A wireless bridge connects two LAN segments with a wireless link. The two segments are in the same subnet and look like two ethernet switches connected by a cable to all computers on the subnet. Since the computers are on the same subnet, broadcasts reach all machines. DHCP clients in one segment can get their addresses from a DHCP server in the other segment.

Use a wireless bridge to transparently connect computers in one room to computers in a different room when you cannot—or don’t want to—run an ethernet cable between the two rooms.

A standard wireless bridge (client bridge) connects wired clients to a secondary router as if they were connected to your main router with a cable. Secondary clients share the bandwidth of a wireless connection back to your main router. Of course, you can still connect clients to your main router using either a cable connection or a wireless connection.

New in DD-WRT v24 is Repeater Bridge mode. This extends your primary LAN via secondary router (bridge router) and also allows wireless clients to connect to your secondary router. This extends the range of your wireless network while simultaneously allowing wired clients to connect to your secondary router.

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In the case in which we are interested, a secondary router running DD-WRT v24 is configured as a Repeater Bridge between a Primary wireless router (of any make/brand/FW) allowing the above configuration.

Assumptions:

Primary router is configured in a 192.168.1.X subnet and leases DHCP address in the same pool. Secondary router is running DD-WRT v24

No security setup will be covered in this Wiki. It will be up to the user to setup security between the Primary and Secondary routers

Note: If you are unsure of what you are doing, is advisable to practice by setting up the router first in client bridge mode and get it working correctly. Client bridge mode is simpler but most of the settings are the same. Once you understand how to set up a client bridge and have it working, then proceed to setting up repeater bridge

Instructions

A very simple step-by-step description to connect a Router running selected DD-WRTV24 firmware in Repeater Bridge Mode. (This will work for almost everything, but do check notes on individual routers below clock).

Use Eko build 11296, with the milworm exploit patch, BS build 12533 or EKO 12548 builds to create a wireless bridge. DO NOT USE SP1 OR THE MAY 24 08 BUILD.

To enable bridge mode between two routers, the primary router must be in AP mode (default) with DHCP Server enabled. The secondary router running DD-WRT v24 will be configured as the Repeater Bridge.

1. Restore Factory Defaults on Secondary (DD-WRT) Router
2. Do a proper HARD 30-30-30 Reset on the router.
3. Set your computer to a static IP of 192.168.1.9
4. Connect to the secondary router via wired or wireless client keeping in mind the dd-wrt default settings for dhcp pool and ssid
5. Open the Wireless -> Basic Settings tab
   • Wireless Physical Interface Section
     • Wireless Mode : Repeater Bridge
     • Wireless Network Mode : Match Primary Router
     • Wireless Network Name(SSID) : Match Primary Router – Make sure you spell this correctly
     • Wireless Channel : Match Primary Router (This will disappear once you put it in RB mode, and isn’t needed)
     • Wireless SSID Broadcast : Enable
     • Network Configuration : Bridged
     • Save
   • Virtual Interfaces Section
     • Add
     • Wireless Network Name(SSID) : Different from Primary Router
       • [NOTE] – You CAN try using the same SSID but many have had random disconnects and/or no connection if the SSID’s are the same. If using the same ssid doesn’t work for you, use a different ssid from the primary router
     • Wireless SSID Broadcast : Enable
     • AP Isolation : Disable
     • Network Configuration : Bridged
     • Save
6. Open the Setup -> Basic Setup tab
   • Connection Type will be: Disabled
   • Set STP for Disabled (Enabled sometimes can cause connection problems) redhawk
   • IP Address : 192.168.1.2 (Assuming Primary Router IP is 192.168.1.1)
   • Mask : 255.255.255.0
   • Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (again assuming Primary Router IP is 192.168.1.1)
   • DHCP Server: Disable
7. Local DNS: 192.168.1.1 (if IP of Primary Router is 192.168.1.1)
   • Assign WAN Port to Switch : Checked or Unchecked – your choice. See note on Linksys (prefers checked) below clock.
   • Save
8. Open Advanced Routing
   • set Operating mode to “Router”
   • Set Dynamic Routing interface to “Lan & Wlan”
   • Save
9. Open Services
   • uncheck Dnsmasq
   • Save
10. Open the Security -> Firewall tab
    • Uncheck all boxes…except Filter Multicast
    • Disable SPI firewall
    • Save
11. Open the Administration tab
    • APPLY Settings
12. Wait for the router to reboot, and then when you can access the webgui again, uplug the power and plug it back in.
13. Once you have it working, go to the wireless security tab, and set the same type of security AND key for both the primary and the repeater ssids and hit apply.
14. Open the Status -> Wireless tab and click Site Survey. Join your primary routers wireless network. You need to do this only once.
15. SET YOUR COMPUTER BACK TO AUTO IP AND AUTO DNS.

You should now be able to connect wired clients and wireless clients to the newly configured Secondary router. They will receive IP Addresses from the Primary Router and will be able to use the Internet connection supplied by the Primary Router.

Also take note of the fact that all repeaters, including this Repeater Bridge 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 internet bandwidth requirements are within this halved bandwidth amount there will be little or no reduction in “speed”.

source: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

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