Wireless bridge (repeater) question

I am new to the wireless world and I have a question regarding the usage of
the WDS:

I have bought a Buffalo router (with WDS capability) and another Buffalo
access point with no routing capabilities (but with WDS). I have configured
them in such a way that their MAC addresses cross-reference each other and I
enabled WDS on both. What I am trying to achieve is to extend my network
without the use of wires (wirelessly). I read in a book that to get roaming
capabilities, one has to place the access points (bridge, repeater) so that
there is 25-30% overlap in the coverage area with the other access point and
to configure them on different channels (1, 6 or 11) by giving them the same
SSID. Once I tried to do that my laptop (client station) was able to connect
to the access point (on channel 6) but could not have Internet connection (I
suppose could not talk to the router on channel 11). On the other hand, if
the laptop connected directly to the router (channel 11) the Internet
connection was present.The whole network is WEP protected with the same 5
char ASCII key. Is the different channel and same SSID name a valid
procedure to allow roaming? Do I do something wrong?

Kind regards,
Zoltan

The method that you are using, with 2 different channels, allows clients to
roam between the access points only if the APs are wired together. Because
you want the APs to connect wirelessly, you want the non-routing AP to act
as a Repeater. Since the AP can only be configured for a single channel,
you must use the same channel for the WDS and for clients. Therefore, both
APs must be configured for the same channel.

Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.

"Zoltan Lazar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:_lDzc.23811$(E-Mail Removed). ..
> I am new to the wireless world and I have a question regarding the usage
of
> the WDS:
>
> I have bought a Buffalo router (with WDS capability) and another Buffalo
> access point with no routing capabilities (but with WDS). I have
configured
> them in such a way that their MAC addresses cross-reference each other and
I
> enabled WDS on both. What I am trying to achieve is to extend my network
> without the use of wires (wirelessly). I read in a book that to get
roaming
> capabilities, one has to place the access points (bridge, repeater) so
that
> there is 25-30% overlap in the coverage area with the other access point
and
> to configure them on different channels (1, 6 or 11) by giving them the
same
> SSID. Once I tried to do that my laptop (client station) was able to
connect
> to the access point (on channel 6) but could not have Internet connection
(I
> suppose could not talk to the router on channel 11). On the other hand, if
> the laptop connected directly to the router (channel 11) the Internet
> connection was present.The whole network is WEP protected with the same 5
> char ASCII key. Is the different channel and same SSID name a valid
> procedure to allow roaming? Do I do something wrong?
>
> Kind regards,
> Zoltan

yes, but isn't having aps on different channels a requirement for wds?
which specific brands/models support wds while aps are on same channel,
with same ssid?

thanks,

-nikita

Ron Bandes wrote:

> The method that you are using, with 2 different channels, allows clients to
> roam between the access points only if the APs are wired together. Because
> you want the APs to connect wirelessly, you want the non-routing AP to act
> as a Repeater. Since the AP can only be configured for a single channel,
> you must use the same channel for the WDS and for clients. Therefore, both
> APs must be configured for the same channel.
>
> Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.
>
> "Zoltan Lazar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:_lDzc.23811$(E-Mail Removed). ..
>
>>I am new to the wireless world and I have a question regarding the usage
>
> of
>
>>the WDS:
>>
>>I have bought a Buffalo router (with WDS capability) and another Buffalo
>>access point with no routing capabilities (but with WDS). I have
>
> configured
>
>>them in such a way that their MAC addresses cross-reference each other and
>
> I
>
>>enabled WDS on both. What I am trying to achieve is to extend my network
>>without the use of wires (wirelessly). I read in a book that to get
>
> roaming
>
>>capabilities, one has to place the access points (bridge, repeater) so
>
> that
>
>>there is 25-30% overlap in the coverage area with the other access point
>
> and
>
>>to configure them on different channels (1, 6 or 11) by giving them the
>
> same
>
>>SSID. Once I tried to do that my laptop (client station) was able to
>
> connect
>
>>to the access point (on channel 6) but could not have Internet connection
>
> (I
>
>>suppose could not talk to the router on channel 11). On the other hand, if
>>the laptop connected directly to the router (channel 11) the Internet
>>connection was present.The whole network is WEP protected with the same 5
>>char ASCII key. Is the different channel and same SSID name a valid
>>procedure to allow roaming? Do I do something wrong?
>>
>>Kind regards,
>>Zoltan
>
>
>

sorry, i misspoke. i meant isn't having aps of different channels a
requirement for sta roaming. in other words, unfortunately, seem like
one can *either* have
-roaming (with APs wired together) OR
-wds without roaming (APs not wired, but client must manually change
associations when travelling from one AP's range to another)

is it possible to have both WDS *and* roaming? (that'd be nice)

-nikita

Nikita Tovstoles wrote:

> yes, but isn't having aps on different channels a requirement for wds?
> which specific brands/models support wds while aps are on same channel,
> with same ssid?
>
> thanks,
>
> -nikita
>
> Ron Bandes wrote:
>
>> The method that you are using, with 2 different channels, allows
>> clients to
>> roam between the access points only if the APs are wired together.
>> Because
>> you want the APs to connect wirelessly, you want the non-routing AP to
>> act
>> as a Repeater. Since the AP can only be configured for a single channel,
>> you must use the same channel for the WDS and for clients. Therefore,
>> both
>> APs must be configured for the same channel.
>>
>> Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.
>>
>> "Zoltan Lazar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:_lDzc.23811$(E-Mail Removed). ..
>>
>>> I am new to the wireless world and I have a question regarding the usage
>>
>>
>> of
>>
>>> the WDS:
>>>
>>> I have bought a Buffalo router (with WDS capability) and another Buffalo
>>> access point with no routing capabilities (but with WDS). I have
>>
>>
>> configured
>>
>>> them in such a way that their MAC addresses cross-reference each
>>> other and
>>
>>
>> I
>>
>>> enabled WDS on both. What I am trying to achieve is to extend my network
>>> without the use of wires (wirelessly). I read in a book that to get
>>
>>
>> roaming
>>
>>> capabilities, one has to place the access points (bridge, repeater) so
>>
>>
>> that
>>
>>> there is 25-30% overlap in the coverage area with the other access point
>>
>>
>> and
>>
>>> to configure them on different channels (1, 6 or 11) by giving them the
>>
>>
>> same
>>
>>> SSID. Once I tried to do that my laptop (client station) was able to
>>
>>
>> connect
>>
>>> to the access point (on channel 6) but could not have Internet
>>> connection
>>
>>
>> (I
>>
>>> suppose could not talk to the router on channel 11). On the other
>>> hand, if
>>> the laptop connected directly to the router (channel 11) the Internet
>>> connection was present.The whole network is WEP protected with the
>>> same 5
>>> char ASCII key. Is the different channel and same SSID name a valid
>>> procedure to allow roaming? Do I do something wrong?
>>>
>>> Kind regards,
>>> Zoltan
>>
>>
>>
>>

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 19:17:02 GMT, Nikita Tovstoles <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>yes, but isn't having aps on different channels a requirement for wds?
>which specific brands/models support wds while aps are on same channel,
>with same ssid?
>
>thanks,
>
>-nikita
>
D-Link for one
I have a router and 2 APs, the APs are in bridge mode, all on the same
channel.