I guess that would work. Is there no benefit to running openwrt on the raspberry pi and then using the tp link router in bridge mode? If I’ve gone through all this work trying to get openwrt working I don’t really like the idea of just not using it.
Also, what showed up today was not a router from the isp it was the tp link one that I got running that was given to me. We don’t use the version isp routers as they don’t work so well
I'll talk you through it, just for academic purposes. But it will help a lot for you to have internet access.
Just running my stuff off a WiFi hotspot at the moment, but sure go for it
What is the overall intent of your network here? If you want to use a pi4 as your main router, you need to have external access points because the pi cannot provide sufficient performance with the built in wifi.
You have a cable modem combo unit with built in routing and wifi. Only the modem functionality will be useful if you use openwrt on the pi for routing, since the modem is required and the rest of the functionality cannot be used as a standalone dumb ap. You could get a modem-only unit and then some APs that you can run behind the pi.
I had a netgear router that failed a couple of nights ago - the intent of what I am trying to do right now is use the Raspberry Pi for routing, and then some other routers to serve as the access point, as when I was looking for replacement routers I read online that it would be faster, so I found some routers that weren’t being used from my neighbors. I want my network to look like this:
Modem —-> RPi 4B (openwrt, serving as router) —-> tp link router (serving as access point)
Also- we don’t have cable service to the house, all that box on the wall does is run to the router via Ethernet, I can’t connect to it or anything.
Are you going to wire the AP to the Pi? Because the Pi is not going to be a good choice as a wireless bridge to the AP.
Yeah, I just put the ap into bridge mode and connected it over a usb-Ethernet dongle to one of the usb 3.0 ports on the RPi and that seems to be working fine so far? At this point I’m pretty much ready to declare this job done, even if it’s not optimal.
Actually, is there a way to broadcast both on 5g and 2.4g so that my devices that only do 2.4g can also join the network?
Okay, disable the radio on the pi.
Network/wireless/add and click disable.
edit
crap I forgot: save and in the wireless section on the bottom is "save and apply"
The t-p link will handle that.
Done - after this do I need to connect to the raspberry pi over Ethernet?
Also the only radio that’s showing up on openwrt is the one on the raspberry pi
Yes but you don't need to access it if you want it as is.
When your frustration ebbs I can clean it up. But they will close this thread in about 10 days.
Thanks, I appreciate it. Maybe tomorrow…?
Anyway, back on my desktop (win11) when I try to connect to the OpenWrt said it just says “can’t connect to this network”
Yeah, disable the Pi's radio.
Then something other than the Pi is handing out DHCP addresses.
Don't sweat it: it is easier to just clean install than chase down all the errors.
I just need the Internet, I’ll work out the openwrt when I have more patience. Thanks for the help so far though 