How to create a transparent AP with more than 1 wireless cards

I was in need of this transparent AP because I had a linux server and 2 transparent AP-s that clients use to connect to my network. I wanted to change the AP-s so that more bandwith can be provided for the clients. The clients configuration was something like this:

IP       = 10.100.11.x
netmask  = 255.255.255.0
gateway  = 10.100.11.1

I purchased a routerboard with 1 ethernet card and 2 wireless cards. Performing the routing, the configuration of my network had to change so that the wireless cards` IP-s would be the gateways for the clients. In this scenario I had to change the routing of the linux server in a way that the Mikrotik box would be the gateway for the clients. Beside this, we had to change half of the clients` IP because wlan1 became 10.100.11.1 and wlan2 was 10.100.12.1 (new network). People who connect on wlan2 need to be in the 10.100.12.x/24 range.

With a little help from the Mikrotik forum (thanks guys) I succedded in doing this:

eth1  = 10.100.13.1/24
wlan1 = 10.100.12.254/24
wlan2 = 10.100.11.254/24

Now, all 3 interfaces are in bridge and they forward traffic without any question to my Linux box . The wlan1 and wlan2 still have IP-s in that range accidentally, they can have any private IP address, it doesn`t matter anymore.

Here is what you have to do (everything in telnet console):

interface bridge add name=bridge1 (bridge1 being the name of the bridge, in lack of ideas)
interface bridge port add interface=ether1 bridge=bridge1
interface bridge port add interface=wlan1 bridge=bridge1
interface bridge port add interface=wlan2 bridge=bridge1

The wireless cards are in ap-bridge operating mode.

interface wireless set wlan1 mode=ap-bridge ssid=greaca1
interface wireless set wlan2 mode=ap-bridge ssid=greaca2

(Click for full-size image)

And now, we have this configuration:

Client IP 10.100.11.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 gateway 10.100.11.1 -> Mikrotik wlan1 (IP=10.100.12.254/24) -> linux server ip 10.100.11.1.

Here are the connected client APs, 28 on that moment.

The default gateway for the mikrotik box is 10.100.13.2, an IP alias on the same ethernet card in the linux server that is 10.100.11.1, but it doesn`t count... it can be any IP, doesn`t have to be in the same range with the linux server.

Here is the complete scheme of my network in that town:

I don`t know how many people it`s gonna help but it was a breakthrough for me and it helped me a lot.

I haven`t tried putting more than 2 wireless cards, but I`m pretty sure it will be fine.

Posted in NanoBridge questions