NETGEAR Wireless Router easy WDS (1)

For ordinary users, simply purchasing a wireless router and setting it up can meet the needs of domestic users or small-scale Internet access. However, if the range is far away, a router is powerless, you may have encountered the following situation: using a wireless router in a two-tier small building, the router is placed on the first floor, and the signal in some upstairs rooms is not strong; for example, a user needs to share broadband Internet access with the peer neighbors, however, wiring is difficult due to medium obstacles. Some companies' offices and warehouses are located in two buildings. When wireless routers are placed in the Office, the signals in the warehouses are weak.

So how can we economically and effectively enhance wireless signals based on the use of existing devices? In fact, as long as the original wireless router supports the WDS function and adds a wireless device that also supports WDS, the problem will be solved!

What is WDS?

WDS (Wireless Distribution System), a Wireless distributed System, is constructed under a combination of the smart Access Gateway and DSSS, allowing communication between the base station and the base station, the difference is that the function of WDS can be used as a repeater for wireless networks, and multiple base stations can be connected to one. Currently, many wireless base stations have WDS.

▲What is WDS?

WDS transmits wired network data through a wireless network as a relay architecture, so that network data can be transmitted to another wireless network environment or another wired network. Because a virtual route is formed through a wireless network, it is called a wireless network connection function. Strictly speaking, the wireless network connection function usually refers to one-to-one, but the WDS architecture can be one-to-many, and the bridging objects can be wireless network cards or wired systems. Therefore, WDS requires at least two APs with the same function. The maximum number of APS depends on the architecture designed by the vendor.

Point-to-Point wireless bridging Configuration

Device Name: Wireless Broadband Router

Brand: NETGEAR

Number of devices: 2

Wireless Devices of many manufacturers support WDS, but NETGEAR has good performance. In the wireless product line, all wireless APS support WDS. Some wireless routers gradually extend this function.

It is a WDS architecture for bridging two wireless devices and is widely used:

▲General Topology

In this figure, there are two wireless routers that support WDS. The first router A connects to the Internet and provides wired and wireless access for several desktops and laptops, point-to-Point wireless bridging between A and B. Route B provides both wired and wireless access for multiple computers, so that all computers share broadband access in the same LAN.

You can also use WDS between two buildings, as shown in:

▲Simplified Graph

Another architecture is point-to-point wireless bridging between multiple wireless devices. Center A serves as the center and bridging with four wireless devices, B, C, D, and E. This architecture is widely used in office buildings, campuses, hotels, and other commercial applications. NETGEAR enterprise-level Wireless AP is recommended for such environments, such as WG102 and WG302.

▲Between multiple LANs

Here, we need to emphasize the following points:

1,For a wireless device that performs bridging, You need to select the same wireless channel. The default value of the WGR614v9 wireless channel is auto. You must change the value to 1, 6, and 11 to enable the bridging function;

2,For a bridging wireless device, you need to select the same wireless encryption method and the same key;

3,If you want the wireless client to roam between devices, set all the wireless devices that are bridging to the same SSID.

WDS configuration instances and summary of NETGEAR Products

NETGEAR's latest WGR614v9 supports the WDS function. The following uses WGR614v9 and WG602v4 as an example to describe the configuration process of the WDS function.

WGR614v9: IP address 10.0.0.1, MAC address 00: 1B: 2F: E5: 60: F2

WG602v4: IP address 192.168.0.227, MAC address 00: 18: 4D: D3: CE: E6

▲Topology