DD-WRT client bridge mode only half working with Main Router

[Numan]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I hope I picked the correct sub forum.

I have an Asus RT-AC68U as my main router for my small house. It works fine, in fact I recently got it and updated my laptop with the USB-AC56 as well as a couple other AC USB sticks and after some initial set up issues everything is running fine.

After some reading I wanted to do a client bridge (no WDS) for my living room so my consoles have some better speeds to reach the AC68U upstairs. The living room laptops and tablets all have good speeds and connections down here and are stable.

I found a Dlink 810L refurb for $20 and decided this is a good impulse price to try the client on. I updated the 810L with DD-WRT v24-sp2 (01/09/15) std and proceeded to fight Windows 10's ethernet settings for most of the night. As of now I have the 810L being seen by the AC68U and being assigned an IP. I can ping the assigned IP from my laptop. My test was my PS4 plugged into the 810L and I cannot see that nor can the PS4 see the network.

I am doing something wrong or missed something. On the 810L I turned off the firewall, DHCP, tried leaving DHCP on to get IPs, turned it off to make static IPs, so far attempted to just use the 2.4Ghz network (disabled the 5Gz) for 'practice' by using the same SSID and security. Made sure the Gateway, DNS and Subnet matched those settings that were on the main AC68U. Tried making the 810L a 'gateway' and a 'router' in advanced.

I'm not sure what else to try. I have not done anything on the AC68U besides checking its connections and the log, which did show this:

dnsmasq-dhcp[18550]: no address range available for DHCP request via 192.168.0.1

192.168.0.1 was the IP I manually set up in the 810L before the AC68U gave it 192.168.1.8 from DHCP.

I'm out of ideas for now.

 

[stevech]

s.v.p.
what kinds of win 10 fights did you suffer?

an access point or client bridge should be given a static LAN IP, or have the router reserve a DHCP IP address. Non-conflicting with the DHCP range in your router.

This IP is just for admin of the bridge/AP. Has nothing to do with it's functional purpose.

 

[Numan]

Should I change the static on the Dlink to the one the router assigned, at least to get rid of that constant stream of log updates?

I setup the Dlink on my laptop's Ethernet and after manually changing the settings so it could talk to the Dlink Windows just laughed at me. Windows would change some of my settings. They say doing the same thing over a lot is insane but it worked. Loading firmware and changing settings is fine now.

Would the router assigned ips still work with stuff plugged into the Dlink or do I need to assign them on the Dlink side too? I'm wondering if I need to clear out those living room consoles from the router because they were being used with a powerline and a switch?

 

[System Error Message]

Use your laptop from the bridge and see if it gets an ip address from the router. If it doesnt it is a common problem with bridging. If a device fails to get a valid ip address than it will not have internet.

The bridge can be assigned a static IP.

 

[Numan]

Just tried it sitting here; I can ping from laptop on both IPs (static and assigned) but I cannot see anything else on the network or internet. The Asus is seeing the Dlink when I check it. When connected to the 'normal' network I can ping the Dlink and get TTL=64 and ping times so it can see it, just nothing past it.

Grr.

 

[Pierino]

Look here and follow the appropriate guide http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linking_Routers

 

[Numan]

Thanks for the link. The client mode one I was trying (some random page on Google stole it word for word) and I attempted a wireless bridge for the heck of it...nope. I come down to the same problem of the routers not seeing each other. The closest I can get it is my original description of the routers seeing each other but I cannot access the internet with any devices plugged into the Dlink. I tried doing it with no security as I read that can mess it up...nope.

I'm stumped. I just might be stuck with my lousy powerlines for awhile.

 

[Numan]

Well, late last night was a new day. I gave up with the Dlink and fount my old Asus RT-N56U with Padwan firmware, plugged in the exact same settings and...it worked. It's limited to N and not AC but it works great. As to why the Dlink refused to work I wish to find out another time when I have more time. At least I have a cheapie switch with optional wireless?