E2000 Wireless Distribution System

E2000 Wireless Distribution System Configuration Guide

This Wireless Distribution System (WDS) Guide follows the E2000 DDWRT Flash Guide. You’ll need to be using the firmware outline in the guide to achieve a stable WDS network.

NOTE: All repeaters, including this WDS Repeater mode, will sacrifice half of the bandwidth available from the primary router for clients wirelessly connected to the repeater. This is a result of the repeater taking turns talking to not just one partner, but to two, and having to relay the traffic between them. As long as your bandwidth requirements are within this halved bandwidth amount there will be little or no reduction in “speed”

NOTE: As a result of the above, I strongly suggest using N Mode 5.0 GHz when available.

1. Start by deciding how you wish to setup your WDS network. For two routers, this sounds redundant however if you will be using 3 or more routers it will help maximize network efficiency. Make it a goal to reduce the amount of hops a packet must make from the host router to the final end destination. Ideally you want only one jump from host router to the client router, however depending on your goals your network layout may need to change.

Example #1:

Host Router ———> Client Router #1 ———> Client Router #2

Eample #2

Client Router #1 <——— Host Router  ———> Client Router #2

Example #2 has a higher packet efficient when prioritizing information reaching the Host Router, which has WAN/Internet access. It is not as efficient in situations where packets of data must travel from Client Router #1 to Client Router #2; note the additional hop the packets must execute. Whereas Example #1 is not as efficient when prioritizing information reaching the Host Router, it is more efficient for packets moving from Client Router #1 to Client Router #2.

Example #1 may be used if you have a file server on Client Router #1 or Client Router #2, which is access more often than the Host Router/Internet. One potential solution is to setup the network so that your media server sits on the Host Router instead of Client Router #1 or Client Router #2.

2. Once you have decided your WDS layout, next write down the the Wireless Mac Address for each router. You’ll need this information later when you input the WDS info into the router. The Wireless Mac Address can be found on under “Status” then “Sys Info” and inside of the “Router” info box.

3. To help confine the work environment and eliminate any mistakes, you may want to restore factory defaults on your router. This can be done by accessing “Administrator” then “Factory Defaults”. Under “Reset Router Settings”, change “Restore Factory Defaults” to “Yes” and click on “Apply Settings”. You can always try to setup your WDS without doing a executing a factory default restore, but if you can’t seem to get your WDS up please try this.

4. Now we can setup up the routers for WDS. First start by designating a Host Router. This will be the router with WAN/Internet Access.

5. On the Host Router, navigate to “Wireless” then “Basic Settings”. Set the “Wireless Mode” to “AP”. Then make sure to note the “Wireless Channel” and “Wireless Network Mode”. You’ll need to set all future Client Routers to the same “Wireless Channel” and “Wireless Network Mode”. When you’ve finished choosing your settings click “Apply Settings”.

NOTE: If you choose to run”Wireless Network Mode” as “N-Only (2.4 GHz)”, “N-Only (5 GHz)” or “NG Mixed”, you can only use WPA2 + AES for your “Wireless Security”.

6. Next we need to disable Mac Address Filtering on the Host Router. Navigate to “Wireless” then “Mac Filter” and change “Use Filter” to “Disable”. Then click on “Apply Settings”.

7. The Host Router is almost done, we still need to add MAC info to the WDS tab. Navigate to “Wireless” then “WDS”. Being the Host Router, we need to enter all of the Client Routers Wireless Mac Address. Start by click on the drop down menu under “Wireless Mac” and selecting “Lan”, then enter the Wireless Mac Address for the Client Router. Lastly, label each Wireless Mac Address you enter. When complete, click on “Apply Settings”.

NOTE: You only need to enter the Wireless Mac Address of the first hop Client Routers. For example if your WDS has a layout such as: Host Router ———> Client Router #1 ———> Client Router #2

You only need to enter the Wireless Mac Address of Client Router #1. You DO NOT need to enter the Wireless Mac Address of Client Router #2. If you do, you are creating a WDS layout like this: Client Router #1 <——— Host Router  ———> Client Router #2

8. Now we can get to work on the Client Routers. On your Client Router navigate to “Setup” then “Basic Setup”. Under the box “Wan Connection Type”, chance “Connection Type” to “Disable”, then change STP to “Enable”.

9. While still in “Setup” then “Basic Setup”, locate the “Network Setup” box. Under “Router IP” change the “Local IP Address” to one different from your Host Router. For example, if your host router is 192.168.1.1, change the Client Router to 192.168.1.2. Make sure your “Subnet Mask” is the same as your Host Router, default is 255.255.255.0. Then input your Host IP Address inside of the “Gateway” and “Local DNS” fields.

10. While still in “Setup”, “Basic Setup”, “Network Setup” locate “Network Address Server Setup (DHCP)”. Now change “DHCP Server” to “Disable”, then also uncheck: “Use DNSMasq for DHCP”, “Use DNSMasq for DNS”, and “DHCP-Authoritative”.

NOTE: After disabling the DHCP server, you may need to manually set an IP address for your NIC to access the Client Router. Please refer to the HTPCBuild.com E2000 DDWRT Flash Guide on how to manually set an IP Address for your NIC.

11. Now click “Apply Settings”. You are now done with the “Setup”, “Basic Setup” section.

12. Navigate to “Setup” then “Advanced Routing”. Locate “Operating Mode” and change the value to “Router”. When complete, click “Apply Settings”.

13. Now navigate to “Services” and locate “DSNMasq” and “WAN Traffic Counter”. Now change both values to “Disable”. When complete, click “Apply Settings”.

14. Next we need to change some Firewall settings, navigate to “Security”, then “Firewall”. Under “Additional Filters” and “Block WAN requests” uncheck: “Filter Proxy”, “Filter Cookies”, “Filter Java Applets”, “Filter ActiveX Block Anonymous WAN Requests (ping)”, “Filter WAN NAT Redirection”, and “Filter IDENT (Port 113)”. You should only have “Filter Multicast” checked. When everything is correct click, “Save”.

15. While still under “Security”, “Firewall” now locate the “Firewall Protection” box and change “STI Firewall” to “Disable”. When ready click on “Apply Settings”.

16. Now we need to enter the Wireless Network settings to the Client Router. Navigate to “Wireless” then “Basic Settings”. Here change “Wireless Mode” to “AP”. Then change the “Wireless Network Mode”, ‘Wireless Network Name (SSID)”, and “Wireless Channel” to match your Host Router. When finished, click on “Save”.

17. Now navigate to “Wireless” then “Security”. Here you must match your “Security Mode”, “WPA Algorithms”, and “WPA Shared Key” to match your Host Router. When finished, click on “Save”.

18. Lastly, you need to add the Host Router Wireless Mac to the WDS Page. Navigate to “Wireless”, then “WDS”. Start by click on the drop down menu under “Wireless Mac” and selecting “Lan”, then enter the Wireless Mac Address for the Client Router. Lastly, label each Wireless Mac Address you enter. When complete, click on “Apply Settings”.

NOTE: I am assuming the Client Router, is first hop from the Host Router. This would be the case in a WDS layout such as: Client Router #1 <——— Host Router  ———> Client Router #2. However if you are creating a WDS layout such as: Host Router ———> Client Router #1 ———> Client Router #2, you need to enter the Wireless Mac Address for the next hop in the WDS chain. For example, when setting up Client Router #2, you will enter Client Router #1’s Wireless Mac Address and when setting up Client Router #1 you will enter the Host Router’s Wireless Mac Address.

19. That should be it! Go ahead and reboot both your routers. Connect a ethernet cable from your computer to Client Router. Check and see if you can browse the web or ping the Host Router. To check and see if your Client Router is connecting to your Host Router, manually set an IP address to your NIC then open a browser and navigate to your Client Router IP address. Go to “Status”, then “Wireless” here you will find the WDS Nodes. If your Client Router is connecting to your Host Router, you should see a “Signal Strength” value.

NOTE: If you run into problems, please double check all your settings. There are quiet a few settings that have to be changed for WDS to work, as a result you may have simply missed something.

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