Diagnostics show 0% packet loss, but no actual internet connection

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Hello. I've been trying to configure openwrt on my TP Link RE200 for quite a while, on and off. See previous posts for details.

I've been having another crack at it today. I've set up the wireless networks in Network>Wireless, and they seem to be working as they should. Wireless>Diagnostics shows 0% packet loss. But there is no actual internet connection to my PC that the TP Link RE200 is connected to via ethernet cable.

I'm stumped. Is anyone able to help? Let me know what logs you need to diagnose the issue and I'll get them off you. Just want this PC to be connected to the internet!

Thank you.

2

To clarify, does this mean you are using the RE200 as a wireless-to-wired bridge where the upstream network is wifi and the downstream device is your PC via ethernet?

This will not work directly. You can accomplish this in a few ways:

  • Routed mode
    • The upstream and downstream connections are different subnets.
  • WDS
    • This method works best when both the wifi devices in use are of the same chipset
    • It probably won't work unless both are running OpenWrt.
  • relayd
    • This method is a bit of a hack and has some quirks, but should allow the wifi-ethernet downlink that you are describing assuming that the other solutions are not possible/practical for your network.
1 Like
3

Are you asking why you have zero packet loss when zero packets are sent?

Would you please rephrase that?

4

Hi Peter. That's exactly right. I want to use the RE200 just for a wired ethernet connection to my PC. I don't want it to broadcast any WiFi networks.

I'm still learning about OpenWrt and networking etc. could you walk me through routed mode? What would that require? Thank you.

5

Hi. Sorry.

I'm fairly sure it is sending packets. I'll check in a little while and get back to you.

What I meant by that was: when trying to actually use the internet on the PC, connected to the OpenWrt RE200 via a wired ethernet cable, there's no internet connection. Chrome just says site is unreachable.

6

Maybe this is what you want?
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/connect_client_wifi

7

Does the Ethernet connected pc need to be on the same network as the upstream? If so, look at the relayd link I shared earlier. If it doesn’t, then a routed configuration would be the easiest to configure.

8

Hi Peter. Sorry, I'm still struggling a little bit with these terms. What exactly do you mean by that first sentence?

Here's my network setup as it stands.

My own router plugged into an ISP-supplied router in modem mode. This supplies WiFi over our apartment. I also have a WiFi mesh point at the far end of our apartment. This is close to my PC, but very annoyingly doesn't have an ethernet port so I can't connect it to the PC.

I then have this TP-Link RE200, with OpenWrt installed, plugged in close to the PC (literally a metre or less away). Currently this is connected to the main WiFi network (with the signal strengthened by the mesh point) with the RE200 plugged in to the PC via an ethernet cable.

The RE200 is connected to the WiFi network and the ping diagnostic test on OpenWrt is, as far as I can tell, successful. But the PC has no internet access, either through Windows settings or when I try and load a website in a browser.

What I would ideally like is for the RE200 to just connect the PC to the internet via the ethernet cable, with the RE200 connected to my main WiFi network. I ideally do not want it (the RE200) to broadcast its own WiFi network(s).

I think what I'm looking for is a wireless/WiFi bridge. Is that correct? That's essentially what I want to turn this RE200 into, if that's possible.

I'm going to look at installing relayd later today. I will get back to you. Thank you so much for the help - it is very much appreciated!

9

Hello. Just to add to this: relayd worked. The only issue I'm having now is the configuration page doesn't seem to be available. But will try to get that fixed soon. Main thing is, it works!

Thanks all for your help.