How to convert a wireless router into an Access Point

[kaer]

Hi.

Newbie, so sorry if this has been debated elsewhere.

Read the article mentioned in the headline, and tried it accordingly. (From "wireless basics".)

Gave the old router (AP) an IP outside the range defined in the DHCP table in my active router and disabled DHCP in the AP. Made the AP run a different channel than the main.

My question now is: Do I give the AP SSID another name than the main ? (Or am I missing the point completely ?)

Thanks.

 

[thiggins]

My question now is: Do I give the AP SSID another name than the main ? (Or am I missing the point completely ?)

If you want to connect your client to a specific AP, it will need a different SSID. Clients tend to be "sticky" and stay associated with the first AP they see, even if a stronger one comes into range.

 

[jasonofnati]

When converting a wireless router to an access point should the router's firewall function be disabled along with DHCP? Any other services on the router need to be disabled for ideal performance?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[thiggins]

Since the WAN port isn't being used and most services deal with the routing function, generally, no.

 

[laserghost]

N Router, G Access Point

Thanks for the how-to, I'm going to try this out tomorrow in an effort to separate the N from the G, and have a few questions regarding SSDs in this setup.

If my router is N only (using it for an N laptop) and I'm using the old G router as an AP for an older G laptop, will they be able to connect to one another on the network even if they are on separate SSDs?

Alternatively, if I were to assign the same SSD to both the N only router and the G ap would my N and G client devices connect to the appropriate AP, and would they be able to communicate over the network?

Thanks!

 

[RedBird]

Internet Setup section

Do I leave the Internet Setup as Automatic-DHCP?

I cannot ping from the AP to the old (DI-524) router, nor can I ping from the DI to the AP. I checked the LAN cable connecting the two by physically plugging the LAN cable into a laptop (all OK there). Also, when I run Status on the AP no IP address shows (although a laptop directly connected to the AP will see it as the address to which I set it, 192.168.0.2)

 

[RogerSC]

Interesting...I've an AP set up for some time, and I can ping my main router from the AP and vice-versa. You have your AP on 192.168.0.2...is this the same subnet as your main router? For example, my main router is on 192.168.1.1, and my AP is on 192.168.1.2.

Also, when I run Status on my AP, the AP's local address shows up, but of course there is no WAN address for it.

 

[snuggles]

AP problem frequent client diconnects

Thanks for an excellent article. I'm having some issues trying to get this AP to work. I'm using an POWERLINK PL-CPE-22N High Power Outdoor Wireless Router. I'm direct connected from primary to AP. 1 problem is I do not have static DNS.
I put the default gateway's IP address the same as Primary Routers IP address. Is this correct? I'm using the same SSID on both. I can connect to this AP without issues but I'm experiencing wireless disconnects and lost internet connections. my Primary Router Netgear wndr3700. Second problem seems to be while the AP is active my Primary Router will not show me my connected devices but are connected. When I turn the AP off the conne3cted devices show up, is this a clue to my problem?

 

[thiggins]

If you properly convert a router to an AP, DNS and gateway settings don't matter. All it needs is an IP address and netmask.

Give the AP a different SSID so you can tell it apart from the main router. Also set it to a different channel, 1, 6 or 11.

 

[kamaran]

As it appears the OP's question has been answered, may be someone can help with mine?

I have my main router (using 192.168.1.1 with DHCP range .2 to .99) downstairs and AP 192.168.1.101 (ex-router) upstairs, both use the same SSID with no overlap on channels.

If I'm connected wirelessly via the downstairs router, I can never browse to the AP config page: 192.168.1.101. However if I go and connect via the upstairs AP, I can access the .101 page fine. Does anyone have any ideas?

Machines connected via wired connection can see both..

 

[thiggins]

How do you know that you are connecting to a specific router if both have the same SSID?

Check the settings in the router you can't connect to. There may be one that prevents admin access via wireless.

 

[kamaran]

How do you know that you are connecting to a specific router if both have the same SSID?

Check the settings in the router you can't connect to. There may be one that prevents admin access via wireless.

If I use InSSIDer it show's the AP i'm connected to.

Also if I disconnect from wifi, stand next to the upstairs AP and then reconnect - I presume its connected to the upstairs AP as I can see the router admin page (via wireless).

I tried adding a 2nd AP (3rd router) to my network 192.168.1.102 which is a Netgear.

My router is a D-link DIR-655
AP1 is a Huawei echolife hg520b.

Unfortunately still the same issue and no setting around preventing admin via wireless

I actually found that if I'm connected wireless via either AP1 or AP2 I can access the admin page of all my 3 devices. However if I'm connected wireless via the D-Link router - I can't see AP1 or AP2.

 

[kamaran]

Well resolved the problem (I think).

I added the AP as a reserved IP address within my DHCP range on my router and also added the AP MAC address to the network filter permitted list.

I suspect the problem was the network filter, I think I needed to add the MAC address of the AP to the router permitted list even though it was outside the DHCP range. Which wasn't intuitive as it doesn't show up in the routers selectable list of devices unless its within DHCP range.

I'm going to add a 2nd AP this week, so will try adding it outside the DHCP range and see if it works once the MAC address is within the routers permitted list.

 

[sfx2000]

As it appears the OP's question has been answered, may be someone can help with mine?

I have my main router (using 192.168.1.1 with DHCP range .2 to .99) downstairs and AP 192.168.1.101 (ex-router) upstairs, both use the same SSID with no overlap on channels.

If I'm connected wirelessly via the downstairs router, I can never browse to the AP config page: 192.168.1.101. However if I go and connect via the upstairs AP, I can access the .101 page fine. Does anyone have any ideas?

Machines connected via wired connection can see both..

Without trying to sound like a master of the obvious, but many routers have a setting in their admin pages whether to allow configuration over wireless - I would check that one first on the downstairs router - the assumption here being that the upstairs AP is connected to the downstairs router via ethernet (or other cable)

 

[stevech]

It's essential to disable the DHCP function when re-purposing.
As said above, WAN-related things like firewalls, static routes, etc, are N/A since the WAN port is left disconnected.

 

[kamaran]

what about disabling the following in the AP (converted router):

• UPNP
• RIP

This isn't mentioned in the Smallnetbuilder article, but is mentioned here:

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/11233

Can someone advise?

 

[RogerSC]

Yes, disable UPNP and RIP.