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[HigherGround]

What would be nice if there were a concise step by step process to create a wireless bridge between these two routers. I have been trying for the last 6 hours, with no joy.

Router 1

Internet connected, in one end of the house.

Router 2

wirelessly connected to router 1 to expand coverage.



Does any such guide exist?

[ReverendTed]

What you're actually trying to do is create a Repeater Bridge, which is very different from a traditional Wireless Bridge.

A traditional Wireless Bridge allows you to plug devices into the secondary router, and only uses the secondary router's wireless to communicate with the primary router.

While having a Repeater Bridge expands your wireless coverage, it also technically cuts your wireless bandwidth in half, because the secondary router has to receive the wireless signal from your device, then rebroadcast it back to the primary router, also through wireless.

I have a Repeater Bridge set up in my home, but I've never tried using the default software.  I'm using a pair of Linksys WRT-54Gs running a custom firmware called DD-WRT.

www.dd-wrt.com has downloads and instructions, but while many D-Link routers are supported, the DIR-605L is a "work in progress".  Also, it probably goes without saying but while the process of using a custom firmware is supposed to be reversible, it's entirely possible to brick your router while voiding your warranty at the same time.

[HigherGround]

Thanks for the quick response. I guess optionally, is it possible to create 2 different wireless networks that share the same wired lan, and same internet connection? I could wire the two routers together.

[ReverendTed]

Yes.
In my opinion, the best way to do this is to use one router as a Switch and Wireless Access Point.

Connect the routers LAN-port to LAN-port (do not use the Secondary router's WAN port).
Disable DHCP on the secondary router, allowing the Primary router to handle all DHCP assignment of IP addresses throughout the network.
Allow the secondary router (switch) to get its own IP through DHCP, and reserve an IP address for it in the Primary router's settings.

Added step: Doing this the usual way, described above, will "cost" you a port on the Switch, but I believe it is possible in the DIR-605L settings to assign the WAN port to the LAN, so you can plug the incoming signal from the Primary router there and still have it "count" as a LAN port, while keeping the other ports free.
Edit: Nope, after double-checking myself, I don't think this is possible with the default DIR-605L firmware.  This is a feature of DD-WRT.

[FurryNutz]

A couple of articles for review:
Bridge Mode vs Relay vs Access Point (AP) / Routers vs Dedicated Access Points (AP)

Turning a router into an AP.


Also the 605L has bridge I believe...

[HigherGround]

I went through what I thought was the method for creating a bridge, but it did not seem to work. I will start over. I will document every setting i use. I believe that what I need is a access point only. The primary router will serve as the wireless and wired connection for all the devices within range. I will use the secondary router as an access point for wireless only.

I turned off the wireless security for both routers, but will turn them both back on now that I will not be bridging the two routers wirelessly. Basically factory reset. My internet connection requires the 192.168.0.1. Therefore I need to set the main routers address to 192.168.10.1.

More to come...

[FurryNutz]

 

[FurryNutz]

Any status on this?