[GTALUG] Second router as wireless ethernet bridge

[Bob Copeland]

> Embarrassingly, I understand very little of that...however, it is
> working. The computer has internet, and everyone can see each other on
> the network. The only limitation is security. It only works with WPA
> and AES, no WPA2 or TKIP enabled on either router. I suppose my neck
> is exposed security wise?

WPA/AES-CCMP should be OK for most purposes.

Honestly I'm not really sure what Tomato is doing for "Wireless bridge
mode," a quick google didn't turn up an answer.  It would be
interesting to see some wireless frame captures from the setup.  If
it's doing some WDS 4-address mode, then that's great.  If not, you
may have some problems reaching some machines behind the client
router.

Sounds like "Wireless client mode" is running two different IP
networks and routing at layer 3 between them (i.e. the network behind
the client router would be on its own subnet compared from the AP
network).  This mode will work with any AP.

> I never needed anyone to connect wirelessly to the second router. The
> signal from the main router, the Buffalo N600, is amazing, it covers
> the entire house. Actually, as I understood it, the second router
> would not even be offering wireless connectivity to devices in
> Wireless Bridge Mode.

Yes, this is something 'extra' that mesh could offer (if you wanted --
you can also just bridge the wireless traffic onto an ethernet LAN
like you are doing, without running a second AP).  Mesh also has some
better encryption facilities built in.  But, I'd say having an AP that
supports mesh is highly unlikely unless you put openwrt on it yourself
and the hardware is Atheros-based.

-- 
Bob Copeland %% www.bobcopeland.com