Bridge/repeater

[NohatCoder]

I learned the hard way that ASUS routers (and apparently some others) can only do bridge mode with none/WEP encryption. That seems less than useful.

What are the best options if I want a router that connects wirelessly to our main router, and then have clients connect both wirelessly and through LAN ports? Speed is not an issue, I assume anything modern is plenty fast for my needs.

I had the setup sorta working with a Linksys EA6700 running DD-WRT, but that crashed daily.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I learned the hard way that ASUS routers (and apparently some others) can only do bridge mode with none/WEP encryption.

I don't believe that's true (for Asus routers). Asus has Repeater mode and Media Bridge (a.k.a. wireless Ethernet bridge), both of which can connect to a parent using WPA2 for example.

Maybe by "bridge mode" you were referring to WDS mode? WDS is indeed limited to none/WEP, but that's a limitation of WDS itself and would apply to all routers.

 

[NohatCoder]

The specific model is RT-N19, and yeah, it is called WDS in the interface, and that is all there is.

 

[ColinTaylor]

The specific model is RT-N19, and yeah, it is called WDS in the interface, and that is all there is.

Ah, OK. I've not come across that model before. It seems to be very low spec device. Most of Asus' other routers have the modes I was talking about.

*Consider something like the RT-AC66U_B1, although I'm sure there are plenty of similar devices from other manufacturers.

*Checking the manual it appears this particular model doesn't support repeater mode only media bridge mode.

 

[NohatCoder]

I'm also sure that there are plenty devices that do what I want, I just don't know how to tell them from a bunch of seemingly similar devices.

The N19 specifications page though explicitly states "WAN Bridge support" and "Range extender mode", you see how that could be interpreted as doing what I need?

So a model number that someone knows does this would be appreciated. And something neither ASUS nor Linksys would be appreciated given my current experience.

 

[Val D.]

And something neither ASUS nor Linksys would be appreciated given my current experience.

I don't know what experience you have, but I was recently using an ASUS RT-AC66U router from 2012 as a wireless bridge, connected to another router with 1300Mbps link speed and using WPA2-Personal with AES encryption. Setting up takes like 60 seconds.

 

[NohatCoder]

I don't know what experience you have, but I was recently using an ASUS RT-AC66U router from 2012 as a wireless bridge, connected to another router with 1300Mbps link speed and using WPA2-Personal with AES encryption. Setting up takes like 60 seconds.

I suppose that you use the media bridge mode, that mode is gone in the B1 model manual, and I doubt that I can get the original model anywhere.

 

[Val D.]

that mode is gone in the B1 model manual

It's available, see Operation Mode at the bottom of the page:

https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RT-AC66U-B1/specifications/

 

[Klueless]

... options if I want a router that connects wirelessly to our main router, and then have clients connect both wirelessly and through LAN ports? Speed is not an issue, I assume anything modern is plenty fast for my needs

The Netgear 6150 Range Extender might not be the "best" option but it's certainly an affordable option.

• My favorite feature is "Fast Lane". You can dedicate one radio for the back haul to the router and leave the other open for clients only. It eliminates the "halving effect" oft mentioned with "Repeaters". On the flip side having to use the 2.4GHz radio could become its own pinch point.
• LAN ports. It only has one but you could expand on that with a cheap, dumb switch.
• Configuration. Well, I was able to do it : -)

Linksys also has some Extenders with "Cross Connect". It looks at which radio the client is using and automatically uses the other radio for the back haul to the router.

 

[Val D.]

What are the best options if I want a router that connects wirelessly to our main router, and then have clients connect both wirelessly and through LAN ports?

Oh, this is Repeater Mode then, also available in RT-AC66U B1. Media Bridge is for LAN clients only.

 

[NohatCoder]

It's available, see Operation Mode at the bottom of the page:

https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Networking/RT-AC66U-B1/specifications/

But not mentioned in the manual, so no, I don't think it is there. Compare the two manuals, it is in the RT-AC66U manual, but not the RT-AC66U B1 manual.

In any case I found the GL iNet products mentioned elsewhere. I wonder if a GL-AR750 https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750/ might do the trick? The OpenWRT documentation doesn't seem too clear about how well this would work.

 

[NohatCoder]

The Netgear 6150 Range Extender

That seems like an option. Given that I don't care about speed, and only get one ethernet port anyway, do you see any reason not to go with the cheaper EX3700 instead?

 

[Val D.]

But not mentioned in the manual, so no, I don't think it is there.

OK, no problem. I had RT-AC66U B1 also, ASUS listed Repeater Mode as Range Extender in specifications above, it’s the same thing.

 

[Klueless]

That seems like an option. Given that I don't care about speed, and only get one ethernet port anyway, do you see any reason not to go with the cheaper EX3700 instead?

No "show stoppers" but;

• It's Ethernet port is only 100 Mbps rather than full Gigabit.
• It does not brag about "fast lane" or "cross connect" so it may only be a "repeater" rather than an "extender". (You'd have to check the manual to be sure.)
• It's AC 700 vs. AC1200

 

[NohatCoder]

Quick start guides for EX3700 and EX6150 look almost identical, and they both say "extender" so I think it is good. I guess that all their "EX" models are extenders and share these basic features.

 

[Klueless]

Quick start guides for EX3700 and EX6150 look almost identical, and they both say "extender" so I think it is good. I guess that all their "EX" models are extenders and share these basic features.

One might wonder why it's less than half the price?

"caveat emptor" : -)

 

[OldFox]

In any case I found the GL iNet products mentioned elsewhere. I wonder if a GL-AR750 https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750/ might do the trick? The OpenWRT documentation doesn't seem too clear about how well this would work.

Yes I have the gl-ar750s slate version and it does exactly as OP asks very easily. The wireless connection to router mode is a specific setup case in the GUI. Although it is has OpenWRT under the skin, it has an easy to use top level GUI for most used configuration. The usage can be seen in the online docs here.
By default "Repeater" is router mode (firewall/NAT) and this can be changed to pure repeater/extender mode easily - in "Network mode" under "More settings". I hope this helps. It's a greater little router I use for travel. It's currently behind my main router with Wireguard & OpenVPN servers running.