Bodging together a guest network?

platypus · 6 Oct 2013 at 11:10

I've got an asus rt56nu (and two dlink 615s running dd-wrt as wireless APs/boosters) which doesn't have a guest network feature (unless its unlockable with custom firmware??). I'd like to have a guest network for visitors, can I bodge something together with the 3 routers?

SimonC · 6 Oct 2013 at 18:24

I have a second linksys router that I'm using as an AP with guest network.
I actually have a ethernet over powerline adaptor that plugs into the main router, then another one in my room with a cable from the adaptor to the router.
I previously had it setup as a client bridge I think it was, but the signal wasn't strong enough at the end of the house, so this is why I am using adaptors.
That and the holiday let next door can pick up on it also.

So just be a case of going to 'wireless - basic settings - virtual interfaces' in the ddwrt?

paradigm · 6 Oct 2013 at 18:28

The DDWRT routers support guest networks.

KIA · 6 Oct 2013 at 20:16

Latest firmware might have the guest network feature.

There's always https://code.google.com/p/rt-n56u/

platypus · 8 Oct 2013 at 10:47

paradigm said:
The DDWRT routers support guest networks.

Would that work with them having routing/dhcp off though?

@KIA I've looked at that before. I take it that firmware enables guest network on the 56nu, can't seem to find a list of features?

Caged · 8 Oct 2013 at 10:59

If you want a guest network and 'your' network across all the APs then you're going to need to have the guest network on your router and then run that network plus the non-guest network as VLANs out to the other two APs. This assumes that those devices even support that, either with custom firmware or stock, and if you have 'dumb' switches in the mix then that's not going to work.

The other option I suppose would be to see if each AP can run a guest network as a self-contained thing, so each box runs DHCP and NAT to provide guest access. This will be reasonably bodge-tastic but should work if you don't move around while using the Wi-Fi.

LizardKing · 8 Oct 2013 at 11:04

I never got vlans/guest wifi to work with the 615, spent enough time banging my head on the wall over that one before finding out its not supported!

KIA · 8 Oct 2013 at 18:21

platypus said:
@KIA I've looked at that before. I take it that firmware enables guest network on the 56nu, can't seem to find a list of features?

Yes. Are you already running the latest official ASUS firmware?

platypus · 12 Oct 2013 at 11:37

KIA said:
Yes. Are you already running the latest official ASUS firmware?

Yep updated earlier this week.