How to Set Up a Wireless Bridge

Tap to Read ➤ Swapnil Srivastava

Wireless Ethernet bridge is a device that easily permits a link between two or more network connections without the hassles of wire installations. Setting up a wireless bridge requires certain steps and procedures, which has been explained below.

Wireless bridges are useful for making an unwired connection between two LAN segments. It is a radio-based device that allows the communication between two networks, which are often at remote locations.

It is always beneficial to have knowledge about this device and the procedure required for its setup. If a company has offices in two different buildings situated on opposite sides of a road, the office computers need to be connected as one integrated network.

A wireless bridge can be a more convenient option than cables. It saves time, money and provides scope for easier maintenance. These are based on the 802.11 protocol and can be set up almost anywhere to transmit data through an access point that is wired to the main network. They have a built-in LAN switch which is useful for plugging in several devices.

The Working

The two segments of LAN should be in the same subnet for their connection with a wireless Ethernet. As the computers within the different subnets cannot communicate with each other directly, a network address translation (NAT) should be enabled between the wireless and the wired ports.

» The basic working involves the conversion of a data packet into a radio pulse for transmission. » On receiving the radio pulse, the other end of the network sends an acknowledgment to the transmitting radio.

» Then, the pulse is translated back into a wired Ethernet packet and sent to the appropriate recipient. » In the wireless bridge mode, all the devices which are connected to either routers, have one unified subnet within them.

Assembling the Wireless Bridge

Step 1

The first step involves the manual configuration of the IP address. For this purpose, open the Control Panel/Network Connections/Local Area Connection/Properties, and click on the Properties of Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Set the IP address as 192.168.1.2, Subnet Mask as 255.255.255.0, and Default Gateway as 192.168.1.1.

Step 2

Using an Internet browser, connect to the router. Click Wireless/Basic Settings, and select the 'Client Bridge'. Set the 'Wireless Network Mode' according to the primary router.

Step 3

For security purpose, click Wireless/Wireless Security and select WEP, WPA or WPA2. Select the Status/Wireless option and click on the button labeled 'Site Survey'. Now associate the router to the primary one, to create the bridge. To do so, click the 'Site Survey' button and the 'Join' button to create the association with the available wireless network.

Step 4

The bridge is now complete and can be easily tested by setting the IP address back to automatic assignment, unplugging the network cable from the PC and reconnecting. After doing so, the PC should receive an IP address assigned by your primary router.

Step 5

If the PC does not receive an IP address from the primary router, it implies that the bridge is not working. In such case, recheck the working of the secondary router and check whether the primary router is configured to use MAC address filtering, as a secondary form of security.

The installation process may slightly vary according to different models and brands. However, the basic steps would remain the same. For any further queries or doubts you can contact the customer support official and get it resolved.