HL1 wrote

1) Set up CPE210 in Bridging Mode

2) Set up CPE210 in Client Mode, and distributing the signal via LAN through a separate WiFi router

 

First of all - are there actually any differences network-wise for these two options?

Yes.

Client mode connects the CPE210 as a client to an existing AP. This means you can access the AP's network only through the LAN port of the remote CPE. No wireless connection is possible to the CPE in client mode (other than the link to the main AP).

Bridge mode connects the CPE210 to the AP also as a client, but it creates another AP on the remote CPE, too. However, the WiFi coverage is only inside a 65º angle in the direction the CPE is pointing to. This might explain the »limited connectivity« depending on your position of the client device connecting to the CPE's AP.

An ideal setup is discussed in the thread below (see »CPE210 - will it do what I need or do I need something else.«). 100m is almost no big distance for two CPEs, but if you connect only one CPE to another device (especially a device with omnidirectional antennas), this device might not be able to create a good signal back to the CPE over 100m. I would use two CPE510 (5 GHz band) for the direct link between any two locations and an omnidirectional AP (indoor or outdoor depending on your use case) connected to the CPE in client mode at the remote site.

As for testing the connectivity: Always test IP connectivity from your laptop over a wire to the remote CPE first, then to the main AP, then to the router, then to a system on the Internet. Use the ping command and IP addresses for this test. Only if this test succeeds, you should test access to websites. There are too many settings which could be wrong to just test Internet (Web) access on a newly deployed link.

Ah, you are using EDUROAM. That's an important information, didn't see it in the your post at first read, sorry.

To connect to EDUROAM you have to set up a second (local) network. EDUROAM often is configured to only hand out one IP for the client connecting to their networks. So, just set up the client CPE logging into EDUROAM in AP Client Router mode, which connects to EDUROAM as a client (as in Bridge or Repeater modes), creates an additional AP (much like in Repeater mode) and - most important - switches on routing (unlike in Bridge or Repeater modes). Then configure your very own network by setting the CPE's IP, its Gateway and DNS. Finally enable the DHCP server of the CPE and you're set. Remember to define the CPE's IP as the gateway to be announced by DHCP to your clients.