WAX206 in Bridge Mode: Select AP via MAC address

[Shortround]

Hello,

in latest firmware 1.0.4.0 the WAX206 now supports Bridge Mode. No repeating, no wifi AP - only logging into an exisiting wireless network as a client and supplying this network to up to 4 connected wired devices. Exactly what I was looking for!

Problem:

I am using a WiFi 6 AX router and a WiFi 5 repeater in my home. The WAX206 delivers great performance when connecting to the (also physically closer) AX router.

But occassionally the WAX206 connects to the WiFi 5 repeater instead, not using the performance of AX. The problem results from the Bridge Mode setup: You can enter the name of the WiFi network and the network password. You cannot select the MAC address of the AP the WAX206 shall connect to.

So as router and repeater are sending identical SSIDs the WAX206 does nothing wrong, basically - just using the entered login data and connecting. Other devices or repeaters do a wifi discovery showing all found networks in a list with the MAC addresses and you can select, which AP the repeater/client should use.

It would be really nice if firmware of WAX206 could be improved to make further settings possible when usind the Bridge Mode.

[schumaku]

The problem is that the designation as a "Wireless Bridge" is misleading if not wrong. The feature effectively implemented is a "Wireless Client with multiple LAN Ports". And a wireless client can (by definition) connect to whatever it considers to be the best AP offering that SSID and connect to that same network.

A wireless client as such (just like a PC, mobile, ...) can't be forced to use a specific BSSID (the SSID radio MAC) - this is asked very often around Mesh systems btw., because it does not connect to the AP we would consider the best.

[MKA62]

I set my WAX206 into bridge mode. It works. But now how do I login into the WAX206 again? I know the IP address, but dashboard does not open.

[Shortround]

Well, @MKA62, I can only say that after I switched the WAX206 to bridge mode (FW 1.0.4.0) I can still access the web interface using its IP (https is mandatory).

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Also the tech department of Netgear replied to my support request and told me that the behavior of the device connecting to the AP with the older WiFi mode is a problem and they could prove this using their own lab. It will be solved in future firmwares, probably.

At the moment the WAX206 is very likely to connect to the (e.g.) WiFi 5 (AC) AP instead of an existing WiFi 6 (AX) AP even if the newer AP is much closer and has a much stronger signal. The device "prefers" the AP with the older standard.

No word when this will be changed in the firmware, though.

So I'll replace the last remaining AC AP with an AX AP. If I plug the AC AP out (power off) and reboot the WAX206 it'll connect to the AX AP and stick with it, even when I am powering up the AC AP again, later.

[MKA62]

Thx. https helped and fixed it.