[SOLVED] wrt3200acm access point with attached storage

[fastcompany2]

Hi there I had a question that I couldn't find the answer to. At work I need to extend the wifi network throughout the shop. its a steel building approx. 300 feet long and is separated in the middle with a wall. similar to having 2 steel buildings beside each other. I currently am using a wrt3200acm at home and love it. fast and great range. I would like to use a pair of them at the shop. so 2 questions would be would using a second one as an access point provide seamless roaming and could I use the router that is configured as an access point to connect storage via usb 3.0 port.

 

[bill001g]

Not sure if there are restrictions on the USB attached storage. Many times when you use the AP feature to covert a router to a AP some feature do not work. If you disable the dhcp and cable to lan port trick it likely would work. You have to use the ip address of the AP to access the storage.

Do not expect seamless roaming it does not exist. You have to be very happy if it switch at all without you have to manually force it. Even if it does switch you will see a outage of a few seconds in many cases. It generally is fast enough for most uses. But it is far from seamless. There is not much need for seamless roaming. We used to use it when we ran VoIP on cell phone but the cell industry has fixed their billing so it is easier to just use cell nodes in the buildings and use a system that was designed from the start for roaming.

 

[kanewolf]

A "shop" is probably a dirty or dusty environment. I would recommend using outdoor rated, power over ethernet (POE) powered access points, the the Unifi AC units from Ubiquiti. They are much better suited to a work environment.

 

[fastcompany2]

yes i will be happy if i dont have to manually connect between the routers. as far as dusty and dirty go you are correct. however each of these devices will be installed in an office. we have an office at both ends of the building were there is no grinding cutting or welding so the equipment will stay very clean. the only reason i wanted to know about connecting storage to the second router thats being used as an AP is that I want to use a dual hdd enclosure at the far end of the building. I will have a pc that contains our customer/vendor database and would like to back it up to the external enclosure at the other end of the shop. its not offsite but its good enough. with the way the shop is there is no way for a fire to spread to burn down the whole place only half of it could ever go up if thats even possible. I can't switch which router is configured as a router or as an AP either. the office with the pc also has the verizon fiber line in. So if someone has experience trying to do this which lets face it I sorta doubted anyone has tried this. seems stupid even to me. I was just trying to save a buck with the external enclosure vs going full nas so I can have a legit setup over ethernet