A Wireless Distribution System is a system that enables the wireless interconnection of access points in an IEEE 802.11 network. It allows a wireless network to be expanded using multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them, as is traditionally required.

This is a cheap and easy way to extend your wireless network coverage. It's cheap, because you can extend your network with couple of routers (which usually costs less that 60$) with the open-source firmware like Tomato including the Linux-powered Netgear wgr614L or other compatible routers. It's easy, because you need only apply a few configuration settings to your routers, creating a repeater bridge to extend your wireless network.

WDS Rules & Regulation

There are a few rules to implementing a functional WDS network. For optimal compatibility, you should use the same routers throughout -- or, in this case, the same firmware, running Tomato on both routers.

Both routers must communicate on the same wireless channel. Both routers must be configured to the same kind of 802.11 network, whether B, mixed B/G, or G. An exclusive G network must use channel 1, 6, or 11.

If you use WPA security, you must set up both routers as exclusive G networks. DD-WRT does not support WPA2 in WDS. WEP security can be used in a network with B support.

WPA security also requires identical SSID assignments for both routers. If using WEP or no security, you can opt to assign different SSIDs to each router. You may have more control over which AP your clients connect to if each has a different SSID.

WDS Step-By-Step

WDS reqquires to configure two or more Access point. For convenience I have described the configuration of two AP for the time being. However the number of AP is extendable. Figure 1 shows the configuration of Router 1 and Figure 2 shows the configuration of router 2.

Step 1: Set the LAN IP address for each router. Click Basic->Network and scroll to the LAN section. The default Local IP Address for your router is 192.168.1.1, which is usually fine. (The examples here also use 192.168.1.1, but it doesn't make any difference if you set it differnet - the first three octets of the IP address have to match for the nodes to communicate on the network.)

Assign a new Local IP Address to your second router. The logical choice would be 192.168.1.2

Step 2: On the same configuration page, scroll down to DHCP server checkbox. I enabled the DHCP server on both routers, but set them to assign addresses in different ranges. Router 1 will assign addresses starting at 192.168.0.100 and Router 2 starts assignments at 192.168.0.150.

You can set these parameters whatever you like, as long as your address pools don't overlap. With this setup, you can quickly tell from any client PC with which access point it is currently associated, based on it's IP address. That's sometimes helpful for troubleshooting.

Router 2 needs the DNS entries assigned by your ISP. Configure the DNS as shown in the image.

Step 3: Disable the Internet connection on Router 2 only. Click Basic->Network and under WAN Setup, set the Connection Type to "Disable."

Step 4: Disable the firewall on Router 2 only. You don't need this to be active because your second router is simply passing traffic to your primary router, whose firewall is active by default. Running both firewalls at the same time could cause unreliable behavior.

Step 5: Set the wireless network mode, SSID and channel for both routers. The operating channel should be same in both the routers. Click Basic->Network Settings. Set your Wireless Mode to "WDS" for both routers.

Router 1 should be configured with the MAC of Router 2 and Router 2 should be configured with the MAC of the Router 1. Please refer to the figure below.

Figure 1.a

Figure 1.b

Figure 1 : Configuration of Router 1

Figure 2.a

Figure 2.b

Figure 2 : Configuration of router 2

Now you have done with the settings. Now you should be able to access internet from the LAN side of both routers.

[Note: ] It is recommandable to back up the router configuration before playing with the settings so that you can go back to your earlier configuration in case you messed it up.

Read More In: WGR614L Open Source Router