Use OpenWrt Router in Bridged Client Mode

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

Hello everyone, total OpenWRT noob here.

I would like to use my TP-Link router as a client to my main router, and have wired devices connected to it. I was following the relayd tutorial to accomplish this. However, I cannot seem to access the internet wirelessly after following the first few steps.

I changed the network and wireless config files as specified in the tutorial, but when I do
ping google.com
it returns
ping: bad address: google.com

When i run the same command on my laptop (connected to the internet) it runs successfully and also shows me an IP address. I did try
ping the.ip.address.from.the.ping.command.on.my.laptop
but that returned
ping: sendto: Network Unreachable.

Is there anything I can do to fix this?

2

Do your devices get an DHCP allocated IP address from your main router?
ie. can you ping your main router?

Review section 9.10 in this guide for suggestions.
https://openwrt.ebilan.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=266

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c8cqmpc6cacs5n8/AAA2f8htk1uMitBckDW8Jq88a?dl=0

Relayd doesn't work in some situations. Mediatek routers have issues. What is your model of main router and TPlink openwrt router?

3

Do you need relayd? Have you thought using just normal bridge mode?

4

@bill888
When I ping the ip address of my main router, I get 100% packet loss. My main router is the one that my isp gave me (I have verizon fios in the USA), but it doesn't have the name of the company that manufactured it on the router. The TPLink router is a TPLink Archer A6 (identical process to archer c6)

5

@treysis I have not. I honestly have 0 idea what I'm doing, so any help on how to acheive this would be great. I was following the relayd tutorial since it seemed to go step-by-step and seemed to do what I wanted my router to be able to do.

6

Disable DHCP server and hook it up via LAN port. You don't want relayd. Or you want it as wireless client? Still, you don't want relayd, but WDS. Plenty of tutorials out there. If they don't help, feel free to ask for more help :slight_smile:

7

If you use Windows, what does the following command return from CMD prompt:

ipconfig  /all

for a PC when connected to the TPlink.

Do the default gateway and DHCP server addresses correspond to your Verizon router's LAN ip address?

8

Building your wireless bridge with a LAN to LAN wired connection to an OpenWRT router is described below. In this setup you can also have wired devices on the OpenWRT router.

https://sorenpoulsen.com/openwrt-wireless-ethernet-bridge-with-roaming

1 Like
9

I agree that WDS is great, but I doubt the ISP router offers WDS in a way that is compatible with OpenWrt, if at all.

@randompotato122
If relayd does not work for you, there are more options, some of which were already mentioned:

  • replace the WiFi link with a wired connection
  • routed WiFi client (needs a static route on the ISP router)
  • routed WiFi client with masquerading