router -> bridge

I have a device I want to put on the LAN (an Xbox v. 1), so it can get RSS feeds from outside as well as access my SMB shares locally. It only has a hardwore ethernet jack and no slots. It also would be impractical to run an ethernet cable to it, so it'll have to be a wireless ethernet bridge. To that end, I got a router which supports "bridge" mode, an Actiontec MI424WR (revision D). There's another one in the house (earlier revision though), so the interface is familiar.

The manual says that to make it an IP bridge, I need to set it to have no IP address. (Actually, it says that having no IP address is useful when configuring it as a bridge.) Fair enough. However, the message it pops up before it does that scares me. It says: "Configuring an internal connection to have no IP address will make it inaccessible". I can see that.

  1. Is that step necessary? Can't I do this:

NAT NAT (( net )) -- router #1 -- 192.168.1.x (router #2) -- 192.168.2.x (xbox) `- 192.168.1.x ( ... ) `- ...

  1. If it is necessary, how do I access the router afterward?
Reply to
Hactar
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Reply to
Airman Thunderbird

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IP address of what? The attached device? At port 80 (www) still? And does it go in the WAN port or one of the LAN ports, or does it matter?

For most of the other devices around here I have DHCP assign a fixed address. DHCP doesn't require a dynamic address after all.

Sure.

Also, I think I have a decent handle on what needs to happen theoretically. Any idea how I configure the router to make that happen actually?

Reply to
Hactar

I don't understand what you have around the house as the LAN ???

I have a WiFi LAN for the house - 192.168.1.xxx Then I have a "bridge" device in the family room for the Xbox. The bridge lives at address 192.168.1.15 for access to config & manage it. It however just uses the WiFi network like any other "computer device". The Ethernet jack then connects to the Xbox and all is well, as if the Xbox was on the LAN or on the WiFi network.

Actually - I have a small hub connected to the "bridge" to give me several Ethernet ports in the family room for the Xbox 360, the Tivo, etc

Reply to
ps56k

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Five computers, a print server, and some occasional things. Some are hardwired, some are wireless. All are in 192.168.1.*. Everything uses DHCP, but most are set up to get the same address every time they come up.

What kind of router do you use for the bridge? That's what I want to do with mine. I got a nice diagram

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but I don't know how to configure the Actiontec that way.

Reply to
Hactar

At the "bridge" end of the puzzle, you need a device that can act as a "bridge".... ie a real bridge, or an access point that can be configured into "bridge mode". You don't need a router - you need a WiFi device that is, or can become a WiFi "bridge". Here's a note on your device - Actiontec MI424WR

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some info -
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I have an actual WiFi bridge device - the Linksys WET11 - now the WE T54G -
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My main WiFi access point is the the Linksys WAP54G

Reply to
ps56k

OK. Can this (MI424-WR) do that (wireless bridge)? I know it's overkill... I'd also be OK with forming a subnet for the Xbox. I won't need to make inbound connections.

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Yeah, I saw things like that before. They're instruction on how to set up the router to do WAN - LAN bridging with no wireless. I think I want WAN - wireless or LAN - wireless bridging. Can I do that? What modifications do I need to make?

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I may have to break down and get something like that, if I absolutely cannot make this thing work.

Reply to
Hactar

If you use a DHCP address from your server, you won't know what the address is, hence the "Configuring an internal connection to have no IP address will make it inaccessible". Give it a fixed address and plug your Xbox in after configuring the bridge.

Hactar wrote:

Reply to
Airman Thunderbird

OK. I don't see an obvious way of having the wifi circuitry be just another device on router #1's net and not broadcast its own SSID. Any clues?

Reply to
Hactar

Reply to
Airman Thunderbird

I sent this to Actiontec tech support: ,-- | Hi, I have two MI424-WRs (one from Verizon, one from eBay), and I wish | to EITHER (1) set up a wireless bridge for the Xbox; or (2) put the | Xbox on its own subnet, which is connected to the rest of the LAN | wirelessly. | This need to be done in such a manner that wireless devices can still | connect to router #1. Is this possible? I found a diagram but my IP | knowledge is inadequate to apply it to this case. '--

They responded: ,-- | Negative. The MI424 used by Verizon lacks programming for bridging the | connection. Simply use ONE MI424. Once your XBOX is connected, simply | use the pre-programmed entry in the port forwarding list of protocols | for XBOX to open the ports to the XBOX consoles IP Address or name. | (XBOX consoles do not have names like a computer and show as either | new or unknown host in the device list) '--

So that router with the standard firmware seems to be out. DD-WRT is being ported to the router last I heard, so who knows when that'll be ready for public consumption. The RALink wireless card (inside the router) is a miniPCI card, so I'd need to replace it with an Atheros-based card. I'm thinking it would be worth it to get a dedicated wireless bridge device.

I wish I could see what's working and what's not with the port, since I don't need the coax or NAT or DHCP stuff at all.

Reply to
Hactar

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