Hi
I’ve been using 2 x Mikrotik Hap AC Lites with my Broadband connected to a BT OpenReach modem. One as a WiFi router and the other as an ‘extender’. This setup has been working well for me for over a year.
Recently my Broadband went down (and may stay down for quite a few days) so to ‘try’ things out I bought a TP-Link M7350 and am using a Three (mobile company) 4G chip to connect to the internet. The TP-Link is working fine with all my devices. However it’s WiFi range is somewhat limited and I was wondering whether I could somehow connect the M7350 to my Mikrotiks so that I got better coverage round the house.
This seems to suggest that it can be done but it doesn’t give any information on HOW!!
Please would someone guide me on how I can use the M7350 as the broadband modem and then use the Hap AC Lite as the WiFi router. I think I just need to connect the one Hap AC Lite which I use as the WiFi router to the M7350. I’m sure once that works then the second Hap AC Lite will automatically continue working as an extender.
You can absolutely connect the wifi adapter in the MikroTik to a wifi hotspot (running on your phone or other device). I’ve only done this once. I used this as a guide to create the configuration below. Hopefully, you know enough about RouterOS to make sense of it.
Make MikroTik become a wifi client:
# RouterOS 6.34.6
# http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Connect_to_an_Available_Wireless_Network
# Optional, configure all ports as a switch
/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=ether2 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether3 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether4 ] master-port=ether1
set [ find default-name=ether5 ] master-port=ether1
# Create bridge
/interface bridge
add name=bridge-LAN
# Put all ports (via master) and the Wifi adapter in the same bridge
/interface bridge port
add bridge=bridge-LAN interface=ether1
add bridge=bridge-LAN interface=wlan1
# Create a connection to remote AP
/interface wireless
set [ find default-name=wlan1 ] band=2ghz-b/g/n disabled=no frequency=auto mode=station-bridge wps-mode=disabled ssid=MYSSID
# remote AP
/interface wireless connect-list
add interface=wlan1 security-profile=default ssid=MYSSID
# password to AP
/interface wireless security-profiles
set [ find default=yes ] authentication-types=wpa2-psk eap-methods="" group-key-update=20m mode=dynamic-keys wpa2-pre-shared-key=PASSWORD1
# become a client of AP
/ip dhcp-client
add default-route-distance=0 dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no interface=wlan1
pcunite, many thanks for your detailed explanation. Sadly my knowledge of RouterOS is quite limited. However before I have an attempt at it I wanted to ask a couple of further questions, please:
The TP-Link M7350 has a USB adapter which is used both for charging and for creating a Direct (non-wireless) connection with whichever device it is connected to. I’m wondering if I could use that to connect to the Hap AC Lite? If yes then how do I tell the Hap AC Lite that the internet connection is through the USB rather than the ethernet port?
Your solution seems to imply that the Hap AC Lite will become a client of the Wireless M7350. Once it becomes a client then how does it continue to be a router for other devices?..which is the original intention of this exercise.
With the help from Uldis at Mikrotik’s support I have managed to get the TP-Link M7350 working with the hAP ac Lite. These are the steps I took:
I ensured that the M7350 was switched on and connected to the Mobile network provider.
I connected the M7350 via the USB cable to the USB port on hAP ac lite.
Within WebFig I looked at the interfaces screen on hAP ac lite and saw that an LTE1 interface had been added automatically.
Within Webfig I went to IP>DHCP Client. I added a new DHCP Client for the LTE1 interface. All settings were left at default and when I clicked ‘apply’ the M7350 allocated an IP address to the hAP ac lite from its DHCP pool.
Within Webfig I went to IP>Firewall>NAT and added a rule for the LTE1 out interface. All settings were left at default other than ‘action’ which was set to ‘masquerade’.
After carrying out the above actions it appeared NOT to work. On checking through the above sections (3-5) I found that for some reason the LTE1 NAT rule had been disabled. I renabled it and pulled out the USB cable from the hAP ac lite and pushed it back again and it all started to work.
As a safe guard I have deactivated the broadcasting of the SSID on the M7350 so that no one else can access it wirelessly any more.
I hope the above will prove helpful to anyone who is wanting to try and use the hAP ac lite with an LTE interface rather than a broadband one.
I’m afraid I’m not really very technical. Most of what I did to get this working came from Mikrotik support. I would recommend you write to them directly as they are VERY HELPFUL.
Nexar, out of interest - did your hAP lite have a plastic tab in front of the usb port? Mine has a plastic tab - and I do not know if there is a real usb port behind it and right next to it there is a button called “MODE” - I do not quite know what that does. Model id RB941-2nD
No there is no tab in front. Just the usb slot. There is also not button on mine. You describe yours as hAP lite. Mine is an hAP AC lite. I don’t know if the AC bit makes a difference.
If there is a tab in front - there is no USB. Just same case.
MODE button can be configured to launch any script of your choice, it is in RouterOS settings.
Hello friends ,
I have a Mikrotik router (hAPlite) with router os v 6.47 beta and
use this device as a wireless access point and a router . There is an ADSL modem also which use as my internet gateway .
I want to redirect the internet traffic from the ADSL modem to my Mobile data ,
Using these links : https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Connect_to_an_Available_Wireless_Network , http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/using-hap-ac-lite-with-mobile-wifi-solved/112159/1 .
My router connected to Mobile Data seccessfully But, The problem is neither the router has any access to the internet nor the wifi clients could connect to my router any longer !! I dont know what is my mistake .
Anybody has any suggestion ?
