Transparent Bridging of Mesh network

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hello,

Just wanting to glean some ideas about setting up a wireless mesh network.
Currently we are looking to create a 5.8ghz network between 6 points (in a star shape)

  • 5 of these points has a 2.4ghz card which we’re going to setup an encrypted network on.
  • The network needs to be transparently bridged.
  • The network has one central point that is just 5.8ghz and has line of sight to all the other points
  • one point has a Ethernet network, which although needs to be separated from the wireless network, will provide an internet link to the wirelessly connected clients.

See diagram below:

Just wondering if anyone could give me an idea on how I could transparently bridge these while using dynamic-wds for the 5.8ghz and keeping the same dhcp ranges for the 2.4ghz AP’s.

I’ve already been over this http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Transparently_Bridge_two_Networks but it doesn’t cover multi point networks. :frowning:

Also, where can I find the ‘rstp-bridge-test’ package mentioned here → http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Mesh_wds I thought perhaps it might do the job?

2

bump No one can point me to an article or anything.. please?

3

Hi there.

ap bridge for multiple clients.
bridge for only one client.

Regards.

4

so if I use ap_bridge mode on all this will allow transparent bridging?

5

AP will let u register more than one client.
To create Transparent Bridges, u must include some interfaces on a virtual bridge interface.

Regards.

6

omega-00,

  1. set the centre AP as AP-bridge(wds)

  2. set the rest of AP(5G) as stn-wds - AP(2.4G) as AP-bridge of course( u know that).

create bridge on the 2 radio AP, connect both wlan to the bridge , define ip add on the bridge, that 's it.

I have got this config working. unless I misunderstood yr intention.

7

Yeah, thats very close to what we want to do.

The only other issue we had is that some of the stations go off from time to time, is there anyway for the ap-bridge mode to be applied to all the 5ghz stations and allow a dynamic mesh?

So like I showed above with the five stations.. is there an way to get them to continue to link (dynamically preferably) if per-chance the middle one lost power?

Regards,
Omega-00

8

if you want all of them interconnect, thenn set as ab-bridge your 5 ghz radios (and make sure they really can make connection and that link is stable)

static WDS is there to ensure that your network is stable and there is no link flapping because of bad link

9

The wonderful thing about using MT from my limited experience is that, the possiblities is only limited by our creativity and imagination.

I would address " stations go off from time to time" problem first b’cos I find this config to be most stable and easier to manage. Did you check stp/rstp on bridge?

Yes you could config. all 5Ghz as AP-bridge (wds) and they would associate with each other but I find this config. not as reliable as the previous. Maybe u could try to established static wds to only few selected AP-bridge instead of leaving all to dynamic.

Rgds

dawam

10

Sorry, when I said

is that some of the stations go off from time to time

I was referring to problems with the actual sites.

The power to different areas is sometimes cut, and therefore links are dropped. Hence if the center point lost power (which is actually being provided off a mobile phone tower.. the telco company was nice enough :smiley:) then the other sites need to be able to continue without issues.

The sites are all positioned in such a way that they can all see at least 2 other points… so a dynamic setup should cover a single outage, I’m just trying to make sure that this is fine and I’m not looking to do the impossible. (Don’t have much experience with the wds and mesh stuff sorry :-/ )

11

indeed, create a mesh with static WDS

dynamic WDS mostly is there to be able to measure link stability and then convert to static, as that is stable WDS mesh.

12

Thanks for the help guys, will post on how well things go when we do the testing and then install.

Regards,
Omega-00