[rbronco21]

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WDS_Linked_router_network#Broadcom_Based_Devices

I followed this guide on 2 V1.1 WRT600Ns with 14929 (DD-WRT v24-sp2 (08/12/10) mega). I enabled stp on both and can run WDS on 5ghz with WPA2, but the second I apply WPA or WPA2 to 2.4ghz, WDS stops. 2.4ghz works fine unencrypted or with WEP. Any ideas how I can get this running correctly?

[Masterman]

This is a known and "shrugged" problem that has been around since the beginning of firmware development for this router. I have one, and have tried everything to combat this issue.

I did get it to briefly work one time by issuing a 10 second sleep command for the 5GHz radio (allowing the 2.4 radio to boot first), but it was never reliable.

Just enjoy the awesome power of the 5GHz radio in the WRT600N

[rbronco21]

Thanks for the reply, though that's not what I wanted to hear. I love the WRT600N and got a second one after my WRT300N died. I had that set up as a repeater bridge but really wanted to move that bridging capability to the 5ghz channel. Any way to do that? If not, I'm in the same boat as I was with the 300N, a slower bridge on 2.4ghz shared with phones and other older equipment.

[Masterman]

What is your network topography plan? Are you using the two WRT600N's to create a bonded 5GHz backhaul link and using the 2.4GHz radios as AP's?

The problem is that the wireless drivers were never really finished for this unit. You can run 5GHz WDS unencrypted if you have devices that need to use both the 5GHz band as well as the 2.4. Just choose a channel that the devices in your country will ignore and set them manually in your NIC card properties of your devices. There are many ways you can make this work without having to use WPA2 encryption via your 5GHz WDS and still maintain network security.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#5.C2.A0GHz_.28802.11a.2Fh.2Fj.2Fn.29.5B15.5D

[rbronco21]

I have lots of older devices that can't use 5GHz and a couple laptops that do, so that is exactly what I want to do.

I didn't know about these channels. So if I am in the US, I can leave it unencrypted and use one of the red channels? Sounds like someone could still stumble upon the unencrypted wifi or someone who is looking for unprotected networks would know to check these channels. Is that possible?

[Masterman]

It is still possible for someone to gain access via your wireless yes, but 5GHz doesn't have the range that 2.4GHz does. I have a 5GHz WDS backhaul through my house, but no devices can detect it even within 10 feet from the outside perimeter. If I see someone on a laptop 10 feet away from my house on my property, I've got 15 .40 cal presents waiting for them

There are many other security options that DD-WRT provides that you can make use of. MAC filtering, Hotspot services (Wifidog), hidden ssid and even lesser forms of encryption methods will work (keep in mind that for N speeds, AES must be used)...

Honeypots are fun too

Also:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Kismet_Server/Drone