Cheap Access Point/Router that can Bridge (pref with option for no WDS) under 50€

[Kailido]

Hello

The title pretty much sums up what i'm looking for, i'm looking for something that can bridge a wifi network because the one i have is broken, or i think i accidentally broke it by updating it to an incompatible official firmware and now there's no easy way back afaik.

I'm not using WDS so i need one that has universal bridging. I also need good antenna power, the walls are stone. I know that high antenna power in stone walls won't help much but it's enough for what i want. Everything else is secondary.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[ingtar33]

bridge; as in you need something to act as a wifi reciever for a non-wifi device like a printer or something; you know a bridge as in you need something that will act as a passive pass through?

I'm not sure what you need in what you're describing; as many cheap routers can function as a bridge, even some access points can manage, depending on what you're looking for... but i'm not sure that what I would call a bridge is exactly what you're looking for.


EDIT:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013LKLK2M

while this has WDS functionality (most do) you can set it up by hand just as easily; just plug your laptop into it with a Ethernet cord and away you go. or you can connect your laptop to it's wifi signal when you plug it into the wall (it will broadcast a default ASUS open wifi signal until it's configured, simple to connect to it, heck I've set these up with a phone before).

this router can function as a wireless bridge as well

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-3-In-1-Wireless-Router-RT-N12/dp/B00DWFPDNO

as I said, there are a wide range of products which can do what you're asking.

 

[bill001g]

Explain why you can not use WDS.

The problem is that the mac id is used as part of the encryption key. It will use the mac of the bridge to create the wireless connection but that limits you to a single device behind the bridge. This is what WDS is designed to fix.

You will need in effect a router that uses its wan interface to talk to the main router. These are not real common.

In any case you can look at ubiquiti. They mostly sell outdoor equipment which of course works indoors also. Their equipment can run in router mode if you really want to do that. It "might" help to use directional outdoor bridge equipment to get through the walls but wireless signals in a house is pretty much trial and error to find what works.

 

[Kailido]

I used to have a tplink wa701nd connected to a network via wireless in bridge mode, which also creates a new wireless network on that device. that's it. i need to change that device, might aswell get one that is better instead of the same one

It's not that i cannot use wds, it's more to avoid incompatibilities. The main router is kinda old and doesn't have wds, i'd prefer something with universal bridging because of that

that asus router seems good enough, if theres no more suggestions i might just go for that

 

[bill001g]

There is no such thing as "universal". Even WDS is not part of any standard, it just that the manufactures have been doing it long enough most device work together. Likely the only way to run it without WDS is to run with no encryption.