More update...
Some grammar errors are from dictation.
Here's some additional information. I have been studying information about three different brands of routers. They are:
DD-WRT
Linksys,
Netfear, and
Tenda.The most extensive documentation is, of course, from DD – WRT. The commercial router companies also claim to have repeaters and wireless repeaters in their product line, including many of the most popular models presently on the market.
However, I have found a lot of inconsistency or at least the difficulty in the documentation. Here's the basic concept, you have to grasp. The new wireless routers consist of some three or four principal components. Some include a modem, and additionally must have a wireless transceiver and an Ethernet switch . All in the same package. Of course, a external power supply is required and in some cases, makes a significant difference in the performance of the router. Wrong power supply, poor performance.
Now here comes the confusion. The Ethernet section can allow all devices to communicate with each other. If that is what you want to do. The wireless transceiver will interface to the Ethernet switch and allow wireless devices to also connect to the Internet and the local network. Most of the time, you will not have any trouble using the Ethernet, the rules are rather straightforward and don't require a lot of preparation on the part of the user.
But setting up the wireless is not quite as transparent. The wireless requires some type of security, unless you're willing to take the risk. The security standards have shifted somewhat in recent times, and there is some question as to whether not all routers can comply with all forms of security out there. This is the area where you will probably have the most trouble. So much so that in some documents, it says you have to forget about security and run your wireless completely open. If you want the most versatile and flexible operation. That is very unfortunate.
Both Ethernet and wireless have rules about the subnet. The subnet is, in simple terms, a range of addresses of all devices that should communicate with each other through your router. Nevertheless, there are setups where you can have different devices on different subnets and somehow get this thing to work. I have never seen a clear, concise explanation of how that works. But I have got up to work both ways. To a limited extent.
When you have all devices in the same subnet, you should ensure that only one router is doing the DHCP. That statement is generally true. But presently I have one of the routers doing DHCP here in my office and ignoring the main router. My computers in my office can see each other, but cannot see the computers next-door. But all my computers can get to the Internet. And also my android tablet and my iPhone can see the Internet through another AP that I set up locally.
Even though what I am using is successful for my purpose, it still is very oddball, and not like what is claimed in some documents I have seen. It seems as some routers just cannot get along with each other. While others do. I have tried so many, variations of DHCP, subnet and local IP address, but I've lost track of how many different things I've tried.
Now here's the real kicker. There are some devices being sold out there that claim they will work as a wireless repeater and are very easy to set up. Well, I have not found any evidence that that is true. Reading through the documentation indicates that you cannot simply make a wireless repeater using only the security, MAC address and SS ID. Digging into the documentation you have to get into your main router, the one that is connected to the Internet, and make an allowance for another device to be a remote repeater. So that means you have to get permission from your neighbor to go into his router and set up a list of remote clients that are allowed to function as repeaters. In the advertising I have seen, that point is never highlighted explicitly. It is not enough to have the password, Mac and SS ID. You actually have to go into the control panel of the main router and allow it to accept a remote repeater by specifying the MAC address of any remote repeaters you want to have in the system.
So far I have not got to that point. But I do have a working system by using my router with DD–WRT as a client only and making connection to the guest account of the main router. The guest account does not have any security enabled, but only a simple password login.
If anybody knows more about this, please chime in and tell me what's going on here. So far all I have found is you have to use minimum-security and for ideal performance you have to fiddle with the main router as well as your local repeater that you're trying to set up. You have to have permission from the main router to set up her repeater.
Please tell me if that is wrong.
Because I'm a poor typist. I had to do this by dictation instead of trying to type it in. If you are using Windows 7 or Windows 8, you already have, speech recognition software on your computer. Give it a try. Sure beats typing.
End of dictation.
End of message.