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Wireless bridge

johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Wireless bridge

I recently had a problem with my internet connection speed, now fixed after a BT engineer’s visit. My connection is now steady, but rather sedate. I know if I locate my wireless router close to the master socket, I can improve my down-stream speed, but there is then no space to put my network storage and VoIP devices nearby. Placing cables would be disruptive and impractical, so I’d like to make use of a second wireless router, connected in bridge mode. Can anybody offer me practical advice, metaphorically holding my hand along the way?
The “primary” router is a D-Link, offered by Plusnet. It is already set up, using WPA wireless protection and serves 4 PCs, wirelessly. Further, a NAS drive and a VoIP adapter are connected by cable. The “secondary” router is a Thompson 580, flashed with the latest firmware version and may be used in bridge mode. I want to move the D-Link router to its new location, where it will continue to serve the PCs (signal coverage is fine). The Thomson router will be placed in the old D-Link location, with the NAS and VoIP devices only, connected by cable. I do not need to use it to extend network wireless coverage, but this would not be an unacceptable benefit.
Any takers please?
14 REPLIES 14
MuppetGrinder
Grafter
Posts: 151
Registered: ‎10-10-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

I am not sure if you can do it unless both devices are capable of running the wirless distribution service.  If you can confirm that both the devices are capable of running this (or that only the one of them is requred to do so) then I'll be happy to go through it will you.
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@MuppetGrinder Thanks for the offer of help. The "primary" router (D-Link DSL-2640B), according to D-Link's website, does support WDS, but I cannot locate any reference in the router's menu structure.The "secondary" router (upgraded Thomson 580) definitely does and is readily accessible from the menus.
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

WDS is a red herring, what you need is to set the Thomson up in Wireless Bridge mode. But you will not be able to use the Thompson to extend the coverage range.
Can you post up a link to the manual for the Thompson that you have.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@ pierre_pierre Thanks, but this link is more appropriate:

http://www.speedtouch.com/interface/R533/HTML/User's%20Guides/ST580/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.ht...
All assistance much appreciated.  Smiley
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

A quick look, I can not see any reference to a `bridge` mode.
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@ chillypumpkin Thanks for taking the trouble to look. The documentation mentions bridging briefly under section 1.1.2.  I need to set up the router again and take a screenshot of the system page, but there is definitely  a "Mode" selector for "Bridge".  My teenage daughter is presently hosting a Halloween party elsewhere in the house, so I must wait until tomorrow.  Roll_eyes
chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

That would be great if you could post up a screen shot.

With `wireless bridge` the wireless effective becomes a client device (MU) rather than operating as an Access Point (AP) and passes packets to the hardwired devices connected to it.
I have a D-Link DWL 810+ bridge, which works like that. I used it to connect a Linux PC with an Ethernet connection to my wireless network. As it was easier with all the different versions of Linux (Including sun solaris) that I was running at the time.
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

Have you thought of just running one cable from the router to a second router or even a switch. This would be faster and more secure and one cable shouldnt be much of a problem. You can get a switch for £10 and you then plug everything into that, its a lot simpler to setup as well
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@ Chillypenguin: Here are the screenshots of the setup wizard (I like a silly, believed it would be easy...)
@ Samuria: The hardwire option would either involve external cabling, or up the ("L"-shaped) staircase and across the landing; neither of which I relish doing. As I had the old router spare, I thought it might be worth a try doing it wirelessly.
In the meantime, my internet connection is getting faster, presumeably it has been in a retraining phase after the engineer replaced the connection box where the wires enter the house?

chillypenguin
Grafter
Posts: 4,729
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

The bridge selection in the first screen shot relates to the ADSL connection not the Wireless.  Sad
I don't believe that your router will work as you where hoping.
Having said that it may be worth trying WDS, but I am not familiar with that.
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@Chillypenguin: Thanks for looking. If I understand correctly, WDS will expand my wireless range, but I don't particularly need that. I wanted to place the D-Link router nearer to the master socket, to try and extract the most from my relatively slow connection. However, in the last couple of days, the speed has increased to the same (in the current location) as I achieved during testing at the master socket. The bridging exercise has largely become academic, although I'm still up for the challenge...
Thanks to all.
samuria
Grafter
Posts: 1,581
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎13-04-2007

Re: Wireless bridge

What about networking via the mains plug
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=46494&DOY=22m10
Simple to implement
johpal
Grafter
Posts: 550
Registered: ‎20-04-2008

Re: Wireless bridge

@ Samuria: Thanks for that, certainly worth considering and wouldn't disrupt the household.