WHR-HP-G300N - Bridge mode issues

[PixelFreak]

Have 2 of these units, upgraded to latest DD-WRT firmware today.

 

Unable to get these two units to bridge together again.

 

"Gateway" is set to 192.168.1.1 (This is the NAME of the router I use that is wired to the Comcast cable modem.)  All is working fine from here, all wired devices work great on this device, DHCP, DNS, etc., all working fine.

"Bridge" is name of second Buffalo WHR-HP-G300N that is set up upstairs.  I have two devices I want to get internet access by using this in Bridge-client mode.  I have two devices wired into the LAN ports.

"Bridge" is set up as 192.168.1.2 on the LAN IP side, WAN is disabled.

 

I want multiple devices to be able to use the wireless bridge (DirecTV box and Xbox 360) for network streaming of Media Center and Internet access.

 

Please give me a rundown of the best way to get this set up, and what settings I should most be worried about?

I have 2 wireless devices ("g") that also use this network (laptop and a Chumby).

 

I am absolutely stuck on getting this "Bridge" to play nice with the network to bridge those devices upstairs onto the main network.  Any help/suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thanks,

PixelFreak

[nchall]

that should work w/dd-wrt.

 

have you tried it with the stock fw 1.82? 

 

for some reason buffalo won't admit that the driver dd-wrt uses on the atheros chipset present in these routers does not work as it should.  until they admit and resolve this problem i would only try what you are attempting with the stock fw.

[PixelFreak]

As per your recommendation, I installed the Buffalo v. 1.82 firmware and tried it using WDS mode.

 

I have been successful in getting the devices to contact each other, hand out IP addresses through the wireless bridge, negotiate to the internet, and also see other devices on the LAN.  You would think I was golden, right?

 

Well, let me describe the NEW problem occurring using this firmware:

 

AP (Master) side has a couple wired devices (DirecTV HR21; Media Center PC; Multifunction LAN printer; Xbox 360), handles 2 wireless devices (Laptop and Chumby), and also connects to wireless bridge upstairs.  I call this device the "Gateway" device and call the device upstairs "Bridge."

 

The Bridge device is also a WHR-HP-G300N (since your website said they could handle this type of setup...), and has two wired devices (DirecTV HR20; Xbox 360) and no wireless devices.

 

The firmware works as advertised.  I have a good connection, and the DirecTV boxes are talking to each other and see the internet, as well as all other devices.  The ONLY problem I am now having, and it's a showstopper, is that when I use the Xbox 360 on the bridge device and try to access the media center PC on the other side of the wireless bridge (wired to AP side), it causes the bridge router to reboot.  BLAM, just reboots as SOON as the blue menu screen comes up on the Xbox 360.  It will connect, wake up the media center PC, start the connection, but as soon as the Xbox 360 goes to the blue menu screen for Media Center - BLAM, all lights on the bridge device light up, the device then reboots.  Even after reboot of the device, the media center PC can no longer be found.  I have to go to the media center PC and actually reboot it - which is also quite odd.

 

The Xbox 360 that is wired on the AP side does not cause my media center PC to lose connectivity and works fine.

Previously, when I had these devices in DD-WRT firmware setup for bridging, this did not happen and the Xbox 360 on the bridge device connected to the media center PC without problems.  I changed from the DD-WRT firmware because the devices would not stay connected for more than 24 hours and constant resets of the device were required - which is not good when the wife "just wants it to work."

I have swapped the two devices (bridge from DD-WRT setup became AP w/v.182 installed, and vice versa) just to ensure it wasn't a hardware issue - it's not.

 

So, use the DD-WRT firmware and constantly reboot the devices daily to ensure connectivity over the wireless bridge (no thanks!), or use the Buffalo Firmware v1.82 in WDS mode, have the devices stay connected, as long as you don't try to use Media Center on the Xbox 360 over the wireless bridge because it causes the router to lose it's trash and reset immediately.

 

Honestly, what's going on with these devices?

 

I am using WPA2 Personal - TKIP.  I have tried WPA2 Personal - AES with the same results, and WPA2 Personal - Mixed with NO results, since it wouldn't connect using "Mixed".

 

Seriously, using media center app on Xbox 360 causes the device to reboot?!?  Was this not beta tested?!?

[nchall]

just to be clear i don't work for buffalo, just trying to get my router working as it was advertised like you are.

 

i would make sure that your bridge router isn't handing out ip's.  you only want dhcp on the ap router.  what is the switch set to on the back of your bridge router? (auto/on/off)  also, if the bridge is forwarding the mac address of the bridge to the ap, not the mac address of the xbox and the dtv box and you are doing static ip's they will look like the same device to the ap which might explain why one loses connectivity.

 

also, i read that the wireless n spec requires wpa2+aes or it will drop down to g speeds, so mine is setup that way.