I’m completely new to MikroTik, so please bear with me! My current setup uses UniFi and UISP devices, but I’m looking for a more cost-effective and flexible solution. UniFi APs are great, but quite expensive and limited in standalone routing features.
I’ve noticed MikroTik has very affordable options starting around $25, like the hAP lite. I’m wondering if it could help me achieve the following:
Can the hAP lite connect wirelessly to an existing Wi-Fi network (e.g., “Foo”) and at the same time broadcast its own separate Wi-Fi network (e.g., “Bar”)? The goal is for all traffic from “Bar” to be routed through the “Foo” connection.
Yes, that is possible with any MikroTik router that has Wi-Fi radios, as they all run RouterOS.
To implement your setup you will need 2 Wi-Fi interfaces in RouterOS:
one in Station (client) mode that will connect to your existing “Foo” network.
another in AP mode that will broadcast its own “Bar” network.
hAP lite is equipped with single Wi-Fi radio operating in 2.4 GHz band, so in RouterOS you’ll see one Wi-Fi interface. On top of that physical interface you may create a virtual Wi-Fi interface for your “Bar” network. The virtual interface inherits physical properties of the physical interface like frequency (channel), etc. So your “Bar” network will be broadcasting using the same frequency as your existing “Foo” network.
If you pick another device like hAP ac lite, which has dual-band Wi-Fi and costs twice as much, you can use 5 GHz band for Client and 2.4 GHz for AP or vice versa.
Expanding on that slightly, as @mszru implies, your ‘real’ WiFi must be the DHCP client on your foo network, with the virtual bar network the slave because bar will not work until the foo end is up and running – it need’s foo’s parameters, as mszru stated. If you are using also the physical ports then reserve one as a management port because you have no other access when foo is not running (bar does not operate).
I use this configuration successfully on a mAP lite, and also the dual band 2.4/5 GHz method on an ax2 in travel accommodation. The advantage of the latter is that you can manage it from WiFi (bar is independent so it always works) rather than needing ethernet when foo is not up.