Linksys WAP help

[Pj]

I have a WRT54g and a WAP54g. Trying to configure the WAP as a wireless repeater. I put the WRT wireless MAC address in as instructed by the help stuff, save, reset.

The wireless cards will see the WAP and connect to it, but you get the limited connection errors, so basically, the connection is useless. Both the WRT and WAP have current firmware.

Goal it to have the WAP in the garage so I can connect my wireless stuff in there, without having to run any cables back to the router.

[JAYMZ]

Is the WAP in the garage trying to assign DHCP addresses? If both the router and accesspoints (including the repeater) are trying to be the DHCP servers then it'll say it's working but barf up any connections because of IP conflicts.

[alex]

I'm having trouble following your network topology.

You have your WRT54G off your internet connection, which provides DHCP services. This is responsible for routing your packets, and ensuring that the computers on the network have service. We'll say this is programmed up with an SSID of Linksys.

You ALSO have a WAP54G, which you have configured as SSID: linksys. You have *NO* Ethernet or other cabling connected to the WAP short of the power cord keeping it on. If this is the case, the WAP is really a stupid "Hub" and provides no other service besides taking what is on the Ethernet network, and making it wireless. So any services or packets running over the Ethernet network are also sent over the wireless network.

There is a bridging mode, however, that requires you to be using two WAP54G's, and it's a point to point Ethernet bridge. However, they will not be WAP's in that mode, just straight point to point.

You would need to run another cable to the other WAP54G in order for it to work the way you want.

[edit - Windows will always say that windows has limited connectivity -- it gets a physical layer without any problem, but there is nothing telling the system that it has an IP. Since most people have wireless get on the internet, it makes the most sense for the end user. It doesn't mean that NetBIOS and other services wouldn't otherwise function]

-Alex

[Pj]

Hmmm. I would think as a "wireless repeater" it should be ok (at least according to the basic instructions in the docs).

So, bascially all I want to do is extend my wireless footprint, which I think Linksys says you can do, all wirelessly.

The wap gives me 4 choices...

AP Client
AP Wireless (or something like that)
Wireless repeater
Wireless bridge

I'll have to dig deeper then.

[alex]

Wireless repeater

That would probably work then, and if it's in that mode, I would assume that it would do what it says. However, I've always had issues with linksys products doing what they say, and sometimes recent firmware helps a bit.

The wireless to wired bridges are very useful, and I've used those in a lot of different applications. You can run a hub straight off it, and it pretty much passes all the traffic back and forth. Of course, if you want to keep it clean, put it behind a router if your just moving IP traffic so you keep the raw chatty packets out.

-Alex

[Pj]

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/lin ... 9492664B02

thats what I am working off of. Everything seem ok, just no workie. I can access the WAP from a computer that aff's to the WAP, just nothing else.

[JAYMZ]

Well, how about this then... If you have a WRT54G why not set it to one of the 2 antenna get some low loss cable and a nice WiFi ground plane antenna and put it up high on the house. Cover the whole house, and part of that big yard you have. Think of it, you could put a laptop mount on your lawnmower and surf the web while mowing the lawn. </geek>

[alex]

Think of it, you could put a laptop mount on your lawnmower and surf the web while mowing the lawn. </geek>

Last I checked, he had a couple of ATV's as well... Might as well buy those laptop mounts now!

-Alex

[JAYMZ]

Think of it, you could put a laptop mount on your lawnmower and surf the web while mowing the lawn. </geek>

Last I checked, he had a couple of ATV's as well... Might as well buy those laptop mounts now!

-Alex

Oh yeah!! That's a lot of laptop mounts though...

[Pj]

Think of it, you could put a laptop mount on your lawnmower and surf the web while mowing the lawn. </geek>

Last I checked, he had a couple of ATV's as well... Might as well buy those laptop mounts now!

-Alex

Heh...we should have taken a pic of the ATV's with the slimlighters on them..

[JAYMZ]

Think of it, you could put a laptop mount on your lawnmower and surf the web while mowing the lawn. </geek>

Last I checked, he had a couple of ATV's as well... Might as well buy those laptop mounts now!

-Alex

Heh...we should have taken a pic of the ATV's with the slimlighters on them..

Could've used them tonight for the search in Westbrookville... does PJ respond... oh NNNOOOOOO...

[kg4lmt]

Just out of curiosity.....is it possible the Linksys stuff works similar to the D-Link stuff in repsect to the repeater. At one point I had an AirPlus router with two AirPlus access Points. I could one of the AP's as a repeater, but I had to enter the MAC address of the the second AP. Then from the second AP everything would go to the router. I was not able to repeat directly to the router. Maybe you need one additional AP or something?

[Pj]

Well, last night I set the AP as a wireless AP again, then I set it to repeater, and it started to work.

Of course, I did that about 10 times before, but this time it took. Oh well, all is good now.