Hello,

I need to link two separate wired networks (simple networks - just two computers and a switch in one, and four computers, a network printer and a switch in the other) in two different buildings approx. 50m apart, no obstructions between them.

If I used a WRT54GL in each building, connected to each network, and made sure the workgroups were the same, and set up wireless security, would this be enough?

Thanks!

Yes.

I'm not 100% sure of the security of this though. It seems to work over WEP (which is less secure than WPA etc). There are some reports that you need to specify WPA *or* WPA2. Also, are you planning on using the WRT54GLs for laptops etc?

Useful reading from Google of: secure wireless bridge wrt

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

http://www.linux.com/feature/58336
http://unitstep.net/blog/2007/10/21/usin...ireless-bridge/

Yes but not with stock firmware. DD-WRT will definitely do it.

You will need to set one up as a regular access point (stock firmware would probably be OK).

The second "remote" one would need to be set up as a "client bridge"

Definitely get the GL "Linux" version since it has more memory which is better for DD-WRT.

I have this exact setup at home (one is not a GL though). I had issues getting WPA2 security working, but WPA worked fine and that was good enough for me.

There was a discussion here recently. Something to do with DD-WRT supporting MAC pass through allowing DHCP to work better/properly for multiple units behind the client bridge end.

Workgroups bit won't make any difference. If the machines work together on a LAN they will (should?) work fine.

50m should be OK if it is line of sight.

Stock firmware probably can do it. Not used it in years.

If you want the APs to still act as APs for other WiFi clients then you need to use WDS to connect the two. You must use WPA and not WPA2 when you do this as it doesn't work if you do.

For WDS:

Set up both to have the same SSID, same channel, same WPA keys and type in the other APs MAC address into each ones WDS settings page. Thats about it...

Looking at the stock firmware on another WRT54GL in the Singapore company apartment I'm staying in at the moment, shows no evidence of client bridge capability. I'm quite sure you'll need DD-WRT or other 3rd party to do it on at least the "client" side.

Also if you have 4 wired clients or less on each side, you can use the inbuilt switch and save a piece of hardware. In fact with DD-WRT I'm 99% certain you can connect the "WAN" port to the switch fabric internally via software making it a 5 port switch at the expense of it's "router" function which you won't be using from the sounds of things.

Thanks for the replies everyone, sorry for the late response, there have been too many electrical storms here lately to use the computer.

@Shonky:

I do not need the router functions, I was only going to use the WRT54's since they are cheaper than the WAP54 access points! I hadn't thought of the point about saving on a switch though!

The building separation is ~50m line of sight, two brick walls and a steel frame / Hardiplank wall to get through, would a MIMO or pre-n setup be required in that case?

@tman:

If I use WDS to connect the two routers as you suggest, then the way I understand it, I could bring a WiFi laptop onto the network later, is that correct?

Thanks.

(Sorry for the lack of quoting, I had a quoted reply ready but it seemed not to want to preview or even submit.)

That's possibly starting to push the friendship a little but I think it would work reasonably OK.


Correct although buyer/user beware of WDS. It will immediately halve your bandwidth since every AP has to re-transmit every packet (i.e. receive it and then transmit it)

You will still be able to use a laptop with the main AP as long as you are in range if you don't use WDS. The main AP will be running no differently to any other AP (which is why stock firmware would probably be OK). It's only the client bridge AP that needs a special set up. So if the client bridge AP is working and you are fairly close to that, your laptop should work fine too.

Think of the client bridge AP as just another laptop or wireless device accessing the main AP.

Thanks for explaining that clearly, Shonky!