Bridge Mode on AC1600 Model R6330

Guru

Jul 23, 2021

> o I am able to connect to the R6300 and login. [...]

_How_, exactly? Actual URL? Does it admit that it's in
wireless-bridge mode? If it actually is, then I would expect it to get
a new/different (LAN) IP address from the main router, and so it would
not be found at "192.168.1.1".

> [...] My assumption was that this was the connection between the R6300
> and my home wireless network.

Might be true.

> o If I ping google.com, I get a "Ping request could not find the host
> google.com. Please check the name and try again". I tried a couple of
> other URLs with the same issue.

That could be a DNS problem or a basic comm problem. For a
no-DNS-required comm test:

ping 8.8.8.8

What does the (unspecified) main router have to say about all this?
Does it see the R6330 as a connected device? Does it see the remote
Windows system as a connected device? Are other devices connected to
the main router? What are their IP addresses?

> My ultimate goal with the R6330 [...]

That all sounds plausible. I don't have an R6330, so I can't verify
that its wireless-bridge mode actually works.

keithamason
Guide
Jul 23, 2021
I can connect to the R6330 either using routerlogin.net or the IP address (192.168.1.1).
It shows it’s in bridge mode (see screen shots attached)

And connected to my home WiFi network.

I tried pinging a specific IP address (172.217.14.78). This was the IP when I pinged google.com from my home network. When I tried pinging this same address when connected to the R6330 I got a “Destination net unreachable” error.

I’m unable to see the R6330 from my home network. In part I’m wondering if the issue is that the IP address for the R6330 is the same as my home router (i.e., 192.168.1.1). Is there a way to set the R6330 to use a different address?
I left the “Get IP Address Dynamically” and “Get DNS Server Address Dynamically” selected.
- antinode
  Guru
  Jul 23, 2021
     I can't (yet) see your pictures. In-line images must be approved
  by a moderator before others can see them. The time required varies.
  Attachments have no such limitation. Of course, attachments have their
  own one-per-message limitation.
  
  > [...] When I tried pinging this same address when connected to the
  > R6330 I got a "Destination net unreachable" error.
  
     That's a basic comm problem.
  
  > [...] Is there a way to set the R6330 to use a different address?
  > [...]
  
     As I said, I'd expect it to use DHCP to get one automatically.
  
  > I left the "Get IP Address Dynamically" and "Get DNS Server Address
  > Dynamically" selected.
  
     I'd expect that not to matter. You're talking WAN/Internet, but the
  LAN-WAN distinction disappears in bridge mode. As when in
  wireless-access-point mode, I'd expect it to be too stupid to do
  anything other than LAN. (WAN-related settings might exist, but could
  be ignored.)
  
     I know nothing, but I'm worried about the way you set this thing up
  in the first place, using a wireless connection to establish wireless
  bridge mode. I'd reset the thing, connect it to nothing except a
  computer with an Ethernet connection, and try it all again.
  
     Then, I'd expect its _LAN_ IP address to be what matters. (In
  principle, you could set that manually, but if the thing is so confused
  that it's not doing it on its own, then I'd be a little amazed if
  plugging that one hole would keep it afloat.)
  
     Disclaimer: I have only a dim recollection of configuring any Netgear
  router as a wireless bridge (R7000, perhaps?), so I could be suffering
  from false-memory syndrome. (Trust no one, I always say.)
  - antinode
    Guru
    Jul 23, 2021
       Ok. I've taken the bridge-mode refresher course on an R7000
    (V1.0.11.116_10.2.100), and, once I found the "setup bridge mode
    wireless settings" control (again -- I've missed it repeatedly), things
    worked about as expected.
    
    > Netgear config as wifi bridge.pdf
    
    > 9. Turned off 5 GHz Radio
    
       I didn't/wouldn't play with any of those settings. I'd expect the
    R6330 to know what to do with its radios in wireless-bridge mode better
    than you do.
    
    > SelectBridge Mode(from end of step 9)
    > [...]
    > c. Clicked on "setup bride mode wireless settings"
    > d. Entered SSID to bridge to
    
       And the appropriate "Security Option" (and passphrase)? I assume
    that "None" (as shown) is the wrong answer.
    
    > After logging into the router get the following screen
    
       Around here, using its new DHCP-supplied IP address (I didn't try a
    "routerlogin" name), I got a BASIC page with "Wireless | OFF".
    Different hardware, different firmware, but I don't think that you got
    your gizmo into wireless bridge mode. (If the SSID+passphrase
    credentials (or "Security Option") were bad, then it might revert to
    some lame/normal mode. But I know nothing.)
    
       On the main router here (D7000[v1], V1.0.1.78_1.0.1), the Attached
    Devices report shows the R7000-as-bridge, with its new DHCP-supplied IP
    address, and what I assume is its wireless-interface MAC address. It
    also shows the bridge-connected MacBook which is wired to the
    R7000-as-bridge (at the sequentially next LAN IP address).
    
       ADVANCED > ADVANCED Home says:
    Status Hardware Version R7000 Firmware Version V1.0.11.116_10.2.100 GUI Language Version V1.0.11.116_2.1.38.1 Wireless Settings (5GHz) [The band I chose.] Name (SSID) Antinode Link Rate 866.6 Mbps Connection Status Connected Client Status MAC Address C4:04:15:1A:19:F7 IP Address 10.0.0.229 DHCP Client ON IP Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 Gateway IP Address 10.0.0.1 [The D7000.] Domain Name Server 10.0.0.1
    All of which makes sense.
    
    > [...] I'd reset the thing, connect it to nothing except a
    > computer with an Ethernet connection, and try it all again.
    
       Still my advice. And I wouldn't touch the wireless settings, other
    than what's in the "setup bride mode wireless settings" pop-up. And I'd
    be sure to set those to agree fully with the main router.
    
       What could go wrong?

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Bridge Mode on AC1600 Model R6330