Wireless repeater bridge with Merlin and DD-WRT

[Rob Q]

Hi gang,
I just upgraded my router to a newer one leaving the WNDR3700v1 no longer in use.
What I would like to do is have the satellite receiver connected to the LAN port and have the WNDR3700 connect to my new ASUS router on the 2.4ghz band. I have no idea how I can do this.
Got any ideas?
The first thing that I knew that I had to do was put a different SSID on both of them.
I guess changing the Wireless Mode to 'client bridge (routed)' would be a step in the right direction but how will the router connect to my Wifi network?
Primary: ASUS RT-AC1900P (Asuswrt-merlin 384.4_2 )
Secondary: WNDR3700v1 (DD-WRT v3.0-r33679 std (11/04/17).

So what I plan to do is have a wireless bridge to provide internet access to my wired only devices and maybe boost the wifi coverage (without buying an extender). The easiest solution would to use the powerline ethernet adapter but that just looks 'messy'.

 

[Marin]

I would be interested in this as well. I have two Asus RT-AC5300, one with Merlin’s latest FW in it and one with the stock firmware that I use as media bridge. Would it be beneficial for me to install Merlin’s FW on the media bridge router?

Thank you!

 

[Rob Q]

I would be interested in this as well. I have two Asus RT-AC5300, one with Merlin’s latest FW in it and one with the stock firmware that I use as media bridge. Would it be beneficial for me to install Merlin’s FW on the media bridge router?

Thank you!

Yeah, go for it! I heard many good things about Merlin compared to the stock Asuswrt firmware. More updates, fixes, security patches and many new features!

 

[Internet Man]

Here are instructions for configuring your WNDR3700 running DD-WRT as a client bridge.

If you want that router to also repeat the signal then configure it as a Repeater Bridge.

 

[Rob Q]

Here are instructions for configuring your WNDR3700 running DD-WRT as a client bridge.

If you want that router to also repeat the signal then configure it as a Repeater Bridge.

I don't know what has to be done on the host router though.

 

[Easy Rhino]

I don't know what has to be done on the host router though.

when I've used DDWRT to set up a client bridge or repeater bridge, pretty much nothing needs to be done on the main router. It doesn't really care what the bridge is doing.

 

[Rob Q]

when I've used DDWRT to set up a client bridge or repeater bridge, pretty much nothing needs to be done on the main router. It doesn't really care what the bridge is doing.

That's good to know. When you done it, did the main router needed to be rebooted or did the network go down?
Also, I find the part about the WPA key confusing. Will look at the article again but so far I've seen that it should be an open network (no security). I don't like that idea of having an open network.

 

[Easy Rhino]

if your new AP is connecting wirelessly, then the security settings will need to match what your main router is putting out. So go ahead and try for WPA2-AES.

In my brief use of a WNR2000 with DDWRT it worked fine.

 

[Marin]

Here are instructions for configuring your WNDR3700 running DD-WRT as a client bridge.

If you want that router to also repeat the signal then configure it as a Repeater Bridge.

I like the client bridge setup in Asus with stock FW and I have read about setting client bridges in DD-WRT in WIki but wasn’t sure if this was any different in Merlin FW.

From what I have seen so far form using it in my AP router, the Merlin FW behaves very similarly as stock FW so I am hoping the media bridge setup will be the same.

Any thoughts?

 

[Rob Q]

I think I just bricked my WNDR3700v1 by trying to upgrade dd-wrt. I fixed it though. What I did was just reverted back to the stock Netgear F/W by using tftp.

 

[Internet Man]

I like the client bridge setup in Asus with stock FW and I have read about setting client bridges in DD-WRT in WIki but wasn’t sure if this was any different in Merlin FW.

From what I have seen so far form using it in my AP router, the Merlin FW behaves very similarly as stock FW so I am hoping the media bridge setup will be the same.

Any thoughts?

I've read that ASUSWRT and Merlin's version both allow configuration as a non-WDS client bridge.

 

[Marin]

Ok I was able to install Merlin's latest FW for Asus RT-AC5300 and set it up as Media Bridge connected to the 5GHz band (one of them). Does any of you know why are all the LED lights are lit up? With Asus stock FW usually only the WAN, 5GHz and power lights were on. Now, all of those PLUS the 2.4 GHz one are lit up. I only connected my media bridge to the 5GHz, as explained above but not sure why this is happening. Do you think the 2.4 GHz band is doing anything at all?

Any ideas.

 

[Rob Q]

Just trying to enable the wireless repeating function with the stock Netgear F/W before I put dd-wrt back on. It looks like it only wants me to use WEP but in order to use that, I have to set my speed down to 54 Mbps.
Maybe dd-wrt will do the job, being more of an advanced system and all.

 

[Rob Q]

I got it to work! HORRAAAYYY!!
The issue now is that I tested the laptop with a wired connection and no websites are responding.
The Wifi on the main router works perfectly though.