Re: OT: Router behaviour
On Thu, Feb 04, 2021 at 11:03:17PM +0000, Mark Fletcher wrote:
> My kids have been complaining recently about the quality of the WiFi
I suggest to investigate whether the problem lies with WiFi or elsewhere.
There are multiple tools available for measuring throughput and latency.
I use flent with netperf, and for the Internet connection also
http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest
IMHO the best way to improve a weak WiFi signal is to install multiple
access points throughout the house and connect them by ethernet cable to
the main router.
Some latency problems can also be fixed with alternative firmware and
configuration on the router.
> I powered the router down again, plugged its WAN port into one of the
> LAN ports of the ISP-supplied router, and brought it back up. It came up
> but seems to have automatically subordinated itself to the ISP-supplied
> router and is now offering up IP addresses in the range supplied by the
> ISP's router...
The secondary router could be in bridge mode during startup,
passing DHCP from its LAN clients to the main router and back.
See for example the following discussion in the OpenWrt forum:
https://forum.openwrt.org/t/bug-in-the-dhcp-mechanism/14777
Often this problem cannot be truly fixed without buying new hardware,
but there are workarounds if you do not mind reconfiguring the network.
For example, you could set up your secondary router as an access point,
if its firmware allows it:
- disable its DHCP server
- configure its LAN to use a static IP address compatible with the main
router's subnet, not used by another device yet and outside the main
router's DHCP range
- alternatively, configure its LAN as a DHCP client (if possible at all)
- connect it to the main router using its LAN port
(its WAN remains disconnected)
Regards,
Mirko
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