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R6350 AC1750 configure Wireless Bridge/Repeater
I'm missing something obvious after going through many dozens of posts on hoe this should (maybe) work.
My existing network has a Linksys WiFi router with several wired and wireless connections in the house.
My existing IP range is class A 10.0.0.0 subnet 255.0.0.0. Most of my computers are using DHCP from the router. I have 3 servers located in the basement on fixed 10.0.0.xxx addresses that (were) on a wired connection from the router.
The wired connection to the basement has died. I'm not interested in trying to dig in another wired connection.
I have good wireless signal from my Linksys router into the server area.
I want to set up my R6350 router as a wireless bridge (is that the correct term?) to those servers. I want to keep my 10.0.0.xxx addressing network wide.
Is that possible?
I've read things that say a wireless bridge requires a wired connection to the bridged router (??!). Others don't say that.
I haven't quite figured out the difference between a Bridge and a Repeater. Maybe Repeater is the correct term for what I need?
On the R6350, I've gone into the Advanced Wireless menu and set it for Other mode of operation, set in my Primary Wireless Router SSID/passphrase/etc (and nowhere do I see any confirmation of successful connection). I set the IP address to an available 10.0.0.xxx address.
And get nowhere.
It appears that I actually get the correct IP address on the R6350, and I can talk to servers that are wired to that router while connected wia wireless to that router, but I can't talk to anything connected to my primary router (or that primary router itself).
Any help would be appreciated.
A couple things.
1. usually the wire itself doesn't go bad unless something hits it. Usually its just an end thats bad. Have you tried replacing the ends on the wire? Might be something simple and will have better performance.
2. each manufacturer tends to have their own naming schemes. In netgears "bridge mode" the router acts as a simple wireless bridge from the primary router to the netgear. It doesn't rebroadcast. It dedicates its wireless for the link.
3. Repeater mode for netgear is just like it sounds. Acts as a wireless extender. It picks up the wireless signal and rebroadcasts it. You can also use the ethernet ports. I don't believe the R6350 has this mode but I didn't look up its specs. Netgear has been removing or not adding this feature into its routers lately.
6 Replies
Please post about this here for your model router:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/General-WiFi-Routers-Non/bd-p/home-wifi-routers-generalGood Luck.
As suggested, I've moved my post to here...
A couple things.
1. usually the wire itself doesn't go bad unless something hits it. Usually its just an end thats bad. Have you tried replacing the ends on the wire? Might be something simple and will have better performance.
2. each manufacturer tends to have their own naming schemes. In netgears "bridge mode" the router acts as a simple wireless bridge from the primary router to the netgear. It doesn't rebroadcast. It dedicates its wireless for the link.
3. Repeater mode for netgear is just like it sounds. Acts as a wireless extender. It picks up the wireless signal and rebroadcasts it. You can also use the ethernet ports. I don't believe the R6350 has this mode but I didn't look up its specs. Netgear has been removing or not adding this feature into its routers lately.
We did replace the RJ45 connectors on each end. We've had construction going on here and I think the cable got cut in a wall somewhere.
I'm really not interested in repairing it if I can get around it. I'm tired of the wires.
As you explain Bridge mode, that sounds exactly like what I need. I do not need another wireless network in the house as I have good wireless coverage. I just need to connect 3 wired servers to the main network wirelessly. They are connected to the ports on the R6350.
Its worth a chance.
I wouldn't totally write off the wire just in case you need it in the future. Wired has much lower overhead and is more stable than wireless.I know my GS716T has a feature you can run that tells you how far the wire goes before it has issues/disconnects. Basically tells you the length of the wire. And some of the fancier testers have that feature as well.
Might be worth leaving the wire in case you need it in the future and want to try fixing it. If the break/problem is pretty close to the junction box, maybe a quick fish/repair can fix it.
Success!
Last night I tried again. From a hard reset I went in to the Advanced Wireless setup, checked Other Mode, filled in the Wifi SSID and password for my primary router, filled in a valid 10.0.0.xxx address, subnet, and dns for the Netgear for the primary network, and saved.
After the router rebooted, I still had the wireless networks and everything I had before - Like I hadn't changed anything, but the Other configuration information was still there. Saved/rebooted again (couldn't think of anything better to do).
When it came back up, I no longer see the Wireless SSIDs/networks for the Netgear. First time I had not seen those show up in all my attempts.
Connected to my primary wireless network. Now my servers that are connected to the Netgear are there!! The Netgear is also there at the IP I had set. Success!! Network is bridged! Everyone on the same subnet.
Many thanks to plemans for his clarifications!
