WPA won't work with WDS ?

Belkin routers need first a valid IP address for the computer, and then will add the MAC address automatically to the MAC filtering table when the filtering is set to disable. You can also add the MAC address manually if the automatic process failes. Once the MAC address is entered in the table, re-enable filtering.

Belkin doesn't exclude non-Belkin products. The MAC address on the device is separated by colons: 00:04:... but in the MAC table there are no colons, simply a string of lower case hex digits. If the MAC filtering is not enabled in the router, then there is no issue there.

What do you see in the router DHCP client table? Does the access point show up there?

FYI, MAC address filtering provides no real security -- it's too easily spoofed.

With a few exceptions, WDS only works between APs of the same brand.

The only APs I know of that can do WDS while using WPA are Apple's AirPort Extreme and Express base stations. They can do WDS with some non-Apple APs, such as Buffalo's older models, that use Broadcom chips; but they can't use anything stronger than WEP when doing WDS with non-Apple APs.

If you just need to add one PC to your wireless network, put an internal wireless adapter in it or get an external adapter or "bridge" unit that can operate in client mode. Forget about WDS.

Hi Q and thanks for the prompt reply ;-)

How would the above pan out if the 'device' connecting to them was a wireles AP (connecting in bridge mode)?

I don't think I had filtering turned on (because I know it isn't

My next test was to see if I could spoof a Belkin mac address in the Asus (but then I couldn't make the link again so reverted the Asus back to a simple AP).?

I'll have a look again later though .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Indeed, but I didn't know if it acted differently when set in the "allow only AP's with these mac addresses to connect" rather than straight client roles John?

All the best ..

T i m

Ok, and sorta what the Belkin guy suggested .. however I'm pretty sure I *had* connection to the net with this setup ..?

Laptop, Ethernet, WL-300g, i, Belkin, DSL, Inet ..?

The only reason I called then was to find out why I got an "Invalid mac" message box as soon as I tried to 'apply' the Asus WiFi mac add in the Belkin's 'AP's that can connect' box? It was then they suggested that they were surprised it was working at all (being a non Belkin box at the other end).

Ok ..

They can do WDS with some

(this Asus had 'Broadcom' as the SSID after I applied the firmware update ??)

Hmm, no (potentially) outside of Apple's arena, WDS doesn't support WPA ?

Welll, that was what I was sorta hoping to do with the Asus WL-300g but still connect into the Belkin (removing the two Netgear ME102 AP's). It was 'Clueless' (of this very list) that suggested the Asus on the basis that it would take alternative firmware and therefore (probably?) do what I wanted?

If I can make this Asus unit work in client mode (and that was a previous question that received no replies? please see "Asus WL-300g in 'client mode')" then that would be fine ;-)

Failing that ... would a pair working in AP (local) and WDS / Hybrid (remote) be more likely to support WPA whilst 'bridging' would you know / think please Neill?

All the best and thanks for your time ..

T i m

No better in that filtering role than in any other filtering role.

Ok, so don't bother with it then ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Somone has pointed out that these Netgear ME102's should also support 'point-to-point' mode?

Would this (with 129b WEP) be more secure than AP > 'AP Client mode' and would that in turn be more / less secure than 'bridging' with a strong WPA can you say please?

(and would I loose any functionallity for my 'remote pc connecting to the main house' scanario)?

All the best ..

T i m

Ad hoc mode.

No.

WPA (with a long/strong passphrase) is more secure than WEP in any mode.

If you want to connect beyond a wireless node, then you'll need bridging in one of those nodes.

The ME102, WPA11, and DWL-900 series of routers will not do ad-hoc mode and cannot participate in an ad-hoc network. However, they can do: 1. Access point client mode. 2. Bridge Mode (point to point) 3. Bridge Mode (point to multipoint)

Correct.

Thanks for those answers John ;-)

Ok .. so (just so I understand the 'rules') would 'bridging' preclude the use of WPA (or is it only 'WDS' that does that (in some / all cases?))?

I defaulted the WL-300g (again) last night and re set the fields and actually got back to (wireless) connectivity with the Belkin router ;-)

I think I got it into 'Hybrid mode'

This morning, with nothing changed, I'm getting DHCP over the link from the Belkin router but can't surf the net (more tests today then ..)?

All the best ..

T i m

That would depend on the device. I'm not familiar with that device.

Ah, so it's not 'across the board' though then?

Cheers ..

T i m

A great many things aren't 'across the board'.

1. Access point

;-)

So, last night I felt I had the Asus > Belkin working (Asus in Hybrid mode with WPA) and when I went to test it this morning I couldn't browse the web. I could though via my main PC (so guessed it wasn't my Belkin router / cable connection etc) so looked at the new link again. That seemed ok as I was getting DHCP over it (always a good sign) but I couldn't browse the web?

Stranger I could ping anywhere (ie

But still no smtp, pop, nntp or http ?

So, I moved the laptop from the 'remore' Asus link and put it straight into the Belkin router .. still nothing! I then put it straight into the cable modem (30 sec reset to change mac address) and still the same .. ping ok but nothing else!

Then it dawned on me that my main PC was using my neighbours gateway (hard wired, with permission!) so that was why that was working when everything else wasn't. (doh)

A call to the ISP yealded 'some network upgrades' and my cable modem being left behind registered on the 'wrong' server ... ;-( ( I had actually checked their status page before I phoned and nothing was pending).

Anyway ... I tried setting an incorrect WPA code in the Asus and it wouldn't connect to the Belkin, changing it back to the real one gave connection again (so I will assume WPA is working in this mode)?

So, do I reposition the Belkin (to offer better coverage where I want it) or buy another WL-300g and leave the Belkin where it is?

All the best ..

T i m

What can I say? I only included the modes that might be useful for the original application. It's an access point, so of course it has an access point mode (which really should be called an "infrastructure access point"). Anyway, my only point was that it doesn't support ad-hoc (non-infrastructure) modes.

(...)

It's common knowledge that chickens no longer lay small eggs. Instead, they lay large, extra-large, and jumbo eggs. Program bugs have been upgraded to "unimplimented features". Similarly, ISP's no longer have equipment failures, but only suffer from "network upgrades".

Yep. Good test.

Or use a reflector antenna to shovel more signal in the desired direction? Or maybe a different antenna? Or an AC power line wireless bridge extension?

Sri I didn't get back before ..

Ok ..

The MAC address on the

understood ..

If the MAC

Other than it appears I can't add *some* mac address without it complaining (like all 0's or 1's) .. must be a syntax checker on there? I have just tried again and It can't make up it's mind when it want's accept an address or not?

At the moment, just *this* wired PC's i/p, host and mac add.

Interface Operation Mode = Access Point Auth = WPA-PSK WPA Enc = TKIP

Bridge AP Mode = Hybrid Chan = 8 (same as Belkin) Connect to AP's in Remote briidge list = Yes Allow Anonymous = no Mac add = 0030bda1a1a1 (Belkin mac .. (example))

All the best ..

T i m