If you are in this post, it is because you need to know how to configure your router with DD-WRT, and it is not to lengthen, but you are in the best place to learn how to do it. Before, we will explain a little about this awesome firmware.
Firstly we feel the need to warn you that you should work with this delicately, because you are going to modify the router configuration, and if you do not perfectly follow the steps that we leave you here, you can definitely damage the device.
But if its configuration is correct, it will have new features that you can enjoy with your router, since most focuses on improving the connection of your Wi-Fi network.
What is the DD-WRT and what are its main features?
The DD-WRT is a firmware which allows us to improve the characteristics of our router, although it must be clear that this can only be done on some Wi-Fi devices, because not all have compatibility sufficient due to its manufacturer, and forcing its installation can completely damage the router.
This kind of software allows us to expand in many ways (network stability, connection information, complete monitoring …) the possibilities of our router. It is based on free software Linux / GNU, so we understand that it is free and of Open source, allowing us to modify them and overwrite the codes if we wish.
What is the use of configuring a DD-WRT router as a switch and access point?
This fabulous but delicate software gives us different features that will enhance our experience.
The most important are the following:
You can create Access Points
Thanks to allows us to create new access points we will not need to give the key to our network to everyone if we want them to connect, since they can do it from the new point created with DD-WRT, which is more than just a guest network. This is a kind of point that allows access to the style of networks offered by smartphones.
Blocking websites by words
As we know, routers are mostly pretty precarious with page locking, while those that support DD-WRT allow blocking not only of more than one Url but also words can be banned, so that when entering those words in the search engine from our network, it does not allow access or end the search.
Supports DDNS
The Routers with this firmware allow the modification and creation of DNS. When we speak in the plural it is because, unlike those that are not compatible, we can do them with up to 8 directions. Although the only thing that can be a bit tedious for us is that we must configure it manually, but it is not very difficult.
Always keep your connection to the maximum
If we have used Routers without this software we will know that most of the connections are very unstable, because for anything they fall, situation that we do not like at all. But with this open source program we eliminate this small but annoying problem.
With this software we can create an option called “Watchdog” that accesses a web page periodically, so that if the connection is not good, because it takes time to load, or the page simply does not recognize the IP, the apparatus restarts automatically, until the connection is 100%.
Steps to configure a router with DD-WRT to use it as a switch and access point
In order to configure our router with this fabulous firmware you need to follow a series of steps, and be very careful with this, because if you miss a step or you do not comply with them to the letter, you can end the life of the device.
So please read carefully the following:
In the Setup tab: Basic Setup
First we must enter the configuration of our Router and for this we must enter the URL search engine of our browser with the IP of the main network, or with the link that indicates the same device, in our case it is 192.168.1.200. Then we must enter to “WAN Connection Type” and click on the option “Disabled”. Now we look for our IP, and from there the Subnet mask. In our case is 255.255.0, and we select “DHCP Server “, where we click on “Disabled”.
Too we will have to disable all options related to DNSmasq. We enter “Assign WAN Port to Switch”, and we check the box to allow us to use the WAN port as another LAN port. We click on Gateway and the main IP which is mostly 192.168.1.1. Then we will “Local DNS”, and we select “Disable from NTP Client”. As everything is in English we must click on “Save”To save the changes, but we have not finished, we still need to configure.
In the Setup tab: Advanced Routing
In this step we enter the “Change Operating mode to”, and from the drop-down list that is located next to it, we select “Router”. Whenever we make a change we must click on “Save” to be able to save it and thus continue.
In the Wireless tab: Basic Settings
Already at this point we change the tab to Wireless, and we look for the option of “Basic Settings”. At this point we can configure our Wi-Fi network, from something simple such as changing the 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz frequency.
We enter “SSID”, to configure the Router repeater (repeater from secondary to primary), and then to the section of “Security”. We seek “WPA2” with an encryption AES, which should be the same as the main network. When it asks us to place the password, we write the same as that of the main network, and for the channel we choose one that is less saturated. We always must save (“Save”) changes to continue.
In the Services tab: Services
Now let’s go to “services”, And we seek “DNSMasq” and we deactivate (“Disabled ”), we do the same in “Ttraff”. In order to continue we must save (“Save”).
In the Security tab: Firewall
Here we deactivate the firewall, because the main router is the one who will manage all the security.
On the Administration: Management tab
We look for the Administration tab and in turn “Management”, here we can make changes to the following functions:
- Info Site Password Protection -> Enable
- Info Site MAC Masking -> Disable
- Cron -> Disable
- Routing -> Disable
Making these changes, we finished with the configuration, and we save. Then we click on “Apply Settings”, and in this way the changes are applied, so that the router loads all the new configuration. From this moment our router starts working with a Wi-Fi access point next to a 5-port switch (4 LAN + WAN).