Using Two Linksys WRT54G Routers to Bridge One Network

A while back I won a Linksys WRT54G on this episode of DotNetRocks.  Richard Cambel (The ToyBoy) was talking about how great they were because they were easy to upgrade the firmware.  At the time I was just excited to get a 802.11G router so I didn't pay much attention to upgrading the firmware.

Since then I started looking at wireless bridges so that I could connect my basement to my first floor without a wire.  I was disappointed that the bridges were all around $100, more than the routers. I was reminded about the ability to upgrade the WRT54G's by Scott Hansleman.

Once I started looking into it I found that The Sveasoft firmware supported WDS.  I had to see if I could get this to work.

Today I went out and purchased a new WRT54G.  I then upgraded them both with the Sveasoft Alchemy 6rc5 firmware.  Search google for it and you can find it, or you can go to Sveasoft's web site and pay $20.00 for it. Once upgraded I followed these steps:

1) Configured Nic1 to use IP 192.168.1.5,255.255.255.0 and Nic2 to use IP 192.168.2.5/255.255.255.0.  This is so my computer can talk to both the 192.168.1.* and 192.168.2.* networks.  The Main router will be on the 192.168.1.* network and the repeater will be on the 192.168.2.* network.

2) Connect the main router to Nic1 and the repeater router to Nic2.

3) Load up a web browser and go to the main router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar.

4) Re-name the router so that you'll remember that it's the main one.  I called mine FanzooMain.

5) Disable the Firewall and uncheck Block Anonymous Requests under the Security tab.

6) Go to the Status->Wireless menu and copy down the MAC address listed there noting that it's the main wireless MAC.

7) Load up a web browser and go to the repeater router by typing 192.168.2.1 in the address bar.

8) Re-name the router so that you'll remember that it's the repeater one.  I called mine FanzooRepeater.

9) Move the router to the 192.168.2.* subnet by changing the IP Address to 192.168.2.1

10) Turn DHCP Off

11) Disable the Firewall and uncheck Block Anonymous Requests under the Security tab.

12) Go to the Status->Wireless menu and copy down the MAC address listed there noting that it's the Main wireless MAC

13) Go to the Wireless->WDS page.  Change the first entry to LAN and enter the Wireless MAC for the main router.

14) Load up a web browser and go to the main router by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar.

15) Go to the Wireless->WDS page.  Change the first entry to LAN and enter the Wireless MAC for the repeater router.

That's all it takes.  Pretty simple.

Here are a few other things I recommend:
* Change your admin password
* Turn on WEP with 128bit encryption
* Disable the broadcasting of your SSID
* Make sure both routers are using the same SSID