Six wireless transmission modes

In order to set up the repeater function of the wireless router, we understand the six wireless modes, and everyone seems to be no longer vague.

1. Access Point (AP)

In this mode, the wireless network card of the router is like a "wireless HUB", which is responsible for establishing a data link between the wireless router and the computer (equivalent to an invisible network cable). Under normal circumstances, the wireless connections of home wireless routers work in this mode by default.

2. Client

Works like a wireless card on a laptop, only connecting to other wireless networks, not emitting its own wireless network signal. For a wireless router, this mode is equivalent to enabling a wireless WAN port, and the computer below can only be connected to this device by wire.

In this mode, the wireless router still provides DHCP and NAT functions. The LAN with a separate IP address segment composed of four internal LAN ports is connected to the external main network through its own gateway on the wireless router.

3. Client Bridge

Like the "client" mode, it is equivalent to enabling a wireless WAN port, and the computer below can only connect to this device through a wired connection. However, the local area network composed of the internal LAN port and the connected wireless network segment are in the same IP address segment. Internal DHCP requests are also forwarded to the primary wireless network.

4. Adhoc

Adhoc has an image metaphor, which is like connecting two computers directly with a network cable, but here the network cable is wireless. The most common devices that use adhoc connections are mostly handheld game consoles. This mode is rarely used on wireless routers.

5. Repeater

As the name implies, the relay is to receive the signal and transmit its own wireless signal at the same time. In this mode, the wireless router accesses the main AP as a wireless network card client, and then provides wireless access for the client by adding a new virtual interface (Virtual Interfaces). The greatest significance of this mode is that it can solve the problem that the wireless signal cannot be transmitted farther due to the influence of distance or obstacles. In this mode, the wireless router still provides DHCP and NAT functions, that is, all internal LAN ports and wireless client access constitute a separate LAN segment.

6. Repeater Bridge

Like the "relay" mode, it can solve the problem that the wireless signal cannot be transmitted farther due to the influence of distance or obstacles. However, the computer terminal connected to the wireless router is in the same IP address segment as the main wireless network. Internal DHCP requests are also forwarded to the primary wireless network.

Summarize:

Normally, the wireless router works in "AP" mode. Don't mess with it if you don't have special needs.

If there are too many walls between the existing wireless router and the laptop (for example, if you want to share the Internet with your neighbors), you may encounter a situation where the signal near the window is OK, but the signal near the computer is too weak. At this time, buy another dd-wrt router and set it to "relay" to solve the problem of insufficient signal transmission distance. As for choosing "relay" or "relay bridge", it depends on your own needs. For example, the network being relayed is also your own home, so it is recommended to use "relay bridge". In this way, all the computers can be in the same network segment, and it is more convenient to visit each other. If you want to build a separate network segment by yourself to improve security, choose the "relay" mode.

There are relatively few occasions where the "client" is used. One possibility is that all computers at home use network cables to access the Internet, but they need to share the wireless connection of other people's homes. This mode can be used in this case.

Generally speaking, if the word "bridge" is included in the network terminology, it mostly means that two networks are connected at the data link level, and both are in the same IP LAN.