Trying to set up second router as bridge or access point, not sure please help

[xdestry]

Hi guys, I am new to this forum and looking for some help on setting my wireless routers up. Thank you for reading this and providing any help that you can, it is much appreciated.

So in my main house, there is my modem connected to my first ASUS RT-N66U router. This router is broadcasting wirelessly to all the devices in my house, but most importantly my main computer which is located in a guest house. In my guest house there is my main computer which I am currently on, connected wirelessly to the internet. I have a second ASUS RT-N66U router here, which I am looking to connect wirelessly to the signal broadcasted from the first, so that I can connect my computer and also my saltwater aquarium controller [the Neptune Apex] directly using the ethernet cable to this second router.

I was told to set this second router up as a "bridge" like a gaming adapter so that I can have the aquarium controller always connected to my computer so I can check all my aquarium levels either on my computer or using my phone. Anyways the aquarium controller part is not important here, I am just looking to set the router up for now.

So my questions are

1. What exactly do I need to set up the second router as? Is it a bridge, access point, repeater, or something else?

2. How do I do it?

The main modem and wireless router are already set up, now I just need to set up the second router to do what I said above. Thank you guys for any help you can provide, I am a complete newbie to this so please try and use simple terms I can follow, I will be on checking this thread for the next 4-5 hours so if anybody can help me in real time that would be much, much appreciated. Thank you all again for reading!

 

[Urumiko]

Hi.. I'm a little flaky on wireless setups beyond a single AP, but it sounds like you are trying to create a wireless bridge.

A wireless bridge effectively conects to the access point like a client such as a laptop would, then it has ethernet ports on it to allow you to plug in and use it like a switch.

I don't think home routers would normally support this function.

Wireless repeaters tend to just listen to the wireless signal then re-broadcast it without connecting to the network as such.
SO i'm not 100% sure but i don't think the Ethernet ports would join the network as such if you set it up as a repeater. Even if they did you would probably need to disable dhcp.

I've had a look at the manual for your router and cant see any mention of this kind of feature,

You would need something like this.
Google: TL-WA890EA

Another option if your guest house shares power with the main house would be powerline ethernaet adapters:
http://uk.tp-link.com/products/details/?categoryid=2244&model=TL-WPA281KIT+V3

another option would be to conenct your aquarium to the ethernet port on your PC using a crossover cable, configure them with static ip's then bridge the connections, but your PC would have to be always on.

 

[xdestry]

Hi thanks for the reply, I checked the manual as well and it didnt say anything it looked very basic to me only 3-4 pages long. I am checking out the config page for the router and found this option under wireless, does this look right? Heres the copy pasted page



Wireless - Bridge

Bridge (or named WDS - Wireless Distribution System) function allows your RT-N66R to connect to an access point wirelessly. WDS may also be considered a repeater mode. But with this method, the devices connected to the access point will only be able to use half of the access point's original wireless speed.
Note:The function only support [Open System/NONE, Open System/WEP] security authentication method.
To enable WDS to extend the wireless signal, please follow these steps:
Select [WDS Only] or [Hybrid] mode and add MAC address of APs in Remote AP List.
Ensure that this wireless router and the AP you want to connect to use the same channel.
Key in the remote AP mac in the remote AP list and open the remote AP's WDS management interface, key in the this router's MAC address.

5. You are currently using the Auto channel. Click Here to modify.

Basic Config
2.4GHz MAC
5GHz MAC
Frequency
AP Mode
Connect to APs in list Yes No

Remote AP List (Max Limit : 4)
Remote AP List Add / Delete

40:16:7E:5F:B3:98

 

[xdestry]

bump

 

[abailey]

Hi thanks for the reply, I checked the manual as well and it didnt say anything it looked very basic to me only 3-4 pages long. I am checking out the config page for the router and found this option under wireless, does this look right? Heres the copy pasted page



Wireless - Bridge

Bridge (or named WDS - Wireless Distribution System) function allows your RT-N66R to connect to an access point wirelessly. WDS may also be considered a repeater mode. But with this method, the devices connected to the access point will only be able to use half of the access point's original wireless speed.
Note:The function only support [Open System/NONE, Open System/WEP] security authentication method.
To enable WDS to extend the wireless signal, please follow these steps:
Select [WDS Only] or [Hybrid] mode and add MAC address of APs in Remote AP List.
Ensure that this wireless router and the AP you want to connect to use the same channel.
Key in the remote AP mac in the remote AP list and open the remote AP's WDS management interface, key in the this router's MAC address.

5. You are currently using the Auto channel. Click Here to modify.

Basic Config
2.4GHz MAC
5GHz MAC
Frequency
AP Mode
Connect to APs in list Yes No

Remote AP List (Max Limit : 4)
Remote AP List Add / Delete

40:16:7E:5F:B3:98

As far as I know the ASUS RT-N66U does not support client bridge mode with the stock firmware. If you load another OS on it like DD-WRT it can support client bridge mode. What it does support is repeater mode. Under repeater mode it support a Hybrid setup. This hybrid setup allows clients that are wired into it to talk wirelessly to the main wireless router (like a client bridge) but in doing this it also repeats the wireless signal and SSID from the main wireless router. This can cause a major reduction in throughput to all your wireless devices, both those attached to the extended wireless network and those connected to the original wireless network. Now if you do not use or bring any wireless devices into the guest house, you may not see a hit to your throughput. Anyway if you want to try it and see you can set it up as a wireless bridge extender mode with hybrid option. Another major drawback to this setup is that it does not allow for good security. You cannot use WPA or WPA2 security on your main router. You will have to use no security or WEP security (which is like no security). I would encourage you to either load an OS on the guest house router like Tomato or DD-WRT and run the router in client bridge mode, or simply purchase a real client bridge device.

 

[Urumiko]

Yeah its a bit misleading terminology. It sounds like it might bridge then starts talking about repeaters.. which is different.
It also mentions only supporting wep/open which you dont want as any 10yr old with a laptop could hack your network in 10 secs.


DD-WRT might do the trick, although I've never used it myself.. And if you bought the router for this perpose youd void the warranty/ability to return it and swap for something else.

the other option is the aforementioned hardware.

 

[smitbret]

Terminology is so confusing and I hate it when manufacturers don't do any service by using confusing terms (looking at you Apple).

What you want is a Bridge. You are wanting to transparently connect two independent LANs (the main house and the guest house). That is the definition of a bridge.

A few routers support or have a bridge mode feature that you can activate in the router interface but unfortunately, those routers do not. Like someone else said, if you are not concerned about voiding warranties or anything, you can load DD-WRT on either of those routers and get that capability. It runs pretty smoothly and you should have little trouble with it if you are tech savvy at all and can follow an online guide. You can always flash back to stock firmware unless you do something stupid like try to update the firmware over a wireless connection (bricks your router.... been there, done that).

Don't get confused by Repeaters and Access Points. Repeaters basically just pick up your wirless signal from the main router and rebroadcast it so that you can get greater coverage (no wires anywere). Any devices that connect with the repeater will only have about half of the original signal bandwidth.

An Access Point is just the device that broadcasts a wireless signal. Your main router is an Access Point as well as a router. You can connect other routers to your main router with an ethernet cable, turn off DHCP on it and use them as another Access Point to increase range.