10,000 Foot Developer

Here’s how I set up a wireless repeater with two wireless routers (also called a WDS or wireless distribution system).  The purpose was to add more hard wired connections and also extend the range of our wireless network.  Also, I can cut off my NAS from the outside world/Cylon attack by switching off the repeater at anytime.

Gear:

• Linksys WRT54G v5 (base) already running your wireless internet/network
• EnGenius ESR600H (repeater)
• LAN network cable.

The 54G is the base station, connected to the cable modem for internet access.  The 600H is the repeater with some wired hardware hanging off it.  The intent is that the entire network can share all resources (internet, connected devices, etc.) with one login to the network.  Also the 600H has giagbit wired capability adn 300 mbps wireless (its an upgrade).

If you have older routers, look at open source software like DD-WRT, Tomato or OpenWRT to give your old router repeater capability.

Data to gather before proceeding:

• Network Name and password/key.
• Channel # of your base router.
• MAC Address of your base router.

Stretch Goal:

• I wanted to make sure I didn’t  interrupt any existing functionality on my current network.  So I didn’t have to do anything special to the 54G (except confirm security).

Keep in Mind:

• During the setup, make sure to do hard restarts between major steps.  Also, your machine may have to have the WIFI turned off at certain times due to the IP address renewal policy on your computer.
• Understand how to do a factory reset on your repeater.  If you make a mistake you can start over.
• Once you turn off the DHCP on the repeater life becomes a little more difficult; make sure you renew the IP address on connected machines.

Procedure (600H)

1. Hook up with LAN cable to the  repeater (may need to turn off  your computer’s wifiWIFI).
2. Log onto 192.168.0.1 (or whatever the IP is) and the default usr/pwd to get to the admin screens

Part 1: WIFI setup  (600H)

1. Goto Wireless 2.4GHz -> Basic
2. Change Mode from AP to WDS
3. Change SSID1 to your wireless network name from the 54G (there are four on this 600H model, used #1)
4. Change Channel to match the channel on your 54G
5. Enter 54G MAC address
6. For SSID #1 on 600H, add security information from 54G

Part 2: LAN Setup (600H)

1. Goto System->LAN change IP address to 54G domain, but outside of the 54G range for DHCP.
   1. The 54G Range is 192.168.0.100-150, so don’t take a number in that range.
   2. Give the 600H the IP 192.168.0.2 (where 54G is 192.168.0.1).
2. Assign the 600H an IP range outside of the 54G, for instance 192.168.0.151-200.

Now you can test that the network is working.  Anything hooked up should be accessible.

Part 3: Disable DHCP

1. Disable DHCP Server on the 600H.  Now all the IP’s will be served from the 54G once you cycle everything.

Confirmation:

1. You should be receiving IP address assignments from the 54G now.
2. Your equipment attached to the 600H will be online.
3. Everything should be able to access the internet.

Post work:

• I turned off 5ghz wireless on the 600H for now, because I don’t have anything that is dual band.

Lessons learned:

• I hate myself for not getting a dual band card in my notebook when I bought it.  It would be SOOOOO fast.
• Start at the bottom (repeater), and work back (station) to stay attached to the internet.
• Keep an alternate way to hook up to the internet in case you have trouble.
• Security may not mesh well between routers — try different things (WEP, WPA, WPA2 etc) if you have to.
• If you change any password etc. make SURE you do it on the boxes the lowest on the food chain. What happens is that since the relay box isn’t a DHCP server anymore, if you apply settings after turning it off and wired up then you can’t re-attach and have to reset the box and start over!! Which involves a hard reset and unplugging a box

Future:

• Switch routers (so that the 600H is the base) due to faster dual band.  But not yet.