Access point and Bridge Mode

[Mark777]

When you have another router besides the main one. What is the best method to connect this other router with the main one in order to have a full potential internet speed when you use Wifi, configuring as an Access Point or Bridge Mode? It isn't important to me if one method is more cheaper or is more practical. I wolud like to know which one is best to have internet speed like in the main router and not losing internet when it goes from the main router to the other router.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Access Point and Bridge Mode are the opposite of each other.

With an access point an Ethernet cable connects the router to the access point. Clients connect to the access point over WiFi.

A wireless bridge connects to the main router over WiFi. Clients connect to the bridge using an Ethernet cable.

So it's not a case of which one is better or faster as each mode is designed to be used for different purposes.

 

[Mark777]

Access Point and Bridge Mode are the opposite of each other.

With an access point an Ethernet cable connects the router to the access point. Clients connect to the access point over WiFi.

A wireless bridge connects to the main router over WiFi. Clients connect to the bridge using an Ethernet cable.

So it's not a case of which one is better or faster as each mode is designed to be used for different purposes.

Thanks for the answer. From wifi i believe that for sure it has some loss of internet, what about from wire? So in a large house in a room 10 m far from main router is more conveniant to use a router acess point for internet 1m far from the laptop (10m wire + 1m wifi + using access point mode), than to use a router bridge mode and conncet to it 1 m far from your laptop with an ethernet cable (10m wifi + 1m wire + using bridge mode), since the loss of internet is higher from wifi than wire. Also I believe that configuration of router system as access point or as bridge mode doesn't affect the full potential use of the router, right (meaning that will have 50% or 100% of potential deppending on the mode used)?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Thanks for the answer. From wifi i believe that for sure it has some loss of internet, what about from wire? So in a large house in a room 10 m far from main router is more conveniant to use a router acess point for internet 1m far from the laptop (10m wire + 1m wifi + using access point mode), than to use a router bridge mode and conncet to it 1 m far from your laptop with an ethernet cable (10m wifi + 1m wire + using bridge mode), since the loss of internet is higher from wifi than wire.

With an Ethernet cable there is no loss. So it is always preferable to use Ethernet as much as possible.

Also I believe that configuration of router system as access point or as bridge mode doesn't affect the full potential use of the router, right (meaning that will have 50% or 100% of potential depending on the mode used)?

I think you are confusing it with "Repeater" mode where the bandwidth is reduced to 50% because the re-transmission of data.

 

[L&LD]

Thanks for the answer. From wifi i believe that for sure it has some loss of internet, what about from wire? So in a large house in a room 10 m far from main router is more conveniant to use a router acess point for internet 1m far from the laptop (10m wire + 1m wifi + using access point mode), than to use a router bridge mode and conncet to it 1 m far from your laptop with an ethernet cable (10m wifi + 1m wire + using bridge mode), since the loss of internet is higher from wifi than wire. Also I believe that configuration of router system as access point or as bridge mode doesn't affect the full potential use of the router, right (meaning that will have 50% or 100% of potential deppending on the mode used)?

There are many variables as to which would be better, but here are some things to think about. I am assuming that the main router and the AP/Bridge router has at least 3 antennae/streams and preferably the main or AP/Bridge router has four antennae/streams.

1. In AP mode, connected directly to the main router and/or ISP with an Ethernet cable, and given that the laptop will be in the same room as the AP will guarantee the highest possible wireless connection. Note that 1 meter from the router or AP is much too close to be using a mobile device wirelessly with. The ideal is somewhere between 8 and 20 feet for modern routers/AP's, for maximum responsiveness and throughput.
2. In Bridge mode, and given that the laptop will be connected via Ethernet to it, the router will likely have a much better and stable connection than almost any laptop can produce. The Ethernet connection will also give the notebook a much more responsive network experience, even though it is ultimately 'wirelessly' connected via the Bridge. This is because the hardware in the Bridge router is much better than a laptop can ever have.
3. The final point you should be considering is how fast the ISP is right now and how fast it may become in the not so far future? If we are talking about 100Mbps ISP speeds or less, it almost doesn't matter how we connect things (depending on the actual environment, of course). If we're talking about Gbps ISP speeds, and the laptop is only a one or two antennae design, then the Bridge would most likely be the preferred option.

The final thing you can think about? You will need to experiment with any possible configuration possible in your network environment and client devices you have to know which will be faster, or not.

 

[Mark777]

There are many variables as to which would be better, but here are some things to think about. I am assuming that the main router and the AP/Bridge router has at least 3 antennae/streams and preferably the main or AP/Bridge router has four antennae/streams.

1. In AP mode, connected directly to the main router and/or ISP with an Ethernet cable, and given that the laptop will be in the same room as the AP will guarantee the highest possible wireless connection. Note that 1 meter from the router or AP is much too close to be using a mobile device wirelessly with. The ideal is somewhere between 8 and 20 feet for modern routers/AP's, for maximum responsiveness and throughput.
2. In Bridge mode, and given that the laptop will be connected via Ethernet to it, the router will likely have a much better and stable connection than almost any laptop can produce. The Ethernet connection will also give the notebook a much more responsive network experience, even though it is ultimately 'wirelessly' connected via the Bridge. This is because the hardware in the Bridge router is much better than a laptop can ever have.
3. The final point you should be considering is how fast the ISP is right now and how fast it may become in the not so far future? If we are talking about 100Mbps ISP speeds or less, it almost doesn't matter how we connect things (depending on the actual environment, of course). If we're talking about Gbps ISP speeds, and the laptop is only a one or two antennae design, then the Bridge would most likely be the preferred option.

The final thing you can think about? You will need to experiment with any possible configuration possible in your network environment and client devices you have to know which will be faster, or not.

Thanks for your answer. So access point is very good if you can install the wire and better when you want to use for phone and use comfortably the laptop, and for high speed internet contracts is better to use even at access point ethernet cable like in bridge mode in order to have all high speed internet contract you have

 

[L&LD]

Thanks for your answer. So access point is very good if you can install the wire and better when you want to use for phone and use comfortably the laptop, and for high speed internet contracts is better to use even at access point ethernet cable like in bridge mode in order to have all high speed internet contract you have

You're welcome.

Just remember, this is 'generally true'. Each individual network setup, environment, device, router, and AP/Bridge interaction will require testing to prove it so.