WDS setup, configuration and outcome

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

Hey there.

I’m in the process of setting up a few AP’s in an area and I’ve been told that using WDS will probably be the best solution.

This is what I’m faced with:
setup.JPG
Brief explenation:

Router A is connected to the Internet and running a LAN - SSID=mtSSID
Router B is connected to A via LAN on high site - SSID=mtSSID
Router C is on distant high site - SSID=mtSSID

I want my wireless clients to connect to any of the three AP’s. What I understand under WDS is that it makes your AP act as an AP / Client at the same time. This to me means that router C will broadcast the SSID, making it possible for some one standing in the left bottom corner of my image to connect to router C and thus getting access to the internet (and both the LAN’s if indeed I wanted them to).

Now I’ve gotten hold of this link, showing me how a repeater should be set up. Question - isn’t that what WDS does?
Cause I’ve also come across this link showing how to configure a WDS mesh securely. After configuring my AP’s, my laptop still connects to router B and seams to skip router C completely…

B is setup as WDS (dynamic on bridge between ether1 and wlan1) ap_bridge.
C is setup as station_wds with WDS (dynamic on bridge between ether1 and wlan1)

I had C on ap_bridge (like B), but this ended up not connecting to each other.

I also have the secure connection enabled as set out in the wiki WDS setup. Also, rstp is selected on the bridge interface (helps getting rid of loops according to knowledgeable mikrotik people).

Now my question:
Do I understand WDS correctly? Cause if I do - why does my laptop still connect to B in stead of C?
This also will then mean I might as well skip WDS and move to the repeater setup page…but why is WDS there then.

Am I maybe doing something wrong? Is the wiki setup out dated? Or should I just disable the secure WDS connection rather? I’ll do that in any case, though I don’t think that will make a difference.

Help? :confused: Any better explanations / how to’s on WDS out there??

2

And to answer my own post - I don’t know if it is the wiki WDS how to that is out dated and rOS v3.2 needs a different configuration or if it was me doing something wrong.
I sorted out my problems by disabling the WDS security settings as described in the wiki and by making both dynamic WDS ap_bridges…

Maybe this helps some one finding themselves in my shoes some time in the future.

Cheers :sunglasses:

3

Ok, I take that back.

I switched off my routers last night - then this morning back on to confirm my little big victory over WDS setup of yesterday...
And now I can't get a DHCP to take over the double hop wireless WDS connection (as it was working actually yesterday)

Picture:

**Internet

DSL Router

MT PC as primary gateway + DHCP Server (Hotspot)

LAN Switch

MT rb411
<<<>>
MT rb411 with the exact settings except for the bridge IP being it's own
<<>>>
Laptop getting great signal strength, connection clean, no DHCP from server.**

In fact, even when I statically assign an IP to my laptop wifi, I can't ping, dude or winbox scan and pickup any device on the network or ping the laptop from any device.

I'll say this again - the only thing that changed since last night when everything was working is the fact that I switched off the two rb411's and switched them back on this morning.

From the local LAN (wired) everything is accessible (except the laptop).

I'm not enjoying this :frowning: