Main router with wifi plus 2 access points vs WDS

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dxi
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Mar 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 17:46    Post subject: Main router with wifi plus 2 access points vs WDS Reply with quote
Currently I have a main (DDWRT r50841 netgear R8000) router with wifi channels (2.4G channel 1 and 5G channel 36), and 2 (DDWRT r50841 Netgear R7000) router converted Access Points (one is 2.4G channel 11 and 5G channel 149, another is 2.4G channel 6 and 5G channel 132). They are all 20MB for 2.4G and 80MB for 5G wifi so that there is no channel overlap. All 3 2.4G wifi have the same SSID named ddwrt, and 3 5G wifi have the same SSID ddwrt5. The 2 Access Points are wired to main router (switch + AP mode). Their WAN Connection Type : Disabled. They are DHCP disabled. With this setting, my front yard and back yard will get good wifi signal.

However, there is a con for this setting: when a device connects to a wifi, main router or an Access Point, it will try stay with that wifi, even though it may be the very weak signal and there is a much stronger one available. For example, for cell phone, when I move from the room to the back yard, the cell phone still try to keep connecting to the main router wifi, which the signal is very weak, while the wifi signal from back yard access point is quite strong.

I am thinking setting up WDS. And for WDS, I want the 3 routers (all Broadcom chips) are still wired together, and they communicate using wired connection as backbone instead of wifi connection between main router and access points. I prefer wired connection to wifi one as it can provide more stable connection, as the routers are already wired. I read the WDS Linked router network (https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/WDS_Linked_router_network ), but not clear if WDS can use wired connection as backbone. Also not sure if WDS can help the devices to choose stronger wifi signal when available. I also prefer both 2.4G and 5G are available, so for my phone, or laptop, I can use 5G wifi so that I can get faster wifi / internet connect, while I have some devices that can only use 2.4G wifi.

Can anyone give some guidance, or input on how my wifi configuration should go?
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Per Yngve Berg
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6858
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 17:55    Post subject: Reply with quote
WDS is a wireless connection between routers, not wired.
dxi
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 03 Mar 2015
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 18:49    Post subject: Reply with quote
Per Yngve Berg wrote:
WDS is a wireless connection between routers, not wired.


I see. Thank you. Is there a way to address the wifi signal issue? or However can we let devices to automatically choose stronger signal if available?
Per Yngve Berg
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 13 Aug 2013
Posts: 6858
Location: Romerike, Norway

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 21:02    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's up to the client. It will hang on an AP as long it has a connection.

Possibly set the "Drop Clients with Low Signal" Option, but only Atheros devices have it.
egc
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 18 Mar 2014
Posts: 12838
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 9:10    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe play with the Signal strength of the router?

As this is for Broadcom I have moved this thread

_________________
Routers:Netgear R7000, R6400v1, R6400v2, EA6900 (XvortexCFE), E2000, E1200v1, WRT54GS v1.
Install guide R6400v2, R6700v3,XR300:https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=316399
Install guide R7800/XR500: https://forum.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=320614
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Hapi12021
DD-WRT User


Joined: 22 Jul 2021
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 15:33    Post subject: Reply with quote
The APs need to support 802.11k/r/v to actuate forced client roaming. DD does not currently support those 802.11 additions. OpenWRT uses a daemon called “hostapd” to effectuate the disconnect messages sent to the clients, but the drivers for the Wi-Fi chipset need to be able to get information from the clients, which I doubt exists under DD/BCM, since the drivers are closed-source.

In the absence of protocol support for roaming, it’s all up to the client and the only knob to turn on the AP is transmission power.
L J
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 11 Nov 2017
Posts: 17
Location: Canada, Vancouver Island.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 18:21    Post subject: Reply with quote
Check the heading Roaming access in the Wireless Access Point wiki, https://forum.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point

Note the setup of the Wl_command#rateset in paragraph six of this heading.

It worked for me.

_________________
___________________________________________
Router 1: D-Link, DIR-885L, Firmware v3.0-r55416 std.
wl0, 2.4 GHz, N only, Ch. 6, two VAPs, wl0.1 IoT on VLAN 3, wl0.2 Guest Network on VLAN 4. wl1, 5 GHz, AC/N, Ch. 48, wl1.1 Guest Network on VLAN 4.

Router 2: Linksys, E4200, Firmware v3.0-r55416 mega; as a WAP wired LAN<>LAN to Router 1 on tagged trunk, VLANs 1,3 and 4.
wl0, 2.4 GHz, N only, Ch. 1, two VAPs, wl0.1 IoT on VLAN 3, wl0.2 Guest Network on VLAN 4. wl1, 5 GHz, N only, Ch. 60, wl1.1 Guest Network on VLAN 4.
Hapi12021
DD-WRT User


Joined: 22 Jul 2021
Posts: 84

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 21:20    Post subject: Reply with quote
L J wrote:
Check the heading Roaming access in the Wireless Access Point wiki, https://forum.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Wireless_Access_Point

Note the setup of the Wl_command#rateset in paragraph six of this heading.

It worked for me.


Do take note of the caveats to using the method above, that it can interfere with legitimate TCP traffic that has timeouts longer than the link timeout period, potentially causing more issues than it fixes.
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