# Plugging a WAP into a WAP



## dvl@ (May 11, 2013)

I want to provide a wireless network for the Bacula tutorial attendees.  It has to be a network I control because I'm putting a server in there, with 20 jails, each with an IP address in 10.0.44/24. I provide this wireless network with a small WAP, which hands out IP addresses in that range. I want the WAP to be a gateway, so people can still do their work. 

The problem: I cannot connect the WAP into a hardwired network.  There is a WIFI network present. The proposal: get another WAP, get it connecting to the local wireless, and plug my WAP into that WAP. 

Feasible?  Suggestions for something I can buy off the shelf to get this working without installing firmware etc?  Why?  My time is limited.  :/


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## phoenix (May 11, 2013)

Just find a dual-radio access point.  They'll support WDS (wireless distribution system) and should support bridging wireless networks.

If you have a local reseller, Ubiquity's UniFi APs can do some amazing things like this, and they're only ~$80 US.

Otherwise, off-the-shelf dual-radio access points should as well.  One radio connects to the existing wireless network, the other radio advertises it's own wireless network, and the AP bridges between the two.

If you need them to be completely separate networks, then you may be better off building a quick server using a wireless NIC and a wired NIC and do NAT on there, and then plug your new AP into the wired NIC.


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## wblock@ (May 11, 2013)

Ow, my brain.  You mean:


```
[color="Red"]|
   |[/color]
bigWap
   |
littleWap
  [color="Red"]|[/color]   |
  [color="Red"]|[/color]  server
  [color="Red"]|[/color]
 users
```

The red there is wireless.  Configuring bigWap as a wireless bridge is the only problem, the rest is normal.  I'm pretty sure DD-WRT can do that.  Why not just plug the WAN port on littleWap into the closest Ethernet?


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## dvl@ (May 11, 2013)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> The red there is wireless.  Configuring bigWap as a wireless bridge is the only problem, the rest is normal.  I'm pretty sure DD-WRT can do that.  Why not just plug the WAN port on littleWap into the closest Ethernet?


 
It's not my network to plug into.  It's filtered by MAC address.  The WiFi has no such restrictions, but getting access to the wired network seems to be troublesome.


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## wblock@ (May 11, 2013)

Depending on room, the wireless access wasn't always great either...

Here's a DD-WRT page on setting up a "Client Bridged" network: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Client_Bridged.


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## dvl@ (May 11, 2013)

I just finished selling 5 WRT that I no longer used.  Now the question is getting one and setting it up in time for Wed.


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## wblock@ (May 11, 2013)

I can bring an extra, but won't get there until later on Tuesday.  Not really enough time for testing, at least if it were me.

Come to think of it, a FreeBSD notebook could be used for bigWap.  Or even a netbook.  That's probably easier, in fact.  Looking back, that's what @phoenix already suggested.  The nice thing with a notebook is that it already has wired and wireless interfaces.


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## dvl@ (May 11, 2013)

Thank you.  But I just spoke with Allan Jude, and he suggested a cunning plan. The Planex WAP I have can already act as a gateway.  I'm doing that now.  I can configure it to connect to the U of O wifi. I buy an off-the-shelf wireless router.  I configure it for the 10.0.44/24 network.  Everyone connects to that. I plug the server into the one of the LAN ports on the wireless router. I plug the planex into the WAN port of the wireless router.  It grabs an IP address from the U of O wifi, and assigns it to the router. Sounds easy. Now I just have to pick a decent wireless router that'll handle 20-50 devices.I hear the new AirPort Express Base Station will handle 50.


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