Mikrotik routers can be used in providing more reliable wifi connections. The connection can serve more than 50 devices and manage to be strong still. This is contrary to the other Hotspot routers and that is why using mikrotik satellites as point to point wifi is very important. This article discusses the steps to be followed while configuring this.
Mikrotik routers are of different models and each model has its strength. For instance RB2011 with 100 connections, and RB1100AHX4 with 500 connections. First there is the need to ensure that the hotspot router is connected to the mikrotik satellite.
- Connect the access point wireless routers with network cables. In the location of my WIFI Services, disable SEPARATE FROM THE WI-FI LAN option.
- The access is then connected to the hotspot router and the switch. By doing this, an area of arbitrary size is covered using all access points required.
- The need of using outdoor access points arises in the latter case. This is because they have a capability of using the PoE. In this setup, each antenna will be achieved with Ethernet cable. An example of the outdoor Access points is the ubiquity Pico station M2.
However n cases where cabling is so complex or there is any difficulties in cabling, the best option s building the network using the wireless technology to repeating the signal. This technology is known as WDS. This is done by expanding the WI-FI network with two routers that are connected to the mikrotik satellite router without cables. The following steps have to be followed while configuring the mikrotik satellite for a WI-FI connection.
- First and foremost, go to the MY WI-FI servce control panel and deactivate SEPARATE WI-FI FROM LAN option.
- Enable the WDS on the router. This is done by setting the mode to ACCESS POINT(WDS), i.e. click on NETWORK then WI-FI, then EDIT then under INTERPHASE CONFIGURATION
- Idealy, if the connection needs to be spread to an area that has no etheret cables, these steps are to be followed.
- First and foremost, to spread the WI-FI signal to this area, The need to use two antenna Pico stations arises.
- The first antenna is connected to a Mikrotik hotspot router and the second to the first antenna in WDS
- To the second antenna, a switch is connected via the PoE`s LAN port.
- To this switch several additional access points are connected. Both antennas are configured using the following process:
a) Reset using the button on the back of the of the antennas.
b) Open the browser and paste 192.168.1.20
c) Under wireless tab, set Wireless Mode on “AP-Repeater”, in WDS Peers put the Mac address of the other antenna, specify an SSID and a frequency (channel) transmission common to the two antennas, and finally set the “Channel Width” of 20 MHz.
d) Disable the airMax technology
e) In Network | Management Network Settings, set the LAN Ip on 10.182.0.2 (10.182.0.3 for the other), subnet 255.255.0.0 and gateway 10.182.0.1
f) Click change and then apply to save your settings
g) Note that you cannot set a different SSID for different antennas
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