RT-AC56U and using external WiFi network as WAN?

[proguru]

Hi.
I'm sorry about my bad English and also so poor networking terminology, but I'll try my best in describing what I want.

I have a new ASUS RT-AC56U wireless router and I'm trying to build a home network between desktops and laptops. That network is all about fast file sharing between computers and it would take internet from external WiFi access point (that is a smartphone running mobile hotspot).
I could set ASUS's operation mode to "Repeater mode", but I don't want to extend my WiFi hotspot, but instead create a new AP and a network around it.

What I understood there are not that many options to share WiFi network with Asus's original firmware. The only option is to activate "Repeater mode", but then big problems will arise if the "original shared mobile hotspot" turns off, and it will.
Also, in "Repeater mode", there are very little options to modify in router's settings. I can't change the WiFi channels, not set any static IP-addresses for clients, the settings page is heavily stripped down from everything needed to properly configure a network.

So, any advises? AsusWRT and Merlin are quite similar in what comes to my problem, so at least I haven't found how perform this in them. Would DD-WRT manage to do this?

 

[dorinspeedy]

Connect your phone as USB modem to your router, WAN- USB in dual WAN settings.

 

[Nullity]

Your picture is the most awesome thing I have seen in a long while. Great art communicates clearer than any words.

(Apologies for my useless post.)

 

[cyborgpunte]

Yes, but what about IOS & Window phones ???

However possible in dd-wrt, have done it myself in an old netgear.
Don't know if it's possible in asuswrt enviroment.

Connect your phone as USB modem to your router, WAN- USB in dual WAN settings.

 

[proguru]

Connect your phone as USB modem to your router, WAN- USB in dual WAN settings.

I tried to do this, without any success. My phone is Samsung Galaxy Ace 4 with Android KitKat, is it supported?
USB tethering works on my PC computer. When connected to router, should I have Usb tethering enabled on the phone? Because if I set it on and go to 3g modem settings in router's configuration and press "Apply" the phone will shortly disconnect (because of the router reboots?) and that turns of tethering.

 

[proguru]

Your picture is the most awesome thing I have seen in a long while. Great art communicates clearer than any words.

(Apologies for my useless post.)

Thanks! This is what happens with a modern touch screen ultrabook and Microsoft Paint

 

[proguru]

Yes, but what about IOS & Window phones ???

However possible in dd-wrt, have done it myself in an old netgear.
Don't know if it's possible in asuswrt enviroment.

So DD-WRT could be the answer. Is it really so unstable I have understood? In e.g. http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=942555
there are discussion that most builds may brick the router.

 

[cyborgpunte]

Don't know nothing about asus & ddwrt,

but it worked with kongbuild on my old netgear on a holiday a couple of years ago. Caused by only one device permitted / account /hotelroom wifi.

 

[Nullity]

Thanks! This is what happens with a modern touch screen ultrabook and Microsoft Paint

lol. I kinda wondered why it looked so much better than my MSPaint pictures drawn with a mouse.



It may be uselessly complex but I think wpa_supplicant is included with the firmware (I know Merlin's firmware has it), so if you have some unix/linux command-line skills you could connect to an AP.

Or, Tomato firmware is a good choice.