Networking – DD-WRT: How To Do Multiple APs on Wired Network

dd-wrtnetworkingwireless-access-pointwireless-networking

I've been following the page on the DD-WRT web page for linking routers as WAP's (wireless access points, both connected through a wired connection) [1], and I'm finding the following issues:

  • I can't communicate with my second router reliably
    • Web admin/pinging doesn't always respond (timeouts)
    • The two routers flash activity like crazy after being plugged into each other (storming?)
    • WiFi clients have strong signal but terrible speeds (exhibits as starting/stopping downloads/etc)

Here's my setup:

  • At present setting up 2 ASUS RT-N13UB1 DD-WRT flashed routers

  • Gateway ASUS is 10.0.0.1, set up as AP as well as Gateway

    • Common settings:
      • WAN is active, set up as DHCP to my provider
      • DHCP server is enabled, clients served at 10.0.0.100-150
      • DNSMasq is used for DHCP/DNS
      • Set up in "Gateway" mode under Advanced Routing, no static routes

    • WiFi settings

      • Wireless Mode; AP
      • Wireless Network Mode: Mixed
      • Wireless SSID: Same as Secondary ASUS
      • Wireless Channel: 11
      • Wireless SSID Broadcast: Enable
      • Network Configuration: Bridged
      • Wireless Security Mode: WPA2 Personal, AES and same key

    • Secondary ASUS is 10.0.0.2, set up as AP, in router mode.

      • WAN & STP are disabled
      • Gateway is set to 10.0.0.1, as is local DNS
      • Assign WAN port to switch is checked
      • Advanced routing is set to "Router"
      • Dynamic Routing is set to "Disable", no static routes.
    • WiFi settings:
      • Wireless Mode: AP
      • Wireless Network Mode: Mixed
      • Wireless SSID: Same as primary ASUS
      • Wireless Channel: 6
      • Wireless SSID Broadcast: Enable
      • Network Configuration: Bridged
      • Wireless Security Mode: WPA2 Personal, AES and same key
    • Services:
      • DNSMasq is disabled, traff is disabled

Any help would be appreciated. I'd love to extend WiFi coverage throughout our house.

[1] http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point#Long_Version

Best Answer

I may have solved this. Here's the step-by-step in case anyone else has the same issue.

I enabled ssh and logging in dd-wrt, and remoted into the primary router (10.0.0.1). Running tail -f /var/log/messages while trying to ping/access 10.0.0.2, I got a slow flood of messages looking like this:

Jan 30 07:47:38 pipes user.warn kernel: vlan1: received packet with  own address as source address

That looked suspicious - I looked at my LAN client tables and saw that no-one had the same IP address, but in closer detail, I saw that my router at 10.0.0.2 had the same MAC Address as my 10.0.0.1 device!

I fixed this by logging into my 10.0.0.2 device and enabled "MAC Address Cloning". I chose a non-existent (made-up) MAC Address, and now I can ping/remote into it, and the routers aren't blinking like some 90's rave.

Hopefully that saves someone else. I still have to verify that WiFi works, but I think this is on the right track.

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