Eithernet bridge or access point experience?
09-17-2009, 10:46 AM
#1
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Eithernet bridge or access point experience?
I'm using an access point and an older eithernet bridge setup to connect my classroom to the main building and I keep having to reset them. Huge pita. I was using two new bridges for a long time but ever since I reset them, I can't see them anymore no matter how their connected.
Does anyone use an access point and bridge that actually works reliably? I don't care about the $ cause I'm not paying for it and both antennas are in place and have worked great in the past.
Does anyone use an access point and bridge that actually works reliably? I don't care about the $ cause I'm not paying for it and both antennas are in place and have worked great in the past.
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09-17-2009, 10:52 AM
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Yes. 2 Linksys routers with DDWRT firmware = win. Set one up as access point and other as routed bridge.
DD-WRT :: About the project
You can see that it's been running fine since I set it up 24 days ago. It was fine before that, but I had to put security on my network because one of my neighbors was attempting to use my bandwith. We had bad internet connection issues in my neighborhood for a couple months due to a hardware problem on the provider's end, but they were blaming it on in-house wiring...
DD-WRT :: About the project
You can see that it's been running fine since I set it up 24 days ago. It was fine before that, but I had to put security on my network because one of my neighbors was attempting to use my bandwith. We had bad internet connection issues in my neighborhood for a couple months due to a hardware problem on the provider's end, but they were blaming it on in-house wiring...
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Last edited by Ben; 09-17-2009 at 11:05 AM.
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09-17-2009, 12:17 PM
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I think most/all the 3rd party router firmwares support running in bridge mode, so you just need a router that you can reflash.
I've been using a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54. It has a built-in amplifier that gives a much stronger signal than the D-link and Linksys routers I used previously, which might help if your two buildings are farther apart. I use Tomato firmware with this router and the features & functionality of this combo are very good for $55 (newegg). In two years of service it's never required an unplanned reboot; it only goes down when we have power outages.
I'm about to order another router that I'll flash with Tomato/DD-WRT for the purpose of bridging my home wireless network to our new internet-capable Samsung TV and whatever Blu-Ray/PS3 I decide to get. I should be able to give a report in a couple weeks.
Oh wait, you said $$$ wasn't a concern. I hear Cisco stuff is good.
I've been using a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54. It has a built-in amplifier that gives a much stronger signal than the D-link and Linksys routers I used previously, which might help if your two buildings are farther apart. I use Tomato firmware with this router and the features & functionality of this combo are very good for $55 (newegg). In two years of service it's never required an unplanned reboot; it only goes down when we have power outages.
I'm about to order another router that I'll flash with Tomato/DD-WRT for the purpose of bridging my home wireless network to our new internet-capable Samsung TV and whatever Blu-Ray/PS3 I decide to get. I should be able to give a report in a couple weeks.
Oh wait, you said $$$ wasn't a concern. I hear Cisco stuff is good.
Last edited by ScottFW; 09-17-2009 at 12:31 PM.
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09-17-2009, 01:14 PM
#4
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dd-wrt is the **** to set it up easily. took me 15 minutes to flash both routers (linksys wrt54g v5) and then about 10 minutes to set up bridge on them.
if you need help with dd-wrt, let me know. i actually know the guy who started the project and my very good buddy is a moderator for the project
if you need help with dd-wrt, let me know. i actually know the guy who started the project and my very good buddy is a moderator for the project
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09-17-2009, 03:49 PM
#6
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I'm a tomato man myself. very solid. way more solid than XP's wifi client which disconnects on a whim.
Ben, did you ever read that article about those guys who took over a tradeshow's wifi service so that every image that someone loaded on their machine was goatse?
Goatse at Defcon -- brought to you by airpwn
do that to your wifi stealin neighbor and see what happens.
Yes. 2 Linksys routers with DDWRT firmware = win. Set one up as access point and other as routed bridge.
DD-WRT :: About the project
You can see that it's been running fine since I set it up 24 days ago. It was fine before that, but I had to put security on my network because one of my neighbors was attempting to use my bandwith. We had bad internet connection issues in my neighborhood for a couple months due to a hardware problem on the provider's end, but they were blaming it on in-house wiring...
DD-WRT :: About the project
You can see that it's been running fine since I set it up 24 days ago. It was fine before that, but I had to put security on my network because one of my neighbors was attempting to use my bandwith. We had bad internet connection issues in my neighborhood for a couple months due to a hardware problem on the provider's end, but they were blaming it on in-house wiring...
Goatse at Defcon -- brought to you by airpwn
do that to your wifi stealin neighbor and see what happens.
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09-17-2009, 04:34 PM
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HAHA that's pretty funny.
People here weren't being mean, they were just frustrated because their internet service was inop for many weeks, and the provider (AT&T) was being an *** about it. They are the only high speed provider available in my neighborhood--besides satellite. Internet service would come on for like 30 seconds over a period of hours or days, then disconnect for hours or days again.
The first "technician" that came out to my house replaced my modem, which did not rectify the problem. The 2nd "technician" that came out blamed it on wiring. I proved the wiring was sound with a tone generator. This didn't satisfy him, and he wanted to charge a couple hundred bucks to retro a new cat5e to the modem. Bah, screw that, it tested good. That was right around when my father in law passed, which was immediately followed by my brother's baby being murdered by his baby-momma and my sister and neice being tied up and robbed at gunpoint by messicans who forced entry into her house. So I couldn't deal with it for many weeks. I finally found some time to run new cabling and install a DSL splitter, but waited to make terminations in front of the 3rd tech that came out. And it still didn't work, so they scheduled a 4th visit and trenched in a new service feed from the street, which again didn't fix ****. That prompted the 5th tech to "check the box up the street", where he found the hardware problem and my service was back up--as well as service of all my surrounding neighbors.
Really, everyone on a street looses service, and the problem is blamed on internal wiring?
*******.
/rant
People here weren't being mean, they were just frustrated because their internet service was inop for many weeks, and the provider (AT&T) was being an *** about it. They are the only high speed provider available in my neighborhood--besides satellite. Internet service would come on for like 30 seconds over a period of hours or days, then disconnect for hours or days again.
The first "technician" that came out to my house replaced my modem, which did not rectify the problem. The 2nd "technician" that came out blamed it on wiring. I proved the wiring was sound with a tone generator. This didn't satisfy him, and he wanted to charge a couple hundred bucks to retro a new cat5e to the modem. Bah, screw that, it tested good. That was right around when my father in law passed, which was immediately followed by my brother's baby being murdered by his baby-momma and my sister and neice being tied up and robbed at gunpoint by messicans who forced entry into her house. So I couldn't deal with it for many weeks. I finally found some time to run new cabling and install a DSL splitter, but waited to make terminations in front of the 3rd tech that came out. And it still didn't work, so they scheduled a 4th visit and trenched in a new service feed from the street, which again didn't fix ****. That prompted the 5th tech to "check the box up the street", where he found the hardware problem and my service was back up--as well as service of all my surrounding neighbors.
Really, everyone on a street looses service, and the problem is blamed on internal wiring?
*******.
/rant
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09-17-2009, 08:09 PM
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Rotaryjunky -
The one caution with using Linksys, make sure both devices are Linksys. They don't play very well with other branded equipment, even if they are using the same protocol (a/b/g).
(I am having good luck with some EnGenius equipment, however the signal power management on the Linksys is better...)
Spooky -
Use POE to run the WAP as far up a mast as possible (with lightning arrestors) and use directional antennas.
Both -
Ensure you are using the highest level encryption you can get away with, along with strong passwords for the WAP admin accounts.
- L
The one caution with using Linksys, make sure both devices are Linksys. They don't play very well with other branded equipment, even if they are using the same protocol (a/b/g).
(I am having good luck with some EnGenius equipment, however the signal power management on the Linksys is better...)
Spooky -
Use POE to run the WAP as far up a mast as possible (with lightning arrestors) and use directional antennas.
Both -
Ensure you are using the highest level encryption you can get away with, along with strong passwords for the WAP admin accounts.
- L
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09-18-2009, 01:24 AM
#10
HAHA that's pretty funny.
People here weren't being mean, they were just frustrated because their internet service was inop for many weeks, and the provider (AT&T) was being an *** about it. They are the only high speed provider available in my neighborhood--besides satellite. Internet service would come on for like 30 seconds over a period of hours or days, then disconnect for hours or days again.
The first "technician" that came out to my house replaced my modem, which did not rectify the problem. The 2nd "technician" that came out blamed it on wiring. I proved the wiring was sound with a tone generator. This didn't satisfy him, and he wanted to charge a couple hundred bucks to retro a new cat5e to the modem. Bah, screw that, it tested good. That was right around when my father in law passed, which was immediately followed by my brother's baby being murdered by his baby-momma and my sister and neice being tied up and robbed at gunpoint by messicans who forced entry into her house. So I couldn't deal with it for many weeks. I finally found some time to run new cabling and install a DSL splitter, but waited to make terminations in front of the 3rd tech that came out. And it still didn't work, so they scheduled a 4th visit and trenched in a new service feed from the street, which again didn't fix ****. That prompted the 5th tech to "check the box up the street", where he found the hardware problem and my service was back up--as well as service of all my surrounding neighbors.
Really, everyone on a street looses service, and the problem is blamed on internal wiring?
*******.
/rant
People here weren't being mean, they were just frustrated because their internet service was inop for many weeks, and the provider (AT&T) was being an *** about it. They are the only high speed provider available in my neighborhood--besides satellite. Internet service would come on for like 30 seconds over a period of hours or days, then disconnect for hours or days again.
The first "technician" that came out to my house replaced my modem, which did not rectify the problem. The 2nd "technician" that came out blamed it on wiring. I proved the wiring was sound with a tone generator. This didn't satisfy him, and he wanted to charge a couple hundred bucks to retro a new cat5e to the modem. Bah, screw that, it tested good. That was right around when my father in law passed, which was immediately followed by my brother's baby being murdered by his baby-momma and my sister and neice being tied up and robbed at gunpoint by messicans who forced entry into her house. So I couldn't deal with it for many weeks. I finally found some time to run new cabling and install a DSL splitter, but waited to make terminations in front of the 3rd tech that came out. And it still didn't work, so they scheduled a 4th visit and trenched in a new service feed from the street, which again didn't fix ****. That prompted the 5th tech to "check the box up the street", where he found the hardware problem and my service was back up--as well as service of all my surrounding neighbors.
Really, everyone on a street looses service, and the problem is blamed on internal wiring?
*******.
/rant
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09-18-2009, 01:37 AM
#11
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A note on security.. WEP takes all of 10 minutes to crack, no mater what bit encryption you are using. Everything else is only as strong as your password. Do not use a word found in the dictionary.. of any language. No names, places etc..
That will stop 99% of people who try to get into your wifi network.
The other 1% you are not going to stop, and they probably won't waste their time on your network anyways.
That will stop 99% of people who try to get into your wifi network.
The other 1% you are not going to stop, and they probably won't waste their time on your network anyways.
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09-18-2009, 06:44 PM
#12
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For the implementation discussed here, use WPA2 Enterprise.
As to passwords, ensure your password consists of Uppercase, lowercase, numerals and special characters and is at least 12 characters in length. - Best bet is to "convert" a passphrase you can remember without having to write it down.
IE:
Damn, it took Hustler a long time to get his car turbo'd!
becomes
D,1+H@lt2ghcT'd!
- L
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