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TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode

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TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode

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TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
2022-01-03 01:10:45
Model: TL-WR802N  
Hardware Version: V2
Firmware Version: 3.16.9

Hi,

 

I'm trying to connect my Synology NAS to my WiFi network using TL-WR802N operating in Client mode. Sounds easy, right :) My pain is that I can't reserve IP address in my main router DHCP because I can't see my NAS' MAC address.

 

Here is the setup:

  1. ISP cable goes into Archer C50 operating as wireless router. It is my main router and all the devices are working fine with it. 
  2. TL-WR802N operating in Client mode
  3. Synology NAS attached to the TL-WR802N

 

My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong here) of proper setup is:

  • C50 shall have the DHCP server dispatching the IP addresses
  • WR802N shall operate as Client with WDS enabled and DHCP disabled

In this setup the WR802N shall become "transparent" between the C50 and NAS and me enjoying a hassle free connection to the NAS.

 

The reality is that C50 sees the WR802N and doesn't know anything about the NAS. The result is the NAS is not given an IP address and inaccessible.

 

What partially worked for me was the following:

  • WR802N working in Client mode
  • WDS disabled
  • WR802N's DHCP enabled but address range shrank to 2 options: 1st address is the client's address reserved in C50's DHCP and second is the NAS desired address

 

In this "working" setup I have the following issues I try to avoid:

  1. the client's DHCP address range is a subset of the main router's one and I may have collisions at some point. This is easily avoidable but...
  2. the bigger issue is that I can access the NAS only from the local network but NAS on its hand doesn't connect to Internet for some reason. I tried to open some ports for services but with no luck even though both routers are UPnP compatible and the NAS could configure them properly (at least that was the way in the early days when NAS was connected by cable to C50 - it was properly setting the router)

 

And so, sorry for the long post but a lot of sweat and tears were spilled at this. The question is HOW to setup the bloody WR802N so that NAS binds flawlessly into the WiFi network, connect to Internet and even have some services accessible from the web?

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#1
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4 Reply
Re:TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
2022-01-03 09:19:38

@George_L 

 

What I would try is to configure 802N like this (Chapter 7 in the user guide):

In this case the 802N DHCP server would be disabled according to its user guide - Chapter 7.8.1.

802N wireless settings I would set as follows.

You have two options (Chapter 7.7.1. in the user guide). Everything depends on how C50 copes with WDS requests/responses. Consider testing both of them.

1. WDS enabled - all traffic from wired networks will be forwarded in the format of WDS frames consisting of four address fields.

2. WDS disabled - three address frames are used.

Note that In both cases 802N DHCP server is disabled.

I would uncheck "Enable Wireless Radio" as well - wireless stations will not be able to access the AP - thus 802N will be used only as a "wireless adapter" for your NAS.

To be sure that the NAS DHCP requests are served by your C50 DHCP server successfully, set your NAS to use Dynamic IP.

 

If this was helpful click on the arrow pointing upward to make it blue. If this solves your issue, click the star to make it blue and mark the post as a "Recommended Solution".
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Re:TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
2022-01-03 19:27:33 - last edited 2022-01-03 22:42:56

@George_L 

 

Hi,

 

If I may add my opinion here.

 

I don't have the same hardware as you, but I can tell you there are similar issues when I try to connect a comparable TL-WR702N to an Archer AX50 router here.

 

In my view the reason behind it is that router's that have come out in more recent years (like my AX50) just don't support true WDS anymore. 


Apparently the designers (in particular the designers of the chips and the associated driver software) have moved on to Mesh and given up on WDS, as WDS (Wireless Distribution System) was never a real standard anyway which resulted in interoperability issues here and there.


Without support for the proper WDS you will always face the issue that the main router sees the extender as one single device, even when there are other client devices connected to the extender. (so there is continuous "switching" going on, to which the main router may react in some way or another)

While such a wireless extender solution might work satisfactory for casual web surfing of no more than a couple of connected devices, it surely can drive anyone who wants to do more sophisticated things crazy.

 

Regarding your actual problem.
I own an older Synology DS109 that I had connected wirelessly for some period of time several years back, when a wired connection was not possible due to the circumstances. I was using one of the supported USB Wi-Fi adapters (plugged into the USB port of the NAS) and I remember that setup worked quite well.

 

 

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/227/

 

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Re:TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
2022-01-04 21:52:18

@terziyski 

 

Thank you for the suggestions. I stuck exactly there but you defined my issue for me.

 

After few more tries I can definitely say that for me it works better with WDS disabled. And I think I found my mistake - nothing technical I'm afraid. As a beginner I was expecting that all the DHCP clients will be listed in the C50's DHCP Client List as the name implies. Still don't know why some devices are never listed (like my wifi printer which I use with no issues). I was so obsessed to see the NAS listed there that I wasn't realizing that all the clients ARE GETTING IP addresses from the very same DHCP server meaning it knows about them and serves them well. So I found the NAS' MAC address and directly pasted it while reserving the so desired IP address. And it worked after rebooting the C50. I did the same for the WR802N so I know where to look for if I need access to its control panel. Everything works fine now.

 

So in short:

  1. the settings of WR802N are straight forward. Quick Setup wizard does everything. Admin has only to point Client mode of operation at the beginning. WR802N's WDS doesn't cope well with C50 so I don't recommend enabling it for this pair of routers. Luckily WDS is disabled by default.

  2. On the main router side go to DHCP -> Address Reservation -> Add New button. In the MAC field paste the MAC address of the device behind the WR802N and enable the assignement. Reboot. That's all.

 

Regarding "Enable Wireless Radio" - other radio stations will not have access to the AP but also connection to the control panel is lost. The only way to restore the access is to reset the router and reconfigure it without disabling the wireless radio. I personally prefer to keep the radio enabled.

 

Once again thanks for your time and good advice.

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Re:TL-WR802N WDS set in client mode
2022-01-04 22:02:38

@woozle 

 

Hi,

 

Any opinion is welcome :) Thank you for sharing your experience. I also tried that with a TL-WN725N hanging around but it didn't work. Then I found out this excellent feature is deprecated by Synology: https://www.synology.com/en-global/compatibility?search_by=category&category=usb_wifi_dongles&p=1&change_log_p=1 What a shame.

 

Anyways I think I found my solution. Maybe not the best but I hope it can work for someone else as well.

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