Wireless extender with Ethernet interconnections

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
#1

I would like to add two additional routers to my primary (WAN-connected) LEDE router to extend the wifi.

I have read the relayd article at https://lede-project.org/docs/user-guide/relay_configuration but I have trouble understanding how it works. I think that those instructions result in the following:

  • A flat/bridged network, with all devices on 192.168.1.0/24
  • All devices get a DHCP IP address from the main router (the "wifi extender" router(s) simply pass through DHCP requests/responses)
  • A single broadcast domain (the wifi extenders pass all broadcast/multicast frames)
  • The wifi extender routers connect via a wireless link to the main router
  • Presumably all mDNS/Bonjour queries/responses would be passed everywhere in the subnet

My questions: I have the luxury of Ethernet between the main router and the two wifi extenders that I want to install.

  1. Will relayd work across Ethernet interconnects
  2. What changes would be necessary for the settings?
  3. Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks.

#2

relayd is for creating a wireless bridge between the main router and secondary device. If you can run a cable between the devices, then you can use a dumb AP.

#3

OK. I will check the instructions for the LEDE Dumb AP at https://lede-project.org/playground/qsg_lede_installation_guide?do=#choose_your_usage_scenario

#4

Hello @richb-hanover did you manage to do this?

Yesterday I set up a bridged access point using this recipe as a guide. It was incredibly easy and works brilliantly. I'd be happy to explain more if you need it...

#5

Thanks for the pointer. I haven't scrounged the time to modify my network to try this, but I also was directed to another article that accomplishes essentially the same thing.

Dumb AP recipe: https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/recipes/dumbap
Bridged AP recipe: https://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/recipes/bridgedap

Both of these connect the LAN ports of the "extender access point" to the main router's LAN (using an Ethernet), so it's a big bridged network. This will work fine in a home or small network environment.