Workgroup Bridge between WRVS440n and WAP321

[LarsBaekdal]

Hi, i am trying to expand the wifi range of my WRVS4400n. Since the WAP4400 is'nt available i got me a wap321, since it was mentioned as recommende replacement. However i am having trouble in getting the bridge to work.

First i tried to use WDS but this only killed my WRVS4400n and i am now trying the Workghroup Bridge mode on the WAP321.

On WRVS4400n i have enabled WDS and have tried both auto setting and Manual without any difference

I am stuck with this status on the WAP321:

Network Interface Status and Statistics VLAN ID Name (SSID)  

WLAN0UPSTRM  Disconnected  1  myssid   

WLAN0DWSTRM  Up  1  myssid

It is the Infrastructure Client Interface setting that fails, i've tried both None and WPA pesronal Security setting with same result: Disconnected

What am i missing?

[LarsBaekdal]

I forgot to mention firmware version

WRVS4400n:  V2.0.2.1-ETSI

WAP321:  1.0.2.3

[LarsBaekdal]

Update.

After some rebooting of both devices, and setting wpa-personal security in both infrastructure and AP setting on WAP321, i finally get connected.

But now i face another challenge,- when unpluging the "wire" and using WAP321 as a bridge, i am unable to connect to the WAP321's webinterface. Should something be set on the WAP in order to manage through wifi or is this done on the WRVS4400n?

[Tom Watts]

Hi Lars, my apologies, but this is not supported. The WAP121 and WAP321 will bridge and repeat each other. However, the WRVS4400N only supports WDS which means it would have to associate WDS but this cannot as the WAP's only work WDS with other WAP121/321.

-Tom
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[LarsBaekdal]

Hi Thomas, it's working at least for now. My wifi has been extended, but it is because of the WAP321's Workgroup Bridge settings which obviously provides backward compatibility to earlier WDS implementations. There is a "Cisco" video explaining WDS between 2 WAP's and there it is mentioned that bridging to earlier models could use workgroup - also stated in user guide.

[Tom Watts]

Well I'll be.

That is a bit of a happy news to hear.

-Tom
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[Clayton Sill]

Hello Lars,

Just wanted to add a note to this as well. Pretty much the workgroup bridge is made to be used with other wireless devices that are not WAP121's and WAP321s. Cisco pretty much recommends to use WDS bridge if you have another WAP321 or WAP121.. if that is not the case then workgroup bridge is your other options. The admin guide should have some good documentation on this and also if you click on help in the GUI of the WAP321 it provides a lot of great information as well! It gives you recommended set up for this configuration.

Other than that you do not have to set up WDS on the WRVS4400n. As long as the SSID, wireless channel, wireless mode, wireless bandwidth and secuirty is the same on the WAP321 and the WRVS4400n this should work out just fine. Maybe have to power cycle the devices a couple times to get it to come up but I know I have gotten this to work between a RV220w and a WAP321... so I do not see why it shouldn't work between the WRVS4400n and the WAP321.

Hope that helps!

Thanks,
Clayton Sill