How to set up WDS?

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I tried to manually set up WDS host (upstream access point) on my workhorse, a WE826, running openwrt 23.05.5., having WAN on 192.168.1.4,
from my ISPs router, with IP 192.168.1.1
Nope, but I could have made a mistake in my custom config, not completely understanding the notes regarding bridging in
https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/wifiextenders/wds
I.e., no wlan.staN present, ip address only showing a relevant phy0-ap0.
However, /var/run/hostapd-phy0.conf looks reasonable to me, there is wds_sta=1 .
Wondering about wlan.staN in the openwrt docs, though ...

Anyway, I flashed
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/24.10.1/targets/ramips/mt7620/openwrt-24.10.1-ramips-mt7620-zbtlink_zbt-we826-16m-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

and, using ssh, I only set up pwd, and another network for LAN, 192.168.30.1.
Then I used LuCI, according to https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/network/wifi/wifiextenders/wds
paragraph "LuCI / The upstream access point".

Again, "ip address" shows no wlan.staN, only phy0-ap0, too.

Before going any further, may be somebody knowledgable verifies/corrects the docs, OR has an idea, what I did wrong ?

2

Basically
internet-<router>-wds-<extender>
You need to check WDS checkbox at both ends of WDS link, then on extender create AP with same name as master but without WDS checkbox linked to same bridge as interconnect client wifi.

Check iw list that chosen radio devce supports simultaneous AP and "managed", usually they do except broadcom.

3

Assuming you've done what @brada4 recommended (ensuring that both the main and remote devices have their WDS modes enabled)...

It sounds like the upstream/main router/AP is not running OpenWrt.

Typically, for WDS to work, you need to be on the same firmware ecosystem between the upstream and downstream devices. This isn't a hard rule, but many vendors add a bit of 'secret sauce' (which may improve the ease of use when using their platforms), but that can (and often does) make it incompatible with other environments.

So... if it is still not working, you'll probably need to either replace the upstream device with an OpenWrt router, or use relayd on the OpenWrt side (instead of WDS/4addr).

4

I just figured out the bugs in the doc myself, on 24.10.1, at least:

  1. First of all: The mentioned "wlan-staN" in the docs is definitely wrong.
  2. Instead, it is something like "phy0-ap0.staN"
  3. The passage
    The ip address command should display a new network interface whose name is in the form of: “wlan.staN ”; where N is a number. This new interface must exist alongside the base “wlanN ” wireless network interface. For example, if you get the “wlan.sta1” network interface, the base interface is “wlan1”

is in the wrong context. The new interface "phy0-ap0.sta1" (in my case) is dynamically created, obviously, when the repeater actually connects . And dyn destroyed, after repeater disconnects.
Thus, "ip address" displays phy0-ap0.sta1
ONLY, when repeater really connected. And NOT already, when wds-host is just prepared, as stated in docs.

Both devices running 24.10.1.

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