Need Help- N66U with EA66 as Access Point

[ahurst]

I am confused and need help. Please forgive the dumb questions and long post.

I set up the N66U as my primary router and it works great.

A few days later, I am now trying to set up the EA-66 as an Access Point and I cannot get the settings to stick.

I have the N66U connected to my cable modem. I have a few wired clients connected to it. Wireless works great as well.

One of the wired ports on the N66U is connected to a 2nd floor room wall ethernet port.

I set the EA-66 upstairs in that room, plugged it in, and connected it to the wall port. I tested this connection earlier direct to the N66U so I know it's working.

I pressed the WPS button, then pressed the WPS button on the N66U.
The light never stayed solid.

From a wired connected desktop, I tried to connect to the EA-66 web interface and was redirected to the asus website.

I then connected the EA-66 direct to the desktop and could access the web interface. I did the following -

I set the SSID of both 2.4 and 5.0 the same as the two N66U's SSID's.
I insured the channels on the EA-66 were different from the N66U's.

I have the N66U channels at 1 and 157.
The EA-66 as 11 and 36.

I set up the EA66 with WEP2, same as N66U (same passwords as well.)

I have a laptop that connects only 2.4 and I ran inSSIDer. I can see both 2.4 networks on there at the correct channels.

I do not have a 5.0 client except for an iPad and it just says it's connected to a 5GHz network (not sure is it's the N66U or the EA66 one).

On the N66U, I set up a DHCP reservation for the EA-66's MAC to 192.168.1.2.

Now I cannot access the EA66 web interface from a wireless client using either 198.162.1.2 or www.asusrouter.com.

1) on the DHCP reservation, was I supposed to set something on the EA66 as well?

2) Should I be able to access the web interface of the EA66 wirelessly? Or does the EA-66 have to be connected direct to a laptop?

3) Does the EA-66 support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz at the same time? I mean, does it broadcast both networks at the same time? The review here said it was "selectable" - I don't know what that means.

4) On the N66U, I have 2.4 set to N-only without b/g protection. I cannot get the EA-66 to do this. When I set it, click apply, it reverts back to default.

5) Same with 5GHz - EA66 will not take an N-only setting, thought the N66U does.

6) Also, I have the N66 set as 40 MHz and the EA-66 stays at 20/40.

Please help. I am pulling my hair out.

 

[ahurst]

Now I have other issues. My laptop refuses to connect to the 2.4.

Ugh.

Also, per inSSIDer, the signal strength of the EA66 2.4, is erratic - up and down, up and down.

 

[WilliamY]

Now I have other issues. My laptop refuses to connect to the 2.4.

Ugh.

Also, per inSSIDer, the signal strength of the EA66 2.4, is erratic - up and down, up and down.

If you are setting your EA-66 as an AP, then its wireless SSID must NOT set to the same as the primary router ones, defeat the purpose of AP, you were setting them to Repeater if name were the same.

 

[ahurst]

When I go to the network map on the EA-66, it shows Access Point Mode, but when I click on the router icon, it shows no IP address or MAC address for the N66. Is that supposed to happen?

William, I thought for an AP, the SSID's had to be the same....so that the clients could seamlessly roam from one AP to another without re-connecting.

The router and AP are just for my house.

 

[WilliamY]

When I go to the network map on the EA-66, it shows Access Point Mode, but when I click on the router icon, it shows no IP address or MAC address for the N66. Is that supposed to happen?

William, I thought for an AP, the SSID's had to be the same....so that the clients could seamlessly roam from one AP to another without re-connecting.

The router and AP are just for my house.

No, thats what Repeater mode is.

 

[ahurst]

But I don't want the EA to repeat the same signal of the N66U (that would reduce throughput I think.)

I have cable modem connected to the N66U. It's sending out a wireless signal.
Then I have N66U connected hardwire to the E66.
I want the E66 to send it's own wireless signal as well.

I thought with same SSID, security, password, etc, it would be seamless roaming all over the house.

 

[WilliamY]

But I don't want the EA to repeat the same signal of the N66U (that would reduce throughput I think.)

I have cable modem connected to the N66U. It's sending out a wireless signal.
Then I have N66U connected hardwire to the E66.
I want the E66 to send it's own wireless signal as well.

I thought with same SSID, security, password, etc, it would be seamless roaming all over the house.

That won't work if you want it to be an AP, SSID names must be different. Thats what an AP should be.

if you want same SSID, then go for Repeater mode. In fact, under Repeater mode, you can only repeat one band, which means either 2.4ghz or 5ghz, can't be both.

Also, set your Wireless security to WPA2 (personal) + AES.

 

[ahurst]

I am confused. I have been told many times an AP can use same SSID. That allows for seamless roaming.

I am on the N66U wireless network on the first floor. I walk up to the 2nd floor and client grabs onto the E66 network.

 

[thiggins]

Clients always must reassociate when moving from one AP to another. The difference is how fast they reassociate.

Consumer clients do not support "seamless roaming". They tend to be very "sticky" and remain associated to the first AP they connect to until they can no longer remain connected.

For home use, assign different SSIDs to each AP and each band on dual band APs. That is the only way you can have good control over where clients connect.

 

[ahurst]

Clients always must reassociate when moving from one AP to another. The difference is how fast they reassociate.

Consumer clients do not support "seamless roaming". They tend to be very "sticky" and remain associated to the first AP they connect to until they can no longer remain connected.

For home use, assign different SSIDs to each AP and each band on dual band APs. That is the only way you can have good control over where clients connect.

Tim, thanks.
Am I understanding AP mode correctly?
Should I be in Repeater mode with the set up I have?
Any clue why inSSIDer is showing the EA-N66 is not broadcasting a signal?

 

[WilliamY]

Tim, thanks.
Am I understanding AP mode correctly?
Should I be in Repeater mode with the set up I have?
Any clue why inSSIDer is showing the EA-N66 is not broadcasting a signal?

As I said, if you set EA-N66 to the Repeater mode, it will have to be either 2.4ghz or 5ghz, can't be both. so, if you set it to repeat 2.4ghz (using same 2.4ghz SSID name, security, ..., from primary router), then your iPad won't be connected to the internet if its using 5ghz, vice versa.

 

[ahurst]

OK thanks. Let me try a different approach.

You have dead spots in your WiFi coverage at home.

You have an N66U in your basement that you cannot move. Hooked to your cable ISP modem.

WiFi hits most of the first floor but not the 2nd.

You do have cat 5e running from the back of the N66U to a room on the 2nd floor.

What is the best approach to removing the dead spots and having both 2.4 and 5 on the 2nd floor.

 

[WilliamY]

OK thanks. Let me try a different approach.

You have dead spots in your WiFi coverage at home.

You have an N66U in your basement that you cannot move. Hooked to your cable ISP modem.

WiFi hits most of the first floor but not the 2nd.

You do have cat 5e running from the back of the N66U to a room on the 2nd floor.

What is the best approach to removing the dead spots and having both 2.4 and 5 on the 2nd floor.

As you already did: AP mode, but the way you did was wrong, you will have to give your AP's SSID names to the ones that are different from the main router SSIDs'. That's it's.

 

[ahurst]

Why would that make a difference to a laptop connecting to the network?

 

[WilliamY]

Tim, thanks.
Am I understanding AP mode correctly?
Should I be in Repeater mode with the set up I have?
Any clue why inSSIDer is showing the EA-N66 is not broadcasting a signal?

As Tim said, so you were wrong.

 

[WilliamY]

Why would that make a difference to a laptop connecting to the network?

I would say: AP mode with same SSID names screwed your network

 

[ahurst]

OK.
How do I get the EA66 to accept the same settings as the N66U?
Right now, it will not.

I have the N66 as

2.4 --
N-only mode (no b/g protection)
channel 1
40 MHz

5.0 --
N-only mode
channel 157
40 MHz

I tried to set EA66 as

2.4 --
N-only mode (no b/g protection)
channel 11
40 MHz

5.0 --
N-only mode
channel 36
40 MHz

The EA will return to Auto for channel and not stay in N-only mode.

 

[WilliamY]

OK.
How do I get the EA66 to accept the same settings as the N66U?
Right now, it will not.

I have the N66 as

2.4 --
N-only mode (no b/g protection)
channel 1
40 MHz

5.0 --
N-only mode
channel 157
40 MHz

I tried to set EA66 as

2.4 --
N-only mode (no b/g protection)
channel 11
40 MHz

5.0 --
N-only mode
channel 36
40 MHz

The EA will return to Auto for channel and not stay in N-only mode.

That could be a firmware bug, but I'm not so sure.

 

[ahurst]

The odd thing is...when I initially set it up, inSSIDer showed the EA66 was working. And it had the same SSID as my N66U router.
I had two 2.4 networks up on the two different channels I had set them at.

Also, does anyone know if the EA-N66 will act as an Access Point on both 2.4 and 5.0 simultaneously?

 

[ahurst]

There is more (you can tell this is driving me nuts).

I finally got networks going on this. I had disabled DHCP client for some reason.

However, it appears the EA-N66 does not broadcast 2.4 and 5.0 concurrently - you have to choose which one you want at any given time. It is easy to switch back and forth, however.