How to Set Up a Wireless Bridge

A wireless bridge connects two or more networks such as LANs or parts of LANs that are physically separated from each other. The majority of wireless routers on the market today feature a “Bridge” or “Repeater” mode that connects dissimilar or similar protocol types. Wireless bridges can work in a point-to-point or point-to-multi-point configuration, with the ultimate goal being to share network access or resources such as printers or scanners. The most common reason for setting up a wireless bridge is to extend a wireless network’s current range across a large building or home due to the range limitations on the wireless access points currently sold on the marketplace.

How to Set Up a Wireless Bridge

Step 1 – Connect a computer to the active wireless access point.

Step 2 – Assign a static IP address to the computer. The static IP address allows the computer to obtain the same IP every time that it boots and should contain the same first three sets of numbers as the local router IP address. For example, if your access point’s address is 192.168.0.1, then the static IP should be 192.168.0.x with x being any number between 2 and 253.

Step 3 – Open the access point web setup page in the computer’s web browser. Each manufacturer of wireless access points uses a default IP address to configure the respective access point such as 192.168.1.1 for Linksys routers.

Step 4 – Record the Wireless MAC address for the access point.

Step 5 – Disconnect the computer from the active access point and connect to the networking device to be configured as the wireless bridge.

Step 6 – Open the access point being configured as a wireless bridge’s configuration page.

Step 8 – Change the device’s operating mode to “Wireless Bridge” and then enter the MAC address noted in Step 3 in the configuration panel.

Step 9 – Choose the save settings menu option and restart the wireless bridge to complete setup.