Turning a router into a wireless bridge

Lyndon · « **on:** 12 Sep 2010, 04:59 pm »

I bought the Buffalo WHR-G300n router to connect my
DSL router/modem to the internet. But it just doesn't seem easy.
I contacted Buffalo, and 30 minutes later, the guy directed me to
the model page, and discovered that there was not any DD-WRT
firmware for this model. He said it could not be used as a wireless bridge or repeater, without the conversion to DD-WRT.
But I read in their forum that two people said NOT to flash to DD-WRT for this model, and that the standard firmware worked fine
for this purpose and was more stable.
I just want to use it as a wireless bridge and make the handshake with my main DSL modem/router, to use it as my connection to my HTPC and Netflix dvd player in the living room.

But I can't figure out how to do that. Of course, the disc it came with won't work with Windows 7. Pretty frustrating to get this
HTPC up and running after 6 months of working on it.

If you have any ideas, let me know. Or a link for dummies on setting this up.
Lyndon

JEaton · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 12:40 am »

From the sounds of things, you _don't_ want a wireless bridge. You just need a standard router. My guess is that the out-of-box setup of the router is pretty close to all you need.

Here's a typical home network setup. The network numbers (subnets) are significant.


                                 |~~~Laptop #1
                                 |---Computer #1
{Internet}---DSL Modem---Router -|---Computer #2
                                 |~~~Laptop #2
                                 |~~~HTPC
                                 |---Squeezebox

--- Wired connection
~~~ Wireless connection

The DSL Modem is usually set up as a bridge. The outside network interface of your router will have the same IP address that is assigned to the DSL Modem. The inside interface of your router takes a fixed address from a private IP address pool such as 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.254 and all the machines on your home newtwork would have addresses on this same network. The router performs 'network address translation' (NAT) on traffic to and from computers and network devices on your home network. This allows all of the computers behind the router to share the one IP address with the outside world. It also provides a layer of security, since these private addresses cannot be directly contacted from the outside world.

If you've monkeyed with the router's setup significantly do a factory reset. Then, get into the router's configuration (*) and assign a wireless network identifier/name (SSID) and a nice long passphrase for security. Shouldn't be much else to do for a basic setup.

* Getting into the router's configuration web page can sometimes be a chore. Find the manual or quick setup guide and it should tell you the router's default IP address. Usually it's 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. Connect your computer with an ethernet cable to the LAN side of the router (just avoid the port labeled 'WAN' or 'Internet'). Reboot your computer and with a little luck the computer will receive the right network setup so that it can connect to the web interface of the router. Enter the router's IP address in a web browser on the PC (e.g. http://192.168.1.1) and login with whatever default password is given in the router's manual.

WGH · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 01:03 am »

Have you been able to get into the new router's menu?

Usually the DSL modem and router have the same default IP address so first you have to change the routers IP address.

Do not plug in the Buffalo WHR-G300n yet.

1.) What is the default IP address of the DSL modem? Try 192.168.0.1
2.) What is the default IP address of the Buffalo WHR-G300n router? The manual will have it listed along with the default password.

waiting for your reply.................

Lyndon · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 01:06 am »

JEaton,
I thought that I could use this device to receive wi-fi internet streaming from my base DSL mode/wi-fi router. I could then use the 4 ethernet connections for both my dvd netflix player, and my Western Digital Live Media Player, and my HTPC.
Wouldn't this be a better solution, than 1 dongle attached to each unit?

Lyndon

Lyndon · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 01:08 am »

WGH
I've been at these suckers all day to see if I could get them up and running.
I've looked at both.
No dice.
If you PM me an email, I can send you screen grabs of both. I have tried all kinds of things.
Maybe the guy at Buffalo was right that I couldn't turn this into a wi-fi receiver for my dvd player, WD Live, and HTPC.

JEaton · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 01:42 am »

Quote from: Lyndon on 13 Sep 2010, 01:06 am

JEaton,
I thought that I could use this device to receive wi-fi internet streaming from my base DSL mode/wi-fi router. I could then use the 4 ethernet connections for both my dvd netflix player, and my Western Digital Live Media Player, and my HTPC.
Wouldn't this be a better solution, than 1 dongle attached to each unit?

My guess is that it wouldn't make a big difference. All of the devices will be sharing a limited amount of wireless bandwidth either way. And they don't seem like devices that would be used simultaneously in any case.

(BTW, it wasn't clear to me from the original network description, but Lyndon already has an existing wireless router and network. So, yes, he is looking for a wireless bridge so that he can connect the devices in the living room, which aren't wireless, to his existing network.)

WGH · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 02:16 am »

You are right. Lyndon wants the wireless DSL to send the signal to the Buffalo WHR-G300n instead of hard wiring the DSL modem to the Buffalo WHR-G300n with an ethernet cable.

Wayne

wilsynet · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 02:30 am »

Don't understand what's being attempted here. Why not plug the Buffalo wireless router into the DSL modem/router and connect everything else, wired and wireless to the Buffalo?

Lyndon · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Sep 2010, 02:45 am »

Sorry if my original post was confusing, but WGH and JEaton have it.
I have a wireless router/modem at the source, but wanted to use this Buffalo as a receiver point for the devices in the living room.
It is advertised that it can be a wifi bridge with my base wifi router, but it looks more and more like I am going to have to flash its
firmware with DD-WRT to make it compatible. I'll look at that tomorrow.
Now for some Hunter S. Thompson, whose lawyer asked him for a little help.

"Now let me get this straight. You want me to throw this tape deck into the bathtub when it reaches the peak of 'White Rabbit'?"
The acid crazed lawyer slumped in the bathtub with relief.
"Exactly, I thought I was going to have to get one of the maids to do it."
He switches "WHITE RABBIT" back on. The lawyer HOWLS AND MOANS
AND THRASHES TO THE MUSIC, straining to get over the top of his drug induced high.

Meanwhile, DUKE(Hunter) picks up a grapefruit from the sink -- a
good two-pounder, he gets a good Vida Blue grip on it... and when "WHITE
RABBIT" peaks... HE HURLS IT INTO THE TUB LIKE A CANNONBALL.

The lawyer SCREAMS CRAZILY, THRASHING AND CHURNING -- CAUSING A
TIDAL WAVE.

DUKE JERKS THE RADIO CABLE OUT OF THE SOCKET -- SLAMS OUT OF
THE BATHROOM.

Just some late night commentary, I'm going to chuck it in for the night, mix a nice single malt, and listen to some music.
Thanks again, guys. I'll hit it again tomorrow night.
Lyndon