Configuration to use a wifi AP as your router's WAN?

[hcac224]

Say I'm in a hotel with available wi-fi SSIDs to access internet (call it "HOTELWIFI") You need to log in to a captive portal to get the WAN/internet connection established, though.

I have a router (with wireless radios) running open wrt.

I would like to use HOTELWIFI as WAN for my router but otherwise act identically to WAN being hardwired to the router.

1. can this be done?

2. if so, how would you configure openwrt for this?

3. would you need a separate radio to enable wireless connectivity to the router (from LAN/the attached devices) since the radio on the router is dedicated to accessing WAN?

[psherman]

Yes. Typically you'll need to use your computer/phone connected to your OpenWrt device (which is in turn connected to the hotel wifi) in order to access and submit through the captive portal.

https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/connect_client_wifi

There's also a package called travelmate which is designed for this type of application:

Travelmate support thread

Hi, in the OpenWrt stable & snapshot package repo you'll find the travelmate package, a wlan connection manager for travel router. Main Features STA interfaces operating in an "always off" mode, to make sure that the AP is always accessible Easy setup within normal OpenWrt environment Strong LuCI-Support with builtin interface wizard and wireless connection manager Fast uplink connections Support all kinds of uplinks, incl. hidden and enterprise uplinks WPA3 support includes a vpn hook with …