[kdo]

I'm trying to use a DLink DIR-615 E3 as a repeater bridge that will create a wireless network that is connected wirelessly to my main network. It works sometimes, but mostly my packets do not get out onto the Internet. I suspect the problem is to do with routing. Here are are the details.

I have Comcast Business Internet with a DPC3941 box. This box manages a wireless network "Neptune". Its address is 10.0.0.1. I have a DIR-615 E3 on which I'm running DD-WRT v3.0-r39654. I followed the instructions under Qualcomm Atheros in https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge . I set the IP address of the DIR-615 to 10.0.0.13 and reserved this address with the Comcast box. I set the physical interface mode to "Client Bridge (Routed)" and created a virtual interface with mode: AP and SSID Nereid.

I saved and applied settings and rebooted the DIR-615. I connected my tablet to the Nereid wireless network, and everything worked! But only for about 30 seconds. After that, my packets would not go to the Internet. The situation is reproducible. If I disconnect the tablet from the network, connect it again, and ping a machine on the Internet, it will work for about 30 seconds and then give either "Request timed out" or "Reply from 10.0.0.13: Destination net unreachable." Occasionally it works after that, but usually not. Sometimes the first error is followed a few successful pings, but then only errors.

On the other hand, I can always ping the comcast box at 10.0.0.1. I can also ping my server, which has a static IP and wired ethernet to the comcast box. Only machines that are actually out on the Internet give the problem. Since the error comes from the DIR-615, which has no way to know the difference between my static IP and any other Internet IP, I'm guessing that the comcast box must be sending some routing information that is confusing DD-WRT into thinking the net is unreachable, but I don't really know.

I also tried the instructions in https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Client_Bridged, in particular changing the advanced routing operating mode to Router instead of Gateway. This did not change the behavior at all.

I also tried WDS, but couldn't get it working, which is why I'm trying Repeater Bridge. See https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=319610

Thanks very much for your help.

Ken

[kdo]

I gave up and bought a TP-Link RE305 range extender, which worked fine right out of the box. It came with a GPL brochure saying how to get the source code. I wonder if it is DD-WRT inside.

So I accomplished what I needed to, but it's too bad that DD-WRT didn't allow me to use my existing hardware. I suspect there must be some specific issue that was causing the problem, but not knowing where to start I felt it would take too long to try to debug it.