither of those computers can access the internet, and the WRT can't ping anything either.

It's probably something quite simple and I just don't know enough about networking to find it. The USR's ip is 192.168.123.254 (default ip) and its subnet is 255.255.255.0. The wrt is 192.168.123.129 with 255.255.255.128 subnet. I've configured the dhcp settings so they don't overlap assignable ips. Am I missing something simple or is there something more complicated going on?

 

[DidlySquat]

Originally posted by: atrophic
I still need to play around a bit more I think, but I got stuck last night trying to follow this guide and thought somebody might help me head in the right direction when I try again tonight. Here's the current set up:

Internet<--->Cable Modem<--->US Robitics Router (USR8054)<--->PC1
Two other PCs connected to this router via Wireless cards
WRT54G<--->two PCs

The two computers connected to the wrt54g are in the basement and can't get the signal from the USR router, though a laptop can. The WRT54G also can. I've followed the steps in the guide and the wrt receives an IP from the USR, and also assigns IPs to the two computers connected to it. However, neither of those computers can access the internet, and the WRT can't ping anything either.

It's probably something quite simple and I just don't know enough about networking to find it. The USR's ip is 192.168.123.254 (default ip) and its subnet is 255.255.255.0. The wrt is 192.168.123.129 with 255.255.255.128 subnet. I've configured the dhcp settings so they don't overlap assignable ips. Am I missing something simple or is there something more complicated going on?

Yes, you have to change IP of the main router (USRobotics) and its attached devices to end with numbers between 1 and 127. For example, change your USR IP to 192.168.123.1 and make sure it assigns DHCP addresses in the range below 127. So the address it assigns to the WRT54G ishould also be below 127 (note that the local IP address of the WRT54G is still 192.168.123.129).

Your problem is a result of overlapping ranges which confuses the routing logic.

 

[atrophic]

I thought that might be the case, but didn't get around to trying it yet. Switching the routers worked, apparently the wrt has a stronger signal than the USR router. I might try to play with it tonight though and see if putting them on different ip ranges helps. What I don't understand is why it would cause a problem configured as it was before so long as I made sure the IPs assigned by the routers didn't fall within the same range. I'm sure it makes perfect sense to somebody who knows what they're doing though Anybody care to explain it?

 

[DidlySquat]

The reason, if you want the technical explanation, is that the WRT54G in client mode acts as a router for its attached devices and decides which packets need to be forwarded to its gateway, and which ones are local. The way the guide sets it up, all local addresses end in a number above 128 - for example 192.168.123.140 is a local address and will not be forwareded, but 192.168.123.100 (and any address which doesn't start with 192.168.123) will be forwared to the gateway . But in your case the gateway address itself is above 128 so it never really gets forwarded corretly. Bottom line the routing rules in your WRT54G are inconsistent.

 

[Torro]

Thanks for this guide. I was looking for something like this and I actually found it 5 minutes after I emailed Linksys about the possibility (they said it could not be done btw )
My question:
Everything works fine, I get a signal on the 2nd router and it assigns IP addresses to my PC and XBOX. However, every couple of hours (I think ~3) the connection on my PC dies. It says that it is connected but I am unable to do anything with it (surf the web, ping IPs, messenger clients etc) However, I am still able to play XBOX Live. So I know the connection is still there, my PC just doesn't honor it. I usually end up doing ipconfig /renew or even ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew. Is there some setting that I've inadvertantly turned on or is there something I can set so that it always refreshes its own connection?
PS the router status says that the IP expires in 24 hours. The network connection status tab also says the lease expires in 24 hrs.

Thanks again for this great post

 

[Silex]

Originally posted by: DidlySquat

Originally posted by: Silex
I have almost the same routers as you so when I do try it out, I'm sure it will work without a hitch. The only thing I was wondering, and something I couldn't find addressed, was if the client WRT54G can still be used to "extend" the wireless network by also being wireless (does that make sense?). I couldn't find that addressed in the main post so I wasn't sure. If the answer is no, can I hook up another AP, I have an Orinoco RG-1100 as well, and use that somehow to extend the network?

It would sure be a conversation piece (the client setup will be in the living room) when one sees a wireless router with a wireless gateway attached to it. I'll do what I have to though to ensure that this setup will work. Thanks for any help.

No, the client WRT54G cannot have wireless devices connect to it. But I believe you could connect another wireless AP to it which clients can connect to. But there will not be seemless roaming between this AP and your main wireless router. That is, a wireless client will have to select which AP to connect to.

If you want seemless roaming you need to set up WDS mode connection between two identical wireless routers which support WDS, such as two WRT54G.

Makes sense. Since seemless integration is pretty important, I guess that I will try my Homeplug setup again first (always been a pita to setup) and if I truely can't get that working, I'll probably set this type of network up.

 

[usrlocalfox]

I got this setup to work except for accessing computers on the client router. I was hoping I could use the Port Forward feature so I can reach a webserver port on the computer I have setup on the client WRT54G.. No Dice. I tried understanding how your Echo command worked to see if I could modify my own for the one WebServer port with no luck. Here is what I got.


Primary Network (sub 255.255.255.0) <WRT54G linksys Firmware 192.168.1.2 WAN connected to cable modem> ---------(Lan Connection)-----<dlink router 192.168.1.3> (Wireless) ***

* * *

**(Wirelessconnection to dlink)** <WRT54G Firmware Alchemy-V1.0 v3.37.6.8sv> Wan Side IP 192.168.1.69 Lan Side 192.168.0.199 subnet 255.255.255.128
+---- (Wired connection port 1)--- <Axis Web Camera ip 192.168.0.200 sub 255.255.255.128 running Webserver on port 8000>

On the 255.255.255.128 network I can access the internet and PCs on the 255.255.255.0 wired network.. I just cannot setup any computer on the Primary Network to access the webserver. I configured the Alchemy to forward port 8000 to 192.168.0.200 ip and tried connect to 192.168.1.69 (The WRT54G ip on the Primary Network Side) no dice.. I can use that IP address to connect to telnet and remote management but nothing is fowarded to the axis camera.

Any ideas?

 

[usrlocalfox]

BTW, I know it's not EXACTLY like the how too.. I been hacking different ideas all day to try and get this to work..

 

[kkennedy070790]

Originally posted by: usrlocalfox
BTW, I know it's not EXACTLY like the how too.. I been hacking different ideas all day to try and get this to work..

You really need a true wireless bridge, see my instructions earlier in this thread..

 

[51mmz0rz]

How about this one....I have 2 xbox's and I want to play system link between the two. The crossover cable works, but is invasive. Here is my current setup:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
||Campus Jack||====Internet===|WRT54G #1 (Main)| > > > Wireless > > >
.............................................................. ||............||
.........................................................|Xbox #1| |PC #1|

< < < Recieving Wireless < < < |WRT54G #2 (Client)|====|Xbox #2|
..............................................................||
.........................................................|PC #2|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WRT54G #1 is running stock firmware. I tried to flash it with Alchemy, but it failed. It became corrupted, and I had to tftp with precise timing to get it back to normal. I don't want to mess with it if it don't have to, as it's not even mine...

WRT54G #2 has Alchemy 1.0 installed, and is working in client mode fine. I can acess the internet from PC #2 which is hard wired into WRT54G #2. I can also FTP (and ping) xbox #2 from PC #1. Xbox #1 gets a DHCP IP from WRT54#1 (under 128), and Xbox #2 gets DHCP IP from WRT54G #2 (over 130). All IPs are 192.168.0.XXX.

The problem is the two xboxs are not communicating with each other. I believe it has something to do with the fact that you can't browse the network across routers, and I was wondering if there was a solution to this.

Is there another firmware that supports WDS? The alchemy install fails on WRT54G #1, but another firmware might work. I think WDS might be the only solution.

 

[kkennedy070790]

Originally posted by: 51mmz0rz
How about this one....I have 2 xbox's and I want to play system link between the two. The crossover cable works, but is invasive. Here is my current setup:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
||Campus Jack||====Internet===|WRT54G #1 (Main)| > > > Wireless > > >
.............................................................. ||............||
.........................................................|Xbox #1| |PC #1|

< < < Recieving Wireless < < < |WRT54G #2 (Client)|====|Xbox #2|
..............................................................||
.........................................................|PC #2|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WRT54G #1 is running stock firmware. I tried to flash it with Alchemy, but it failed. It became corrupted, and I had to tftp with precise timing to get it back to normal. I don't want to mess with it if it don't have to, as it's not even mine...

WRT54G #2 has Alchemy 1.0 installed, and is working in client mode fine. I can acess the internet from PC #2 which is hard wired into WRT54G #2. I can also FTP (and ping) xbox #2 from PC #1. Xbox #1 gets a DHCP IP from WRT54#1 (under 128), and Xbox #2 gets DHCP IP from WRT54G #2 (over 130). All IPs are 192.168.0.XXX.

The problem is the two xboxs are not communicating with each other. I believe it has something to do with the fact that you can't browse the network across routers, and I was wondering if there was a solution to this.

Is there another firmware that supports WDS? The alchemy install fails on WRT54G #1, but another firmware might work. I think WDS might be the only solution.

WDS will work, and so will true bridging - see my post earlier in this thread! You only need one WRT to run in bridge mode - since you already have alchemy on #2 - just run #2 as a bridge.

 

[51mmz0rz]

Thanks, that worked nicely, however, there is still a problem. I cannot ping xbox #2 or WRT54G#2 from PC #1. I have gotten a response once or twice, but the response is >100ms. Would echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/conf/eth0/proxy_arp help in this case? I have disabled loopback and it is still this slow. Being on the same network, shouldn't I be able to ping across the routers at reasonable speeds?

 

[clarkkent333]

Does this guide work for the new DD-WRT firmware as well?

 

[cashel]

I followed this guide using a DI-624 as my main router and a WRT54G as my secondary router. Everything works fine except for one thing. While I can surf the web fine through the second router, I can't access my server on the second router through protocols such as telnet or SSH. What I noticed was that the external IP's for computers hooked up to the secondary router are the same, and that when I enter in the address for my server (I have an account on DynDNS), it displays the external IP in the title bar, but nothing appears on the main screen and the connection times out. Any idea on what's going on here? The server is running Ubuntu Linux and is physically connected to the WRT54G.