Hi everyone,
I’d like to share my planned setup and ask if anyone here has already implemented something similar or has experience with related concepts (e.g. Freifunk, batman-adv, 802.11s).
Goal
I am running several 19" boxes with OpenWrt routers (Archer C7).
The idea is that each box can operate standalone, but as soon as multiple units are active, they should automatically form a mesh – no master/slave roles, all nodes equal.
Each box should broadcast three different WLANs:
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Device WLAN (public / for clients / end devices)
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2.4 GHz + 5 GHz, same SSID name (e.g. “Mixer01” or “Controller01”)
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This WLAN should only have access to a specific port on the router (Port 1, where e.g. a mixing console is connected)
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No access to the rest of the network or mesh
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Mesh WLAN
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Separate SSID (e.g. “MeshNet”)
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Based on 802.11s + batman-adv
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Provides the interconnection between the boxes
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Works automatically, no need to decide who is master
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Internal Staff WLAN
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Separate SSID (e.g. “InternNet”)
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SSID hidden
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Full access to the entire mesh/LAN
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Intended for staff/technicians who need full access to all devices
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Addressing and DHCP Concept
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All boxes run in one large subnet (e.g. 10.0.8.0/21 with netmask 255.255.250.0).
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Each box runs its own DHCP server, but only hands out addresses from a defined range.
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Example:
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Box 1 → DHCP range 10.0.10.0–255
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Box 2 → DHCP range 10.0.11.0–255
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Box 3 → DHCP range 10.0.12.0–255
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Box 4 → DHCP range 10.0.13.0–255
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Box 5 → DHCP range 10.0.14.0–255
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Advantages:
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All devices remain in the same subnet, so they can communicate directly without routing.
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No DHCP collisions, as each router only serves its own range.
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Standalone operation works as well, since each box always controls its own pool.
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Additionally:
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Devices permanently connected to Port 1 (e.g. controllers, web servers, mixers) will have static IP addresses.
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This ensures these systems are always reachable at the same IP, regardless of whether the box is running standalone or in a mesh.
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Mobile devices (phones, laptops, etc.) will not be connected via Port 1 – they only use the public device WLAN.
Planned Technical Setup
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VLAN separation:
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Port 1 = VLAN for the public/device WLAN (with fixed devices and static IPs)
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Ports 2–4 + Mesh = VLAN for the internal LAN
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batman-adv:
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Automatically distributes connectivity across all mesh participants
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No central role, self-healing
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Firewall:
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Device WLAN is only allowed to access the VLAN of Port 1
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Internal WLAN is allowed full mesh access
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Questions to the Community
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Has anyone here implemented a similar setup already?
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Are there known pitfalls when combining 802.11s + batman-adv + multiple DHCP servers in a /21 subnet?
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Freifunk uses a very similar approach – any feedback on stability with Archer C7 and OpenWrt, especially with 5 devices meshed together?
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For static IPs on the Port-1 devices: is it better to assign them directly on the device itself, or via DHCP reservations?
Thanks a lot for your input and experiences!