[Problem] WDS/Repeating with two D-Link AP900+

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Hi there,

The problem
---

I have an ethernet network with an D-Link AP900+(called AP1 from now
on). I am connecting to this network with a wireless card in my
laptop. The signal is not good though because 0f two buildings between
the AP and my laptop. So I 've read "Tom's Networking" Article about
WDS and repeating and bought another AP (same model, let me call it
AP2 from now on). The problem is that I can't make them to work
together. The AP2 does not see the AP1.

To be more exact, I notice that my network card is sending only and
not receiving. I have set everything on the same mode/values (SSID,
WEP none, channel) but still nothing seems to work. Everything else is
set to default values. The distance is just fine and ping is dead!
Tried several poweroffs too, but still nothing. Needless to say that I
have follow the instructions on the site exactly. New drivers and
firmwares are installed too. I am beggining to think that it is an ip
problem.


Detailed description of the network
---

ADSL->Switch->AP1->AP2->Laptop

* Switch; is providing the DHCP.
* AP1; is in AP mode. (Should I set it to Repeater Mode?) has static
ip, not conflicting. Does not provide DHCP. Accepts all MAC addresses
to connect. (should I set it to accept AP2 MAC only?)
* AP2; is in Repeater Mode. Has static ip. Does not provide DHCP.
Configured to connect to MAC of AP1.
* Laptop; Have tried both with static/dynamic ip.


Failed Attempts / Problem Indications
---

When I turn AP2 off, everything is fine. (but the signal is weak).
When I turn on the AP2, I see it, but I loose everything else. Ping
dies, and I dont have any network access.

Tried to set it to Wireless Client Mode (bridge) with an ethernet
connection to the laptop and wireless card disabled in order to test
the AP1-AP2 link, but still nothing. The strange think I saw was that
my ethernet card was sending only, not receiving! Clearly a problem in
AP1-AP2 link.

Also, when I tried to change the SSID on AP2, my laptop saw the AP2
normally (strong signal) but continued to connect to SSID from AP1.
(AP1=default, AP2=default_new). No SSID from AP2! I am not using
windows, but my NC's connection manager.


Pleads/Apologies
---

Does anyone have a clue about what the problem is? I am running out of
options and ideas after 2 days of trying and I am a bit desparate.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the length of the post! :)
 

Jon

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On 16 Jun 2004 11:31:33 -0700, Archon Giorgos <archon@yellowmagazine.gr> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
Hi.
I have the same setup more or less so I will try what I can
[..]
> Failed Attempts / Problem Indications
> ---
>
> When I turn AP2 off, everything is fine. (but the signal is weak).
> When I turn on the AP2, I see it, but I loose everything else. Ping
> dies, and I dont have any network access.
>
> Tried to set it to Wireless Client Mode (bridge) with an ethernet
> connection to the laptop and wireless card disabled in order to test
> the AP1-AP2 link, but still nothing. The strange think I saw was that
> my ethernet card was sending only, not receiving! Clearly a problem in
> AP1-AP2 link.
>
> Also, when I tried to change the SSID on AP2, my laptop saw the AP2
> normally (strong signal) but continued to connect to SSID from AP1.
> (AP1=default, AP2=default_new). No SSID from AP2! I am not using
> windows, but my NC's connection manager.
>
>
> Pleads/Apologies
> ---
>
> Does anyone have a clue about what the problem is? I am running out of
> options and ideas after 2 days of trying and I am a bit desparate.
>
> Thanks in advance and sorry for the length of the post! :)

First of all, leave ap1 in AP mode and accepting all mac addresses.
Connect ap2 to the laptop with a crossover cable and disable wireless
card in laptop.
Configure ap2 as a client and do a site survey, it should pick up ap1.
If this goes ok and you can ping, access web etc configure ap2 as a
repeater, making sure you use the mac address it got from ap1 in the
site survey.
Make the SSIDs the same.
Try ping and web access again and if all is ok disconnect crossover
cable and re-enable laptop wireless card.
It should all work. (remember you can't configure an ap in repeater
mode through a wireless connection)
If it doesn't work, and your IPs are ok then it could be hardware I
suppose.
cheers
Jon
--

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Jon <jcllw@nospammail.net> wrote in message news:<2jbtl3F103st3U1@uni-berlin.de>...

> First of all, leave ap1 in AP mode and accepting all mac addresses.
> Connect ap2 to the laptop with a crossover cable and disable wireless
> card in laptop.
> Configure ap2 as a client and do a site survey, it should pick up ap1.
> If this goes ok and you can ping, access web etc configure ap2 as a
> repeater, making sure you use the mac address it got from ap1 in the
> site survey.
> Make the SSIDs the same.
> Try ping and web access again and if all is ok disconnect crossover
> cable and re-enable laptop wireless card.
> It should all work. (remember you can't configure an ap in repeater
> mode through a wireless connection)
> If it doesn't work, and your IPs are ok then it could be hardware I
> suppose.
> cheers
> Jon

I followed the above steps as I said in my first post. The problem is
that I can see the site in site survey (client mode), but when I
switch to repeater mode I loose it. (wireless card disabled and
enabled at the correct points)

AP2 is RevC while AP1 is RevB. I tried to install both new firmwares
(3.06b4 & 3.07b1) in AP2 but still no connection... It might be a
hardware prob, but the AP2 is completely new so I dont suppose so..

Any other ideas?
 

Jon

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On 19 Jun 2004 00:11:15 -0700,
Archon Giorgos <archon@yellowmagazine.gr> wrote:
>
> I meant that I am loosing the connection. :) Sorry for not stating it
> clearly, but I thought it was obvious.

It probably was, could be I'm losing it :)

> Anyway... PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
>
> I had only one last test to run so I did; I switched access points! I
> put AP2 (the one with RevisionC) in "AP Mode" acting as ap1 and took
> former AP1 (RevisionA) in "Repeater Mode" acting as ap2, and ...
> problem solved.
>
> Possible causes for my problem; either the 3.07b1 firmware is
> corrupted and doesnt support wds correctly, or my ap has a hardware
> problem in wds mode. Dont know..
>
> Anyway, now everything works fine! So if anyone out there has similar
> problems, try switching APs!
>
> Thanks for all the tips Jon! :)
>
>
> Giorgos
>
> PS: And I thought printers were difficult to set up!!! :)

Great you got it sorted, problems like your one can be the worse to
solve. Must admit if I were in your place it might have taken me a lot
longer to think of swapping APs.

Jon
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Hmm, wish mine were that easy also. Have two revision C's with the same
firmware, they both work fine in all modes except repeater. The signal's
fine from the repeater, but there's no throughput. No data will pass
through the repeater. This with several different wireless cards. Been
scratching my head several months over that one.

Jon wrote:

>
>
>
> Great you got it sorted, problems like your one can be the worse to
> solve. Must admit if I were in your place it might have taken me a lot
> longer to think of swapping APs.
>
> Jon
 
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Airman Basic <whoever9262_sickoffakeMSmessages_@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<baCdne_IuswAEEjdRVn-gw@netdoor.com>...
> Hmm, wish mine were that easy also. Have two revision C's with the same
> firmware, they both work fine in all modes except repeater. The signal's
> fine from the repeater, but there's no throughput. No data will pass
> through the repeater. This with several different wireless cards. Been
> scratching my head several months over that one.
>

Exactly the same with mine revC ap. It might be possible that in this
revision, the firmware is not so solid for repeating mode. Try sending
an email to D-Link... I fixed mine by putting revA as a repeater.

Good luck!

Cheers
 
G

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Airman Basic <whoever9262_sickoffakeMSmessages_@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:baCdne_IuswAEEjdRVn-gw@netdoor.com:

> Hmm, wish mine were that easy also. Have two revision C's with the
> same firmware, they both work fine in all modes except repeater.
> The signal's fine from the repeater, but there's no throughput. No
> data will pass through the repeater. This with several different
> wireless cards. Been scratching my head several months over that
> one.

I have a DWL-900AP+ Rev C2 running firmware 3.10 (recently upgraded
from 3.07). Works just fine in Repeater mode - except if it's left
idle overnight, when things go wrong.

The devices associated with the repeater can see each other, but not
devices associated with the access point (in my case, a wireless
router). DHCP works just fine and I can release/renew without
problem, low level stuff (Windows network and UPnP traffic) seems to
work OK - but not higher level stuff including Internet access.
Cannot ping the router.

Repeater function restarts OK if the DWL-900AP+ is powered off/on. It
appears to be OK if one device is left running exercisng the
connection from time to time (regular pings) but I can't confirm this
on a long term test just yet.

I also have a DWL-900AP+ Rev B running firmware 2.61 and will test
with this. It does work in Repeater mode, but I haven't tested it
over a long period.

Hope this helps

--

Richard Perkin
To email me, change the AT in the address below
richard.perkinATmyrealbox.com

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