Linksys Mess....

[EddieDee]

Alright guys here goes, I hope some kind soul can be of assitance. Linksys tech support cannot understand me to give me an answer and searches have come up empty.

1st Floor of an office building.

WAN--BEFW11s4----PC
----PC
(())PC
(())PC

I am looking to add 4 more in basement space below the 1st floor office. One spot in the basement has a fine signal. The rest of the space is too weak to work with. Several folks reccommended the WET11 for the job, my hope is to bridge the signal from the BEFW11s4 to the WET11 then through a cable to the WAP11 where 2 pc's and 2 laptops can get wireless access.

So here is the setup I am struggling with:

BEFW11S4(())WET11--WAP11

WEP is on, SSID's are the same on the BEFW and WET, WAP has a different SSID and channel.
BEFW is 192.168.1.1
WAP11 is 192.168.1.2 (also tried default, 192.168.1.251)
WET11 is 192.168.1.225

From a computer connected to the BEFW by cable I can ping all three devices just fine. When I connect a PC to the WAP wirelessly I can ping it just fine. I also get an IP address from the DHCP on the BEFW, (which means the WET11 and BEFW are talking....)
When I go to ping the WET from the PC connected to the WAP, it will ping intermittantly. Ping's, timesout etc.
I have no internet or network access available on this PC.

I thought it might be the signal between BEFW11s4 and WET, nope. Brought the setup to the same office where all the signals were 100%, nada.

I would appreciate any help as the good folks at Linksys seem to have difficulty with the English language.

Cheers,
Eddie D

 

[kwebb]

Does the WET11 have a section in the admin GUI to specify a Parent AP to associate to? I'd defintely specify the router/AP combo if it does. Also, you want to make sure that the second AP is on a non overlapping channel from the parent AP. If your router/AP is on 6, then the second AP could be on 1 or 11. Sounds like it could potentially be an interference issue. You might also load netstumber on a client wireless PC and see if there isn't other rogue AP's in your area.

CCNA, MCSE, A+, Cisco Certified Wireless Field Engineer

 

[EddieDee]

The WET11 GUI gives me the SSID option, that's about it.

The second AP is on CH11. I don't think it is interference since the PC seems to communicate with the WAP just fine. I think the setup WAP-WET is the problem. Also I moved the equipment to the 1st floor where the signals where all 100% and tried it there, no dice.

Thanks,
Eddie D

 

[kwebb]

Well, the bridge is just a passthrough device. Same with the AP actually. Data should just go from the AP/Router to the bridge wirelessly, then over copper to the AP, then wireless to the clients. You might try taking the AP/router out of the picture. Connect a PC to the bridge directly, and one to the Second AP. Might need a X-over for that. And ping across that bridge. Not sure what that'd tell you other than the wireless link from AP to bridge is passing data correctly.

CCNA, MCSE, A+, Cisco Certified Wireless Field Engineer

 

[EddieDee]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will give it shot in a little bit. Your post made me think about something..

Linksys has a knowledge base article on thier site to guide the setup of a WET11-WAP11 combination. The say to use crossover cable in connecting the two devices. I tried both patch and crossover cable and the problem persists. I did notice when I connect the WET to the PC with a crossover cable the behavior shows up in that connection as well, it takes forever to the login screen to come up, the GUI times out etc.

I wonder if there is something amiss in the cable connection between the WET and WAP??

Thanks,
Eddie D

 

[EddieDee]

The update is as follows.....

With the WET connected to the PC(with a patch cable) I have no problem accessing it or the router, internet etc.

I have no problem connecting anything to the WAP. With the WET11 cabled to the WAP however, things get dysfunctional. Takes forever to get an IP from the router, accessing the WET Gui is usually unsucessful, it times out. I can ping the WET and gateway about half of the time. In 4 pings, two are usually sucessful. No network, no internet.

The problem has to be in the WET11--WAP11 connection. What the hell could it be?

 

[EddieDee]

I still have no idea what the problem was but putting a netgear hub in between the WET and WAP fixed everything. I stumbled upon this accidently.

Eddie D

 

[kwebb]

Perhaps you can elaborate so we can all benefit from your fix. No wired device will go "between" and AP and wireless client bridge. They communicate wirelessly so nothing will be between that bridge. What exactly did you do?

CCNA, MCSE, A+, Cisco Certified Wireless Field Engineer