Router <-> AP Setup (Feedback)

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

Dear all,

Since I did not find the answer to my question, I am now writing this post.

My current setup looks like this:

  • ISP <-> Openwrt Router <-TRUNK PORT-> Openwrt Dumb AP
  • 4x SSIDs each of them mapped to a separate VLAN
  • VLAN are set to "trunk" via Bridge VLAN Filtering on the first LAN Port (which is connected to the AP)
  • All SSIDs have a custom IP Range and are set to receive IPs automatically via DHCP (custom FW rules allow DNS and DHCP from the router)

As of this writing, the setup on the openwrt router works. My issue lies with the dump AP.

My final goal is to have the dump AP repeat the Wifi signal, but without having every SSIDs doubled. Devices should be connected to e.g. Wifi1 and via roaming choose if the signal of the main router or the AP is better and hence connect automatically.

My main sources:

Is it correct that the following statements must hold true in my setup:

  • DHCP, FW and DNS must be disabled on the AP
  • The VLANs and SSIDs (and hence passwords) on the AP must match the ones on the main router
  • Roaming must be active and Mobility Domains must match on each SSID

Am I missing something? Is there anything I forgot about? Somehow my dumb AP is not accessible anymore and Roaming does not work whenever I try it with this setup.

Thank you kindly for your help.

2

Yes, but properly (by configuration, not by disabling initscripts).

Yes, they should (not a hard must, depending on what you want to accomplish in detail).

No, 802.11r is optional, clients will already roam by themselves without that. 802.11r can be an optimization, but some clients don't like it at all, so it's a mixed blessing. Always start out without it, only then you can carefully test is your device profit from 802.11r (or break).

3

Thank you for your answer. I will try it again and update this post, if any errors or new findings occur.