Dlink DWL-7100AP in Repeater Mode

Hello Folks,
I am a noob when it comes to wifi, so please bear with me. What I am
trying to accomplish is this. I want to use the DWL-7100AP to extend
the range of my laptop wireless connection, without a wired connection
between the laptop and the 7100AP. I am going to use it on a boat and
just hoist it up the mast (with a small battery) when I am in a
harbor. I was hoping to select the AP I want to access by using the
site survey tool in the 7100AP by wireless connection. I selected the
7100AP because I thought it would be nice to use the A band for laptop
to the 7100AP, and the G band as the connection to remote AP's (the
7100AP has a menu option to allow the exchange of data between the 2
bands).

First thing I found out the 7100AP has to have an internet or router
connection to it before I can connect to the web browser to configure
the 7100AP. Ok, I connect it to my router and set it up as a repeater,
use the site survey to select an AP to connect to. I can then
disconnect the 7100AP from my router, and can get the 7100AP to repeat
a remote AP and I can still access the web browser menu to control the
7100AP.

The problem is when I try to use the site survey tool in the web
browser to select another AP to connect to, I loose the wireless
connection to the 7100AP. It seems to me that as soon as the 7100AP is
not connected to something to give it an external IP address, The
laptop refuses to connect to the 7100AP. The only way I can connect to
the 7100AP again is to connect it with the Ethernet port to a router.
I tried connecting a cable between the laptop and the 7100AP (even a
crossover cable) and I am unable to communicate with it. It seems like
if the 7100AP is not getting ip information from an external source,
there is no way to connect to it (wirelessly or wired).

So my question is this, how do I get the 7100AP to do what I want as
stated above? Can it be done? Do I need some other equipment to
connect to the 7100AP? Please help!

Thanks,
Louie

On 4 Mar 2007 09:50:17 -0800, "KA2PFL" <ka2pfl@juno.com> wrote in
<1173030617.677173.73040@64g2000cwx.googlegroups.c om>:

> I am a noob when it comes to wifi, so please bear with me. What I am
>trying to accomplish is this. I want to use the DWL-7100AP to extend
>the range of my laptop wireless connection, without a wired connection
>between the laptop and the 7100AP. I am going to use it on a boat and
>just hoist it up the mast (with a small battery) when I am in a
>harbor. I was hoping to select the AP I want to access by using the
>site survey tool in the 7100AP by wireless connection. I selected the
>7100AP because I thought it would be nice to use the A band for laptop
>to the 7100AP, and the G band as the connection to remote AP's (the
>7100AP has a menu option to allow the exchange of data between the 2
>bands).

That's not a great plan. For better ways to do Wi-Fi on a boat, see
<http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_on_a_Boat>

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

KA2PFL <ka2pfl@juno.com> wrote:

> Hello Folks,
> I am a noob when it comes to wifi, so please bear with me. What I am
> trying to accomplish is this. I want to use the DWL-7100AP to extend
> the range of my laptop wireless connection, without a wired connection
> between the laptop and the 7100AP. I am going to use it on a boat and
> just hoist it up the mast (with a small battery) when I am in a
> harbor. I was hoping to select the AP I want to access by using the
> site survey tool in the 7100AP by wireless connection. I selected the
> 7100AP because I thought it would be nice to use the A band for laptop
> to the 7100AP, and the G band as the connection to remote AP's (the
> 7100AP has a menu option to allow the exchange of data between the 2
> bands).

<http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=304>

OK. You are using it as a repeater:

: The DWL-7100AP can operate as an Access Point, Point-to-Point Bridge,
: Point-to-Multipoint Bridge, and Repeater.

> First thing I found out the 7100AP has to have an internet or router
> connection to it before I can connect to the web browser to configure
> the 7100AP. Ok, I connect it to my router and set it up as a repeater,
> use the site survey to select an AP to connect to. I can then
> disconnect the 7100AP from my router, and can get the 7100AP to repeat
> a remote AP and I can still access the web browser menu to control the
> 7100AP.

<http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=304>

: Network administrators can manage the DWL-7100AP settings via its
: Web-based configuration utility or though Telnet.

Have you tried using telnet?

> The problem is when I try to use the site survey tool in the web
> browser to select another AP to connect to, I loose the wireless
> connection to the 7100AP. It seems to me that as soon as the 7100AP is
> not connected to something to give it an external IP address, The
> laptop refuses to connect to the 7100AP. The only way I can connect to
> the 7100AP again is to connect it with the Ethernet port to a router.
> I tried connecting a cable between the laptop and the 7100AP (even a
> crossover cable) and I am unable to communicate with it. It seems like
> if the 7100AP is not getting ip information from an external source,
> there is no way to connect to it (wirelessly or wired).

An AP usually has a default ip-address, so you can connect by cable to
the access point without the AP having to be connected to a DHCP server.

I can do that with my DWL-G700AP when in repeater mode.

What does the manual say?

> So my question is this, how do I get the 7100AP to do what I want as
> stated above? Can it be done? Do I need some other equipment to
> connect to the 7100AP? Please help!

<http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=304>

: For advanced configuration, network administrators can deploy
: multimode operation such as using the DWL-7100AP as a 5GHz 802.11a
: wireless bridge while simultaneously providing Access Point
: functionality for 2.4GHz 802.11b/g networks.

I think you should try aiming at setting it up as an access point on the
5GHz band and as a repeater on the 2.4GHz.

That way you should be able to connect by wireless to the default
ip-address of the access point on the 5GHz band and configure the
repeater.