[GTALUG] Second router as wireless ethernet bridge

[Thomas Milne]

On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 2:30 PM, Bob Copeland <bcopeland at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 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.
>
Okay good to know, thanks.

> 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

I'm going to google how to do that.

> 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.
>
Funny you should say that. The one computer I wanted to connect using
the bridge is running Windows 7 Home Premium. It's strictly for Steam
games that just won't run well under emulation and so on. Anyhow, like
all Windows machines I've ever used, it is an absolute nightmare as
far as networking. Even when it was connected directly to the primary
network by an ethernet cable it would not let me access any SMB shares
or access my Chromecast. It still won't. Of course every other device
or computer, running Mac, Linux, Android or iOS will see and access
the shares just fine, over wireless or ethernet.

I actually tried using WDS to no avail. Now that I know the security
mode may have been the hindrance I might give that a try again. Maybe
Windows will like that better. I'm not holding my breath.

> 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.

Ya I kinda like it the way it is. The less Windows can access my
network the less harm it can do. It is good for modding and playing
Fallout, that's it :-)

I'm curious tho, how would I bridge wireless to ethernet without a
second router? Wouldn't I need some sort of separate device?


-- 
Thomas Milne