Extending the ISP router in a large house

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hello!
First of all, let me say: what a fantastic community!
I got told a few weeks ago to get a MikroTik, I did not know what I was getting into!

I currently have a modem/router given by the ISP which is ok.
My house is separated in two by some large thick walls and internet cables only reach one side of the house.

Question 1:
My idea was to use a MikroTik hap ac2 as a repeater near the wall.
I have followed some tutorials, however, it seems that I have configured in this way

  • Should I connect the wlan2 to the 5g and make it a station and wlan1 to be an ap bridge or the other way around?
  • Why is my wlan2 currently not being accessible? I can only see the wlan1 network
/interface bridge

add name=bridge1

/interface wireless

set [ find default-name=wlan2 ] band=5ghz-a/n/ac channel-width=20/40mhz-XX country=italy disabled=no frequency=\

    5520 mode=ap-bridge ssid=TIM-29735207-2 wds-default-bridge=bridge1 wireless-protocol=802.11

/interface list

add name=WAN

add name=LAN

/interface wireless security-profiles

set [ find default=yes ] authentication-types=wpa2-psk mode=dynamic-keys supplicant-identity=MikroTik

add authentication-types=wpa-psk,wpa2-psk eap-methods="" management-protection=allowed mode=dynamic-keys name=\

    casa supplicant-identity=""

add authentication-types=wpa2-psk mode=dynamic-keys name=wlan1-TIM-29735207-repeater supplicant-identity=MikroTik

/interface wireless

set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] band=2ghz-b/g/n channel-width=20/40mhz-XX disabled=no frequency=2437 mode=\

    station-pseudobridge security-profile=wlan1-TIM-29735207-repeater ssid=TIM-29735207

add disabled=no mac-address=C6:AD:34:18:BB:38 master-interface=wlan1 name=wlan4 ssid=PippoTik1

/interface bridge port

add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether1

add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether2

add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether3

add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether4

add bridge=bridge1 interface=ether5

add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan2

add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan1

add bridge=bridge1 interface=wlan4

add bridge=bridge1 interface=*F

/interface list member

add interface=ether1 list=WAN

add interface=ether2 list=LAN

add interface=ether3 list=LAN

add interface=ether4 list=LAN

add interface=ether5 list=LAN

add interface=wlan2 list=LAN

add interface=wlan1 list=LAN

/ip address

add address=192.168.1.10/24 interface=ether2 network=192.168.1.0

/ip dhcp-client

add interface=bridge1

add disabled=no

/ip firewall nat

Question 2:
Would you recommend using the same SSID for all the access points?

Thank you!

2

My house is separated in two by some large thick walls and internet cables only reach one side of the house.
That is why I have some rather large Drill Bits in my house!! and silicone to seal it up after I pass wire through!

3

(UTP cat 6) Wired connection to the hAP ac2 is absolutly the best option … however not always the most practical to execute.
The second best is normally “ethernet over powerline” . Be it with dedicated devices like ‘Devolo’ or other makings, also Mikrotik has some. The are 2.4 GHz AP’s at the same time
Using bridge/WDS/repeater is the 3th option. With cross-band connection (uplink and AP in the other band) you can get reasonable speeds, if the signal is OK.
Some devices like the MKT Audience have dedicated uplink radio’s., and still both bands available for client devices.

- Should I connect the wlan2 to the 5g and make it a station and wlan1 to be an ap bridge or the other way around?
2.4GHz penetrates somewhat better a concrete wall, 5 GHz has more bandwidth to be used. Which one is best ? Experiment, experiment, experiment !
Remember that corners and going through the wall at an angle gives extra thick wall’s for the wifi signal.

- Why is my wlan2 currently not being accessible? I can only see the wlan1 network
Not all client devices are able to use the 5 GHz band, and they may be quite limited in the channels that can be used. (5180- 5350)
So maybe 5 GHz is not an option for clients, and should be used for the uplink.


Suggestions:

  • don’t use 40 MHz on the 2.4 GHZ band, unless there is no interference and the signal is strong enough
  • IP address should be on the bridge bridge1, not ether2
  • add ether1 to the LAN list, not the WAN list (depending on what is in your firewall, this matters)
  • with a foreign upstream router you have no “bridge” or “WDS” mode, only “pseudo bridge”. This might give you some (known) DHCP problems.

Would you recommend using the same SSID for all the access points?
With different SSID’s you have control where you connect to. With the same SSID you have automatic roaming, if the secirity profile is the same.
Why not add a virtual WLAN and add another SSID, then you have both. After a while you will know which one fits you best.
Even the “pseudo bridge” WLAN can have an “AP bridge” virtual WLAN interface. (it will half the throughput if used)