Bridged connection using multiple routers

[thortor]

Hello all,

My situation is this: I have really spotty coverage in my house due to some interferences. So the main router/ modem is provided by the ISP and it cannot provide signal to all the rooms in the house. It is also connected to some switches to provide LAN access to in-wall Ethernet ports in those rooms. I tried using wireless bridged connections with Netgear 3400 and TP-Link WR841 that I have lying around the house. It worked to some extent as it really depends on the signal from the main router.
So I had to hook up the 2 routers to the Ethernet ports in the rooms that I want signal and set them up as separate access points. The problem with this setup is that there are multiple networks in my house and moving from one location to the next would require reconnection to the nearest network.
Would it be possible that I can hook up the routers to the Ethernet ports and have them serve as bridged connection to the main router with the same configuration?

Thanks

 

[sfx2000]

you're actually pretty close where you're at...

Leave them connected to the main router via ethernet, disable DHCP on the extended AP's, and set all to the same SSID and WPA2 passphrase and you'll be right as rain...

IIRC there is a knowledge article on the main site that has additional tips over in the Wireless Basics section...

 

[stevech]

Hello all,

My situation is this: I have really spotty coverage in my house due to some interferences. So the main router/ modem is provided by the ISP and it cannot provide signal to all the rooms in the house. It is also connected to some switches to provide LAN access to in-wall Ethernet ports in those rooms. I tried using wireless bridged connections with Netgear 3400 and TP-Link WR841 that I have lying around the house. It worked to some extent as it really depends on the signal from the main router.
So I had to hook up the 2 routers to the Ethernet ports in the rooms that I want signal and set them up as separate access points. The problem with this setup is that there are multiple networks in my house and moving from one location to the next would require reconnection to the nearest network.
Would it be possible that I can hook up the routers to the Ethernet ports and have them serve as bridged connection to the main router with the same configuration?

Thanks

We're using the term Bridge rather than Access Point (AP). They are essentially opposites.

Don't expect the client devices to automatically switch to a "better" access device (AP, Router). Rare is the client that will behave like that, due to the lack of IEEE standards for such. The burden falls on the user to choose.

 

[azazel1024]

Still have to disagree that it is rare.

Some clients have problems, yes. Most in my experience work anywhere from okay to very well with switching access points to go to the one with better signal (so long as it is better enough).

Some deffinitely have problems with it though.

 

[stevech]

Still have to disagree that it is rare.

Some clients have problems, yes. Most in my experience work anywhere from okay to very well with switching access points to go to the one with better signal (so long as it is better enough).

Some deffinitely have problems with it though.

yes, but reading this forum and others, lots of people have the issue of "stuck on you" where the client device doesn't change to use a much better signal. To do so means it has to scan and discover and that should be done only when the user is inactive (or there's a too-high error/retry rate). That disruptive scanning, I think, is rarely done in unmanaged WiFi.

 

[thortor]

Thanks for the tips guys.

If so by disabling DHCP, the other routers will become like a range extender right? (I'm not really sure about the naming convention here)
So will they act as 1 network? As of now, my TV is connected to the main router network but my phone jumps between one with better signal, sometimes it will not even switch to the one with better signal . And that's the problem, like in the youtube app on the phone it won't connect with the tv because they are not on the same network.
By having the routers all under the same name/ passphrase/ DHCP disabled, will they act and see each other as 1?
I know this may be a complicated issue, but if not I guess manual switching should be ok.

 

[stevech]

Any WiFi router can be reconfigured as an Access Point (AP). An AP connects to a LAN port on the router via a long cat5 cable, by IP over power wiring or my MoCA which is IP over existing TV coax cabling (see forum section HomePlug/MoCA). Some Range Extenders have the IP over power line feature built-in; some require a 2nd product for that and a short cat5 cable.

A Range Extender is usually a wireless repeater. Also called WDS. It connects to the WiFi router via WiFi, not by wired means as above. That is simpler. But the Extender/WDS device must be in a good coverage location of the WiFi router AND it must be near the area needing improved coverage.

The smallnetbuilder.com site has a web page on how to reconfigure a router to be an AP.

For $40 you can get an 11n product that easily changes between a router, AP, and bridge.