[GVB]

Dear all,

TBH I'm fairly new to flashing routers with custom firmware.
I'm trying to set up a client-bridge from my Iphone (12pro) to my Netgear R7000 Router.
I can manage to get it running when I'm using the 2,4 GHz band.
With this setup I'm able to have internet access on some of my other devices via the 5GHz band.

But I need to have the client bridge going through the 5GHz band. I want this because I have several devices which can only connect through the 2,4GHz.
But when I use all same settings on the 5GHz band, the router does not make a connection with my Iphone's hotspot.

I also tried creating client bridges with an other router I own, a TP-link dual band router. Creating a client bridges then works on both bands, 2,4 and 5GHz, using all of the same settings.

So I now wonder is there anything I'm doing wrong here? Or is it just not possible to have a client bridge running between an iPhone and a R7000 router on the 5GHZ band?


The firmware on my R7000 currently running is: DD-WRT v3.0-r45229 (01/01/21)

This are the settings I put in to have working bridge on the 2,4GHz. Trying to get it to work on the 5GHz just switched all settings between wl0 and wl1 which does work with my TP-link router. I will only post the settings I changed compared to the default settings:

Setup
-Basic Setup
-Network Setup
-Router Ip = 172.20.10.2 (I put this in to be able to have access to the routers GUI when connected to my IPhone's network)

-Advanced Routing
- Operating Mode = Router

Wireless
-Basic Settings
-Wireless Interface wl0 2,4 GHz
- Wireless Mode = Client Bridge
- Wireless Network Name (SSID) = My Iphone’s Name

-Wireless Interface wl1 5 GHz
- Wireless Mode = AP
- Wireless Network Name (SSID) = THE_INTERNET 5GHz

-Wireless Security
- Wireless Security wl0
- Security Mode = WPA2-PSK
- WPA Algorithms = CCMP-128 (AES)
- WPA Shared Key = (My iPhone’s hotspot password)

- Wireless Security wl1
- Security Mode = WPA2-PSK
- WPA Algorithms = CCMP-128 (AES)
- WPA Shared Key = (A password I like)

Security
- Firewall
- Firewall Protection
- SPI Firewall = Disable

Thanks!

[kernel-panic69]

Which wiki did you follow?

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Client_Bridged

https://forum.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Client_Bridge

[GVB]

Actually neither of those.
This is te ‘guide’ I followed.
https://blogx.ch/blog/travel/travel-router-with-iphone-wireless-tethering-916/
And then the second option.

Although I did not use a second router of course since the R7000 is dual band, and I like to have as little devices as possible.

[kernel-panic69]

I would try following the wiki(s)... I have not tested CB mode on Broadcom ARM, but I do know it works on MIPS.

[GVB]

I just tried again now completely following the recommended wiki's. Unfortunately I get the same results, it does work when my iphone's hotspot is connected via the 2,4GHz band and it will just not connect with the 5GHz.

Do you recommend trying the latest build? The latest I could find is 47528.

[egc]

Try setting up as Client and not as Client Bridge.

Client bridge is a kind of hack

[GVB]

Ok tried that, same result, does work on 2,4GHz but not with 5GHz.

Any other suggestions?

[Mr R Design]

To make sure the R7000 isn't at fault can you connect it as a bridge to your router instead of the iPhone?

Personally I would be setting the R7000 up as a 'repeater bridge' instead of any other mode as that way you can connect both wired and wireless clients to the R7000.

Have a quick read of the attached, it will help with setting the repeater bridge up.

(Just read 2.4ghz in the attached as 5ghz for your scenario)

[GVB]

Just installed a later build (47528). Tried setting it up as a client and client bridge, works both on the 2,4 GHz band not on 5GHz so no differences there.

@Mr R Design, followed all the steps from the attached PDF, same results as well.
Not working on 5Ghz working on 2,4GHz.
I did try to connect it with my TP-Link Dual band router, and in that situation it does repeat/bridge internet access over the 5GHz band. So I guess the problem lies in the iPhone part. So there must be something different between the two bands... I will attach 2 images of information I can gather when connected to my iPhone with my computer one on the 5GHz and one on the 2,4GHz. Maybe that gives a clue?

[/img]

[kernel-panic69]

Repeater bridge may bootloop on Broadcom ARM, @Mr R Design. Doubt that was fixed. I presume that CB and RB do not work on 5Ghz band, then. And it likely will not be fixed.

[egc]

Wpa3 is not supported on broadcom use wpa2 with aes128

Also just try with 20 Mhz channel width on lower channels e.g 36

[kernel-panic69]

^^^^ Correct. I didn't notice that earlier.

[Mr R Design]

[kernel-panic69]

It could have been an anomaly, doubtful a misconfiguration, but that was on <Kong> 40270M kongac on my R7000P and I have not seen the need to test it again on current builds. Bridge modes in general may or may not work on Broadcom; it is a given. CB works fine on MIPS (E4200v1) on both bands, both K26 and K3x. I don't generally use repeater modes and folks who have been around much longer than myself, such as @redhawk0 can further elaborate on repeater modes.

[GVB]

To me the strange thing is that it al works well connecting on every manner with my Tp-link Router, just the Iphone hotspot mode on the 5GHz doesn't work.

I know WPA3 is not an option on the R7000, but having a hotspot connection with my laptop apparently puts it in a WPA3 password mode even on the 2,4GHz connection. But it does also work with a WPA2 password on my R7000. I can't choose the type of encryption on my iPhone. Thus to me it seems it accepts both...

Either it is a misconfiguration in the build, or it has something to do with the way iPhone hotspots work. I also run bootcamp on my macbook, and connecting with my iPhones hotspot on windows also seems way harder then on macosx...

BUT! I found a workaround for what I was trying to achieve, I started out using Client Bridge mode. At that time I already had the thought to create a Virtual AP. But that option disappears when you put it in Client Bridge mode. Now I noticed in Repeater Bridge mode, you are still able to create a VAP. So I just created one, and now al my devices are able to connect to my R7000, on both 2,4GHz and 5GHz. !

I'm very happy I found a solution! Thank you all for thinking with me on this one!


*bit off topic:
Now I'm only left with one thing, and that is: my iPhone is now not able to stream to my Chromecast or Sonos Speaker. It does detect my Sonos but it says it can't connect when I try to. It does not see my Chromecast at all.
My ipad however is able connect and stream to both. When I do an IP scan this are the results:

Iphone 172.20.10.1
r7000 172.20.10.2
Macbook 172.20.10.4
SONOS 172.20.10.6
Chromecast 172.20.10.14

I assume every device is in the same network ip range, and therefore my ipad is able to connect.
Is this not working via my Iphone because it is 'providing' the data/connection and connecting to the chromecast and SONOS goes via itself? and therefore it's not able to connect? Is there an easy way to make this work? If not I'm good for now, I can do basically almost everything I wanted!