Since there isn’t a wireless interface in this router, can one be added to it?
Yes and no. 
No, you can’t add a physical WLAN card to it. Wouldn’t be really practical as the place where this router belongs is inside a rack anyway, while optimal AP placement are ceilings and walls usually.
But… Yes, there’s even a better way: any routerboard with wireless can work as a CAP device, while the CCR1016 can act as a CAPsMan (manager).
The net effect is you can deploy as many Routerboard APs as you like, and once CAPsMAN is setup all will appear as if they were physical radios belonging to the CCR1016, and you’ll manage and monitor all of them from the CCR1016.
This way provides much better flexibility for optimal AP(s) placement.
Hey, thanks.
I’m doing some volunteer work with a school; they have this CCR [which crashed a couple of weeks ago, I think you saw my other thread] and although I’m no network professional I know it’s been set up wrong. I’m also learning ROS as I go.
I have the wired network running properly, and am trying to give them some wireless coverage. They have a number of wireless routers that I could probably use. I have gotten as far as setting up [for testing] a LAN-LAN connection between the CCR and the 2nd router, have connectivity and can ping the 2nd router from the wired network, but get no IPs on wireless devices connecting to the 2nd router. I have DHCP server on the CCR bridge, which connects a few of the wired ports to ether2. I’ve disabled the DHCP server on the 2nd router, and assigned it a static IP on the subnet, so all the connected devices should be on the same subnet.
I’m quite sure this would be simple for someone who knows more than I do. I think using these assorted routers/APs they have would be sufficient for the task, if I can find out what I’m missing to get DHCP working on the devices that are trying to connect.
Is CAPSMAN a proprietary thing for MikroTik devices only, or can it be used with any WAP/cascaded router?
I have DHCP server on the CCR bridge, which connects a few of the wired ports to ether2
What’s on ether2? (ether port where the AP connects should be added to DHCP bridge). Post an export…
but get no IPs on wireless devices connecting to the 2nd router.
That means there’s no layer2 continuity from router2 (let’s refer to it as AP) to CCR.
If port where the AP connects to the CCR is already on DHCP bridge, check such AP configuration, most probably you’re connecting to it via a WAN port, i.e. firewalled port.
You need to disable firewalling on it, and see if that WAN port can be converted to a simple LAN port, doing so if possible.
If they’re elcheapo APs (crappy-link) and that’s not possible, then easiest way would be disabling everything not strictly related to wireless service in the AP (firewall SPI, NAT, DHCP server, etc) so that it runs the minimum services), and then use one of its LAN ports to connect to the CCR.
Is CAPSMAN a proprietary thing for MikroTik devices only, or can it be used with any WAP/cascaded router?
It’s propietary, only routerboards support it. Really worth investment anyway, diferences between typical SOHO APs, (no matter if looking straight out of star wars with a zillion antennas claiming 10x10 chains and 15Gbps throughput, it’s all BS) and a suitable routerboard AP are night and day.
Moreover, price is much more competitive on routerboards after you factor in performance and features, not to mention the huge differences in management and flexibility: you could for example set up multiple Virtual SSIDs and CAPsMAN will automatically provision all APs to broadcast them, so that you can have multiple different and isolated Wireless networks: for staff, alumni, service (Cameras, alarms)… managing everything from a single point: the CCR.
Instead of reusing these old/assorted routers and APs of various manufacture, I think I’ll tell them to buy maybe 8 or 10 Mikrotik APs on your advice, and run them from the CCR.
These are small classrooms; the entire campus is about 2 acres.
I’m looking at these, which are readily available in this country: http://www.wireless-guru.com/wireless-for-home-office/item/152-rb952ui-5ac2nd.html
Can they be managed easily within CAPsMAN? Can each device be placed on different subnets from within CAPsMAN [if needed, not sure if it will be]?
Thanks for the guidance.
In that case the optimal pick for the AP is wAP ac:
- Weather Proof
- Tamper Proof
- Already conceived to be fixed on Walls, Ceilings or Poles.
To fill-in shadow indoor areas, or small non-crowded spaces you could use cAPs
For big outdoors areas, you can resort to:
- SXTG-2HnD (60 Degrees sector with built in radio)
- GrooveA52 + 1 chain N connector external sector antenna (do not use omnis!)
- Basebox2 + 2 chain RP-SMA connector sector antenna or + two 1 chain RP_SMA connector sector antennas (do not use omnis in either case!)
Can they be managed easily within CAPsMAN? Can each device be placed on different subnets from within CAPsMAN [if needed, not sure if it will be]?
All Routerboards can be managed with CAPsMAN. Not only you can use different subnets, a given physical device can “broadcast” multiple ones (multiple virtual SSIDs) while still being isolated from each other.
OK, I will so some studying on those products, and I’ll come back if I have more questions.
Thanks!