WDS Linked Router Network

Introduction

WDS (Wireless Distribution Service) creates a wireless backbone link between multiple access points that are part of the same wireless network. This allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them, as is traditionally required. The WDS-enabled access points can accept wireless clients (e.g. wireless laptop users) just as traditional APs would.
Also take note of the fact that all repeaters, including this WDS Repeater mode, will sacrifice half of the bandwidth available from the primary router for clients wirelessly connected to the repeater. This is a result of the repeater taking turns talking to not just one partner, but to two, and having to relay the traffic between them. As long as your bandwidth requirements are within this halved bandwidth amount there will be little or no reduction in "speed".

Important Note:
Be aware that WDS is NOT a certified standard of the IEEE and that every vendor that provides WDS is doing so via its own implementation. In general, this results in incompatibility between different HW vendors devices e.g. Ralink, Atheros, Broadcom. In other words, this result in much trouble connecting units, even of the same OEM, when they use different HW. So, this is not a bug in DD-WRT. Its just a design problem and we're not responsible for it.

Alternatives:
If your needs are not specifically tied to WDS, another way to wirelessly link two routers is by setting up the repeater in either Client Mode or as a Client Bridge. You may even find that these set-ups increase speed compared to a WDS. You can read more about these in the sections Wlan Repeater and Repeating Mode Comparisons.
Atheros Based Devices and WIFI cards
There is not much to know. just a few facts to follow since it works different from other WDS stuff!

General FAQ
WDS between different chip vendors (atheros, broadcom, ralink) will not work most of the time since it's INCOMPATIBLE and no we will NOT fix it
. (However, if you are really desperate to give it a try, users in the forum have documented that this may work for certain hardware. Try at the peril of your sanity.)
A WDS Station will not work as a wireless access point out of the box, i.e. won't allow clients to connect to the repeated signal. This is not possible with Atheros chips. A solution is to have clients connect either to the WDS station's wired RJ45 port, or to set up a Virtual Access Point (see more under Multiple WLANs).
Don't set MACs to the WDS-Table. This always causes trouble so stay away from it. It won't work.

DD-WRT to DD-WRT WDS
Only set the ap to "wds ap" and the clients to "wds station". Put all on the same SSID and set your prefered wireless encryption.
NO WDS support for connecting current DD-WRT MadWIFI <-> DD-WRT MadWIFI-N
Under Basic Setup ---> Network Setup ----> Local IP Address, use an IP in the same subnet as the WDS AP router but outside the WDS AP router's DHCP range.
Disable DHCP server on the WDS STATION.
Important Write down the WDS AP's IP as the gateway and DNS on the WDS STATION.
Save and Apply Settings

Note by Victor (2012.03.30):
The above setting did not work on my TP-LINK WR741ND V2.4 (CPU: Atheros AR7240 rev 1.2 (0x00c2) ). I figured out a similiar way like Broadcom chipset.
Here is procedure:

Router #1 (Access Point to Internet), I am using DD-WRT v24-sp2 (11/21/10) std-build 15778, the version recommended by Router Database.
Do a 30-30-30 reset.
Change password, enable WAN port. Use same default IP 192.168.1.1.
Config Wireless mode to "AP", Wirless Network Mode to "G-Only", Channel Width to "Full (20MHz)", Wireless Channel to "4 - 2427 MHz" (don't know why, it does not work if I changed to Channel 2), SSID to anything you want, Broadcast to "Enable".
Config Wireless security to WEP, 64-bit, 10 digit KEY 1.
Config WDS node with "LAN", MAC address of Router #2, name of Router #2 (anything you want).
Verify above settings, verify you can get on Internet from this router.

Router #2 (WDS Client), I am using DD-WRT v24-sp2 (11/21/10) std-build 15778, the version recommended by Router Database.
Do a 30-30-30 reset.
Change password. Change IP to 192.168.1.2, mask 255.255.255.0, Gateway 192.168.1.1, DNS 192.168.1.1.
Disable DHCP server.
Config Wireless mode to "AP", Wirless Network Mode to "G-Only", Channel Width to "Full (20MHz)", Wireless Channel to "4 - 2427 MHz" , SSID to same ID with #1, Broadcast to "Enable".
Config Wireless security to WEP, 64-bit, same key code to Router #1.
Under "Wireless" tab and "WDS" tab, config WDS node with "LAN", MAC address of Router #1, name of Router #1.
Save and apply settings. Reboot router. Then you will be able to PING 192.168.1.1.

Here is Result:
Routers can SEE each other as a client under Wireless Status page, but not a WDS node.
Computers hooked to each router via Ethernet cable can talk to each other.
Strange part: my iPhone can hook to Router #2 and get on Internet via Router #1, I believe Router #2 is acting as a repeater/bridge. But my DELL laptop will not connect to Router #2, it only can connect to router #1 directly. It seems my laptop can not "see" router #2. My Asus EB1007 netbook can connect to Router #2, using it as repeater.
System has been running several days with no issue. Although WEP is not secure, you can use MAC filtering to tighten security.
END note by Victor

Cara Memperluas Jaringan WIFI

Bagi rekans pemerhati dan senang utak-atik Wifi barangkali tertarik untuk membuat WiFi Repeater, yang tujuannya untuk memperluas area WiFi yang sudah ada atau memperluas area hotspot.
Teknologinya disebut dengan WDS (Wireless Distribution System), di mana ada 1 WiFi Access Point (AP) yang utama dan WiFi Access Point lainnya sebagai repeater. Beberapa produk vendor seperti Dlink, Lynksys, dll juga fasilitas tambahan WDS-AP atau selain sebagai distribusi (repeater) sekaligus berfungsi sebagai Access Point (AP).
Ada beberapa persyaratan yang harus dipenuhi untuk memposisikan AP sebagai WDS, diantaranya :

1. Access Point (AP) harus mendukung fitur WDS. Pastikan dulu ttg hal ini dengan membaca brosur produk AP yang dibeli.
   
2. Authentication access point yang didukung dalam system WDS hanyalah WEP 64/128 bit dan semua Access Point yang terlibat dalam 1 koneksi harus menggunakan konfigurasi WEP yang sama persis.
   
3. Channel Wifi yang digunakan harus sama. Berdasarkan standar IEEE 802.11b/g, Spektrum frequency Wifi beroperasi pada 2.400 MHz sampai 2.483,50 MHz. Dengan demikian mengijinkan operasi dalam 11 channel (masing-masing 5 MHz), dengan frequency center sebagai berikut :
   Channel 1 - 2,412 MHz
   Channel 2 - 2,417 MHz
   Channel 3 - 2,422 MHz
   Channel 4 - 2,427 MHz
   Channel 5 - 2,432 MHz
   Channel 6 - 2,437 MHz
   Channel 7 - 2,442 MHz
   Channel 8 - 2,447 MHz
   Channel 9 - 2,452 MHz
   Channel 10 - 2,457 MHz
   Channel 11 - 2,462 MHz
   
4. Di seting konfigurasi AP, setting channel Freq ini cukup dengan meng’klik’ nomor channel saja.
5. Pastikan MAC Address repeater sudah diijinkan untuk konek pada Access Point utama. Jika syarat diatas sudah dipenuhi, maka yang perlu dilakukan selanjutnya adalah :

• Aktifkan Wireless Bridging / WDS di semua Access Point yang ingin “digabungkan”.
• Catat MAC Address WiFi AP utama, lalu masukkan MAC Address itu ke WiFi repeater pada bagian WDS. Begitu juga sebaliknya.
• Setting IP WiFi AP Repeater sebagai bagian dari Network WiFi AP Utama.
• Matikan DHCP server di WiFi AP Repeater, krn DHCP akan diambil alih oleh WiFi AP Utama.

Sebagai catatan berdasarkan pengalaman :

• ISSID (Service Set Identifier) tidak perlu sama
• Ada kemungkinan beda Merk WiFi AP tidak bisa direlay
• Sudah sukses dilakukan di DLINK DWL-2700AP & DWL-2100AP.
• AP Utama tidak bisa mengaktifkan Mode Bursting tipe apa pun

Demikian tulisan singkat membuat repeater wifi menggunakan fasilitas / teknologi WDS (Wireless Distribution System), dibuat berdasarkan pengalaman membangun wifi hotspot dan repeater di kantor, SEMOGA BERMANFAAT.

Membuat Wi-fi Repeater dengan WDS

Buat yang seneng maenan WiFi, mungkin tertarik untuk membuat WiFi Repeater, yang tujuannya untuk memperluas area WiFi yang udah ada tanpa menambah urusan dengan kabel.

Teknologinya disebut dengan WDS = Wireless Distribution System, di mana ada 1 WiFi Access Point yang utama dan WiFi Access Point lainnya sebagai repeater/relay.

1. Syarat pertamanya adalah: baik Access Point yang pertama maupun Access point repeater HARUS memiliki/mendukung fitur WDS. Pastikan dulu ttg hal ini!!!
2. Syarat kedua yang harus diperhatikan adalah: Authentication access point yang didukung dalam WDS hanyalah WEP 64/128 bit.
Dan semua Access Point yang terlibat dalam 1 koneksi harus menggunakan konfigurasi WEP yang sama persis.
3. Channel yang digunakan harus sama. Misal: Channel 3
4. Pastikan MAC Address repeater sudah diijinkan untuk konek pada Access Point utama.

Jika temen2 sudah memenuhi 4 syarat ini … maka yang perlu dilakukan hanya :
a. Aktifkan Wireless Bridging / WDS di semua Access Point yang ingin “digabungkan”
b. Catat MAC Address WiFi AP utama, lalu masukkan MAC Address itu ke WiFi repeater pada bagian WDS. Begitu juga sebaliknya.
c. Setting IP WiFi AP repeater sebagai bagian dari Network WiFi AP Utama
d. Matikan DHCP server di WiFi AP Repeater, krn DHCP akan diambil alih oleh WiFi AP Utama.

Catatan:
I. SSID tidak perlu sama
II. Ada kemungkinan beda Merk WiFi AP tidak bisa direlay
III. Sudah sukses dilakukan di Belkin F5D7231-4 sebagai WiFi AP Utama, JAHT WP-4001B2 sebagai WiFi AP Repeater.
IV. AP Utama tidak bisa mengaktifkan Mode Bursting tipe apa pun

Semoga bermanfaat